Campaign Victory—Winning the War (TCG)

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During the feudal period, many countries were at war for extended periods of time. They weren't fighting continuously, to be sure, but neither were relations good. For one reason or another, one country would launch a campaign against the other-frequently without any official declaration of war. The campaign, often composed of apparently unrelated battles, would continue until one side or the other had achieved its strategic objectives, or no longer had the stomach-or the resources-for the conflict. Then conditions would settle back to their normal level of distrust and tension. This latter situation was more common than out-and-out victory.
In game terms, one side "wins. the war" when it has achieved all or most of its strategic goals. This, of course, is up to the DM to determine, and depends on what those strategic goals are. Using a previous example, once the attacker has retaken its captured port town, it has achieved its strategic objective and has no reason to continue fighting. A sensible commander won't push his or her luck, and will stand fast, reinforcing the town to prevent its reconquest.
Not many wars proceed to total victory, of course. One side or the other usually runs out of resources, or is so badly roughed up that it sues for peace.
==Suing for Peace==
Dungeon Masters can use a die roll to decide when a particular side loses the will or ability to fight on. There are several conditions that will trigger this die roll:
* 50% or more of troops in the field have been eliminated.
* Capital or seat of government is surrounded or besieged.
* 10% of civilian populace has been slain.
* Civilian populace is undergoing severe hardship (terror tactics. starvation, and so forth...)
If the DM decides that one or more of these conditions applies, the die roll is made. Should the country pass the die roll, its forces fight on; the roll is repeated each subsequent week, however. If the country fails the roll, it sues for peace.
Roll 1d100, and modify the roll depending on the current conditions (see "Modifiers" following). If the modified die roll exceeds 50. the country's forces fight on; otherwise, the country sues for peace.
==Modifiers==
The following modifiers are applied to the die roll whenever a country considers suing for peace.
: +15 More than 50% of the enemy troops in the field have been eliminated
: +10 Predominant alignment is Lawful
: +5 Predominant alignment is Evil
: +5 For each major strategic goal that has been achieved
: -05 Seat of government is sur rounded or under siege
: -10 Predominant alignment is Chaotic
: -10 Country is ruled by an autocrat, dictator, or other "strong man", not by popular government
: -20 Country is ruled as above. but ruler has been killed during the combat.
When a country sues for peace. it tries to negotiate the best terms possible with the enemy. Depending on the relative strengths and positions of the two combatants, this can range from an equitable compromise ("We'll both go back to our original borders and call the whole thing quits") to humiliating oppression ("Each able-bodied adult must work a term in our mines, you are forbidden a standing army, and your ruler must receive approval from our king before making any major policy changes"). The DM must decide what the outcome will be, depending on the personalities, political systems, and such involved.
Note that it's possible for both combatants to sue for peace simultaneously. In such a case, an equitable compromise is the most likely outcome.
The above system is included for completeness only. Full-scale warfare has too significant an effect on a campaign for the results to be left totally up to a die roll. DMs will probably have some dramatic purpose in mind for the war, or they wouldn't have started it (or, more precisely, they wouldn't have given major NPCs the motivation and opportunity to start it). This dramatic purpose will probably carry over into the eventual outcome.
For example, if the DM wants to embroil the PCs in an underground resistance movement. with all the opportunities for heroism and intrigue that entails, then the PCs' country should lose the war, no matter what the dice may say. A good DM will use the siege and battle resolution systems above to help flesh out a story line, not to replace it.