Return to Magna Graecia - Set Up & Turn 1

[Rico]

Ok, we are basically ready to roll with this one.

I'll be GM in this campaign and I think it will be quickest for me to do all the die rolls using an online Dice Rolling Room -- I will tag and name each die roll so they can be tracked as we go along)

@kronenblatt will taking the part of Pyrrhus The Great -- the self proclaimed heir to the genius of Alexander the Great.

@Josey Wales , @Nathangun and @chiquichops will be taking turns at taking the Roman consulship and command the Roman (and Carthaginian) armies trying to defeat Pyrrhus in a gruelling five year campaign.

I assume that by now all participants have properly familiarised themselves with the latest version of the RULES (attached to this post)

Below is the map for the set up:

ROME controls: ROME, CAPUA, Tarracina, Antium, Ostia, Fragellae

CARTHAGE controls: Lilybaeum, Panormus, Akragas, Gela

PYRRHUS controls: Tarentum, Hydras, Heraclea

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PYRRHUS also starts with a +1 on the MOMENTUM table.



TURN 1 - PLANNING SEASON

First steps:

1. ROMAN players need to decide amongst themselves who takes up the Consulship and field command for the FIRST TURN .

2. @kronenblatt plays his one BONUS MOMENTUM DIPLOMACY action.

3. Both commanders appoint generals -- two for Pyrrhus, three for the Roman side (two generals for Rome, one for Carthage)

4. Both commanders recruit their armies and DM me their army strengths which I will also keep track of.
ROME has 16 points to spend on its two armies (Carthaginian army is set at 8)
PHYRRUS has 19 points to spend.

5. Both commanders select their 10 Operations and DM them to me.


@kronenblatt -- let me know if I have missed anything.

 

[Nathangun]

Are you not using Vassal?

 

[Rico]

Are you not using Vassal?

No -- it's simpler for me to GM direct on the game photoshop files.

 

[Nathangun]

How?

 

[Rico]

How?

Vassal would work brilliantly if you're playing one vs one and keep the game there on Vassal ... we'd want to make this as shared public as possible, so quicker for me not to have to access Vassal, take screenshots etc...

 

[Nathangun]

You can take screenshots with Vassal, if all your doing is moving chits about you can just keep a save going playing as GM.

 

[kronenblatt]

@Nathangun @chiquichops @Josey Wales : Have you decided who to be Roman consul in turn I (280 BC)? Or would you like @Rico to draw one of you randomly?

Please also note that no player should be able to run Roman consulships two years/turns in a row. To be in line with how things were done in Rome.

 

[chiquichops]

@Nathangun @chiquichops @Josey Wales : Have you decided who to be Roman consul in turn I (280 BC)? Or would you like @Rico to draw one of you randomly?

Please also note that no player should be able to run Roman consulships two years/turns in a row. To be in line with how things were done in Rome.

We're talking now.
I propose @Nathangun to begin with because @Josey Wales is very busy right now.
I'm trying to get us another general to start off as the second Roman general,I'll report in tomorrow.
I'll be leading Carthage first.

 

[Rico]

We're talking now.
I propose @Nathangun to begin with because @Josey Wales is very busy right now.
I'm trying to get us another general to start off as the second Roman general,I'll report in tomorrow.
I'll be leading Carthage first.

The Roman Consul commands all the armies and fights all the FOG battles for one year (one turn) .... then, next year another consul takes over.

The "appointing generals" mechanic in the rules is just an abstract way of giving the armies special abilities/traits for the Operation die rolls.

I have suggested to @kronenblatt that this might be an unnecessary layer of complexity -- but happy to go with his call.

 

[chiquichops]

I like it. Good idea.
So cool, we're good to go soon as @Nathangun straps his sandals on and jumps in his chariot

 

[chiquichops]

We're deciding who is Consul this turn, almost ready.

 

[Nathangun]

I'm going to Consul.
Just a quick question on the rules regarding Appointing Generals.
Are generals historical that give traits to armies if I got that right. There seems to be a a school of thought that team members are appointed generals.

 

[chiquichops]

I understand that you fight as all Roman generals but that they have different traits.
I play the Carthaginian battles, my general also has traits.
We can keep generals who win or draw but have to create new generals if they lose.
Is that right?

 

[kronenblatt]

I'm going to Consul.
Just a quick question on the rules regarding Appointing Generals.
Are generals historical that give traits to armies if I got that right. There seems to be a a school of thought that team members are appointed generals.

Yes, each army has a “general” but that is nothing more than two traits (or if die rolls say so, the same trait twice), as rolled by Rico. Except for Pyrrhus himself who will have the same traits throughout the campaign.

You as consul this turn will decide on all Operations, make all other decisions, and play all FoG battles.

Next turn there’s a new consul who will run all Roman affairs. While Pyrrhus the Yet-Not-So-Great continues to be represented by me, poor guy.

And the turn after that you may again try to seek office as Roman consul, since no person can be consul two turns/years in a row.

 

[Rico]

Ah, missed that bit where I do the roll for the general's traits.

 

[kronenblatt]

I've now provided to @Rico the Diplomacy mission from my +1 Momentum at start of Turn I...

 

[Rico]

Pyrrhus uses all his DIPLOMATIC charm and trickery and convinces the city of BARIUM to join his side.



I have also done the die rolls for the GENERALS (two traits each)

ROME General 1:
1 - Soft , 7 - Engineer

ROME General 2:
5 - Drillmaster
8 - Propagandist

CARTHAGE General:
3 - Greekling
9 - Prosperous

PYRRHUS:
Semi-divine & Harsh Administrator.

PYRRHUS General 2:
3 - Greekling
4 - Political Conspirator

For reference from the Rules:

GENERAL TRAIT TABLE
1. SOFT: Subtract -1 from his Movement Table results
2. HARSH ADMINISTRATOR: Subtract -1 from his Reinforcement Table results
3. GREEKLING: Add +1 to his Reinforcement Table results
4. POLITICAL CONSPIRATOR: Option to reroll one Diplomacy Table result per turn
5. DRILLMASTER: Add +1 to his Movement Table results
6. ADMIRAL (not Roman side): Add +1 to his Fleet Action Table results
7. ENGINEER: Add +1 to his Siege Table results plus effect on Besieging Regional Capitals
8. PROPAGANDIST: A Momentum gaining event by this general is increased by +1
9. PROSPEROUS: Option to get an additional Talent to increase his army size that season
10. QUARTERMASTER: Strength of his army only reduced by 25%1 if out of supply
11. SEMI-DIVINE (only Pyrrhus): Can once per turn (but at any time during that turn) exercise the effect of any of the Traits above, as a sort of a unique Stratagem

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Here the record of the die rolls (had to re-roll one ROME trait as he got Admiral -- which Roman isn't eligible for.

 

[Rico]

Next step:
@Nathangun @kronenblatt

Both commanders recruit their armies and DM me their army strengths which I will also keep track of.

ROME has 16 points to spend on its two armies (Carthaginian army is set at 8)

PHYRRUS has 19 points to spend.

PS: I think CARTHAGE can use option to get an additional Talent to increase his army size that season -- due to the Carthage General's PROSPEROUS trait.

 

[kronenblatt]

True: Carthage gets 9 talents.

And: I believe that Pyrrhus himself unfortunately is Harsh Administrator too, in addition to Semi-Divine.

 

[Rico]

PLANNING SEASON is just about done -- all the armies have been recruited and trained and are in position.

ROME has placed one army in Capua and the other in Fragellae.

The CARTHAGINIAN army is in Gela.

Pyrrhus has positioned his armies in Barium and Tarentum.

MOMENTUM has been re-set to zero.

I am just awaiting the OPERATIONS chits selection from Pyrrhus side -- then we can start the CAMPAIGN SEASON.

ROMANS go first with OPERATIONS