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{{CaptionedImage|file=WarFace.jpg |align=left|width=500}}
 
==Overview==
 
==Overview==
The generals of the [[Imperial Military Council]] oversee the military campaigns on behalf of the Empire. Working with the [[Game_overview#The_Civil_Service_and_magistrates |Civil Service]] they give orders to the [[Imperial armies]] for the months between events to direct the ongoing military campaigns against the enemies of the Empire.
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The [[general|generals]] and [[General#Admiral|admirals]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] oversee the military campaigns on behalf of the Empire. Working with the [[Game_overview#The_Civil_Service_and_magistrates |Civil Service]] they give [[army orders|orders]] to the [[Imperial army|Imperial armies]] for the months between events to direct the ongoing military campaigns against the enemies of the Empire.
  
All military campaigns take place in a territory when either one of the opposing sides attacks. The campaign inflicts [[casualties]] on both sides as the armies fight to defeat each other and claim control of one or more regions in the [[territory]]. Imperial Generals must decide which territory to move the army they are responsible to - this determines what campaign (if any) the army will participate in.
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A ''campaign'' refers to a clash of forces in a territory when one or more of the armies or navies there attacks. Campaigns stretch over three months and encompass multiple encounters between the Imperial forces and the [[barbarian]] enemies. Each commander issues a single set of orders to determine the strategy their [[Imperial army|army]] or [[Imperial navy|navy]] will pursue during the campaign. The orders create a narrative for the campaign; they communicate the aims of the Imperial forces and shape the results of success (or failure) at each stage of the campaign.
  
Generals issue a single set of orders to determine the strategy their army will pursue as part of the campaign they are involved with. The description of the outcome of a campaign reflects the orders provided by the generals on both sides. The orders create a narrative for the campaign; they communicate the aims of the Imperial armies and shape the results of success (or failure) at each stage of the campaign.
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==Campaign==
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* '''A campaign takes place if one or more opposing armies or navies attacks another'''
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* '''If no admiral or general submits an order to attack then no fighting occurs'''
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If any force from two or more opposing sides in the same territory issues orders to attack, then a military campaign takes place there. A campaign is ''not'' a single "battle", it is a prolonged period of warfare that takes place over the whole territory in the three months between events. If no army or navy on either side has submitted an order to attack then no fighting occurs and no campaign takes place.
  
==Philosophy==
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A campaign will normally incorporate every force present in a territory. Navies are located in coastal regions while armies may be spread throughout a territory or concentrated on defending one region, but they are all assumed to act in concert, so the total strength of all forces is compared to determine the outcome, regardless of the distribution.
We have an extremely simple system to determine which side is winning in a campaign. This system is a crude mathematical framework - it is not intended for use by players when they are roleplaying and there is no need for most players to understand it. It's primary purpose is to give us a mechanism to calculate the scale of the victory achieved by the winning side that is simple, easy to calculate and can be consistent from campaign to campaign, year to year. We present the basics here so that those players who are interested can read them and have confidence that PD are being as fair as is possible in determining the outcomes of different campaigns.
 
 
 
==Campaigns==
 
If any army from two or more opposing sides in the same territory issues orders to attack, then a military campaign takes place there. A campaign is ''not'' a "battle", a campaign is a prolonged period of warfare that takes place over the whole territory in the three months between events.
 
 
 
The Campaign will normally incorporate every army present in a territory. Armies may be spread throughout a territory, or concentrated on defending one region, but they are all assumed to act in concert, so the total strength of all forces is compared to determine the outcome, regardless of the distribution.  
 
  
 
==Orders==
 
==Orders==
Each general can issue a single set of orders for the army they control. The orders should be broad, descriptive strategic goals based on the distribution of forces in a territory, the local geography. They represent the plan of what the general would like the army to achieve over the next three months.
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* '''Admirals and Generals receive briefings throughout the event'''
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* '''They must submit their orders by the end of the event'''
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At the beginning of an event, the admirals and generals are briefed on the current status of their force and the outcome of the campaign, if any, that it was involved in running up to the event. The [[Military Council]] is also presented with a number of ''opportunities'' to intervene – usually battles or skirmishes - that might affect the current Imperial military situation. Toward the end of the event, the Military Council is briefed with regard to how the actions of the characters (especially battles and skirmishes) have changed the situation since the start of the event, if at all. Each general must then submit an order for their army to follow over the coming three months.
  
E.g. The Dawn general of The Hounds of Glory may issue orders for his soldiers to advance without concern for casualties with the goal of smashing through the Druj lines to join up with the Imperial forces defending the fortifications at the city of Holberg.
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Orders should focus on ''what'' the commander wants their army or navy to achieve rather than ''how'' they do it. An Imperial force fights to the best of its ability, the civil service control military logistics and supply lines and the Empire has battlefield captains and commanders who are well versed in tactics. The orders issued by an admiral or general determine the overall actions of their force in the field over the next three months; there is no option to submit specific tactics or arrangements of troops or ships. The place for complex battlefield plans is during the events, where player characters fight barbarian enemies.  
  
Orders should focus on ''what'' the general wants their army to achieve rather than ''how'' they do it. An Imperial army fights to the best of it's ability, the civil service control military logistics and supply lines and the Empire has battlefield captains and commanders who are well versed in tactics. The orders issued by the generals at the Military Council at Anvil determine the overall actions of their army in the field over the next three months; there is no option to submit specific tactics or arrangements of troops. The place for complex battlefield plans is during the events, where player characters fight barbarian enemies.  
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E.g. The Dawn general of The Hounds of Glory may issue orders for their soldiers to advance without concern for casualties with the goal of smashing through the Druj lines to join up with the Imperial forces defending the fortifications at the city of Holberg.
  
The ''type'' of orders that a general can give fall into six categories - three for attacking and three for defending, based on how aggressive or cautious the general wishes their army to be. The text for the orders is important - we use it to determine the narrative of the campaign outcome - but the ''mathematical'' results are calculated based purely on the type of order that was submitted.
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There are six different categories of [[army orders]] - three for attacking and three for defending, based on how aggressive or cautious the general wishes their army to be. Navies use different [[navy orders|orders]] to armies, but they are also split into six different categories with three for attacking and three for defence.
  
There is no "move order" for an army, even if an army moves to the centre of the Empire to resupply, it is assumed that it would defend the territory it has moved to if that territory were attacked.
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The text for the orders is important - we use it to determine the narrative of the campaign outcome - and it influences the options that the plot team write for the battles at the next event -  but the ''mathematical'' results are calculated based purely on the type of order that was submitted. The orders are then compared with the orders submitted for the barbarian armies to identify where military campaigns are happening, which forces are fighting, and to calculate the outcomes.
  
===Attacking===
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===Issuing Orders===
All of these orders will always cause a military campaign to be initiated in the territory if there is an opposing force present. If an attacking force is victorious - they will capture land - the greater the victory the more land they will take in a season.<br>
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* '''Members of the Military Council hand their copy of their signed orders to the Herald of the Council'''
'''Effect:''' Taking any attack action means an engagement will happen if the enemy is still in the territory.
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Admirals and generals must provide the Herald of the Council with a signed copy of their orders. They can submit their orders at any time. Traditionally they are written and sealed on the last day but there is no legal requirement for this - as long as the orders are received by the Herald before the end of the summit.
====Cautious Advance====
 
A general may be keen to scout out a territory to identify enemy forces, or simply wish to make a probing attack to initiate a campaign. A cautious assault can also be useful to disrupt enemy supplies lines and prevent the enemy from resupplying. Cautious assaults are less effective at claiming territory - the attackers are less able to overcome the defenders and drive them back - but casualties suffered will be lower. Urizen and Freeborn armies favour this strategy as it provides the most certain ways to identify the strength of the enemy position.<br>
 
'''Effect:''' A ''cautious advance'' means that the army has it's strength reduced by 20% for determining the [[War#Victory|campaign outcome]], but all [[casualties]] it takes are also reduced by 20%.
 
====Balanced Attack====
 
This is the standard order issued by Imperial generals who wish to engage the enemy forces in a territory. A standard attack involves assaulting the enemy positions but seeks weak points in the enemy lines rather than attempting to smash through strong positions. Highguard armies favour this strategy believing that the natural efficiency best serves the manifest destiny of the Empire.<br>
 
'''Effect:''' A ''balanced attack'' applies no modifier to the army.
 
  
====Overwhelming Assault====
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The civil service uses the signed orders to make suitable arrangements and instructions for all the necessary logistical support, as well as ensuring that the correct orders are communicated to the army. Any attempt to change the orders once they are officially given to the Herald invariably leads to chaos and confusion which harms the army's effectiveness.
A general who seeks victory at any price can order an overwhelming assault. The army will spend the season seeking out the strongest enemy troops and attempting to smash through their positions. This kind of attack is dangerous - casualties will be higher than normal - but the army will gain more ground during that season. Wintermark and Dawnish armies favour this strategy as it provides many opportunities for [[glory]] and [[heroism]].<br>
 
'''Effect:''' An ''overwhelming assault'' means that the army has it's strength increased by 20% for determining the [[War#Victory|campaign outcome]], but all [[casualties]] it takes are also increased by 20%.
 
  
===Defending===
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===Barbarian Orders===
Armies on defend are seeking to hold their position and fight off any attackers they encounter. If all armies in a territory have orders to defend the regions they control, then no campaign takes place and the side that controls the territory will be able to resupply their forces. If the defenders are victorious - if their side has a higher effective strength than the attacker, then their victory translates directly into reduced casualties for the defenders. The greater the victory, the less casualties they suffer. Defenders take less casualties than attackers anyway, all other factors being equal, there is a small natural advantage that favours the defender.<br>
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The orders for the barbarian armies are submitted by members of the military campaign plot team. The barbarian generals have access to magic and rituals - similar to those employed by the players - so the team also decide which rituals to use to strengthen their armies and to scry the Imperial forces. All these decisions are done blind; the people submitting them do not have '''any''' knowledge of the orders submitted or rituals performed by the players.
'''Effect:''' Taking any defence action means that an engagement will not happen unless the enemy takes an attack action. [[War#Victory|Victory points]] generated by an army with orders to defend go towards reducing casualties further; they are never used to capture additional ground.
 
  
====Give Ground====
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==Outcome==
A general that wants his army to carry out a fighting retreat can issue orders to give ground. The army will avoid major engagements, while still attempting to slow the enemy advance using ambushes and the like. An army that is giving ground is much less effective at holding the territory against an attacker, but will see their casualties reduced accordingly. Navarr and Varushkan armies are both fond of this strategy. The Navarr consider it an effective way to bleed an enemy as they advance into a trap, while in Varushka the land itself can soon become the enemy of an unwary attacker.<br>
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* '''The side with the largest fighting strength wins'''
'''Effect:''' An army ordered to ''give ground'' has it's strength reduced by 40% for determining the [[War#Victory|campaign outcome]], but all [[casualties]] it takes are  reduced by 50%.
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The outcome of a campaign is found by comparing the total military strength of both sides in the territory. The military strength of each force is adjusted based on the orders their general or admiral has submitted for them. Even though individual armies and navies are given specific orders, the outcome of the entire campaign as a whole is determined by all the forces on both sides. The side with the higher military strength wins.
  
====Solid Defence====
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The basic outcome can be significantly affected by any battles or skirmishes linked to that military campaign that take place at the events.
An army that attempts the solid defence of a region will seek to make best use of the terrain to bring the enemy to battle in a way that favours the defender. Casualties suffered are less than if the army simply attacks, even though an enemy army that attacks is just as likely to be rebuffed. The League traditionally favours a solid defence believing that the fortifications at Holberg have proven the advantage of this strategy over many years.<br>
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{{CaptionedImage|file=FineDrummer.jpg |align=right|width=300}}
'''Effect:''' A ''solid defence'' means that all [[casualties]] taken by the army are reduced by 20%.  
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===Attacking Unopposed===
 
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* Territory is gained 50% faster than normal
====Heroic Stand====
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Forces that attack a territory that contains no defenders are considered to be attacking unopposed. They do not take any casualties and receive a significant bonus to the attempts to conquer regions in the territory. A single [[fortification]] in a territory is sufficient to negate this advantage.
An army that commits to a heroic stand will not initiate a military campaign - but they will make the enemy pay for every inch of ground they take. The army will take every opportunity to engage with the enemy side, they won't fight to the last man, but they will fight on even until the cause is utterly hopeless. Marcher armies favour this strategy, their natural belligerence makes them loathe to leave any battlefield while the chance of victory remains.<br>
 
'''Effect:''' An army that makes a ''heroic stand'' has strength increased by '''XX'''% for determining the [[War#Victory|campaign outcome]], but all [[casualties]] it takes are increased by 20%.
 
  
==Outcome==
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===Supply Lines===
The outcome of a campaign is found by comparing the total army strengths of both sides in the territory. Even though individual armies are given specific orders, the outcome of the entire campaign as a whole is determined by all the armies on both sides. The side with the higher effective army strength wins, gaining ground in the territory as a result.
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* The first region in a territory is always twice as difficult as normal
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* Any region which is not adjacent to an existing region under Imperial control ''in the same territory'' is twice as difficult to take
  
The scale of the victory and the number of casualties each side suffers is determined by the opposing army strength. The nature of any victory and the allocation of casualties is based on the orders submitted by the generals on both sides.
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Trying to take the first region in a territory is twice as difficult as normal. The same penalty applies if you try to take another region which is not adjacent to an existing region in that territory that your side controls. These rules are designed to reflect the difficulties presented by extended and exposed supply lines. This is one of the reasons the Empire and barbarians alike take pains to conquer an entire territory rather than permit their enemies to keep control of one or more regions.
 
 
The initial outcome is contingent on the comparison of the relative army strengths of the two sides - the greater the difference between the two army sizes, the more effective the victorious side has been. This outcome is then significantly affected by the battles and skirmishes linked to that military campaign that take place at the following event.
 
  
 
===Victory===
 
===Victory===
The total army strength of each side present in a territory is calculated and compared. The side with the largest army strength is considered to be winning and generates a number of victory points ''for that side''. These ''points'' correspond directly to control of land in the territory - every ten victory points accrued means the victors gain control of a region. Points left over are applied to the next most appropriate region - but the only game effect is that less ''points'' are required to conquer the region next season.
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* If one or more victorious forces are attacking then their side will take territory
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* Victorious forces that are defending have their casualties reduced
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The total strength of each side present in a territory is calculated and compared. The side with the largest army and navy strength is considered to be winning, the scale of the victory is proportional to the difference in the numerical strength of the two sides.
  
E.g. The Imperial forces have three armies present, a total army strength of 10,000, while the Druj forces in the territory have a total army strength of 22,000. The Druj force is stronger - so they are winning the campaign. The margin is 12,000 - accruing 12 victory points for the Druj. These victory points are expended to gain control of a region (10 points) and make a partial capture of another region (2 points).  
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If the winning side has submitted orders to attack their enemies then their victory translates into territory captured. They may gain control of one or more regions within the [[territory]] the campaign is taking place in.
  
The fighting strength of each army is modified by the orders issued by each general.
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If the winning side has submitted orders to defend the territory then their victory translates into reduced casualties taken. It is possible for a victorious defending side to reduce their casualties to zero if their scale of their victory is large enough.
  
===Attacking Unopposed===
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===Casualties===
Armies that attack a territory that contains no defenders are considered to be attacking unopposed. They do not take any casualties and receive a significant bonus to the attempts to conquer regions in the territory. A single fortification in a territory is sufficient to negate this advantage.
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* Each sides inflicts casualties on the enemy side equal to a tenth of their fighting strength
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* Casualties are divided up between the armies on a side based on the orders submitted
  
===Creating a Beachhead===
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Each side engaged in a campaign will inflict casualties equal to one-tenth of their fighting strength. Both sides in a campaign take casualties, not just the side that loses the campaign.
It is much more difficult to claim a region in a territory where your side does not already control a region. This is one of the reasons the Empire and barbarians alike take pains to conquer an entire territory rather than permit their enemies to keep control of some of the land.
 
  
==Movement==
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Casualties are divided up between the side based on the orders submitted by the generals. The final casualty figures an army incurs are then adjusted based on the orders submitted by their general.
Generals may issue orders to attack or defend a territory other than the one their army is in. To keep things as simple as possible, an army is assumed to move to any territory that the general issues orders to attack or defend before any fighting takes place. In effect an army can slip away at the start of a season before the campaign begins.
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{{CaptionedImage|file=Battles And Skirmishes.jpg |caption=Battles and skirmishes are a chance for the heroes of the Empire to turn the tide of a campaign.|align=left|width=550}}
  
Most Imperial armies can move through three territories in a season (for example, an army in [[Bregasland]] may be ordered to defend Hercynia - it will pass through [[Kallavesa]] and [[Hahnmark]] before reaching [[Hercynia]] where it will join any campaign that takes place. However an army cannot pass through a territory it does not control - it will automatically stop and engage any enemy forces present if it enters a hostile territory - one that is controlled by an enemy power.
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==Battles and Skirmishes==
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* Battles and skirmishes can significantly affect a campaign outcome
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At the Equinox and the Solstice, the opportunity exists to intervene in a military campaign and influence the outcome. The [[Sentinel Gate]] allows bands of Imperial heroes to travel instantly to key locations to try to turn the tide of a campaign. The civil service prepares briefings for opportunities that they judge will make a difference to the ongoing military campaigns, and present them to the military council.  
  
A [[Military keywords#Fast|fast]] army can move up to five territories each season, but must still stop when it enters a territory that is controlled by an enemy.
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[[Battles]] and skirmishes can have any number of outcomes, but a common result might be to improve the outcome of a campaign to help complete a specific campaign goal, or to achieve specific goals in that territory. For example, eliminating a specific barbarian command group might spread confusion among the enemy during the coming season increasing their casualties, or it might prevent predicted casualties to the Imperial armies engaged in that territory. Destroying a key bridge might mean that the casualties to a retreating Imperial army are significantly reduced, or cut off a barbarian army from reinforcements.
  
Note that the elite [[military unit]] resources controlled by players do not move like this. Military units can cross the entire Empire swiftly and quickly - so they can be freely assigned to an Imperial army, or sent to raid a neighbouring nation.
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Even a small number of player characters might influence the outcome of a campaign during an event. A small band of scouts who penetrate a barbarian-held wood to assassinate a [[Druj]] messenger and steal the orders she carries could give a significant bonus to the campaign goal of trapping or out-manoeuvring the barbarian forces in that territory. Providing an army fighting in filthy, disease-infested marshes with valuable supplies of [[Imperial Roseweald]] might significantly reduce the casualties that army will suffer.
  
==Timing==
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==Philosophy==
* '''At the beginning of an event''' the Generals are briefed on the current status of the campaigns and what will happen if things continue as they currently are. They are also presented with a number of ''opportunities'' to intervene – these are often battles or skirmishes, but sometimes more complex opportunities present themselves (for example, the civil service might have identified that collecting a hundred doses of [[bladeroot]] will give a significant edge to Impeiral troops pinned down by [[Druj]] forces).
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* The maths expressed on these pages can be considered an IC "rule of thumb"
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* The fog of war is sufficient to make it impossible for anyone to predict the actual outcome with certainty
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We have a [[campaign outcome|simple system]] to determine which side is winning in a campaign. Most of the effects are expressed as simple fractions to ensure that most generals will be able to work out roughly what will happen in a campaign - if they know what the barbarians are doing - without needing to use any detailed maths.
  
* '''During the event''' The player characters take actions that affect the final outcomes of the current engagements. Characters might use their abilities directly (engaging in a battle or skirmish, using a ritual to curse a region or destroy a key fortification) or more indirectly (gathering information about the orc orders, delivering vital supplies to a beleaguered group of scouts).
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We have deliberately kept the system simple; Empire is intended to be a game in which characters make difficult, political choices. For that to work the decisions the generals take should be well-informed choices, ones where they can make reasonable predictions of the outcomes provided they have sufficient knowledge of the barbarian's plans.
  
* '''Toward the end of the event''' The generals are briefed with regard to how the actions of the player characters (especially battles and skirmishes) have changed the situation since the start of the event, if at all. The generals then give orders for their armies over the coming months.
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As a result, it is perfectly reasonable for generals to make reference to these numbers during in-character conversation. Numbers such as the one-tenth ratio for casualties an army will inflict are considered to be a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb rule of thumb] that is widely employed by the Imperial civil service and anyone who has studied warfare in the world of Empire.
 
 
* '''After the event''' orders are processed simultaneously. The results of those orders play out over the next few months of game time, until the start of the next event. During this period, casualties are assessed, and the results of victory and defeat are calculated.
 
 
 
* '''Just before the next event''' the barbarian armies (controlled by plot) are given their orders, based on the probable outcomes of the various campaigns. These orders usually will not significantly change as a result of the event - the most likely exception would be if the Imperials take an action that they know will alter the barbarian battle plan in advance. An obvious example might be the battle in the territory of [[Volodmartz]], the successful resolution of which prevented a [[Thule]] army moving into the territory by removing the beachhead they were trying to establish. Instead, the barbarian army remained in [[Otkodov]], unable to follow through on the orders it was given.
 
 
 
==Battles and Skirmishes==
 
At the Equinox and the Solstice, the opportunity exists to intervene in a military campaign and influence the outcome. [[The Sentinel Gate]] allows bands of Imperial heroes to travel instantly to key locations and turn the tide of a campaign. The civil service prepare briefings for opportunities that they judge will make a difference to the ongoing military campaigns, and present them to the military council.
 
 
 
[[Battles]] and skirmishes can have any number of outcomes, but a common result might be to improve the outcome of a campaign to help complete a specific campaign goal, or to achieve specific goals in that territory. For example, eliminating a specific barbarian command group might spread confusion among the enemy during the coming season increasing their casualties, or it might prevent predicted casualties to the Imperial armies engaged in that territory. Destroying a key bridge might mean that the predicted casualties to a retreating Imperial army are actually much lower, or cut off a barbarian army from reinforcements.
 
 
 
Even a small number of player characters might influence the outcome of a campaign during an event. A small band of scouts who penetrate a barbarian-held wood to assassinate a [[Druj]] messenger and steal the orders she carries could give a significant bonus to the campaign goal of trapping or out-manoeuvring the barbarian forces in that territory. Providing an army fighting in filthy, disease-infested marshes with valuable supplies of [[Imperial Roseweald]] might significantly reduce the casualties that army will suffer.
 
  
{{Military Council Further Reading}}
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In reality, it would not be possible to make a prediction for a given scenario that was as accurate and precise as the simple framework allows. It is not possible to precisely predict the actual outcome of a campaign anyway, since the numbers involved are dependent on factors obscured by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fog_of_war fog of war] such as the plans of barbarians and the orders submitted by players for their military units.
  
[[Category:Rules]]
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{{War Further Reading}}

Revision as of 12:19, 17 November 2020

WarFace.jpg

Overview

The generals and admirals of the Imperial Military Council oversee the military campaigns on behalf of the Empire. Working with the Civil Service they give orders to the Imperial armies for the months between events to direct the ongoing military campaigns against the enemies of the Empire.

A campaign refers to a clash of forces in a territory when one or more of the armies or navies there attacks. Campaigns stretch over three months and encompass multiple encounters between the Imperial forces and the barbarian enemies. Each commander issues a single set of orders to determine the strategy their army or navy will pursue during the campaign. The orders create a narrative for the campaign; they communicate the aims of the Imperial forces and shape the results of success (or failure) at each stage of the campaign.

Campaign

  • A campaign takes place if one or more opposing armies or navies attacks another
  • If no admiral or general submits an order to attack then no fighting occurs

If any force from two or more opposing sides in the same territory issues orders to attack, then a military campaign takes place there. A campaign is not a single "battle", it is a prolonged period of warfare that takes place over the whole territory in the three months between events. If no army or navy on either side has submitted an order to attack then no fighting occurs and no campaign takes place.

A campaign will normally incorporate every force present in a territory. Navies are located in coastal regions while armies may be spread throughout a territory or concentrated on defending one region, but they are all assumed to act in concert, so the total strength of all forces is compared to determine the outcome, regardless of the distribution.

Orders

  • Admirals and Generals receive briefings throughout the event
  • They must submit their orders by the end of the event

At the beginning of an event, the admirals and generals are briefed on the current status of their force and the outcome of the campaign, if any, that it was involved in running up to the event. The Military Council is also presented with a number of opportunities to intervene – usually battles or skirmishes - that might affect the current Imperial military situation. Toward the end of the event, the Military Council is briefed with regard to how the actions of the characters (especially battles and skirmishes) have changed the situation since the start of the event, if at all. Each general must then submit an order for their army to follow over the coming three months.

Orders should focus on what the commander wants their army or navy to achieve rather than how they do it. An Imperial force fights to the best of its ability, the civil service control military logistics and supply lines and the Empire has battlefield captains and commanders who are well versed in tactics. The orders issued by an admiral or general determine the overall actions of their force in the field over the next three months; there is no option to submit specific tactics or arrangements of troops or ships. The place for complex battlefield plans is during the events, where player characters fight barbarian enemies.

E.g. The Dawn general of The Hounds of Glory may issue orders for their soldiers to advance without concern for casualties with the goal of smashing through the Druj lines to join up with the Imperial forces defending the fortifications at the city of Holberg.

There are six different categories of army orders - three for attacking and three for defending, based on how aggressive or cautious the general wishes their army to be. Navies use different orders to armies, but they are also split into six different categories with three for attacking and three for defence.

The text for the orders is important - we use it to determine the narrative of the campaign outcome - and it influences the options that the plot team write for the battles at the next event - but the mathematical results are calculated based purely on the type of order that was submitted. The orders are then compared with the orders submitted for the barbarian armies to identify where military campaigns are happening, which forces are fighting, and to calculate the outcomes.

Issuing Orders

  • Members of the Military Council hand their copy of their signed orders to the Herald of the Council

Admirals and generals must provide the Herald of the Council with a signed copy of their orders. They can submit their orders at any time. Traditionally they are written and sealed on the last day but there is no legal requirement for this - as long as the orders are received by the Herald before the end of the summit.

The civil service uses the signed orders to make suitable arrangements and instructions for all the necessary logistical support, as well as ensuring that the correct orders are communicated to the army. Any attempt to change the orders once they are officially given to the Herald invariably leads to chaos and confusion which harms the army's effectiveness.

Barbarian Orders

The orders for the barbarian armies are submitted by members of the military campaign plot team. The barbarian generals have access to magic and rituals - similar to those employed by the players - so the team also decide which rituals to use to strengthen their armies and to scry the Imperial forces. All these decisions are done blind; the people submitting them do not have any knowledge of the orders submitted or rituals performed by the players.

Outcome

  • The side with the largest fighting strength wins

The outcome of a campaign is found by comparing the total military strength of both sides in the territory. The military strength of each force is adjusted based on the orders their general or admiral has submitted for them. Even though individual armies and navies are given specific orders, the outcome of the entire campaign as a whole is determined by all the forces on both sides. The side with the higher military strength wins.

The basic outcome can be significantly affected by any battles or skirmishes linked to that military campaign that take place at the events.

FineDrummer.jpg

Attacking Unopposed

  • Territory is gained 50% faster than normal

Forces that attack a territory that contains no defenders are considered to be attacking unopposed. They do not take any casualties and receive a significant bonus to the attempts to conquer regions in the territory. A single fortification in a territory is sufficient to negate this advantage.

Supply Lines

  • The first region in a territory is always twice as difficult as normal
  • Any region which is not adjacent to an existing region under Imperial control in the same territory is twice as difficult to take

Trying to take the first region in a territory is twice as difficult as normal. The same penalty applies if you try to take another region which is not adjacent to an existing region in that territory that your side controls. These rules are designed to reflect the difficulties presented by extended and exposed supply lines. This is one of the reasons the Empire and barbarians alike take pains to conquer an entire territory rather than permit their enemies to keep control of one or more regions.

Victory

  • If one or more victorious forces are attacking then their side will take territory
  • Victorious forces that are defending have their casualties reduced

The total strength of each side present in a territory is calculated and compared. The side with the largest army and navy strength is considered to be winning, the scale of the victory is proportional to the difference in the numerical strength of the two sides.

If the winning side has submitted orders to attack their enemies then their victory translates into territory captured. They may gain control of one or more regions within the territory the campaign is taking place in.

If the winning side has submitted orders to defend the territory then their victory translates into reduced casualties taken. It is possible for a victorious defending side to reduce their casualties to zero if their scale of their victory is large enough.

Casualties

  • Each sides inflicts casualties on the enemy side equal to a tenth of their fighting strength
  • Casualties are divided up between the armies on a side based on the orders submitted

Each side engaged in a campaign will inflict casualties equal to one-tenth of their fighting strength. Both sides in a campaign take casualties, not just the side that loses the campaign.

Casualties are divided up between the side based on the orders submitted by the generals. The final casualty figures an army incurs are then adjusted based on the orders submitted by their general.

Battles And Skirmishes.jpg
Battles and skirmishes are a chance for the heroes of the Empire to turn the tide of a campaign.

Battles and Skirmishes

  • Battles and skirmishes can significantly affect a campaign outcome

At the Equinox and the Solstice, the opportunity exists to intervene in a military campaign and influence the outcome. The Sentinel Gate allows bands of Imperial heroes to travel instantly to key locations to try to turn the tide of a campaign. The civil service prepares briefings for opportunities that they judge will make a difference to the ongoing military campaigns, and present them to the military council.

Battles and skirmishes can have any number of outcomes, but a common result might be to improve the outcome of a campaign to help complete a specific campaign goal, or to achieve specific goals in that territory. For example, eliminating a specific barbarian command group might spread confusion among the enemy during the coming season increasing their casualties, or it might prevent predicted casualties to the Imperial armies engaged in that territory. Destroying a key bridge might mean that the casualties to a retreating Imperial army are significantly reduced, or cut off a barbarian army from reinforcements.

Even a small number of player characters might influence the outcome of a campaign during an event. A small band of scouts who penetrate a barbarian-held wood to assassinate a Druj messenger and steal the orders she carries could give a significant bonus to the campaign goal of trapping or out-manoeuvring the barbarian forces in that territory. Providing an army fighting in filthy, disease-infested marshes with valuable supplies of Imperial Roseweald might significantly reduce the casualties that army will suffer.

Philosophy

  • The maths expressed on these pages can be considered an IC "rule of thumb"
  • The fog of war is sufficient to make it impossible for anyone to predict the actual outcome with certainty

We have a simple system to determine which side is winning in a campaign. Most of the effects are expressed as simple fractions to ensure that most generals will be able to work out roughly what will happen in a campaign - if they know what the barbarians are doing - without needing to use any detailed maths.

We have deliberately kept the system simple; Empire is intended to be a game in which characters make difficult, political choices. For that to work the decisions the generals take should be well-informed choices, ones where they can make reasonable predictions of the outcomes provided they have sufficient knowledge of the barbarian's plans.

As a result, it is perfectly reasonable for generals to make reference to these numbers during in-character conversation. Numbers such as the one-tenth ratio for casualties an army will inflict are considered to be a rule of thumb that is widely employed by the Imperial civil service and anyone who has studied warfare in the world of Empire.

In reality, it would not be possible to make a prediction for a given scenario that was as accurate and precise as the simple framework allows. It is not possible to precisely predict the actual outcome of a campaign anyway, since the numbers involved are dependent on factors obscured by the fog of war such as the plans of barbarians and the orders submitted by players for their military units.

Further Reading

Core Brief

Additional Information