Wherein this doc is an outline of a basic war game idea intended to be quickly playable on the fly with supplies handy to most gamers. I. Set Up A. What you need to play 1. Dice a) D6s, 4-5x the number of players, Plus 2-3x the number of players more in a different color (Leadership color) b) D8s, approx 4-8 c) D10s, approx 10-15 d) D12s, approx 2-6 e) A sheet of paper (perhaps 1 per player) and felt tip pen, or (better) a dry erase mat and pens. Colored pens to identify players are useful. f) A copy of the Command Table g) Coins; pennies, nickels, and quarters h) Plastic cups or mugs to hide dice. 1 for each player. i) A totem of some kind to designate Starting Player.
B. Draw the Map 1. Draw a continent with a large number of irregular shaped territories. a) Each territory should be comfortably larger than a quarter. b) Recommended: divide the map into roughly equal parts and let each player draw territories in their section as desired c) Alternatively borrow a map from an existing game like Risk or Axis & Allies (and then use sticky flags in place of writing on the map itself) d) Alternatively just let one player draw it and get on with it already. 2. In turn, starting with a randomly chosen player, each player a) can mark 1 territory as impassable by filling it with scribble on the map. b) and mark 1 territory as water by putting 3 wavy lines through it. c) Or mark 3 territories as either impassable or water as long as they are all connected. d) Any territories that have the map edge as part of their border are automatically water and should be marked as such. e) All rules referring to territories or spaces refer to passable land territories only unless specified otherwise. 3. In turn, starting with a randomly chosen player, each player a) Selects 1 territory near a map edge (probably not adjacent to water) and roughly equally distant from other players as their Citadel territory and places a Fortification Symbol in it (square shape) b) Also select 2 territories adjacent to your Citadel and draw a penny sized circle with the number 1 (for 1 cent) in each and place a penny in each circle for your starting units. If there arent 2 territories adjacent to your Citadel, select a different Citadel. II. Game Terms A. Territories 1. Any irregularly shaped space drawn on the map 2. Impassable Territories a) are designated as such at the beginning of the game and represented with a scribble or blacking out of the space. b) Do not exist for purposes of the game. Cannot be moved into, built up, occupied, or take part in battle. 3. Water Territories / Water / Sea Spaces a) Are designated as such at the beginning of the game and represented with a big W or 3 wavy lines. b) Cannot be moved into by land units (except as transported), or built up, and are never owned. c) Coastal Spaces are water spaces adjacent to a land space. May be occupied by a sea unit/ship. Ships must always end their turn adjacent to a clearly identified land territory that you own. d) Non coastal water spaces can be moved through by ships but cannot be occupied. e) Coastal Spaces may take part in Battle if occupied by a ship but provide no dice and cannot be targeted. 4. Land Territories / Spaces a) All non impassable non water territories b) The game is played in these spaces. May be owned, moved into, built up, occupied by land units, and take part in and be targeted by battles. c) Territories become owned when moved into by a land unit. Write the initials of the new owner in the space. Cross out the initials of the prior owner. d) Each Land Territory involved in a Battle provides 1d8 to the Territorys owner. e) If a Land Territory is Advanced into any unused d8 it provided is lost.
B. Buildings 1. Denoted by drawing symbols on the map, 2. Fortification Symbols: square shapes or tower shape. a) May have up to one in any Land space that does not include a Recruitment Circle. b) Each Fortification involved in the battle on a defending side provides 1d12 to the owner. c) Each Fortification involved in the battle on the aggressors side provides a reroll to any die rolled. d) A military unit in a space with a Fortification cannot be targeted until the Fortification has been damaged (1 hit, place a slash through the square). e) An enemy military unit cannot Advance into a space with a Fortification until the Fortification has been damaged. f) A damaged Fortification that is not destroyed in the Battle is rebuilt (erase the slash) automatically if the space did not change ownership in the Battle. g) A destroyed Fortification (2 hits, place a second slash X through the square) is not automatically rebuilt after the battle. Any die it provided is not lost even if not yet used. h) A damaged Fortification in a space that changes ownership is destroyed after the Battle (non damaged fortifications cannot change ownership). 3. Recruitment Base: Coin sized and denominated circles. a) Cannot be built in a territory with a Fortification b) Each Land Territory can have only 1 Recruitment Symbol. c) Number 1: penny sized. With 1 Recruit Command Action, an empty #1 Recruitment Base may produce 1 Tough Land Unit (penny) d) Number 5: nickel sized. With 1 Recruit Command Action an empty #5 Recruitment Base may produce 1 Fast Land Unit (nickel) e) Number 25: Quarter sized. With 1 Recruit Command Action an empty #25 Recruitment Base may produce 1 ship/water unit (quarter). Ship Recruitment Bases can only be drawn in land spaces adjacent to a water space.
C. Units 1. Only 1 land unit of each type (penny, nickel) can occupy the same land space at a time. a) This stacking limitation may be violated during Battle but at the end of the Battle any violators are eliminated. b) A unit cannot Move or Advance into a space if there is an enemy unit or an undamaged Fortification in the space. c) A unit can Reinforce into a space containing an enemy unit or undamaged Fortification. 2. Pennies: Tough Land Unit a) Every Tough Land Unit in a space involved in Battle provides 1d10 to its owner. b) A damaged Penny (1 hit) is flipped over to its tail side. (1) If by the end of battle the unit has not been destroyed it is automatically flipped back to undamaged (2) There is no other damage effect. c) A destroyed Penny (2 hits) is immediately removed from play and any die it provided to the Battle is immediately discarded if not already used. d) Pennies move 1 space when activated by a Move order or Advancing in combat. e) Pennies can be Transported by Nickels or Quarters. f) Pennies may Fortify spaces.
3. Nickel: Fast Land Unit a) Every undamaged Fast Land Unit in a space involved in Battle provides 1d10 to its owner (damaged Nickels do not provide dice). b) A damaged Nickel (1 hit) is flipped over to its tail side. (1) Any unused die provided by the Nickel is immediately discarded. (2) Nickels do not automatically heal after Battle like Pennies. They can be healed by expending a Recruit action to heal the existing unit rather than build another. c) A destroyed Nickel (2 hits) is immediately removed from play. d) Nickels move up to 2 spaces when activated by a Move order or Advancing in combat. Nickels can move through another Nickel during the first space of its move. e) Nickels can transport Pennies and be transported by Quarters. (1) A Penny is stacked on top of a Nickel when its in the same space, indicating its ready for transport. (2) The Penny carried with the Nickel can move 2 spaces with the Nickel. (3) The Nickel can pick up or drop off a Penny at any point in its move subject to the limit of 1 Penny per space as long as the Penny has not been moved by the same Move Order. (4) The Nickel cannot carry a Penny as above as part of an Advance. They are separated when Battle begins.
4. Quarters: Water / Sea Unit (ship) a) Every Ship in a coastal space involved in Battle provides 1d10 to its owner. b) A damaged Quarter (1 hit) is flipped over to its tail side. (1) Quarters do not automatically heal after Battle like Pennies. They can be healed by expending a Recruit action to heal the existing unit rather than build another. (2) There is no other damage effect. c) A destroyed Quarter (2 hits) is immediately removed from play and any die it provided to the Battle is immediately discarded if not already used. d) Quarters move as far as they wish across any number of connected water territories. (1) Quarters must end a move or an advance in a Coastal Water Territory. (2) If the Coastal Territory is adjacent to more than one Land Territory is must be positioned to make it clear which Land Territory it is adjacent to. (3) Ships may Reinforce to a position adjacent to an enemy Land Territory, but must end a normal Move adjacent to an owned territory. e) Quarters can transport Pennies and Nickels. (1) Pennies and Nickels are not stacked on top of the Quarter until the Quarter is Moved. (2) The units carried with the Quarter move with the Quarter to the Quarters destination. (3) Units cannot be picked up or dropped off as part of the Quarters move. (4) The land units can remain in the Coastal Space with the ship at the end of the ships Move if desired. (a) If the adjacent land space is owned by the same player one or both of the land units may be unloaded into that space as part of the Move subject to stacking limit (b) The ship can be moved adjacent to an unowned land space only if one or both of the land units are unloaded and claim ownership of the space. (c) There is no stacking limit in coastal water spaces for ships or the land units they carry. (5) Land units cannot be carried by a ship as part of a combat advance. They are separated when Battle begins. (a) If targeted in Battle an undamaged ship transporting units must be targeted before any carried land units. (b) If a ship is destroyed in a battle, any carried land units remain in the coastal water space. (i) If they are able to Advance onto land before the end of the Battle they are safe (subject to stacking limits) (ii) If they remain in the coastal space at the end of the Battle, they are lost and automatically eliminated.
D. Command Dice 1. This is a pool of d6s that begins play with a number of dice equal to the number of players. 2. In each round of play the pool is rolled by the Starting Player and the dice arranged on the Command Table. 3. In each player turn starting with the Starting Player then proceeding clockwise, players will select one die from the Command Table to perform an action or pass. 4. When all players pass or there are no more dice on the Command Table the round ends. a) The starting player rotates one to the left. b) The new starting player adds 1 more d6 to the pool. c) The new starting player then rolls the pool and arranges the dice on the Command Table.
E. Leadership Dice 1. Leadership dice are d6s of a different color than those of the Command Dice. 2. Each player has their own separate pool of Leadership Dice. a) Begin the game with 1 Leadership Die b) Gain additional dice during play with an Expand Leadership action. 3. Whenever the Command Dice are rolled, each player also rolls their Leadership Dice and hides them under their cup. 4. In addition to selecting a die from the Command Table, the player may also select a Leadership Die to take a second action.
F. The Command Table 1. After the Command Dice are rolled they must be arranged on the Command Table. 2. There are 6 tiers on the command table labeled A-F from lowest to highest. Each tier is associated with a different action players can perform on their turn. 3. The Command Dice are sorted by number and arranged on the table as follows: a) All dice of the same number are placed on the same tier. b) The lowest numbered dice are always placed on the lowest tier (Tier A). Thus Tier A is always available every round. c) The second lowest numbered dice are always placed on the second lowest tier (Tier B). Thus Tier B will always be available every round unless all of the Command Dice roll the same number. d) Successively higher dice are arranged on successively higher tiers skipping none. Thus, Tier F will only be available if all 6 numbers have been rolled. e) Often the higher tiers will have no dice and thus those actions will not be available. 4. Leadership Dice are not added to the table but kept hidden until used. a) If the number on the Leadership die matches a number rolled this round on the Command Table, then that die may be used for the same action as the matching number on the table. b) If the number on the Leadership die does not match a command number, then: (1) The first such die placed gives its number to and takes on the action of the lowest unused tier. (2) Subsequent leader dice of that same number take on that same tier action. (3) Subsequent leader dice of another unused number take on the next unused tiers action, and so on. (4) The numbers on leadership dice will often be out of numerical order with the Command Dice.
III. Game Play A. The Round 1. At the beginning of play choose 1 player randomly to be the first Starting Payer. 2. At the beginning of each round the current Starting Player rolls all of the Command Dice and arranges them on the Command Table as described in II.F 3. All players secretly roll their Leadership Dice. 4. The starting player takes the first player turn of the round. a) Play passes clockwise b) Each player takes up to 2 actions or passes. 5. When all players have passed or all dice are gone from the Command Table the round ends. a) Remove remaining dice from the Command Table and return to the Command Pool b) Players pick up all unused Leadership Dice c) 1 additional die is added to the Command Pool d) The Starting Player passes to the left. 6. Begin the next round at step 2 above. 7. The game ends when only 1 player is in control of their Citadel at the end of a Round.
B. The Player Turn 1. Each turn a player can take up to two actions a) They may take 1 Action by selecting a Command Die from the Command Table. b) They may take 1 Action by selecting a Leadership Die from their stash per II.F.4. c) These may be played in either order d) Or the player may pass and take no actions. 2. Selecting a die identifies a tier on the Command Table determined by the number on the die and how it was arranged on the table. a) The tier determines the action you may perform. b) The number of dice on that tier represents how many of that action are available this round (not including any Leadership Dice). c) After the die is selected it can be discarded back to the Command Pool. d) The last die taken from any tier (or the first Leadership Die played to an empty tier) should be set aside next to that Tier (but off the Command Table) as a reminder of what number filled that Tier for future Leadership Die play. (1) Remember to add the set aside Command Dice back to the Command Pool at the end of the round (2) Remember to reclaim any set aside Leadership Dice.
3. The Actions a) Tier F: Expand Leadership. (1) Add 1 new Leadership Die to your pool. (2) It does not get rolled this round b) Tier E: Build (1) Choose any space you own that does not contain a Recruitment Circle or Fortification. (2) Draw a Recruitment Base in that space (any type). (3) Quarter Bases can only be drawn in spaces adjacent to water. c) Tier D: Fortify (1) Choose any space you own that does not contain a Fortification or Recruitment Base but does contain a Penny. (2) Draw a Fortification Square in that Space. (3) Or rebuild (erase X) any destroyed Fortification you own in a space containing a Penny. d) Tier C: Recruit (1) Choose any empty Recruitment Base you own. (2) Place a new unit of matching type in that circle head side up. (3) The unit remains in that circle (it is not empty) until it Moves or Advances out of the space. (4) Or choose 1 damaged Nickel or Quarter and flip it head side up. e) Tier B: Initiate Battle see III.D f) Tier A: Issue a Move To or Move From move order see III.C
C. Move Orders 1. The spaces moved to must all be either owned or unowned. a) If unowned, the space now becomes owned b) Write your initials in the space c) Owned spaces can be captured but they never return to unowned status. d) Nickel Movement stops if the first space is unowned. e) Ships must end their move adjacent to an owned space. They may move adjacent to an unowned space if they unload a land unit to claim it. f) Units transported by Ship may be dropped off in the targeted space (subject to stacking limit) or left in the Coastal Space with the Ship g) Nickels may bring transported pennies or drop off a transported penny in an adjacent space with this move.
2. Move To order a) Select any space you own or that is unowned. b) You may now move any 1 Penny, any 1 Nickel, and any 1 Ship (plus additional transported units) that can reach the targeted space to that space. (1) Pennies have a move of 1 and thus must be adjacent (2) Nickels have a move of 2 and thus can come from 2 away. (3) Ships must be on the same body of water and move to a Coastal Space adjacent to the targeted space.
3. Move From order a) Select any space you own containing units. b) All of the units in that space or ships in a coastal space adjacent to that space may now move according to their normal move and transport capabilities. (1) Pennies have a move of 1 and thus can only move adjacent (2) Nickels have a move of 2 and thus can move 2 spaces away. (3) Ships can move to any Coastal Space on the same body of water and identify which Land Space theyre adjacent to. c) Units may move to the same or different spaces.
4. A unit cannot move both under its own power and be transported with the same move action.
D. Battle 1. Initiate a) Select any space owned by another player that is either adjacent to a space owned by you or can be reached by one of your ships as a reinforcement. b) All land spaces adjacent to the target space are considered involved in the Battle. c) All ships in a coastal space adjacent to an involved land space are considered involved in the Battle. d) All coastal spaces adjacent to an involved land space are considered involved in the Battle for purposes of allowed Ship Advances e) The acting player is considered the Aggressor, the owner of the target space is considered the Defender. Any other players who own involved spaces must declare for one of the sides now. 2. Reinforce a) Only the Aggressor may Reinforce. b) Select 1 involved or uninvolved space that has units that can reach (including by transport) any involved space. c) Make an immediate Move From order action from that space. All moved units must be moved to an involved space. d) Nickels moving 2 spaces to reach the Battle must move through an owned space first. e) Reinforcing Units ARE allowed to move into an enemy owned space as part of this move, even if the space contains an undamaged Fortification or enemy units. (1) They must still target an undamaged Fortification before targeting any units. (2) If the space is not captured by the end of the battle, all of these units are lost. f) Reinforced units do not have to obey normal stacking limits at the start of a battle. If the Battle ends and the stacking limit is exceeded the violating unit is automatically destroyed. g) Reinforcing ships are moved to a Coastal Space adjacent to any involved space (including an enemy space). (1) Transported units may unload into the adjacent space or remain in the coastal space with the ship. (2) Any ship (and all transported units with it) moved to a coastal space adjacent to an enemy space are automatically destroyed if that space is not captured by the end of the battle.
3. Assemble Dice a) Each player takes dice as follows: (1) 1d8 for every involved Territory they own. (2) 1d10 for every Penny in an involved Territory they own. (3) 1d10 for every undamaged Nickel in an involved Territory they own. (4) 1d10 for every involved Quarter they own. b) Defenders take in addition: (1) 1d12 for every involved Fortification they own. (2) Aggressors do not get any dice for Fortifications. c) Roll the dice: (1) All dice are rolled as a pool without regard to what die was provided from what source. (2) Aggressors may reroll 1 rolled die for every involved Fortification they own. Defenders do not do this.
4. Arrange the Dice a) Dice are assigned back to the elements that are involved in the Battle. (1) Every element that provided a die receives a die. (a) It does not need to receive the same die or even size of die back. (b) Any die can be assigned to any element. (c) Additionally, a damaged Fast Unit can be assigned a die even though it did not provide one, but then some other element will not get a die. (2) Place the die (without changing the number rolled) so that it can be identified what element it represents. (a) Place a die on the coins for units (b) Place a die in the square for Fortifications (c) Place a die in an empty area of a space for Territories. b) Starting with the Aggressor each player in clockwise order assigns one die to an element. Continue around until all dice are placed c) All dice are considered hits. The number on the die determines the order in which the dice act.
5. Execute the Battle. a) Dice are executed one at a time from highest number to lowest. b) Ties are broken in clockwise order starting with the Aggressor. c) Executing dice from Territories or Fortifications can do one of two things. (1) Attack a specified target in the same or adjacent involved space. (2) Pass if there is no valid target to attack. d) Executing dice from Units (pennies, Nickels, Quarters) can do one of five things. (1) Stand and Attack: (a) The unit remains where it is (b) An attack is launched at a specified target in the same or adjacent involved space. (2) Advance and Attack: (a) The unit advances into an adjacent involved space according the advancement rules (if allowed). (b) An attack is launched at a specified target in the space just moved into or an involved space adjacent to that space. (3) Attack and Advance: (a) An attack is launched at a specified target in the same or adjacent involved space. (b) The unit advances into an adjacent involved space (not just the space attacked) according to the advancement rules (if allowed). (4) Advance without Attacking (a) The unit advances into an adjacent involved space according to the advancement rules (if allowed) (b) Theres no attack, typically because theres no valid target to attack. (5) Withdraw (a) No attack is launched (b) The unit withdraws into a UNinvolved space subject to standard movement rules and stacking limitations. (c) The uninvolved space must be owned by the withdrawing player (d) The withdrawing unit may not transport.
6. Attacking: a) Select a valid target (1) Valid targets include (a) Units, with or without a die (b) Fortifications, with or without a die (c) Territories with a die. (i) Advancing into a territory will also eliminate the territory die (ii) If advancing is not an option, the die can be eliminated with a single hit (but no damage to the territory) (2) The target may be in the same space as the attacking die or an adjacent space (3) If there is an undamaged enemy Fortification in that space, it is the only valid target. (a) Units or territory dice cannot be targeted as long as the Fortification is undamaged. (b) After being targeted once, the Fortification will be damaged and subsequently units or territory dice can be targeted freely. (4) Targeting a Coastal Water Space (a) Coastal Spaces do not have Territory Dice to target but may have ships and transported units to target. (b) Of land space only the one the ship is specifically positioned adjacent to is considered adjacent for targeting purposes. (c) Undamaged Enemy ships located in an involved Coastal Water Space may be targeted from the adjacent land space. (d) Land Units may be targeted from the adjacent land space, only after the ship transporting it has been damaged. (e) A ship in a Coastal Water space may target an enemy ship in an Adjacent Coastal Water space. (5) Targeting from a Coastal Water Space (a) Any ship or transported land unit may target any enemy in the same coastal space (Possible if the ship reinforced into a coastal space containing an enemy ship) (b) Any ship of transported land unit may target into the land space the ship is positioned adjacent to.
b) Damage that target (1) All attacks inflict damage when executed. The question is the order of the attacks, the impact of Advances, and whether the die is lost before it has a chance to be executed. (2) Damage Fortifications (a) An undamaged Fortification (empty box) is damaged by putting a / through the box. (i) Do not discard any unused die. (ii) Other targets in the space may now be targeted. (iii) Damage will be repaired after the battle if the space is not captured (erase the / (b) A damaged Fortification (/) is destroyed by a second hit. (i) Do NOT discard any unused die (ii) Put a \ in the box making an X
(3) Damage Units: (a) An undamaged unit is damaged by flipping it from heads to tails (i) If a Nickel, discard any unused die. Damage will remain after the battle is over. (ii) If a Quarter, do not discard any unused die. Damage will remain after the battle is over. (iii) If a Penny, do not discard any unused die. Damage will be healed after the battle is over (flip back to heads). (b) A damaged unit (showing tails) is destroyed by a second hit. (i) Remove the coin from play. (ii) Discard any unused die. (c) If a ship is destroyed any land units it was carrying remain in the space. (i) If they are able to Advance into a land space the end of the battle they are safe (subject to stacking limits). (ii) Otherwise they are lost at battle end.
(4) Damage Territory Dice: (a) If a Territory is Advanced into by an enemy, any unused dice are automatically discarded. (i) An enemy cant Advance into the space if it contains an undamaged Fortification. (ii) An enemy cant Advance into a space if it contains a damaged or undamaged unit (b) If a Territory die is target by an attack, it is discarded
7. Advancing a) Advancing with Land Units (1) You cannot Advance into a space containing enemy units. (a) This includes a space you own. (b) This does not apply to the attackers Reinforce step III.D.2 (2) You cannot Advance into a space containing an undamaged enemy fortification (exception attackers Reinforce step). (3) Pennies may Advance 1 space into an adjacent involved space (4) Nickels may Advance 2 spaces as long as the first space is owned and contains no enemy units. (5) Stacking limits do not apply when Advancing but at the end of Battle, units violating the limit of 1 of each type per space are automatically eliminated. (6) Nickels cannot transport while Advancing. (7) Units may enter and claim ownership of an unowned spaced following an advance. (8) If 1 or more of your units occupies an enemy owned space at the end of the Battle, you have captured that space. (a) Change the ownership initials written in the space. (b) Finish destroying any damaged Fortification in the space.
b) Advancing with Land Units from a coastal space (1) Land units transported by ship to a coastal space and now involved in Battle follow the same rules as above. (2) They can only be advanced into the involved land territory the ship is adjacent to. (3) They cannot be advanced into another adjacent coastal space, even if there is another ship in that space. (4) Units from the land space cannot advance into the coastal space even if the ship would be eligible to transport them. (5) At the end of Battle, land units in a coastal space may remain in the coastal space as long as there is a ship to Transport them. If the ship moves or is destroyed, the land units are lost.
c) Advancing with Ships (1) Ships in a coastal space involved in Battle may Sdvance into adjacent involved coastal spaces that do not contain enemy ships. (2) Ships cannot Advance into a Land Space (3) Ships cannot transport during Battle.
8. The Battle Ends when the last die is executed or eliminated. a) There is no second round to Battle. b) Continuing the fight will involve selecting another Battle Action
9. End of Battle Clean up a) Any territory that now contains only enemy units is captured by that enemy. Change the ownership initials accordingly. (1) Exception. If the territory still contains an undamaged Fortification, it is not captured. (2) This is possible if units reinforce into an enemy territory containing a Fortification but no enemy units and never damage that Fortification. b) Any damaged Fortifications in spaces that have been captured are now destroyed. c) Any units that are located in an enemy territory (from having Reinforced there) that was not captured are now eliminated. d) Any units in excess of the 1 Penny & 1 Nickel per space stacking limit are now eliminated. e) Any damaged Pennies are now flipped back to their undamaged head side (Nickels and Quarters are not). f) Any damaged Fortifications in spaces that have not been captured are now repaired.
IV. Game End A.When only 1 Citadel Remains at the end of a round B.If all Citadels have been captured at the end of a round there are no winners.
Command Table
Set Aside Die Tier Action
F: Leadership Add 1 new Leadership Die to your Pool. It does not get rolled this round
E: Build Choose any owned space without a Recruitment Base or Fortification. Draw a Recruitment Base in that Space of any type. Quarter Bases can only be drawn adjacent to water.
D: Fortify Choose any owned space without a Recruitment Base or Fortification that contains a Penny. Draw a Fortification Square in that space. OR rebuild any destroyed Fortification you own in a space containing a Penny.
C: Recruit Choose any empty Recruitment Base you own. Place a new unit of matching type head-side up in the circle. Unit remains in the circle until it Moves or Advance out. OR choose 1 damaged Nickel or Quarter you own and flip to its head-side
B: Battle Initiate a Battle see III.D.
A: Move Perform a Move To or Move From action see III.C.