De Bellis Fantasiae Set-up for trial games 2. Let There Be Magic

Let me make this clear. 

 We are playtesting the first Beta set of the rules. 

 First I need to learn them. 

 Then we try and break them.

Magic in this game has 2 levels:   

(Strategic) Rituals.  These cost more pips and, if successful has an effect that can alter the game.  Here is your dark lord summoning darkness and your white wizzard striving to end it.  

The tactical "Point and Pip"  is your standard long range magical sniping that may push back the right base to gain a win.

Why add a magical or fantasy element?  Well, fun.  I moaned a bit about the old DBF but I could field a big orc army and both Godzilla and Mechagodzilla (Behemoth X) for my Age of War Japanese.

Top-up.  I'm betting that a lot of DBA players will use these rules for bigger games, using the extra "and/or's" and allies.  Easy to add a mage, cleric or hero.  Sneaking in the extra mythic element.  Or just use it for "straight" larger games.  Shock and horror - armies from divergent times.  If you consider conquistadors against stone age natives-.  And how fast many of them adopted their weapons and tactics.  How close to a fantasy campaign is that?

Magic is warfare without the pointy stick.  Here's where a good army list comes in.  Most armies will lack a troop type.  You can either use allies, mercenaries or magic to plug the gap.

Magic comes at a cost.  You can probably get a different result by spending the points on the more mundane.  Magic soaks up pips.  Moving the big magical unwieldy types also costs pips.  If you're spending all those pips that leaves you less choice, so you get big formations that can move as a block rather than more intricate maneuvers. The other cost is that the armies breaking point is lower and personalities count as 2.  

The Grand Duchy of Fenwick.

With the fall of the English possessions in France, this small alpine Duchy welcomed those, mostly free company soldiers, who were unwelcome to return to their native lands.  With an economy based on wine production, the military retained its late Medieval core well into modern times.

This is me being a bit sneaky, using the forces I'd put together for my Poole In Flames game.   http://unitrecon.blogspot.com/2022/02/poole-in-flames-1405-demo-and-breakdown.html

Duchy of Fenwick	Name	Min/Max	No.	Points	Total	HILLY. Difficult Hills. Dangerous, River, Woods, BUA, Road, Diff/Rough Hills
Blade	General	1	1	10	10	City wall, bank & ditch or wagon laager.
Blade Ally	Sub General	0-2	1	5	5
	Cleric		1	8	8
Warbow	Retinue Bow	2-8	6	4	24
Blade	Retinue Blade	2-8	6	5	30
Upgrade retinue to elite			2		0
	Spear	12-36	6	5	30
Lesser Volley gun	Artillery	2-6	2	4	8	Unwieldy 2 pips to move. any combat die roll of “5” to a “2”
						Lethal: Add +1 on a winning score in combat.
	Artillery	0-2	1	5	5	Unwieldy 2 pips to move.
						Moved any distance, may not shoot. Only shoot in own bound.
	Hordes	0-12	8	3	24	Unwieldy 2 pips to move. Pursues.
	Shooters	0-6	6	4	24
Auxilary	Sailors	0-3	6	4	24
	Behemoth		1	6	6	Unwieldy 2 pips to move. Pursues.
47 bases Break 24					198
1 personality element and 1 fantasy element.
Human states (Italian)	Name	Min/Max	No.	Points	Total	HILLY Diff Hills Dangerous, River, Woods, BUA, Road, Diff/Rough Hills
Knight	General	1	1	10	10
	Sub General	0-2	1	5	5
	Knights	2-6	4	5	20
	Barding		2	1	2
Leonardo	Mage	Level 2	1	10	10
	Add level	0-4	2	1	2
Apprentice Mage Level 1			2	9	18
	Pike	12-36	24	4	96
	Artillery	0-2	2	5	10	Unwieldy 2 pips to move.
						Moved any distance, may not shoot. Only shoot in own bound.
	Skirmishers	0-8	8	3	24
33 bases Break 16					197
3 mage-personalities
Evil Warlord of Aagh Mar	Name	Min/Max	No.	Points	Total	WASTE. Rocky. Dangerous, Marsh, Rough or Diff Hills, Scrub, max 1 Gully
Mage L2 Flying.	General	1	1	22	22
	Add level	0-4	4	1	4
Mage L2	Sub General	0-2	2	5	10
	Add level	0-4	4	1	4
	Knights	4-12	4	5	20
	Barding		4	1	4
	Cavalry	0-4	4	4	16
	Pike	4-16	16	4	64
	Skirmishers	0-12	6	3	18
	Greater beast	0-3	3	5	15	Unwieldy 2 pips to move. Pursues.
	Greater Flyers	0-2	1	20	20	Unwieldy 2 pips to move. Pursues.
37 Bases Break 19					197
4 mage personalities 4 magical bases
Ritual Spell: All. Fear. Difficulty 3.
If successfully cast, any Recoil result against an opponent in Close Combat into a Flee result instead.
C&C Ritual Command Indecision. Difficulty 3 an opposing General, PIP roll at -3 to a minimum of 1.
C&C Ritual Wizard Blast. Difficulty 4. Wizard may select Element in frontal contact, both are Destroyed.
Leonardo Italian	Name	Min/Max	No.	Points	Total	ARABLE 1x BUA OR 2x Fields
	Hero General	1	1	20	20	River, Rgh/Gentle Hills,Woods,Fields,Enclosures,Road, Wway,Scrub,Boggy
	Sub General	0-2	1	5	5
	Knights	2-6	6	5	30
	Barding		6	1	6
Leonardo	Mage	Level 2	1	10	10
	Add level	0-4	2	1	2
Apprentice Mage L1			2	9	18
Poor	Pike	12-36	16	3	48	Any 5 to a 2
	Artillery	0-2	2	5	10	Unwieldy 2 pips to move.
						Moved any distance, may not shoot. Only shoot in own bound.
	Turtle Cars		4	8	32	Unwieldy 2 pips to move.
	Skirmishers	0-8	6	3	18
39 bases Break 20					199
3 mage personalities
Ritual: Nature’s Wrath Difficulty 4
a patch of Dangerous Terrain within 5BW no larger than 3BW. Or any piece of Terrain within 5BW become Dangerous.
Ritual: Drowsy. Difficulty 3.
All Elements friendly or enemy in contact with it become Unwieldy until the Caster’s next Spell Phase.

Magical summary or summary of magic.  Magic bits.

A Standard Spell represents magical missiles, that can frighten, rout, or even kill the enemy.

A Ritual has special effects ie. changing terrain or summoning creatures.

Spells are cast using left over PIPs. A player must save some PIPs from the Movement Phase to cast spells.

Spell Casting

In Ranged Combat a Mage can cast one Spell against one Element or to enact a Ritual if:

(a) The Mage’s Element is not in front edge contact with an enemy Element &

(b) The Mage’s Element is within 5BW (Note: some Ritual Spells may be different) of the target measured from nearest point to nearest point &

(c) The Mage expends PIPs

Up to 2 additional Mage Elements can reinforce a

spell at a cost of 1 PIP per additional reinforcing Mage.

For a Standard Spell, the Mages must be in range of the target inflicting a -1 modifier on the target

Mages aiding the casting of a Ritual +1 to the dice roll for the Ritual. The aiding Mages must be in range (5BW) of the main caster.

A Mage may only Cast or aid one Spell/Ritual per Ranged Combat phase.

Mages can perceive targets by magic. All targets in range valid, inc. Close Combat, providing support or overlap.

The Mage’s Combat Factor for a Standard Spell cast =2x PIPs spent on the Spell. Reinforcing Mages give -Cbt Modifier to target Element and cannot use extra PIPs.

Spell Casting Procedure

In the Ranged Combat Phase, player decides which Mages will cast, which Mages will aid and target.

The player then states how many PIPs (up to the Mage’s Level) are being put into the spell.

For Standard Spells, both roll 1d6. The Mage’s player adds PIPs X 2 Target adds the Ranged Combat Factor to their roll.

Example: Caster puts 3 PIPs into a Spell, therefore +6 (3 PIPs X 2). Target Knight their RCF is +3

For Rituals rolls 1d6 and adds PIPs +1 for every Mage. If the final sum equals the Ritual succeeds and the results are applied immediately.

Magic Exhaustion

A roll less than PIPs spent indicates Mage has depleted their energy. If this happens a second time, then roll 1d6.

Based on the roll, the following occurs:

1,2 - the Mage falls exhausted

3,4 - the Mage withers to a husk

5,6 - the Mage explodes in a release of uncontrolled energy. All elements both friendly and enemy that are touching the Mage immediately recoil.

The Mage Element is Destroyed in all cases. Mages falling exhausted may return in future battles if playing a campaign. This does not affect aiding Mages.