DBA Campaign extension

Draft: 02-10-2012

Storm Within the Empire uses the DBA 2.2 Campaign as a core system. The additions listed here allow the player to experience the medieval period in more depth. The player who finds greater enjoyment at undermining his opponent by creating economic and political compromises may find this of interest. 

1 Maps – This primary game centers on the Kingdom of Bavaria after its division into four minor duchies, these are Bavaria – Ingolstadt, Bavaria – Munich, Bavaria – Straubing, and Bavaria – Landshut. You will note from the map, all duchies have lands surrounded by or are nearly encircled by rival houses. The goal for Bavaria is the re-unification to its former state. Historically, 100 years and the machinations of six or seven generations would pass before this would become fact.

Built into the game are a number of periods when the game is moved forward in to time so the “kingdom” may interact with events taking place elsewhere in the Holy Roman Empire.

2 Resources – The original campaign system, resources to support a 12 element DBA army were generated by the quantity of prestige points a player had banked at the end of a campaign year. This was done by totaling the number of cities held and victory in the field.

With the increased number of cities a higher score is possible. Add to this, trade between cities, taxation and tolls a player can generate more wealth, however, there are necessary expenditures to maintain a humming economy. Not only the army but other institutions, such as the nobility, the church, the guilds, require their share as well.

A record sheet will be used to note income and expenditures per month. The record sheet is currently being developed. This will also list possible revenue and costs for the ambitious who wish to plan ahead.

3 Campaign year – Movement during the seasons of Spring, Summer and Fall is now expanded to months of the year. The game starts with March and ending with November with the months of December through February used to rebuild and plan.

Each of the armies use the Book IV/13c list with options. For a standard game, these armies use Arable as their home geography. Bavaria geographically is much different than the rolling plains of Westphalia. To add variation, each city/town/hamlet is coded to represent Arable, Hilly or Forest geography.

4 Movement – Is still done in two stages and with the same restrictions regarding hostile controlled nodes. Movement between cities on land or by river is noted on a player’s record sheet. An opponent occupying a location on a river also contests use of the river.  

5 Invasion – Declaring the invasion of an opponent’s territory historically was the final solution as other means had been exhausted. Each month, a player can specify a number of other options on the record sheet to include, raids, trade rivalry, banking, entreating alliances, building castles and such.

Raids: Do not require the full army strength, but use mobile elements whose primary goal is to raid enemy territory and carry off livestock, plunder, or resort to mayhem which can derail an opponent’s well laid plan. These small scale actions can be resolved using the standard DBA 3.0 game with additional non-combat elements used to represent baggage, livestock and such.

Trade rivalry: A player may instead resort to compete on an economic level by establishing trade agreements with kingdoms whose goal were the same as your opponent. A series of economic treaties could deny rival kingdoms from necessary trade of excess product, receiving necessary goods or services (salt, precious metals, trained artisans to name a few) this bring your opponent into an economic vice.

Banking: This is an option that requires good planning as the upside, a player can gain necessary funds to undertake whatever needs be done, building castles, armies or hiring mercenaries, an extra incentive for negotiation and the like. The downside or default on a loans can bring a detrimental effect to a kingdom. The Bank is not represented by a player, but based on the amount required, the debtor establishes first  a guarantee. A die roll determines the “length of time” and “insurance” costs added to the loan. If the player does not accept the result, he may roll again next month. The final result is then added as a debit post to their record keeping. Any amount still owed at the end of the year may have an adverse effect in devaluing the “prestige” of the kingdom; alliances of marriage become less attractive, setting trade agreements would bring risk factors to name a few examples.

 Alliances: Negotiations can take place during any month. Historically, such alliances were sealed through a marriage bond noting the necessary dowry and treaty conditions (a defensive alliance is one example). Note: this test takes place two generations after the partitioning of Bavaria into four duchies on the death of Ludwig.

Construction: Maintaining a level of simplicity, construction must be classed as new project, expansion of an existing structure, or public enhancement. A new project, whether this is a castle, church or bridge will have preliminary costs added to the overall costs, whereas expanding or refurbishing an existing structure such as city walls, adding boats to an existing merchant fleet and the like will have basic costs.

6 Supply – DBA 2.0 required armies to be in supply while campaigning away from their home cities. This has been modified as historically, a campaign period was generally set for 60 days. This meant an invading army brought supplies which were augmented with necessary foraging. With regards to sieges, this meant quick exhaustion of the surrounding area eventually necessitating searches further out. Lack of supply was the usual case for sieges being lifted.

For the besieged in a castle, having ample supplies, water and a garrison were sufficient to hold out. Defenders behind the walls of a city, this was not enough. Not only were supplies needed for the garrison, but also for the general population and if these were found lacking, then a city would most likely surrender. Other factors facilitated the surrender of a city; either by treachery, economic reasons (commercial or guild city) or one devastated by disease.

 

7 Giving Battle – Initiating battle follows the same pattern as a standard game. Armies greater than 12 elements use the double size board as per the Big Battle option with the same restrictions regarding number of mandatory and optional features. The game map has been annotated to reflect the type of geography armies to be used for battle, these being Arable, Hilly, Forest, and Steppe (Hungarian plain).

8 Participation by Allied Contingents – There are no changes to the current system, however, DBA 3.0 allows for the inclusion of allied contingents within the standard 12 element sized game. Aside from treacherous behavior which was prevalent during the Wars of the Roses, unwilling participation should also be present. These are not necessarily allied contingents, but can reflect nobles coerced to participate in a campaign. These should be recognizable by coat-of-arms, banner or composition of elements. In battle, these are moved after all other elements have done so. A low PIP score will ensure their lack of participation for that bound.

Allied contingents remain a component of the main army so are not recorded separately.

As a result of treachery, they may change allegiance.

9 Results of Battle – Historically, the main purpose for war was conquest of land and acquisition of wealth through ransom. Nobles took care of one another so knights “destroyed” in battle by the winning player are captured and held for ransom. The amount to be ransomed is in direct relation to title and lands. Within the campaign victory conditions may differ with the standard DBA game. Some scenarios may call for raids which may produce small scale victory, but done regularly will deliver noticeable results.

Do not overlook the costs of a campaign which can exceed the wealth gathered, thus lowering a noble’s prestige. 

10 Standing Siege – This section is completely re-written as a separate game with each period of play corresponding to a month within the campaign.

During a month of siege both sides can plan to reinforce, relieve, break out or break off a siege. The attacker should plan for a prolonged period while anticipating a defender’s options for relief or breaking out.

Failure to care for adequate supply was the primary reason for the failure of many sieges. So to represent the capacity of an area, values are set for Arable, Hilly, and Forest regions which limit the amount of supply to be gathered from the countryside.

11 Tributary Rulers – Under the original rule set when a player participation diminished, an offer of servitude could be extended to another player in the role of tributary rule. This meant no military moves would be done with consent of the overlord. In this variant, that status would be reached as a result of economic or political setbacks resulting in a tributary status. Enforcing loyalty of the tributary lord could take the form of a marriage alliance. 

12 Conquest – Storm Within the Empire was originally designed to take the fragmentation of the Kingdom of Bavaria into four smaller duchies and begin the slow process of unification. Historically, this took a century. Not to be dismayed, this allowed a player to step away from the unhurried process and move elsewhere within the Holy Roman Empire to begin afresh in perhaps Austria, Bohemia or Hungary.

The participant is no longer constrained but can move along with the gradual progression of actual events of the 15^th century. Events in Bavaria will last for no longer than one or two generations and then emphasis will shift to Bohemia and the religious upheaval. And so will the campaign continue to change location within and outside the Empire as time marches on. 

Cheers,