From: michaele@nsg.nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Mighty Empires: Alternate Rules 31st August 1992
Date: 31 Aug 92 23:07:55 GMT
Organization: Network Solutions Group / GEC Alsthom, Sydney

===========================================================================
Mighty Empires - Alternate and Additional Rules        Date: 31 August 1992
===========================================================================

Complied by Michael Edwards (michaele@nsg.nsg.com.au) 
Posted irregularly, when there are enough changes to warrent it...

Original from his own house rules, now heavily expanded by additions posted
in rec.games.board and emailed suggestions.


Contributers:

Phil Dutre       (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

Aaron L. Overton (ALOHC@CUNYVM.BITNET) 

The group at engrg.uwo.ca:
  Mark Gagnon (markg@engrg.uwo.ca)
  Dan Corrin (dan@engrg.uwo.ca)  
    and others who I don't know names and addresses of.
    But as they haven't emailed me, I don't care :-)  
    Moral is if you want the kudos, email me the info :-)


=> Changes since last posting:

[Don't expect as many changes as this as a normal occurance.  I don't
normally get this much input.  Thanks to those guys who gave me input!]

Battle losses due to larger armies extended to all forms of losses.
Construction Requirements (additional).
Dragon Rage modification.
Embarking and disembarking ships in non-harbour hexes.
Fortresses and villages as last resort in Capture Capital City rules.
Resolving battles with troops values higher than the table allows for.
Scouting modifications
Settlement's Milita.
Tax values of captured capital cities and "new capital cities"
Troops & Experience
Wilderness expansions: Mine rules (2 varients)
                       Ruined Cities
                       Temples

=>Comments, old and new...

This list is starting to turn into an USENET Alternate Rules set so keep 
posting and emailing comments, rules, complaints etc and I'll compile them.
I'm willing to flesh out suggestions as well.

Some of the rules below are based on the additional rules in WHITE DWARF
issues 130, 131, 133 (?) and 135.  If you don't have those issues best
thing to do is find them or ignore those rules in particular...

The White Dwarf rules describe only two of the wilderness options, the 
Wizard's Tower (neat miniature to go with this..) and the Necropolis 
(another over the top miniature :-)

Remember all rules are optional, pick and chose you think will work with
your group... 

>From: Michael Edwards (michaele@nsg.nsg.com.au)

We (my group of empire builders) tend to play Mighty Empires as a seperate 
game.  We also only play with like races.  As of yet we haven't tried orcs,
skaven and the like... so my changes don't cover these too well at the 
moment.  


>From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

Embarking and disembarking from ships at non-harbour hexes originated when 
we played a game where the board contained several islands, but none of them
were used because of the lack of harbours there.

The 500 pts limit was introduced because a 'beach' landing ought to be more 
difficult than just entering the harbour. We tested this rule, using no limits,
and found that harbours lost all their strategic value. Hence the limit.


=> Futures:

If you like any of the below, offer suggestions to the person mentioned. 
Input like that can be inspiring :-)

>From: Michael Edwards (michaele@nsg.nsg.com.au) 

I want to use the epic scale demons packs for chaos hordes.  At present only
half painted so not in use.  I am going to use these for the temple entry in
the wilderness chart.  The main figure is the temple and the rest the hordes.
The rules for these are no more than ideas and scribble on paper at the 
moment but should end up slightly different for each power and may help 
you or become a fountain of hordes that will behave like bandit armies 
(except they are more likely to attack an army).


>From: Phil Dutre (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

Right now we're working at some other rule changes. We found it almost 
impossible to play out a whole campaign using WFB rules. But, we do think
that armies should be more diversified. The abstract PV of banners don't
appeal to us as 'real' units do. Therefore, we're making some system in
which you have to design your armies and spend PV on infantry, cavalry,
war machines, bowmen, monsters, heroes & wizards. The actual battles
will be fought out using some sort of Axis & Allies procedure.

[I have a copy of these in alhpa form.  Email me to get it.  Michael]

==> The Rules

Starting the Game:                 >From: Aaron Overton (ALOHC@CUNYVM.BITNET)

Each player has a realm which contains only one city (the capital).  Each
player also receives 80 gold crowns with which to build their initial 
empire.  This includes armies, baggage, ships, and settlements.  Settlements
are purchased at the following rates: a village costs 5 GC, a fortress costs
10 GC, a city costs 15 GC. 


Losses for banners:        >From: Phil Dutre (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

The modifications for battle losses (e.g. a force between 1000-1999 pts. 
causes double casualties), is extended to ALL loses suffered by a banner 
(starvation and winter retreat being the most common).


Sea Movement:                    >From: michaele@nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)

At the start of each turn, roll for prevailing wind.  Note: This is the 
direction most of the wind for this month comes from.  

Movement points are used to define the distance a fleet can move.  The 
maximum movement for a standard fleet is 6MP.  (Pirate ships are not 
standard fleets and their movement doesn't change).

Movement against the wind costs 5MP per hex.  Movement with the wind on 
the left or right bow costs 4MP per hex.  Movement with the wind on the 
left and right stern costs 3MP per hex.  Running with the wind costs 2MP.  

Scouting can only be done once per hex moved and a particular hex can only 
be scouted once per turn.  Scouting costs 1MP. (Optionally scouting is free
but still has the restrictions)

All movement points that are not used in a turn are lost at the end of 
that turn.


Embarking/Disembarking from ships:  >From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

It is allowed to embark/disembark to or from any coastal hex (not only 
harbours) during the movement of a banner.  If this operation takes place 
on a beach (non-harbour hex), the maximum number of troops involved may not 
exceed 500 pts.


Scouting:                        >From Michael Edwards (michaele@nsg.com.au)

In the original rules pincer movements where not possible due to the way
the scouting rules were worded.  Change the last sentence in the first
paragraph of "Scouting Declaration" to:

It is not permitted for a player to attempt to scout the same tile twice
during the same turn from the same tile.

This allows banners in different hexes to scout the same destination hex.


Scouting:                             >From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

We drop scouting if you want to move in a friendly tile. We just suppose the 
scouting always works, with civilians cooperating with the army. You have to
scout when moving into unknown, razed or enemy controlled tiles.


Capture of a Capital City:       >From: michaele@nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)
 
On capturing a capital city the vanquished player's empire crumbles.  The 
vanquished party flees to one of the 1d6 nearest cities that was in his 
empire (his choice).  The surrounding settlements now become his realm.  
The remaining settlements or armies either are absorbed into the conquerors 
empire, stay loyal to the old empire or revert to being independent.

The vanquished player rolls for each army.  The first roll is 2d6 versus 
distance from old capital. If the roll is under the distance, the army 
becomes a bandit army.  If above the distance then a second roll of 2d6 
versus distance from the new capital is done.  If the roll is under the 
distance the army becomes part of the conquerors empire otherwise it stays
with the vanquished player's empire.  Then for each army roll a 1d6, on 
1 or 2 a half of the points value are lost in desertions, 3 or 4 a third 
of the points value are lost in desertions.  

Settlements in a state of siege fall as if to treachery.  The vanquished 
player then rolls for each settlement with modifiers depending on which 
empire the army in the same hex belongs to.  The first roll is 2d6 versus 
distance from old capital. If the roll is under the distance, the settlement 
becomes independent.  If over the distance then a second roll of 2d6 versus 
distance from the new capital is done.  If the roll is under the settlement
becomes part of the conquerors empire otherwise it stays with the vanquished 
player's empire.  If the army changed loyalty each roll is modified by -3.  
If the army stayed with the vanquished player each roll is modified by +3. 

[These rules are for alike races.  We don't play with mixed races therefore
haven't developed rules for things like orcs vs elves... I have ideas so if
its important tell me...]

All the vanquished player's armies and those just converted cannot move for 
the rest of this turn.  The exception to this is for those armies in 
settlements not of the same empire.  They are required to retreat from this 
hex in any direction with normal retreat rules in force.

The tax value of the victim's new capital remains at its old type value and 
does not go up to 4 GP.  [A Capital Village will only give 1 GP.]  The
captured capital city provides the new owner with 4GP in taxes...


Capture Capitals (see above):       >From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

We also used this rule, but if there are no remaining cities available, the
'capital' may be transferred to a fortress or village. (The king and his
retinue will settle anywhere to defend their realm to the last breath...)


Bandit Armies                    >From: michaele@nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)

Bandits move randomly at the end of each turn until destroyed.  They will 
not move into a hex containing an army.   They raze villages on a 1 or 2 
on a 1d6.  At the end of the campaign season they disband.


Battle Victory Conditions (WHB):   >From: Aaron Overton (ALOHC@CUNYVM.BITNET)

We found that expensive troops were at a great disadvantage when using
unit size rules to determine victory.  Thus: a battle is fought until the
end of the (8-hour game) day or one side concedes.  This will give a number
1of turns between 3 and 8 unless someone concedes.  


Resolving Battles (ME):               >From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

The strength modification chart is extended to include forces larger than 3000
pts. For every 500 pts., the modifier is increased by +1.


Settlements:                                     >From: engrg.uwo.ca group

Rather than having only the independant settlements have intrinsic garrisons,
we allow all settlements to have essentially milita forces. Each empire has
a DM of -5 on the roll at the start of the game.  For every 5 Crowns spent 
the DM is increased by 1 up to a maximum of +5, however at the start of every
winter the modifier is lowered by 1 (to max -5), otherwise it carries over 
from turn to turn. [This value might need some modifying, but it helps prevent
the enemy from rampaging across the coutryside, and gives experience to the
troops]

Assasination can be made against settlements as well. At the time of 
assasination the strength of the settlement is determined, for every 20% 
Casualties that they suffer, the settlement gets a DM of -1 (Max -5) to the 
next strength roll. This modifier is reduced by 1 after each campaign turn.


Experience:                                      >From: engrg.uwo.ca group

Troops are considered to have a 0 modifier when purchased. They will become
+1 after one victory, +2 after 2 more victories, +3 after 3 more victories, 
and +4 (maximum) after 4 more victories, for a total of 10 victories to 
make +4 troops. [Next play we are considering making all troops -1, and then
advancing them similarily up to +4]


Espionage:                         >From: Aaron Overton (ALOHC@CUNYVM.BITNET)

Each year each player may spend a maximum of one GP per player in the game
on espionage, e.g. two in a two player game.


Fate Points:                       >From: Aaron Overton (ALOHC@CUNYVM.BITNET)

Each player receives one fate point per year, which may be used to reverse the
result of any one die roll made by that player.  These points, if unused, may
be saved from year to year.  This must be used only in a defensive manner,
unless it is used to counter someone else's fate point.  

 
Dragon Rage:                          >From: (Philip.Dutre@cs.kuleuven.ac.be)

Due to some unfortunate Dragon Rages (they once destroyed two empires in a 
single game), and due to the fact that they are completely random (neither
player can influence their actions), we decided that only the 'last' dragon 
in the Dragon Rage causes any harm. Thus, the Dragon Rage is handled as 
normal, the Dragon Horde swoops through the air crossing several hexes, but 
only the last hex is affected.

The Dragons cannot only originate from the three full mountain hexes, but 
can also start from any of the 'volcanic islands'. This are the small islands 
visible on some coastal hex tiles. 

We refer to these Dragons as 'Sea Dragons' :-)


Construction Requirements:                         >From: engrg.uwo.ca group

To build things requires raw materials, Forests for wood, and mountains for
stone. The following table shows the construction requirements (Note that 
fractions round up, so a ship could be built with 1-5 forests, but 2 ships
require 6-10 forests).

	Ship : 5 Forest
	Fort : 5 Mountain
	City : 5 Forest + 5 Mountain
	Bridge: 1 Forest + 1 Mountain

Bridges can be built over rivers, 1 Crown if the bridge is within 3 hexes 
of the farthest source, 2 otherwise.


Victory Points:                  >From: michaele@nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)

Basically tax value of empire except fortresses count as 1.5 GP.  Captured 
Capital Cities count as 6 GP and "new" capital cities only count as 2 GP.
Convert troops into GP (divide point value by a hundred).  I suggest that a 
clear margin is needed to have a "winner".


Mine:                         >From: michaele@nsg.com.au (Michael Edwards)
<Wilderness expansion>
Mines when found provide D6/2 GP which travel with the banner like baggage.
This can be lost as part of forced marches etc. or be captured by other
armies...  To collect further income from the mine, it has to be visited at 
the correct time or in your control and a unbroken line traced back to the 
Capital City as in the tax rules.  Mine income for the winter season is D6/2 
rounded up and is available at the mine from the start of the summer season.
The output during the summer season is D6/2 which isn't available until the 
last turn of the season.  At the end of the summer season all the gold is 
sent back to the controling Capital City by mule train as part of the tax 
collection.  Or it travels with the banner on its hex as part of the
banner's winter retreat...


Mine:                                           >From: engrg.uwo.ca group
<wilderness addition>
Mine: Gain D6 crowns when initially discovered, then 1 crown per turn
thereafter. [We have unplaytested rules expanding this]


Ruined City:                                    >From: engrg.uwo.ca group
<wilderness addition>
A Ravaged city is placed on the map, with a bandit banner of 2d6 x 100 
troops. The Bandits move randomly, when they are destroyed the city can
make normal recovery rolls. [Troop strength seems low, we are considering
doubling it]


Temple:                                           >From: engrg.uwo.ca group
<wilderness addition>
Force may vist the Holy Zealots. See table below. The Disruption
is done using the same idea as a dragonrage, except that the pilgrams
prevent movement into the hex (perhaps causing some units to have to make
a winter retreat), and no unit that is in the hex can get support.

	1 - Religious Conversion (Roll losses as Sustinence Shortfall)
	2 - Holy Pilgrams Disrupt region (D6+1 Hexes)
	3 - Holy Services Disrupt the Temple Hex.
	4 - Ignored
	5 - Bonus Scouting Roll
	6 - Tithe D3 Crowns to kingdom.

[MJE- I'm considering using this rule as the Order entry of my version
(Chaos being the other entry :-)]


=>END RULES