Lohwand: Armatura, ver 6

 

Made some changes, 

including getting the version correct!

Lohwand: Armatura, ver 5.0

 

Here is the latest iteration of my Armatura rules, version 5.0, though as you can see I need to do some more edits. (I got confused as to how many versions I had made and discarded.) Some changes to both front and back. 

For one thing, I changed the rules for Army Morale. I realised I was referencing rules that were not on the sheet, which kind of defeated the "all-the-rules-on-the-cheat-sheet" objective. It possibly fails that in other ways; I need to vet it again to be sure.

I also changed a couple of the Command Actions, and have gone through and made sure that I used the same format for abbreviations throughout.

The morale test has changed as I finally realized that it didn't need to be an opposed test, and was probably better that it wasn't. I've tried to add a mechanism to allow the Saxon Fryd to pursue fleeing (retiring) Normans out of their formation. Not sure yet if it works.

And I'm thinking that Staff Slings probably should only have a ROF of 1.

Under Armatura each unit, be it a cohort, squadron or warband, has three primary traits: Virtis, Disciplina and Labor. Virtis is its combat ability, Disciplina represents discipline and morale, and Labor is the unit's engineering skill. A unit may also be designated as having an Exceptional Leader. 

There is assumed to be an overall commander, with sub-commanders in charge of left and right wings, and any reserve. Commanders have another trait called the Tactics Rating. (I tried to find the latin translation. I thought it would be "Tactica" but it seems not to be the case. Or maybe my Google-Fu is weak!) This rating determines the number of cards in their hand. It is assumed all officers have the rating, but it is only determined when relevant. i.e. if a centurion were promoted to command a detachment.

I need to sort out the "Well Led" and "Exceptional Leader" designations b/c I notice they are overlapping somewhat. 

Lohwand: Nemedia Province, Tharkalla - Part 2

Nemedia Province

Tharkallan Empire

Here are the tentative population densities for the Nemedian estates for my proposed fief management system. The density ratings are: S - Sparse (x1/2),  T - Typical (x1), D - Dense (x3), and VD - Very Dense (x5). The modifiers are applied to the base rolls for each estate. The final values will provide a base that will change yearly as the campaign progresses, much as a fief does in the Pendragon rpg, from Chaosium.

Lohwand: Nemedia Province, Tharkalla - Part 1

 

Drawn in PowerPoint

Here is a screen cap of the Tharkallan Province of Nemedia, the first to be detailed in any sort of way. The plan is to generate Fief information for each of the Prefectures and Estates shown, plus all the cities and towns. I already have the names for all those locations, and just need use the fief generation system to flesh them out a bit. This is largely based on the Pendragon rpg, which has a fief system as a way of running a multi-generational campaign. I started with that (I own several editions of the game) and have added some of my own stuff. Here is my first draft:

Once I've had a chance to give it a go, I'll post the results.

Lohwand: Fleshing Out the Tharkallan Legions

Unknown Artist

In previous posts I have been slowly developing my list of Tharkallan Legions. Here, I actually shown my most recent list: LINK

In this post, I take that list and flesh it out a little with stats from my Armatura rules. Under these rules a unit has three traits:

Virtis - a unit's fighting ability. Roll equal or under on a D10 to score a "hit".

Disciplina - a unit's discipline. Used for morale checks, and also determine the complexity of maneuvers permitted.

Labor - a unit's ability to perform engineering tasks: build roads and bridges, siege works, mining/counter-mining, and similar.

Legionnaire units may also have an ability called Armatura. This is an ability possessed by certain units (i.e. veteran Roman legionaries) that reflects their combat training and skill, giving them a bonus. A Knight of St. John, or Spartan Hoplite might also have the trait.

The Tharkallan Empire

The Heartland Corps

Legio I Jharkor Corneolus [Carnelian]

A veteran legion with a good reputation and lots of combat experience. 

Virtis 5; Disciplina 5; Labor 4; Armatura.

Currently posted to Granbreton's Northern Frontier.

Legio II Jharkor Sarx [Sard]

Raised for the Granbreton Expedition. Veterans with lots of combat experience.

Virtis 4; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

Just returned to Jharkor from Granbreton. 

Legio II Dharjiin Obsidianus [Obsidian]

A veteran legion with a long and storied history. Lots of recent combat experience. A reputation for being "Unbreakable".

Virtis 4; Disciplina 5; Labor 4; Armatura.

Manning Granbreton's Western Frontier.

Legio III Dharijor Sapphirus [Sapphire]

A veteran legion with a good reputation and lots of combat experience.

Virtis 4; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

Stationed in Filkhar assisting Legio XII Filkhar Gagates.

Legio IV Dharijor Ruber [Ruby]

A relatively new legion raised for the conquest of Arolanit. Eager to earn the same accolades as its sister legion but still inexperienced.

Virtis 3; Disciplina 3; Labor 3; Armatura.

Replaced Legio II Jharkor Sarx in Granbreton. 

Legio IV Doblian Topazus [Topaz]

A veteran legion with a good reputation but little recent combat experience.

Virtis 3; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

Just returned to Doblian from Arolanit.

Legio IX Kostaddi Turchesius [Turquoise]

A veteran legion with lots of recent combat experience.

Virtis 4; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

In Kostaddi watching the Kost.

Legio X Karasal Onyx [Onyx]

A veteran legion with much recent combat experience.

Virtis 4; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

In Karasal watching the Kost.

The Provincial Corps

Legio V Dorel Esmaraldus [Emerald]

A old legion, but with a patchy reputation and with little recent combat experience, having spent too much time on a "quiet" frontier.

Virtis 2; Disciplina 2; Labor 2; no Armatura.

Just returned to Dorel from Arolanit.

Legio VI Bisset Amethystos [Amethyst]

An uninspiring legion which assisted in the conquest of Arolanit but performed without enthusiasm.

Virtis 2; Disciplina 2; Labor 3; no Armatura.

Just returned to Bisset from Arolanit.

Legio VIII Voria Ambar [Amber]

Mediocre legion with no recent combat experience.

Virtis 3; Disciplina 3; Labor 3; no Armatura.

In Voria, where some complain its legionaires are growing roots!

Legio XI Nemedia Beryllus [Beryl]

A longstanding legion with a good reputation but with little recent combat experience, having spent too much time on a "quiet" frontier.

Virtis 3; Disciplina 3; Labor 3; Armatura.

In Nemedia, where it alternates between regulating the slave trade and chasing away occasional raiders from Dunland.

Legio XII Filkhar Gagates [Jet]

Veteran legion with plenty of experience fighting the Kost and Toonolian "Marsh Wiggles".

Virtis 4; Disciplina 4; Labor 4; Armatura.

Actively engaged in Filkhar.

Legio XIII Granbreton Achates [Agate]

Raised within the last five years and still inexperienced.

Virtis 2; Disciplina 2; Labor 2; no Armatura.

In Granbreton, training and "cutting its teeth." 

Legio XIV Arolanit Iaspis [Jasper]

A newly raised legion, still composed of raw recruits. 

Virtis 2; Disciplina 2; Labor 2; no Armatura.

Raised without enthusiasm in Arolanit where it still resides.

The Praetorian Guards

Legio I Thark Chromaticus [Chromatic]

A veteran legion composed of the cream of the Heartland Corps.   

Virtis 5; Disciplina 5; Labor 4; Armatura.

Currently occupying Arolanit.

Legio II Thark Adamantem [Diamond]

A veteran legion composed of the sons of all the Noble Houses.   

Virtis 4; Disciplina 5; Labor 4; Armatura.

Currently occupying Arolanit.

Legio III Thark Basaltes [Basalt]

A relatively new legion, also recruited from the great families of the Empire.

As yet more experience on the parade square than the battlefield.

Virtis 2; Disciplina 4; Labor 3; Armatura.

In Jharkor, guarding the Imperial Palace in Thark.

<Legio VII ~ missing from the rolls>

Lohwand: Mapping Tharkalla and its Neighbours

 

Adding cities, towns, and political boundaries

I've started detailing my maps, adding cities, towns and political boundaries. I'm hoping to borrow from the Fief Management system in Chaosium's Pendragon RPG to manage my nation's resources. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible, otherwise I can see it could easily become "work" -  and I don't want that.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pendragon, it is a role-playing game set in the Arthurian World, the world of Camelot, Sir Lancelot, and the Holy Grail. The game has two features I am planning on using because I think they could potentially be very useful. 

The first feature is the fief management system. This allows the player knight to run his own manor in a multi-generational campaign. He inherits it from his father, or is granted it by some lord. The game progresses in years (with chivalrous adventures in between) and during each year the manor has its harvest and may suffer both set-backs - in the form of raids, famine or plague - or years of peace and prosperity. The knight is aided by his Steward who makes a skill roll that modifies the harvest result. The harvest is also modified by the previous years harvest, and also by any raids or blights that might have occurred during the year. 

The second feature is the system used to define the characters in the game. Not so much the physical characteristics, as more nebulous traits known as Passions. These describe the character with a series of opposed traits that describe his/her personality. The Traits are: 

Chaste / Lustful 

Energetic / Lazy

Forgiving / Vengeful 

Generous / Selfish 

Honest / Deceitful

Just / Arbitrary 

Merciful / Cruel 

Modest / Proud

Pious / Worldly 

Prudent / Reckless 

Temperate / Indulgent

Trusting / Suspicious

Valorous / Cowardly

Each of the paired traits is assigned a number and the total of the two must always equal twenty. These numbers provide a way to determine how a character behaves by using a D20. In the Pendragon game, player knights act as their player wishes, but always using their traits as a guide; and occasionally the Gamemaster may force a player to roll against a trait to see if his knight acts against character. i.e. a roll against "Vengeful" when an enemy knight is trying to surrender, or a roll against "Lustful" when enthralled by a Temptress. 

In my opinion these traits are in many ways similar to the sort of thing Tony Bath developed for Hyboria. I will borrow from both resources for my Lohwand campaign. 

In Pendragon, the player knight typically manages a Manor. This is obviously far too low level for my purposes. I pondered what levels to use for a long time. Pendragon uses medieval divisions: Manors, Baronies, Counties, Duchies and Kingdoms. This I thought would work fine for the Shield Lands - dropping the lowest level (manors), of course. I eventually came up with three basic forms, depending on the nature of the Nation in question:

Feudal Kingdoms - i.e. The Shield Lands: 

Kingdom (King) - Duchy (Duke)  - and/or - County (Count or Earl) - Barony (Baron)

With the provision that there might be lesser or greater Kingdoms, i.e. a High King or the odd "Pennath" about.

Empires - i.e. The Tharkallan Empire, Dara Happa, Umbar:

Empire (Emperor) - Province (Provincial Governor) - Prefecture (Prefect) - Estate (Praetor)

Recognizing that the titles will vary with the nation concerned.

Tribal Kingdoms - i.e. The Atlan Amazons, and other Barbarians:

Kingdom (High King/Queen) - Tribe (King/Queen) - Clan (Chief)

Allowing that there may be sub-kingdoms within a larger kingdom.

Zoomed in @ 150%

Here is my mapping progress so far. I've started in Nemedia, a province on the eastern border of the Tharkallan Empire. Shown on the map are cities, towns, prefectures and estates. These latter use a notation P1.1, P1.2, etc. This notation indicates: first prefecture, first estate; first prefecture, second estate; and so on. The actual names will be in the record information; there is just not enough room on my map to include it. 

To the East is the Atlan Confederacy, tribal nations. Another tribal kingdom is Dunland, to the North. Also shown are the Exiles, who are the remnants of Nemedia's pre-Tharkallan regime. Imther, which would be in the North-east, is not yet started. Khauran and Khoraja, the two small areas within the Atlanian lands have been started, but more work to do there yet. Milii, a small Umbarite enclave and city is also shown in the South-east.

I have decided on four levels of urban centers: Large Cities, Cities, Small Cities and Towns. I am not showing anything smaller than a town. nor have I yet defined what each means, in terms of population, fortifications, etc. It is assumed that those on the coast or rivers are also Ports. Note that some of the towns shown were former cities in the Great Kingdom of Keoland (as posted previously); these are: Hestol, Tharda, and Gerdon.

Map Symbols

The intent is that each city/town symbol will be shown in colours related to those used to define the borders of the estates/clan fiefs. 

The map scale shown has 50 km divisions on the far right, and 5 km divisions on the left. 

The estates and clan fiefs are intended to represent approximately one 10-hour day travel distance by ox-cart; in other words, the distance the slowest element of any army is likely to move in a day. Now the areas shown are not of equal size, but I think that is acceptable as it takes into account the variable terrain or road conditions that I am not showing, that level of information being far too granular for my purposes. There is also an element of "if it works, go with it"!

Lohwand: Mustering the Tharkallan Legions - Part 1

 

Tharkalla Musters for war!

Today I set out a partial muster of my Tharkallan forces, as accumulated to date. I also have some cavalry and one box of scorpio bolt throwers, but none of those are assembled yet so I didn't bother with a picture. Also missing are any form of "High Command". These are 60mm Imperial Roman figures manufactured by Expeditionary Force (XForce). 

This muster shows three cohorts of Legio I Jharkor Corneolus [Carnelian] (#1 thru 3), three cohorts (1 partial) of Auxiliary infantry (#4 to 6), and some spares (#7). Also, in the foreground, are the four patterns of auxiliary shields XForce provides. Not shown are the bow arms and quivers, a few of which are included in each auxiliary box.

Each cohort is organized in the manner of a maniple as I think Peter Connolly described: Centurion, front rank, first file; Signifer in the middle of the front rank; Optio in the rear; I have placed the cornicen with the Optio; and lastly, front rank, last file is the Tesserarius. The latter I have given the officers helmet, though perhaps I shouldn't have. 

XForce provides two poses for officers and one for standard bearer and musician. I determined this because the latter two have their hands full and there is only one body pose with a sheathed sword on the correct side. There are two poses with sword drawn, one with the senior rank discs and one without.

XForce also provides bearskin helmet covers and capes for the standard bearer and musician. There are four of these in each command box and so I have been able to fully equip all six of the cohorts shown.

I need more, however, as my plan is to recreate an auxiliary cohort depicted in WRG's excellent "Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome." On page 68 there is an illustration of the unit I mean, reproduced below:

Illustration of a Roman Auxiliary, 

by Ian Heath

So, to build them I will need to accumulate eighteen more bearskin-covered heads; the entire cohort will wear the bearskin covered helmets, the command figures will all get bearskin capes. At least that is the current plan.

XForce provides four patterns of auxiliary shields so I will try and build three other auxiliary cohorts. By the time I have done that I will have hopefully accumulated enough archer arm pairs and quivers to equip a cohort of auxiliary archers as well.

I would like to boost my Legio I strength to six cohorts, and also build a second legion; I don't know which pattern that would be. XForce sells three or four other styles, including the Praetorian Guard.

Lastly, there are "spares" shown in the muster above (#7). These are spare officer bodies, in chain and w/o the medallions. I am considering that by the time I have finished I may have enough "spares" to outfit another cohort. Perhaps an elite unit of some form, palace guard maybe, or perhaps a unit for some other nation if given the appropriate helmet...