© 2013 by David H. Allen Fantasy General GENERAL A solitaire game of strategic warfare. Preparing the Game Print out both the map and counter sheet (and, optionally, these rules). It is recommended that the counters be printed on cardstock, and/or laminated to make them easier to pick up and move. In addition, you will need at least one, and ideally two, d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and d4 dice. Setting Up Each Faction starts with one General. Roll to create a General for each Faction and place that General in the Capital of those Faction. Roll for Garrison in each City and in the Capital and place counters as a result. Strategic Turns Check for creation of new Generals, based on Resources. Cross reference the Number of Generals currently fielded by those Faction with the number of Resource Points controlled by those Faction. Generate a new General for each. If the number is negative, randomly eliminate that many Generals currently in the field. Each City or Capital under control of the Faction counts 1 Resource Point. Resource Points Number of Generals 1-2 3-5 6-8 >8 1 2 2 3 0 0 1 1 2 1 -1 0 1 1 2-3 -2 -1 0 0 4 -3 -2 -1 0 >4 For each General, select a General counter, roll for Characteristics, and record the name of the General and all Characteristics on the log. Place any newly generated Generals on the Capital of that Faction. Decide Initiative To keep things simple, Initiative is always in the same order: 1. Nomads (yellow) 2. Sea Farers (blue) 3. Barbarians (red) 4. Hill Peoples (black) 5. Ranchers (brown) 6. Farmers (green) If one or more Factions are not in the game, simply skip their turns and ignore their Capitals and Cities. Strategic Decision David Allen Page 1 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen For each General in the Faction with Initiative, roll a Reputation die, apply Die Roll Modifiers (DRMs), and consult the Strategic Decision Matrix. Move (or not) that General accordingly. Continue until all Generals in that Faction have rolled for Strategic Decision. Generals normally operate independently. However, if two friendly Generals begin a Strategic Turn in the same Region, they must make opposed Reputation rolls. If one scores higher than the other, that General becomes the Commanding General and the other General becomes the Subordinate General, otherwise the two Generals remain independent. A Subordinate follows the Strategic and Tactical Decisions of the Commanding General and moves and fights with him. A Subordinate can only break off from the Commanding General in the Aftermath phase. A Commanding General may have any number of Subordinates. When generating armies in preparation for Battle, generate an Army for each General and combine them. If one or more Generals from different Factions occupy the same Region, or if a General occupies a Region containing an uncontrolled enemy City, at the end of a Faction’s Strategic Decision Phase, a Battle ensues. Go the Tactical Phase and resolve any Battles before continuing to the next Faction’s Strategic Decision Phase. Reputation Bloodthirsty d12 Overconfident d10 Heroic d8 Natural Leader d6 Cautious d4 Yellow d4-1 David Allen Page 2 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen Strategic Decision Matrix Die Roll Bloodthirsty Overconfident Heroic Natural Leader Cautious Yellow 9, 10 Charge. Charge. Charge. Hasty Advance. Hasty Advance. Advance. Advance. 4,5,6,7,8 Hasty Advance. Advance. 2,3 Hasty Advance. Advance. Camp. 1 Advance. Cautious Advance. Cautious Advance. Camp. Cautious Advance. Camp. Cautious Advance. Camp. Retreat Retreat. Retreat. Hasty Retreat. Die Roll Modifiers +6 if starting in a Region containing the friendly Capital. +4 if starting in a Region containing a friendly City. +2 if starting in a Region containing an controlled enemy City. Charge: Cavalry move up to 5 Regions, combined arms and infantry up to 3 Regions, by the shortest route toward the Region containing the nearest enemy Army or City and move into that Region. Hasty Advance: : Cavalry move up to 4 Regions, combined arms and infantry up to 2 Regions, by the shortest route toward the Region containing the nearest enemy Army or City and move into that Region. Advance: Cavalry move up to 3 Regions, combined arms and infantry 1 Region, by the shortest route toward the Region containing the nearest enemy Army or City and move into that Region. Cautious Advance: Cavalry, combined arms and infantry move 1 Region, by the shortest route toward the Region containing the nearest enemy Army or City and move into that Region. Camp: Army remains in current Region. Retreat: Cavalry move up to 3 Regions, combined arms and infantry 1 Region, by the shortest route toward the Region furthest from any enemy Army or City, and closer to a friendly City or other friendly Army. Hasty Retreat: Cavalry move up to 4 Regions, combined arms and infantry 2 Regions, by the shortest route toward the Region furthest from any enemy Army or City, and closer to a friendly City or other friendly Army. When a General stops moving, make a mental note of the direction and Path taken to enter the Region, or mark it with a Direction counter. Movement must stop in a Region which contains an enemy City or General. If the Region moved into contains an enemy General, a Battle ensues with the enemy General’s Army. If the Region moved into contains an enemy City and no enemy General, a Battle ensues with the City and its Garrison. If the new Region contains both an enemy General and an enemy City, the enemy General must be defeated in Battle before the City can be engaged in Battle. David Allen Page 3 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen Overconfident Heroic Cautious Attack. Add +2 DRM Combat Roll for this round. General in Combat. Attack. Attack. Tactical Decision Matrix Die Roll Bloodthirsty Natural Leader 9, 10 Attack. Add +1 DRM Combat Roll for this round. Attack. Subtract -1 DRM Combat Roll for this round. 4,5,6,7,8 Attack. Attack. 2,3 Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy, otherwise Defend. Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy AND this side has lost fewer tokens than the enemy otherwise Defend. Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy, otherwise Defend. Defend if this side has lost fewer tokens than the enemy, otherwise Retreat. 1 Defend. Defend. Defend. Add +2 DRM Combat Roll for this round. General in Combat. Retreat. Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy, otherwise Defend. Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy, otherwise Defend. Attack if this side has more Attack points than the enemy AND this side has lost fewer tokens than the enemy otherwise Defend. Defend if this side has more Defense points than the enemy AND this side has lost fewer tokens than the enemy otherwise Retreat. Retreat if this side has lost fewer tokens than the enemy otherwise Rout. Yellow Defend. Retreat if this side has lost more tokens than the enemy, otherwise Defend. Retreat. Rout. Die Roll Modifiers Subtract 1 for every Unit lost so far in this Battle. Add 1 if at least one Unit has a higher Mobility rating than the highest Mobility rating of the enemy IF the Battle takes place in Open terrain. Add 1 if this side has Field Artillery and the other side does not. Add or subtract the difference in the number of Units in the Battle on each side. Add 2 if the enemy is in a besieged City. Siege Combat Decision A Garrison is commanded by an intrinsic commander who will always choose Defend. Tactical Skill Characteristic Each General gets a rating for both Attack and Defense. Legendary David Allen d20 Page 4 6/17/2023 © 2013 by David H. Allen Fantasy General Heroic Veteran Seasoned Novice d12 d10 d8 d6 General Generation Table Generals are Combined Arms, Infantry, or Cavalry. This does not imply that the armies commanded by those Generals consist only of that type of Unit, only that the commanding General favors that type or that type is more readily recruited, equipped, and trained by that General’s Faction. Roll 1d0 and consult the table below to determine what type of General will be generated. General Type Generation Table d10 Result 10 Sea Farers Hill Peoples Infantry Infantry 8,9 Infantry Infantry 4,5,6,7 Infantry Infantry 2,3 Combined Arms Cavalry Combined Arms Combined Arms 1 David Allen Faction Barbarians Farmers Combined Arms Combined Arms Combined Arms Cavalry Cavalry Page 5 Ranchers Nomads Infantry Infantry Cavalry Combined Arms Combined Arms Combined Arms Cavalry Combined Arms Combined Arms Cavalry Cavalry Cavalry Combined Arms 6/17/2023 Cavalry Cavalry © 2013 by David H. Allen Fantasy General General Characteristics Table Combined Arms Die Roll 12+ 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 <0 Infantry Cavalry Tactical Attack Defense Tactical Attack Defense Tactical Attack Defense B B O O H H N N N N C C Y Y d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d8 d6 d6 d4 d6 d4 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d8 d6 d6 d4 d6 d4 B B O O H H N N N N C C Y Y d10 d8 d10 d8 d10 d8 d10 d8 d6 d4 d6 d4 d4 d4 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d8 d6 d6 d6 d6 d4 B B O O H H N N N N C C Y Y d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d12 d10 d8 d6 d6 d4 d6 d4 d10 d8 d10 d8 d10 d8 d10 d8 d6 d4 d4 d4 d4 d4 DRMs? Probably should come from random events or politcs cards or events…e.g. clerical blessing, kings endowment etc. David Allen Page 6 6/17/2023 © 2013 by David H. Allen Fantasy General Army Generation Table When a Battle begins, an Army is generated for each General. Roll the Reputation die and adjust with any DRM. Garrisons use Reputation of d8. If there are more than one General from a Faction in an Region where a Battle begins, generate an Army for each of them based on their individual Reputations, then combine them into one large Army. However, no more than three units of the same type and strength (e.g. Light Cavalry, Heavy Infantry) are permitted on any one side in a Battle. Generals from the same Faction then make opposed Reputation rolls until one emerges as the Commanding General and the others are Subordinates. The Commanding General commands the entire Army and his characteristics are used for all decisions. Combined Arms General Infantry General Cavalry General Garrison Die Roll Infantry Cavalry Other Infantry Cavalry Other Infantry 12+ 2xHeavy 2xLine 1xHeavy 1xCavalry 1xLight 2xField Art 3xHeavy 3xLine 1xHeavy 2xField Art 2xLine 11 1xHeavy 2xLine 1xHeavy 1xCavalry 1xField Art 2xHeavy 3xLine 1xCavalry 1xField Art 1xLine 1xCavalry 1xLight 1xField Art 1xCavalry 1xField Art 1xLine 1xCavalry n/a lxLine 1xLight n/a 1xLight n/a n/a 1xLight 2xCavalry n/a n/a n/a 1xLight 1xCavalry 1xLight n/a n/a n/a n/a 1xCavalry n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1xCavalry 1xCavalry 2xLight n/a n/a n/a 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 <3 1xHeavy 1xLine 1xLight 1xHeavy 2xLine 2xLine 2xLight 2xLine 1xLight 2xLine 1xLine lxLight 1xLine 1xLine lxLine 2xCavalry 1xCavalry 1xField Art 1xField Art 1xCavalry n/a 1xCavalry n/a 2xLight n/a 2xLight 1xLight 1xLight n/a n/a n/a 2xHeavy 2xLine 1xLight 1xHeavy 2xLine 2xLine 2xLight 2xLine 1xLight 2xLine 1xLine lxLight 1xLine 1xLine 2xLight Cavalry 1xHeavy 2xCavalry 2xLight 1xHeavy 1xCavalry 2xLight 1xHeavy 1xCavalry 1xLight 2xCavalry 2xLight 2xCavalry 1xLight Other Garrison Other 2xField Art 2xGarrison 2xHeavy Art 1xField Art 2xGarrison 1xHeavy Art 1xField Art 1xGarrison 1xHeavy Art 1xField Art n/a 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison 1xGarrison n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a If the only enemy Army is a Garrison, replace Field Artillery with Heavy Artillery. Die Roll Modifiers Add +2 if in an Region containing the friendly Capital City. Add +1 if in an Region containing a friendly, non-Capital City. Subtract -1 if a path from the friendly Army to the closest friendly or controlled enemy City is longer than four Regions. Path may not be traced through Regions containing enemy General or City. Subtract -4 if no path to a friendly or controlled enemy City can be traced that does not contain an enemy City or Army. Battles Before the Battle begins, roll to generate an Army for each General in the Region. Place counters representing those Units on the Battle Display on the relevant side. Specific placement of Units does not matter. Sequence of Play (Tactical Turns) 1. Players roll for Tactical Decision. Each General will have chosen Attack, Defend, Retreat, or Rout. 2. Check for the end of the Battle. David Allen Page 7 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen a. If one General chooses Retreat and the enemy Army does not have at least one Unit with a mobility that is higher than the Unit with the highest mobility rating in the retreating Army, the Battle is over. b. If one General chooses Retreat and the enemy Army has at least one Unit with a mobility that is higher than the Unit with the highest mobility rating in the retreating Army, the Battle continues and the retreating Army is treated as if it were Defending. c. If both Generals choose Retreat, the Battle is over. d. If both Generals choose Defend, nothing happens – go back to Step 1. If this is the third consecutive Tactical Turn in which both Generals chose either Defend or Retreat, the Battle is over. e. If one General has no Units remaining, the Battle is over. f. If one General chooses Rout, the Battle is over. g. If none of the above conditions are met, the Battle continues. 2. Each players rolls the relevant Attack or Defense die for their General. The difference in the two rolls is the number of hits taken by Army with the lower roll. Hits must be allocated to Unit(s) receiving them, at the discretion of the General of that Army. However, hits must be allocated evenly – no Unit can be allocated a second hit before all Units have received at least one hit, etc. For each hit received, a Unit must make a Morale check. Base Morale is d6, and Morale passes on 4+. Adjust Morale roll as follows if the Battle took place in: Barbarians +1 in Forest. Hill Peoples +1 in Mountains. Sea Farers +1 in Coastal. Farmers, Ranchers 0. Nomads +1 in Open, -1 in Forest. Garrison +1 if the attacking Army does not have Heavy Artillery. A Unit that fails a Morale check is removed from the Battle Display. End of Battle At the conclusion of a Battle, any General in command of an Army with no Units, or has chosen Rout, has lost the Battle and must move out of the Region in which the Battle took place. This may be into a Region already occupied by an enemy or friendly Army or City. A General who has lost a Battle must pass (4+) a Reputation check, with the following DRMs: -2 if the Battle ended in a Rout -1 if the Battled ended with no Units Reputation Bloodthirsty Overconfident Heroic Natural Leader Cautious Yellow d12 d10 d8 d6 d4 d4-1 A General that loses a Reputation check is removed from the game. David Allen Page 8 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen If two or more Generals (a Commanding General and one or more Subordinate Generals) were on the losing side in a Battle, only the Commanding General must make a Reputation check. If the Commanding General fails the check and is eliminated, and only one Subordinate General remains, the Subordinate automatically becomes an independent (normal) General. If more than one Subordinate General remains, roll Reputation checks in random order for each until only one remains. DESIGN NOTES “War is a serious game, in which one can endanger his reputation and his country.” – Napoleon Bonaparte The objective was to design a game that could be played solitaire or with one or more live opponents. Live players can each assume command of one of more Generals, or even multiple Factions, and simply ignore the rules related to the AI mechanic. The solitaire player can assume the role and control of one or more Generals, or may run the entire game using the AI mechanics for all Generals. In the latter case, the course of the game will be entirely subject to the roll of the dice. That is not to say, however, that the AI mechanics produce “random” results. They should, over time, produce a reasonable outcome in which the fortunes of war favor the reputation, skilled, and aggressive Generals over those less so. Probably the most unusual aspect of this game design is that units and armies aren’t moved around the board – only Generals. Armies are generated “on the fly” when a battle ensues. It may bother some people that a General might be able to field a large army, win a battle, and then shortly afterwards only have a few weak units under his command, or vice versa. While the AI mechanic tends to make such a sequence unlikely, it can happen. So go the fortunes of war. The change in the size of an army (and its composition) may have been a result of desertions, enlistments, units falling behind on the march, etc. The forces available for a battle in the game don’t necessarily represent ALL forces under the command of that General – only those that showed up on the field and got involved in the actual fighting. As a practical matter, this aspect of the game design substantially reduces the number of counters needed to play the game. Other people may be bothered that a General who loses a battle but survives the Reputation check does not suffer any long term adverse affect. This is not historically counterfactual. Reputations, once gained, are difficult to dispel or alter, regardless of actual performance. George Washington lost battle after battle yet maintained a near godlike reputation among his soldiers. Another George (McClellan) was very popular with his men despite having done little to advance the Union cause. The inspiration for this game came from three sources. The notion of various factions with differing approaches and capabilities at warfare was inspired by “Barbarian Kings.” The use of the abstract “network” map, instead of a literal map, for movement came from “De Bellis Antiquitatis.” Most of the game mechanics were inspired by the mass combat rules include in “Savage Worlds.” I liked the simplicity of the SW rules, but I wanted to be more specific about the various capabilities of different units, in terms of their ability to attack, defend, and maneuver. The characteristics of the Generals are based very heavily on the SW rules, and in fact many of the same Edges and Hindrances terms are used to describe them (Heroic, Timid, etc.). This is because I hope to eventually morph GENERAL into something that replaces the original SW mass combat rules. One thing I avoided almost entirely was the need for accounting – keeping track of numbers. Aside from recording the characteristics of generated Generals, the only accounting required is counting up the number of Cities in control of each Faction. Random Decisions In some cases, the solo player will be faced with two or more options in applying the AI mechanic. In that case, a decision needs to be made randomly. If there are two options, assign one option “odd” and the other “even” and roll 1d6 to decide which option to take. If there are three options, assign a result of 1 or 2 to one option, 3 or 4 to the second option, and 5 or 6 to the third option, and roll 1d6 to generate the result. If there are four, five, or six options, assign a single result David Allen Page 9 6/17/2023 Fantasy General © 2013 by David H. Allen (1,2,3,4,5 or 6) to each option and roll 1d6 for the result. If the result is unassigned (e.g. a 5 when only four options exist), roll again. David Allen Page 10 6/17/2023 © 2013 by David H. Allen Fantasy General GENERALS General Characteristics Log Name David Allen Faction Type Page 11 Reputation Attack 6/17/2023 Defense
