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EMPIRE BUILDERS ANCIENTS: Field of Glory II Campaign (NEW)

So this is what I have been cooking up while we complete the FOG II Medieval Empire Builders campaign (now in its 10th and last turn)

Taking it back to old-school FOGII -- 1000BC to 600AD (Original game all the way to Age of Belisarius DLC)

Campaign system very similar to the other Empire Builders campaign, but with a few simple added features, and is designed to be played by anywhere from minimum of FOUR to a max of SIX factions (probably two players each)

First off, the map has 32 territories (divided into 8 regions) and 4 sea zones.

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 teaser 1.jpg

All territories are numbered 1 to 32 and at set up, I will use a random number generator to pick out locations of each faction's CAPITAL and between one or three extra random adjacent territories decided by die roll. (connected by land to the Capital)

Below is a at start set up using FIVE factions. (Six factions, each side gets one extra territory, four factions, each side gets three extra territories)

All others are considered NEUTRAL territories that can be invaded and captured.

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 set up sample.jpg

BATTLES & EXPANSION
Attacks work exactly the same way as in the other Empire Builders Campaign - each round each faction can launch at least ONE attack. (there are a few more rules which I will clarify later)

In the opening Round the sequence of challenges is randomly drawn.
(From turn TWO, the order will be determined by results from previous battles -- the side with the highest winning % margin of their best battle result will go first and so on)

No Empire can launch an attack INTO a territory already under attack, or FROM a territory that is under attack.

When it's his turn, the ATTACKER posts a challenge for a medium size skirmish battle using ANY forces/armies APPROPRIATE to the geographic location of the battle set in any period covered by the 3 DLC's used in this campaign.

Map setting should also be appropriate (can be pot luck as well) -- settings can be negotiated in a gentlemanly manner if desired.

The ATTACKER selects the armies (and allies if wanted) and the DEFENDER can chose which side he likes to play.

Both sides assign a player to fight the battle, post the agreed Challenge on FOG2 and proceed to fight.

ANY level of Victory and either the attacker conquers the territory or the defender holds on to it if defending.

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A faction can attack any territory adjacent to one of its own territories via land connection, or via sea connection if they have a FLEET in place that controls that sea zone.

If a NEUTRAL territory is attacked, a free player from another faction will be randomly assigned to command that territory's army and try and thwart the attacker's expansionist plan.

For the FIRST THREE ROUNDS factions may ONLY attack neutral territories, after that, it's a free for all.

BONUS GOLD COINS
Factions can earn bonus GOLD two ways:
1. ONE GOLD for each REGION controlled at the start of a Round
2. Each 40% (+25%) battlefield victory earns ONE GOLD.

Each faction can at any time have a maximum of THREE gold coins in its treasury.

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 coins.jpg

GOLD can be spent on the following:
1. TWO gold to build and deploy a FLEET
2. ONE gold to maintain an existing fleet
3. TWO gold to launch a SECOND attack in a round
4. TWO gold to move your CAPITAL to another territory (maybe a safer location)

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NEW:


SEQUENCE OF PLAY:

1. Determine sequence of faction orders.

2. When it their turn, faction commanders post orders from following options:

a) standard attack order (post challenge with armies and map parameters, defender choses which army to use)
b) build and deploy fleet (pay 2 Gold)
c) maintain fleet (pay 1 Gold)
c) disband fleet (no longer pay maintenance)
d) relocate capital (pay 2 Gold)
e) Optional second attack order (pay 2 Gold)

3. Factions assign attack and defensive commanders (GM randomly assigns available commanders for neutral zone attacks)

4. Naval battles are resolved by GM die roll (outcomes may affect land battles)

4. Land Battles are resolved in FOG 2.

5. End of round housekeeping

a) map and score board updated
b) bonus Gold coins awarded

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FLEETS & Naval Battles

Factions may build and deploy a Fleet into a Sea Zone to control that zone.
This allows the controlling faction to launch attacks across that sea zone and also prevent an enemy faction from attacking across that sea zone in turn.

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 naval sample 1.jpg
Example: GREEN Empire has a fleet controlling the Western Med. (also to protect the GREEN Capital at Carthage)

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 naval sample 2.jpg
This would allow the GREEN Empire to transport and army to attack NARBONENSIS -- RED Empire can NOT attack across the Western Med.
(A fleet deployment and land attack with an army transported by sea can happen in the same set of orders)

An enemy faction may build and deploy a fleet into the sea zone to contest control, or two factions may deploy opposing fleets in the same turn.
A NAVAL BATTLE is then resolved by a GM die roll -- higher die roll wins and controls the sea zone, loser is eliminated.
Only TWO fleets may contest a sea zone at any one time per round.
_Ancient Empire Builders 4 naval sample 3.jpg

Naval actions may affect land attacks.
_Ancient Empire Builders 4 naval sample 4.jpg
Example:
GREEN Empire has control of the Western Med and decides to launch an attack on NARBONENSIS.
RED Empire in turn decides to launch a fleet to contest control of the Sea Zone.
If RED wins the Naval Battle, then the GREEN fleet is eliminated and the attack on Narbonensis is cancelled.

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CAPITALS

Every Faction/Empire has to have a CAPITAL to function and to order attacks etc.
At start, every faction has it's capital location randomly drawn - this is the base from where the Empire expands from.

The Capital needs to be protected at all costs.

_Ancient Empire Builders 4 Capitals.jpg
In the above example, YELLOW Empire's Capital is in Mesopotamia and under attack from BLUE.

If BLUE wins the battle, YELLOW's Capital is captured, and the next ROUND the YELLOW Empire can NOT attack or do any actions for that turn, except re-establish the capital at a new location (any of the other YELLOW territories not under attack in that next turn)

YELLOW also goes last in the Orders Sequence.

YELLOW can continue to fight DEFENSIVE battles in that turn.

All Gold Coins held by YELLOW are lost and BLUE wins ONE bonus Gold Coin as plunder for capturing the enemy capital.

MOVING CAPITALS
In the above example, in an earlier round, YELLOW could've spent 2 Gold (if available) to voluntarily relocate it's capital to a safer location (like Persis or Parthia)
This can only be done if the Capital is not already under attack, especially if BLUE gets to move/attack earlier than YELLOW.
 
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How does it work army wise? i.e., which armies to use in different territories/regions? Does a certain time period apply for somewhat more historical setting?
 
How does it work army wise? i.e., which armies to use in different territories/regions? Does a certain time period apply for somewhat more historical setting?

The attacker picks two armies that fit into the geography of the territory (and are also from same time period), but from any time period from 1000BC to 600AD

So for example, in AEGYPTUS, you could field ancient Pharaonic Armies against Nubian or Babylonian... or later period Diadochi armies: Seleucids vs Antigonids... or Romans vs Sassanians... or even Roman Republic Civil War battle...

The battle can be either one battle... or fought as a mirror battle (if armies too imbalanced) and % added up.

This gives a wide-ranging fun selection of armies to fight with.

It sounds odd, but it works quite well.
 
The attacker picks two armies that fit into the geography of the territory (and are also from same time period), but from any time period from 1000BC to 600AD

So for example, in AEGYPTUS, you could field ancient Pharaonic Armies against Nubian or Babylonian... or later period Diadochi armies: Seleucids vs Antigonids... or Romans vs Sassanians... or even Roman Republic Civil War battle...
Right but just to clarify; it looks like the attacker could match a Biblical Age army such as Assyrians against a Late Antiquity army such as 3rd Century imperial Romans. Is that correct?
- or -​
Must the attacker pick two armies from the same geography and historical era (Biblical Age 3200BC - 601BC, Classical Antiquity 600BC – 1BC, Late Antiquity 0AD - 599AD) to fight each other?
 
  1. So basically the attacker can pick any army as his/her from any time period in Ancients, but fitting the geography of the territory attacking from, and then picks an enemy army for the opponent overlapping the time period of the attacking army fitting the geography of the territory being attacked?
  2. How about allies?
  3. Could you give an explicit example for e.g. Hellas attacking Asia?
This potentially sounds like fun! (I'm a sucker for historical plausibility, that's why I'm asking: don't like too anachronistic setups.)
 
Right but just to clarify; it looks like the attacker could match a Biblical Age army such as Assyrians against a Late Antiquity army such as 3rd Century imperial Romans. Is that correct?
- or -​
Must the attacker pick two armies from the same geography and historical era (Biblical Age 3200BC - 601BC, Classical Antiquity 600BC – 1BC, Late Antiquity 0AD - 599AD) to fight each other?
Armies must be of the same historical era and (roughly) same geographical area (with some leeway - like we do with Medieval Empire Builders) - so Germans won’t be fighting the Persians.
Although the Romans were basically everywhere... LOL.
 
  1. So basically the attacker can pick any army as his/her from any time period in Ancients, but fitting the geography of the territory attacking from, and then picks an enemy army for the opponent overlapping the time period of the attacking army fitting the geography of the territory being attacked?
  2. How about allies?
  3. Could you give an explicit example for e.g. Hellas attacking Asia?
This potentially sounds like fun! (I'm a sucker for historical plausibility, that's why I'm asking: don't like too anachronistic setups.)
HELLAS vs. ASIA
Could be Athenians attacking Persians
Greeks vs Greeks
Macedonian. Vs Persians
Bulgarians vs. Byzantines
 
HELLAS vs. ASIA
Could be Athenians attacking Persians
Greeks vs Greeks
Macedonian. Vs Persians
Bulgarians vs. Byzantines
OK, great. A specific rule could then be that the two armies overlap at least one year, i.e., 100 BC - 100 AD versus 100 - 200 AD would be fine, whereas 100 BC - 100 AD versus 101 - 200 AD would not.
 
OK, great. A specific rule could then be that the two armies overlap at least one year, i.e., 100 BC - 100 AD versus 100 - 200 AD would be fine, whereas 100 BC - 100 AD versus 101 - 200 AD would not.
Just have the "DATE" and "GEOGRAPHICAL" buttons switched on when selecting forces for your battle, and the game's got you pretty much covered.
 
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Just have the "DATE" and "GEOGRAPHICAL" buttons switched on when selecting forces for your battle, and the game's got you pretty much covered.
Good point: that rule would cover what I'm after, and not just be from same historical era.
 
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ANY level of Victory and either the attacker conquers the territory or the defender holds on to it if defending.

As I understand the above, the winner conquers the territory only if winning the battle, in draws and losses the defender holds on to it. Correct?

What's the incentive for the defender to actually win the battle, and not only go for a draw? Other than getting 1 gold (if 40% (+25%))? And of course other than playing fair and making a good and enjoyable game out of it all (which is very often, I have seen elsewhere, not a sufficient 'carrot'...)?
 
ANY level of Victory and either the attacker conquers the territory or the defender holds on to it if defending.

As I understand the above, the winner conquers the territory only if winning the battle, in draws and losses the defender holds on to it. Correct?

What's the incentive for the defender to actually win the battle, and not only go for a draw? Other than getting 1 gold (if 40% (+25%))? And of course other than playing fair and making a good and enjoyable game out of it all (which is very often, I have seen elsewhere, not a sufficient 'carrot'...)?

Usually not a problem -- part of the ethos here is to have fun.
 
ANY level of Victory and either the attacker conquers the territory or the defender holds on to it if defending.

As I understand the above, the winner conquers the territory only if winning the battle, in draws and losses the defender holds on to it. Correct?

What's the incentive for the defender to actually win the battle, and not only go for a draw? Other than getting 1 gold (if 40% (+25%))? And of course other than playing fair and making a good and enjoyable game out of it all (which is very often, I have seen elsewhere, not a sufficient 'carrot'...)?
Truth be told, this does happen and I can be guilty of it; the defender goes hedghog and the attacker has to winkle him out. That's when the attacker brings lots of missiles and cracks holes in the defensive line; still fun games though.
 
Truth be told, this does happen and I can be guilty of it; the defender goes hedghog and the attacker has to winkle him out. That's when the attacker brings lots of missiles and cracks holes in the defensive line; still fun games though.
Nah, those battles are not really to my taste. Are they common in Empire Builders?
 
@Rico Sign me up.

If ancient fleets are involved perhaps everyone should get Mare Nostrum and we can do ancient sea battles for sea control. That would be cool.
 
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