Re: Dragon Pass, the full game.

From: Kmnellist_at_...
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 16:55:28 EDT


The following is more of a thought experiment than a fully fledged runnable episode. I have been thinking how compatible HW and DP (the boardgame) might be for a few days. I hope it is amusing enough not to be a waste of time reading it.

The Full Game ( a Hero Wars Episode)

Benchmark; this episode is designed for Heroes and Super Heroes, whose best ability is 20!!. It emphasizes combat.

Rules: while one could use the Dragon Pass boardgame rules, this is a tongue in cheek HW version. After all this is the Hero Wars. The game is played player against player; or at least split into two sides. A Narrator may be needed to adjudicate. Suggested roles for Players: Prince Argrath, Red Emperor, Jar-Eel, Harrek, Sir Ethilrist, The Inhuman King, Cragspider, The Twins, Iron Hoof, The Feathered Horse Queen,

Scale: despite HW protestations that it is scaleable to make it easier I suggest giving ratings pretty much as per the countersx3, ie Argrath is a 12, Harrek is a 20W2, Exotic abilities, likewise can be translated into either one off stuff like the Sun Dome Templars having a high defensive edge, or the wasps having a one use edge of ^10, or a Hero Point.

Premise
During the reign of Prince Argrath, wars between Sartar and the Lunar Empire were
commonplace, ordinarily preceeded by a period of tension while they built up forces. When one side or the other depleted its treasury in maintaining its enlarged army, it would attack in order to seize enough booty to pay off its soldiers, or to have an excuse in order to avoid payment.

Relationship: the players have Ordinary Support of their Kingdom or Empire.

Scene One: Build up forces
Key Points: This is an extended conntest to see who has to go first, but it might also result in some pre-war advantages and disadvantages (if things go badly).

Setting: Dragon Pass; the royal courts, mercenary halls, and assorted places where troops are raised and diplomacy is practiced.

The Players must conduct an extended contest against each other to determine who runs out of money (Wealth) or support (Relationships) first. Unrelated actions might include simple contests to attempt to ally major independants against their restances (listed later), or tactical manuoevers to get units into good positions. If the players can dream it up then the Narrator should be able to make up a resistance. Failure will, of course, sometimes have long term effects.

Scene Two: War!

Each player is in charge of his own Hero, plus a number of 'followers', known in Dragon Pass as major units. These units act as followers for the Hero in most instances. It may seem sensible to split some larger grouping so that each player controls a couple of groups of combatants. Either way, these units are involved in a rather large Group Extended Contest . Use of a large map of Dragon Pass is recommended, but is optional. The positioning rule (P138) could be used, with an
amended scale of one AP per hex for open terrain, 3AP for Mountain etc. Unrelated actions that might be attempted are the sending of emissaries to minor independants for extra units, rallying of troops and replacements, giving magical support to other units and lots of other things that I have not dreamt up.

Augments might include the leadership rating, perhaps the skirmish/archery score,

Scene Three: Victory, with Conditions.

Key Points: This is what counts.

Setting: the war torn and blood stained land of Dragon Pass.

Whoever has a Hero left with positive AP is the winner. Gain lots of Hero Points, to be spent on stuff like Wealth, Relationships, Battle, Diplomacy etc.

Appendix:

resistances for alliances:
Dragonnewts 5W2
Ethilrist 5W1
Ironhoof 15
etc (ie as per DP)

Minor independant: resistance 6.

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