Editing Kingdoms: Winter - Intrigue

[[Kingdoms: Main Page]] -> [[Kingdoms: Winter - Intrigue]]

MID EDIT

__toc__

=Winter - Season of Intrigue=

The nights grow longer, and the masters of intrigue start their work. Seelie rabble-rousers and demagogues will head for the places of light and warmth, where the crowds huddle from the winter outside, and they will speak to captive audiences. Meanwhile the Unseelie move through the cold streets outside, knowing that no-one is watching as they perform the season's work.<br><br>

=Wintertime Events=

Before the Season begins properly, the ''Adjudicator'' may declare that one or more ''Events'' has occurred. Events are limited only by the Adjudicator's imagination, but miught include such things as:

* Centennial festivals in both kingdoms make agent work easier, granting a mutual bonus to attack.
* Snowstorms make travel difficult, granting a mutual penalty to attacks.
<br>

=Launching Summer Campaigns=

'''Summer Campaigns''' happen when the Kingdom sends it armies to war. The King himself decides what Campaigns will be launched, and assigns his Attack Armies to each one. As long as he has enough Armies, he can launch as many Campaigns as he wishes.

The King assembles a '''Campaign List''', which details each Campaign's Attack Commander, Attack Armies and Campaign Objective.
<br><br>
==Attack Commander==

Every '''Summer Campaign''' must have '''one Attack Commander'''. Any ''back rank piece'' can act as an ''Attack Commander'', though some are clearly better at it than others. 

The ''King Player'' can always choose the ''King'', or any ''Dominant Actor of the Court'', to lead a Campaign as the ''Attack Commander''. 

However, if he wants the ''Queen'', or ''Shadow Actor of the Court'' to be an ''Attack Commander'', he must first gain the consent and agreement of the ''Queen Player''.

If a planned Campaign does not have an Attack Commander attached to it, it is cancelled and does not take place. Also, a Campaign cannot have less or more than '''one''' Attack Commander.

==Attack Armies==

Every '''Summer Campaign''' needs at least one '''Attack Army'''. Each Pawn piece represents a single attack army. The ''King'' decides how many armies are assigned to each '''Summer Campaign'''.

If a planned Campaign does not have at least one Army as part of it, it is cancelled and does not take place.
<br><br>
==Campaign Objective==

Each campaign must have a stated objective. The types of objective that can be aimed for are defined by the Armies involved. By default there are four objectives that armies can go for: 

* '''Pillage''' - When you declare this Objective you must name one specific Improvement in the enemy kingdom. If you achieve this Objective, destroy that Improvement.
* '''Plunder''' - When you declare this Objective you state that the army is Plundering. If you achieve this Objective, steal 1 Glamour from the target kingdom per Army in your Summer Campaign. Stolen Glamour is added directly to your own King's total.
* '''Rescue''' - When you declare this Objective you must name one specific ''Piece'' that has been captured by the enemy. If you achieve this Objective, that ''Piece'' is rescued, and no longer considered captured. He can immediately be used by you as normal (and can even contribute to War Defences later this Season).
* '''Checkmate''' When you declare this Objective you must state that you are attempting Checkmate. If you achieve this Objective, you capture the enemy King. 

The '''Checkmate Objective''' has two additional special rules that limits its use:
* Assigning the '''Checkmate Objective''' to a ''Summer Campaign'' has a cost of '''10 Glamour''', which must be paid at the time of deciding objectives, and for each attempt made.
* '''Checkmate Objective''' in the first third of the game (years 1-4).
<br>

==Total Attack Strength==

The '''Attack Strength''' of a ''Summer Campaign'' is equal to the totalled '''Battle Rating''' of all the armies assigned to it, plus the '''Sorcery''', '''Warcraft''' or '''Dreaming''' attribute of its Attack Commander.

Note that the '''Protection''' and '''Intrigue''' attributes ''do not'' add to '''Attack Strength''' of ''Summer Campaigns''. While a Rook or Bishop can lead a ''Summer Campaign'', they add nothing to the Campaign's strength.
<br><br>

=="In the Field..."==

Importantly, from the moment they are included in a Summer Campaign, an Attack Commander or Army is considered to be '''in the field'''. This happens before any attacks are resolved in Summer, and even before the first Summer Campaign is revealed.

Pieces that are '''in the field''' remain there for the whole of Summer, and cannot participate in '''War Defences''' in any way.
<br><br>

=Priority and Revealing Campaigns=

Summer Campaigns are planned by the teams, as above, and are not revealed to the opposition until they happen. Although they are considered to happen in the same Summer, each Campaign is resolved in a strict order, with the next Campaign not revealed until the previous one has been completed in its entirety.

This is important, as lack of foreknowledge greatly effects the way that defenders will react. Also, the effects of one Campaign may negatively or positively impact other Campaigns later that Summer.

It is however worth emphasising again that regardless of what order the Campaigns are resolved, any characters and armies '''in the field''' are considered to be '''in the field''' straight away, before any Campaigns are revealed and resolved.
<br><br>
==Court Priority==

When the White Court has Priority, all the White Court's Summer Campaigns are resolved before any of the Black Court's Summer Campaigns.

When the Black Court has Priority, all the Black Court's Summer Campaigns are resolved before any of the White Court's Summer Campaigns.

As a reminder, White has Priority in Years 1,3,5,7,9 and 11, while Black has Priority in Years 2,4,6,8,10 and 12.
<br><br>
==Order of Attacks==

The Court's '''Campaign List''' is run through in order, from top to bottom. 

This makes the listed order very important tactically! 
<br><br>
=Assigning War Defences=

When the '''Summer Campaign''' is revealed,  the defending players are made aware of who the ''Attack Commander'' and the ''Attack Armies'' are.

The defending King can then decide whether to mount a '''War Defence''' or not. Each '''War Defence''' must consist of '''exactly one War Commander''' (any back row piece), and '''at least one Army'''.
<br><br>
==Unopposed Campaigns==

If no '''War Defence''' is organised, then the '''Summer Campaign''' achieves its Objective without any resistance.
<br><br>
==Defence Strength==

The '''Defence Strength''' of a ''War Defence'' is equal to the totalled '''Battle Rating''' of all the armies assigned to it, plus the '''Sorcery''', '''Warcraft''', '''Protection''' or '''Dreaming''' attribute of its Attack Commander.

Note that the '''Intrigue''' attribute ''does not'' add to '''Defence Strength''' of ''War Defences''. While a Bishop can coordinate a ''War Defence'', he adds nothing to it's strength.
<br><br>
==Resolving Battles==

When a '''Summer Campaign''' meets a '''War Defence''', battle occurs. This is resolved by a single D6 roll, which the Attacker rolls.

If Attack Strength is greater than Defence Strength, add +1 to the roll.
If Attack Strength is equal or more than twice Defence Strength, add a further +1 to the roll.

If Defence Strength is greater than Attack Strength, deduct -1 from the roll.
If Defence Strength is equal or more than twice Attack Strength, deduct a further -1 to the roll.

* '''1 or Less: Atackers routed.''' All attacking armies are broken, and the Attack Commander is Captured. 
* '''2: Attackers soundly defeated.''' One attacking army is broken.
* '''3: Attack fails.''' This ''Summer Campaign'' has no effect.
* '''4: Attack succeeds.''' This ''Summer Campaign'' achieves its Objective.
* '''5: Defenders soundly defeated.''' This ''Summer Campaign'' achieves its Objective, and one defending army is broken.
* '''6 or More: Defenders routed.''' This ''Summer Campaign'' achieves its Objective, all defending armies are broken, and the Defence Commander is captured.
<br><br>

=Roleplaying the Summertime=

Generally, the structure of Summertime will be as follows:

(1) The Adjudicator declares Summertime has begun, and reminds the players which game year they are in (1 to 12) and which Court has priority this year.

(2) The Adjudicator relates any Events to all the players as a group.

(3) The two Courts split off, and quietly discuss their plans for the Season, without letting their opposites hear what they are saying.

(4) The two Courts each tell the Adjudicator what Summer Campaigns they are launching. 

(5) In strict order, Campaigns are revealed to the group, and defended against and resolved one at a time.

As with any Season, Summer offers opportunities for roleplaying as the Queen and King plan the Season's actions together, and in the communication (or trash-talking, as the case may be) between kingdoms.

The bulk of roleplaying though, takes place as war flares and the ''Summer Campaigns'' begin. Even though each Campaign is resolved in a single D6 roll, there is no reason why the battles need not be roleplayed out. The Adjudicator can take the role of storyteller, and the controlling players the role of the Attack and Defence Commanders, telling the unfolding battle as a story. Player/GM groups who like to feel that teir actions directly impact the battle's outcome in a mechanical fashion might want to introduce a rule that the outcome of the roleplaying can add +1 or deduct -1 from the dice roll... 

Alternatively, the dice can be rolled first and with player foreknowledge (but not player character foreknowledge) the battle's story can be fashioned collaboratively. It all depends on what suits your groups playstyles best.

Regardless, the nature of the game '''requires''' players and the Adjudicator to see the Summer Campaigns in a narrrative way. In essence, the creation of the story of the ''Game of Succession'' depends upon it.

[[Category:Kingdoms|Winter - Intrigue]]