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Post by Father on Apr 7, 2020 13:45:31 GMT 1
So first step: 2x Freeriders pushing one wagon each using shieldwall? Then fill moat? Archers to stay out of opposed archer range and attack levies?
Note that the changes only requires wagons if you want to hit the gate with a ram, the trench now only covers the gate, you could just charge ahead with ladders (but setup changed to three "sections" that can be attacked, so three units can do ladders with rest then being reserves). Meaning you could have first wave being Militia's crossing in 2 rounds, then start climbing, with second wave being one round behind.
Shieldwall should work as long as you can be in massed formation that moves slow and orderly, so climbing ladders would break it, a case might be made for that the act of ramming down a gate or filling the trench with sticks and stones would disable the bonus for that one turn.
Given the opening plan, you could issue commands to the units acting in the first round and hold the orders for those supposed to hang back outside archery range atm. I will always roll for the defenders, but I can expedite things by rolling for attackers until such a time as the next step in the plan is on the cards or the plan hits a snag.
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Apr 7, 2020 14:29:32 GMT 1
So first step: 2x Freeriders pushing one wagon each using shieldwall? Then fill moat? Archers to stay out of opposed archer range and attack levies? Note that the changes only requires wagons if you want to hit the gate with a ram, the trench now only covers the gate, you could just charge ahead with ladders (but setup changed to three "sections" that can be attacked, so three units can do ladders with rest then being reserves). Meaning you could have first wave being Militia's crossing in 2 rounds, then start climbing, with second wave being one round behind. Shieldwall should work as long as you can be in massed formation that moves slow and orderly, so climbing ladders would break it, a case might be made for that the act of ramming down a gate or filling the trench with sticks and stones would disable the bonus for that one turn. Given the opening plan, you could issue commands to the units acting in the first round and hold the orders for those supposed to hang back outside archery range atm. I will always roll for the defenders, but I can expedite things by rolling for attackers until such a time as the next step in the plan is on the cards or the plan hits a snag. - Yes to both opening questions. - Attacking the gate plus three wall section hopefully makes sense as it gives one unit a clear run at things if the opposing Peasant Levies can be shot down. Plan is for Roland to then go after whichever point of attack Ser Morgan is at to try to put an end to things quickly.
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Post by Father on Apr 7, 2020 14:33:41 GMT 1
Commands to freeriders and archers then.
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Apr 7, 2020 14:56:20 GMT 1
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Post by Father on Apr 7, 2020 19:24:08 GMT 1
Present Bracken lineup:Levies-Freeriders-Archers-Militia -Archers are taking position directly above the gate (With commander attached), the others are manning the scalable sections. Archers attacks other archers if possible, otherwise wagon with incendiary: 5d6k4 20 3 DoS for +2. NPC's also gets to do clever tactics, melee units are taking cover behind the walls for ineffectual archery fire against them. Aim+Incendiary arrows on wagon: 6d6k2+2 123 DoS, for 3*3-8=1 damage. It burns: 2d3-2 2Blackwoods: 2xFreeriders 10/10, CD 11 (Shield wall) Wagon 1: 19/20, 1 damage per round for 2 rounds. 2x Archers 7/7 6x Milita 10/10 Brackens Freeriders, 12/12, CD 15 (Shield Wall, cover) Militia 10/10, CD 15 (Shield Wall, cover) Archers 7/7, CD 10 (cover) Levies 6/6, +1 TN to command, CD 10 (cover)
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Post by Father on May 12, 2020 16:04:23 GMT 1
Simplified event style variant:
Blackwood forces Commander: Ser Roland Cordwayner 2 Squads of Trained Freeriders (CD 9, Health 15, Fighting 5k4, Morale 4k3) 2 Squads of Trained Archer Militia (CD 6, Health 9, Marksmanship 5k3, Morale 4k3) 6 squads of Trained Militia (CD 6, Health 12, Fighting 4k3, Morale 4k3)
Bracken forces Commander: Ser Morgan Greenhill 1 Squad of Seasoned Freeriders (CD 10, Health 16, Fighting 6k4, Morale 5k3) 1 Squad of Trained Militia (CD 6, Health 12, Fighting 4k3, Morale 4k3) 1 Squad of Trained Peasant Archers (CD 6, Health 6, Marksmanship 4k3, Morale 4k3) 1 Squad of Green Peasant Levies (CD 6, Health 6, Fighting 2, Morale 2)
General conditions: -Each Blackwood unit will make a single test for each assault, which should be made as a block. -Units stationed on the wall gains +4 CD and +1b to attack. -Damage dealt by attacks is equal to DoS*Fighting/Marksmanship rank. -When a Unit reaches zero health, it will no longer participate in any assaults. -Units may take injuries to regain health equal to half maximum (round down), up to a maximum of their morale rank, no penalties applies from injuries. -Additionally, Bracken units may take wounds, which functions as injuries, but imposes -1b (as training penalty) to all tests. -The Blackwood forces may attempt to assault Greenhill as long as their morale keeps. -Fighting/Marksmanship/Morale rank equals kept dices (before any penalties are applied).
At the start of each assault, the following tests are made: -Warfare (Command) TN 9, each DoS adds +1 to the morale test below, on a critical failure, the morale test is at -1D. -The army makes a morale test, with the TN being 2*previous assaults. -For each Blackwood unit that has been reduced to 0 health, add +1 to the TN. -For each Bracken unit that has been reduced to 0 health, add +3 to the test. -On a simple failure, the assault is not carried out, but the TN increases as if it had been. -On a critical failure, the siege must be abandoned. -The commander may pass on ordering an assault, allowing each unit on all sides to attempt a morale test to remove injuries (wounds are treated as injuries for this purpose), this functions as an endurance test to remove injuries. Doing this adds +1 to the TN of future morale tests to carry out the assault.
Leading the Attack -The Blackwood commander may join personally, treating himself as a separate unit assigned to a wave, following the below mechanics except as noted: -Add +1 to morale tests per two melee units in the same or later wave as he. -All attacks against him are treated as the enemy having taken maximum extra time. -All attacks against him gains the powerful bonus (equal to the specialty rank to morale dice). -If the wall section has not been taken, he must test chance TN 9, gaining +1 per melee unit previously having attempted to ascend that wall section during the assault. -On a failure, he is repelled and fails to make his attack. -On a critical failure, he is violently thrown from the walls which is resolved as an attack from the melee unit defending it which ignores AR and any other adjustments to combat defense from weapons, qualities or techniques. -Fatigue can be taken for ignoring penalties for any one test or against any one attack, or for allowing a single Catch your Breath action. -A single point of fatigue can be regained between each assault, one may test for the removal of an injury after the next assault (passing over an assault counts as an assault for this purpose).
Assaulting the Walls: During an assault, Blackwood archers may perform one out of these two actions: 1. Covering Fire: Impose -1D on a single melee unit on the wall (does not stack with itself) 2. Picking targets: Make a single attack, targeting the unit manning a wall section (both units cannot target same section). -Taking an attack action invites a retaliatory attack from the enemy archers.
The actions of the melee units are resolved as follows: -Blackwood melee units can be assigned to waves of up to two units in each. -Each unit in a wave attacks one of the two sections of the wall. -Brackens may assign one unit to each section, or have one unit assigned to both, in the latter case, it takes -1D to all tests during waves in which two units attack. -The Brackens may assign units to defend the sections after seeing how the Blackwoods line up their waves. -Each Blackwood unit takes an attack from the archers and one attack from the unit defending the wall section they attack. -Each Blackwood unit makes an attack against the unit defending the wall section they target. -Each Bracken unit defending a wall section makes a morale test with a TN equal to 2*previous assaults sustained, regaining 1 health per DoS between each wave. -If a Bracken unit defending a wall section is reduced to 0 health, any remaining waves targeting that section takes no attacks from that unit, and attacks instead another unit of the defender's choice, this unit may make a retaliatory attack, but gains no benefit from defending the wall, if this unit simultaneously defends the other wall section, it takes -1D on all tests. -If 3 Bracken units are reduced to 0 health, Greenhill will be taken outright. It is possible that Ser Morgan will surrender earlier if he judges his situation to be hopeless.
Rain Fire While the Blackwood force lacks in men skilled enough to set up and operating siege engines capable of targeting specific units and structures, crude catapults to hurl fire pots may be used along with flaming arrows to attempt to force a surrender. This is treated as five archer attacks against each individual squad (ignoring cover bonus from the wall), with one catch your breath actions allowed after each such attack, the Blackwoods may then follow up with an assault. Morgan is treated as an individual unit for this (but gains cover bonus from wall). His son and two daughters each make a chance TN 7 test, with +2 TN per Bracken squad reduced to 0 health. On a simple failure, they may be treated by the Blackwood physicians (3D+1B) TN 8+1 per point they missed the chance TN, on a simple failure, a retry at a cumulative -1b (as training penalty) is allowed, on a critical failure they perish. If left untreated, they must instead use their own endurance (2D).
Resolution Blackwood Casualties are calculated according to status: 0 Injuries: Tested 1-2 Injuries: Bloodied 3 Injuries: Disorganized Reduced to 0 Health: Routed. -Bracken victory worsens all conditions by one step.
Consequences: -Taking Greenhill by storm: +2 Glory -Forcing Greenhill to surrender before the battle begins: +5 Blackwood Strength. -Taking Greenhill: +5VP -Force the knight of Greenhill to swear fealty back to Raventree: +10 VP, +1 Blood. -Extinguish the main Greenhill line to install a cousin loyal to House Blackwood: +10 VP, +10 Strength, +2 Blood, 5 Counts of war crimes. (May be triggered by aftermath decisions). -Rain Fire: -2 Chivalry, 5 counts of war crimes. -Retreat without taking Greenhill: -2 Influence, +2 VP to House Bracken, +2 Bracken Strength (morale), Ser Morgan and half the surviving defenders will join the Bracken host in Battle Valley. -Additional choices with further rewards and consequences may be triggered upon resolution of the battle.
Considerations for Qualities: True Knight: Gain no benefit from this quality for the entire mission if opting to rain fire (and probably would inflict -1D also). Honor-Bound: Attempts to compel approaching Ser Morgan before the battle under a flag of parlay, offering him to take the black if he surrenders and for his family to be treated as honored guests at Raventree until such a time as his son is old enough to take the mantle as the Knight of Greenhill as Lord Blackwood's bannerman (Ser Morgan will decline in either case). Should any of his family be treated dishonorably once Greenhill has been taken if this promise was made: -1 Chivalry if broken by others, -3 Chivalry if broken by you. Proud: No particular effect, but nice IC explanation for why Blackwoods have no additional heroes or commanders of note (OOC reason: lazy narrator). Vainglorious: Attempts to compel not raining fire until critical failure on morale.
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Post by Father on Jul 26, 2020 2:23:31 GMT 1
Alternative resolution mechanics (may pick the above one if preferred): Works as a blend of intrigue/combat: Initiative: Warfare (Tactics). Influence/Attack: Warfare (Command). Blackwood statistics: CD: 6 AR: 3 Health: 15 Health regained per injury taken: 5 Damage per DoS: 4 Bracken statistics: CD: 8 AR: 3 Health: 9 Health regained per injury taken: 3 Damage per DoS: 5 Lead from the Front:+1D Warfare (Command) -1D Warfare (Tactics) -Take an amount of damage per enemy command test equal to it's square DoS (ignores AR). -Inflict an injury on Blackwood forces (morale effects) if you stop leading the attack. The effect of injuries:-At the beginning of each turn, each commander must make a warfare (command) test with a TN equal to 3*injuries taken (effectively ignore until second injury) -Failure: Sustain damage equal to the amount the TN was missed. -Critical failure: Forced Defeat (and takes damage as per normal failure, which must be absorbed with more injuries for the purposes of casualties). -Allow one's forces to go to 0 health: Defeat. Causalities:-Depending on various factors, all Blackwood units involved are treated as having the following status: -No damage: Unscathed. -Damage, but no injuries: Tested. -Taken injuries: Bloodied. -Taken 5 or more injuries: Disorganized. -Taken 10 or more injuries: Routed. -Defeat: Worsened by one condition. -Forced defeat: Worsened by an additional condition. Under the hood: Base Statistics: CD: 6 AR: 3 Health: 9 Damage per DoS: 4
Blackwood size: +2 "endurance". Quality of forces: -No effect, treated as largely equal. Defending Fortifications: +2 Bracken CD +1 Damage per DoS +1b to command tests. -Bottlenecks cancels out non-endurance effects from numerical superiority.
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Post by Father on Aug 23, 2020 15:04:02 GMT 1
Speedy resolution which can also be used, and probably will be used by narrator if speeding up is needed:
Warfare (Command) TN 9 Warfare (Tactics) TN 9 -Because this represents an aggregation of many tests (most of which not made by Roland), Blood of the Andals and Pious cannot be applied directly but their assumed use grants +1 to any successful test. -Success on both test: Gain +2 DoS. -Fail to gain any DoS: Fail to take Greenhill, all units take casualties as if disorganized. -One critical failure: Fail to take Greenhill, all units take casualties as if routed. -Two critical failures: Fail to take Greenhill, all units take casualties as if annhilated.
If victorious, casualties based on DoS: 1: Disorganized 3: Bloodied 6: Tested 10: Unscathed
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Aug 24, 2020 12:03:55 GMT 1
[OOC: thanks for the many goes at simpler mechanics here - much appreciated. We've had a tough time at home with the baby and work and this really helped me get back in to things. Things hopefully improving.] Roland was more champion than commander. But that would not do for the knight that would be Lord of Hammerhal. With the fires of justice burning in him according to his friends, and the flames of ambitions spurring him on according to his detractors, Roland marshaled the Blackwood forces more than ably. Sieges were always a challenge, but this one went better than most. By day's end the storied Blackwood banner was atop the Greenhill walls, joined by a smaller Cordwayner standard borne by Hugh Blackwood, Roland's squire. The army that had fought beneath the Blackwood tree and the humble Cordwayner boots had been sorely tested, but had passed this first test in the fires of war. Knight of Greenhill Warfare (Tactics) TN 9: 4d6k3 15 - 2 DoS Knight of Greenhill Warfare (Command) TN9: 4d6k3 16 - 2 DoS - 4 DoS +2 for passing both tests = 6 DoS - But not quite enough for the +1 for BotA and Pious each to matter. - I might have try using the "Simplified event style variant" fuller mechanics to test them out, have fun with mechanics and to provide some details for the story. Plus wading in to the fray is very "Roland". - I think I just need Ser Morgan Greenhill's command roll for the "Simplified event style" and then I can crank through the rolls while I'm off work?
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Post by Father on Aug 24, 2020 14:27:13 GMT 1
Should be the standard 4k3
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Aug 24, 2020 14:39:36 GMT 1
Should be the standard 4k3 [OOC: Grand, I'll try the run that over the next few days. Can inform narrative, test mechanics and potential replacement if you find the results more interesting! Thanks again for both the various remixes and the fast version so I've at least got something in place.]
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Post by Father on Sept 5, 2020 20:05:02 GMT 1
Greenhill offers little resistance to the superior Blackwood forces once the gates are breached, though Ser Morgan did put up as valiant a defense as could be expected. When the battle turns, he signals surrender to avoid a slaughter of his men, needless deaths he has no stomach for. Roland overheard some of the Blackwood sergaents discussing what might be done with Ser Morgan. Lord Blackwood, young and absolute in his opinions, was like to give the man the choice between the axe and the wall, The Ironhand would take his axe to Ser Morgan, his children and his wife just in case he had left his seed in her to grow into more traitors. Bloodraven would probably seek to make him return to the service of Raventree so as to make it easier to make it official when the king steps in where House Tully dithered and faltered, when the spoils of war is to be claimed from the vanquished Brackens, having the oath of Ser Morgan would help. Ever the pragmatist, the pale bastard. Of course, Ser Morgan's children would surely be guests at Raventree until such a time as he dies and his son succeeds him.
Roland could simply take Ser Morgan and his family back to Raventree for Lord Blackwood, young, unyielding and unwilling to consider any other fate for a traitor than the headsman, but likely allow him to take the black as is the custom in these parts, and surely not take it out on his family as The Ironhand is believed to do if given the decision. Justice, as is often the case, can so easily be bent to accommodate the whims and motives of the man holding the sword.
-Taking Greenhill by storm: +2 Glory -Taking Greenhill: +5VP Choices, choices: -Force the knight of Greenhill to swear fealty back to Raventree: +10 VP, +1 Blood. --Must engage in intrigue, resolution is of lower priority than other things since the outcome really only matters when everything is tallied up at the end of the phase. -Extinguish the main Greenhill line to install a cousin loyal to House Blackwood: +10 VP, +10 Strength, +2 Blood, 5 Counts of war crimes. (May be triggered by aftermath decisions). --Can easily be done with a single command, but I doubt Roland is going to execute children.
Skipping casualties, as tested they will lose some men, so in the near term, casualties and experience cancel each other out.
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Oct 28, 2020 19:23:48 GMT 1
Roland weighed the matter and attempted to formulate terms.
Ser Morgan had only done as a loyal son would, the decision to switch a Weirwood lord for the Bracken badge was his father's. And Ser Morgan had led valiantly indeed according to all accounts. Not only that, he had spared men on both sides from slaughter.
A waste if such a knight were to be sent to the wall, or worse still beheaded. Had he not kept his oath to honour his father? A valiant defence to honour the Warrior, then the wisdom to surrender and spare lives for the gentle Maid?
[OOC: in the interest of expediency
Yield offered: - Ser Morgan Greenhill swears fealty back to Raventree Hall. - Roland takes Ser Morgan's son as his page/squire rather than the youth being sent to Raventree Hall. - Roland will pay for the youth to be outfitted with horse, arms and armour and see to his training. - The other children are still sent to Raventree hall, to mollify the Blackwoods with lesser prisoners. - Roland offers Gifts worth up to 5GD*Status rank of Ser Morgan (4 Status?) = 20GD - this would take the form of repairs to the gate, with engravings showing an outnumbered Ser Morgan with the valour to fight and the wisdom to surrender and spare lives on both sides.]
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Post by Father on Nov 7, 2020 21:43:20 GMT 1
Ser Morgan is unmoved by such offers, he already shifted his allegiance once when House Blackwood abandoned him and his people in times of need and thus absolved him of his oaths, a story strongly diverging from that told by Roland's squire on the way here, both version seems plausible enough, where in the murky middle the real truth might be found being unknown. Changing his allegiance a second time? Better to confront the consequence of his choices like a man than see Ser Otho be unleashed upon Greenhill the next time Brackens and Blackwoods starts killing one another in this endless dance. He prefers his chances before a Lord that sends an honorable man like Ser Roland when Ironhand would come with steel and flame if an example was desired.
Would need full intrigue where Morgan gets +3 intrigue defense unless Roland credibly threatens to put him and his line to the sword.
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Nov 9, 2020 10:12:42 GMT 1
[OOC: can I double check the intended narrative here please as I'm a bit confused. I thought the Ser Morgan Greenhill was an honourable knight locked in to his father's treachery by the oaths he had sworn? Roland's thoughts and offer are designed to appeal to that kind of man, and indeed Roland would make his offer to that kind of honourable knight. But the mechanics and narrative above suggest something different? I may well have got confused as there's a lot to keep track of in the game and in the real world! "-The last time Blackwood and Bracken fought, House Greenhill turned their cloak and swore fealty to Stone Hedge, joining what they considered the winning side (and promises of low tithes), as much as the new knight of Greenhill might have disagreed with his father's rash decision that everyone including the Brackens considered ill-advised, the debt can only be repaid in blood." greatbastards.boards.net/post/30429/thread]
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