Hordes- a Redwall themed Board Game

[Rascal]

So...I made a thing.

As a hobby I love making game mechanics, especially in trying to make stats for a Redwall themed rpg. As a side project I have also been working on a board game concept and finally made some progress. I present to you HORDES, a rough draft of the rule set.

It can be played via table top or through a forum with a dedicated GM. It requires d6 and d8 dice and generally made for 2-5 players.

As I said, it is a VERY rough draft set of rules loosly based around Star Treck Ascendacy's design. Expect these rules to become more refined as time goes on.

Let me know if this peeks someones interest! Suggestions are welcome!

[Rascal]

Hordes

                Hordes is a 4x strategy game based on the Redwall theme, made for 2-5 players. Players take the roles of the peaceful Redwall abbey dwellers or the warlike vermin hordes that come to conquer them. The goal is simple, as a vermin horde the first player to take over Redwall wins. Redwallers score a victory by defeating each vermin armies LEADER.

                VICTORY: Redwall is conquered when WARRIORS of only one faction are present at Redwall. All other enemies must be driven from the Abbey grounds or destroyed!

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Step 1: Create your character. Go on, unleash your inner Horde Leader.

Vermin Character Sheet.

                Name:                                  Species:                               Gender:

                Goal:

                Attributes: You have 10 points to spread between these 4 stats. Min 1 / Max 5

                                Might: Character HP, when this falls to 0 they are slain.

                                Ferocity: Number of dice rolled in Hero Combat

                                Schemes: Number of orders you can issue per turn / number of OFFICERS you may have.

                                Cunning: Bonus dice added to the army you are present in when attacking / used various other events.



Or perhaps you prefer to save the day?

Woodlander Character Sheet

                                Name:                                  Species:                               Gender:

                                Goal:

                Attributes: You have 10 points to spread between these 4 stats. Min 1 / Max 5

                                Endurance: Character HP, when this falls to 0 they are slain.

                                Valor: Number of dice rolled in Hero Combat

                                Logic: Number of orders you can issue per turn.

                                Wit: Bonus dice added to the army you are present in when attacking.

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Base Army Stats: Each army begins with the following stats. The cost to upgrade those stats are listed as R for RESOURCES

                Faction Name:

                Class: Horde, Bandit, Pirate, Redwall, Woodlander, Long Patrol

                Combat: 5+ (Number your dice HIT on.)

                                Upgrade: 4+ for 4R, 3+ for 6R, 2+ for 8R, 1+ for 10R

                Tactics: 0 (defense. Adds to the number the enemy must roll to HIT you.)

                                Upgrade: 1 for 6R, 2 for 8R, 3 for 10 R, 4 for 12R, 5 for 14R

                Speed: 1 (number of spaces you can move an army per COMMAND)

                                Upgrade: +1 for 8R, +2 for 10R, +3 for 12R

                Resources: 1 (Resources you get per turn. Used to buy structures and mercenaries)         

                Infamy: 1 (Used as a COMMAND once per turn to recruit WARRIORS. Total number rolled = troops recruited.



ADVANTAGES: Each faction comes with their own advantage unique to them. Eventually there will be advancements each faction can research for Resources but until then, there is only 1 advantage for each faction.

                Horde: Conscripts ? Roll 1d6 after taking over or Razing a settlement. Add that many WARRIORS to your army.

                Bandit: Mobile - +1 to Speed.

                Pirate: Fierce ? Your Armies and officers reroll 1?s in combat.

                Redwall: Rally ? You can recruit twice in one round.

                Woodlander: Hero?s Arise ? Your OFFICERS cost -2 less RESOURCES

                Long Patrol: The Fighting Hares of Sala ? Tactics upgrades cost -2 less.



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ACTIONS: Every action you take costs 1 command. The maximum number of commands you can issue each turn is dictated by your Schemes/Logic stat. Here is a list of commands you can issue:

                MOVE: Move all or some WARRIOR on a space up to as many squares as your SPEED allows. You may move into spaces controlled by enemies but not THROUGH them.

                RETREAT: Expel some or all WARRIORS from a space controlled by the enemy. The destination must be adjacent. Those troops my then be issued a COMMAND to MOVE, but may not attack again this turn.

                RECRUIT: Roll 1d6 for each for each point of INFAMY your army has. The total number is as many WARRIORS you managed to hire, bribe, threaten, or are willing to join your army that turn. Add them to CAMPS or SETTLEMENTS you control.

                BUILD: Built a CAMP, FORT or SIEGE ENGINE

                FORTIFY: Place fortifications around a CAMP, FORT or SETTLEMENT. Costs 1R and 1 COMMAND. Adds +1 to Tactics on this space.

               

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BUILDING: A list of things you can build.

                CAMP: Cost 1R. Build on an uncontested space with your WARRIORS present. Allows units to be placed here.

                FORT: Leader or Officer must be present, must be built on a Camp or Settlement. COST 2R. Forts have base stats of 2HP. When building a fort, the Leader / Officer present rolls their Scheme/ Logic stat. For each 5 or 6 rolled they are given +1 point they can use to bolster the Forts defenses, giving it a boost to either the forts HP, Combat bonus, or Tactic Bonus.

                Additionally, every fort you own adds +1 to your RESOURCE stat.

                SIEGE ENGINE: Cost 1R. Each engine turns 1 WARRIORS 1d6 into a 1d8 when attacking STRUCTURES.

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Settlements:

                A settlement by itself is considered a VILLAGE. Villages have 3 HP, 3 Units with a HIT of 4+

                Two adjacent settlements are considered a TOWN. Towns have 5 HP, 5 Units with a HIT of 4+

                Three or more adjacent Settlements are considered a CITY. Cities have 7 HP, 7 UNITS with a HIT of 4+ and Tactics of 1

               

At the cost of a command you can:

                Vermin settlements

                Hire Mercenaries: 1R for 2 WARRIORS

                Conquer: For woodlanders or vermin. Engage in battle for the town. Defeat all warriors to lay claim to this town and gain +1R for as long as you own it.

                Raze: After defeating the village you may raze it to the ground.

If you are a vermin this will give you +3R for a Village, 4 for a town, 5 for a city. It will also enrage the local vermin, sending them to join the other vermin hordes and giving them +1 Infamy for 1 turn.

If you are a woodlander you gain +1 Infamy.

Woodlander Settlements:

                Raise Defenders: 1R for 2 WARRIORS.

                Make Alliance: Woodlander only. Roll Cunning to make an alliance. Each 5-6 is a success. Villages require 1, towns 2, cities 3. Once allied you gain +1R as long as you control this village. The defenders instantly become yours.

                Conquer: Vermin Only. Slay the defenders and take control of the town. Gain +1R as long as you control the town. Gain a permanent +1 Infamy.

                Raze: If Vermin, +3R for villages, +4 for Towns, +5 for cities. All woodlander armies suffer moral with -1 infamy for 1 turn.

                If woodlander. Burn a village down to prevent it from coming into the paws of the enemy. -1 Infamy for 1 turn.

                NOTE: defeating/ razing a village effects all the adjacent settlement tiles, not just the one you are on.



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Battle: There are three types of battle. Field battles, Hero battles, and sieges. Battles happen at the end of your turn automatically if your units occupy the same space as the enemy.

                FIELD BATTLES: Both armies roll as many d6 dice as they have units. Every roll equal to your own Combat score is considered a hit. Example, if have a 4+ Comat and roll a 3, 4, 5 the 3 is a miss, but the 4 and 5 are hits, inflicting 2 casualties to the enemy. And visa versa for their rolls.

                Let?s say that the enemy has TACTICS upgraded to 1. That adds +1 to your Combat, requiring you to roll 5+ to HIT the enemy. So your roll of 3, 4, and 5 is now 2 misses and 1 hit.

                FIELD BATTLES with one COMMANDER: A good OFFICER or LEADER can turn the tide of battle. LEADERS and OFFICERS and add their CUNNING / WIT to the battle, adding as many dice as their stat allows. Turning what was once a small army into a formidable foe.

                                Example: If you have 2 WARRIORS and 1 OFFICER with 3 cunning you roll 5 dice for this battle.

                WARRIORS are destroyed before OFFICERS, OFFICERS before LEADERS.  If your OFFICERS and LEADERS lose all WARRIORS to protect them they become ROUTED. Excess hits are applied to the OFFICER or LEADER and if they survive they retreat to an adjacent tile.

                                EXAMPLE: Your LEADER of 4 HP is surrounded by 3 WARRIORS and 1 OFFICER with 2 HP. The enemy rolls 7 successful hits. Your army is destroyed first, your officer takes the remaining damage up to his HP, leaving 2 HITS left to your LEADER. He flees to a nearest uncontested space. If there are no free spaces available he is either captured or slain.

                HERO BATTLES:
                Hero Battles happen along side the Field Battle. You rool for both seperately in 1 turn.

                When two opposing armies have officers or leaders on either side, they can preform a hero battle. The player wishing to attack the enemy commander rolls their CUNNING stat, using their cunning to weave through the chaos of battle to attack at the enemy leader directly. Rolling a 5-6 is a success. If you roll at least 1 success you add a second combat roll to your turn. If you miss your character was unable to reach the enemy commander. You need only roll for this once.

                When in a HERO BATTLE all commanders roll their Ferocity / Valar score, declaring who they are targeting. Officers must be targeted before LEADERS. Every 5 -6 rolled counts as a hit, subtracting 1 hp from the enemy. When a characters HP reaches 0, they are Slain and perish immediately.

                To retreat a commander from battle he must roll 1 success with CUNNING and may not attack the other commander while doing so. That commander may retreat other troops as well. If you fail your roll, not only does your commander NOT attack during the HERO battle this round but his army may not retreat as well.

                SIEGE: When attacking a fort or one of the abbey?s wall tiles every natural 6 (without modifiers) causes 1 damage to the fort. When a fort or wall section run out of hp they collapse, ending all bonuses on that tile.

                SPECIAL RULES FOR REDWALL.

                Woodlanders defending the walls roll an additional d8 when defending the wall. Walls have 10 hp. Walls can be repaired for 1R per 2 HP

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OFFICERS: Officers cost 10R and are always placed on the board where your leader is. The number of officers you have is = to your LEADERS SCHEME / LOGIC stat.

                Officers get their own separate stat sheet with 8 points (Min 1, MAX 4) to spread over Might, Ferocity, Scheme, and Cunning, and can perform the same functions as a LEADER.

                SCHEMES / LOGIC. Officers may add their SCHEMES and LOGIC to the number of COMMANDS you can issue in a round, making them a great boon to your Army?and a great lose if they are defeated.



                DEATH: Not all plans survive contact with the enemy and sometimes neither do you.

When your Vermin or Woodlander leader is killed your faction is disbanded and you lose the game. However, when the Redwall faction leader is defeated their infamy drops to 0 and their officer with the highest logic is promoted as Leader. Officers in the redwall faction are removed until the number of officers equals the new leaders logic score.

If Redwall runs out of officers and leaders the faction loses, their troops become neutral and all their resources go to the player that defeated them.

A Vermin player must still take over redwall to win.

Destroying an officer rewards you with 1 Infamy, Destroying an enemy faction earns you 3 Infamy and all their resources go to you.

Losing an officer will give you -1 to your Infamy.


EDITS:

Modified rules about what happens when your leader dies.

[Tooley Bostay]

Fascinating. I love the concept, and it seems like you've put some considerable thought into this.

I'm much more of a visual person when it comes to understanding how these things actually play, so I can't offer much commentary about the ruleset/flow of play. Have you playtested this yet with others? If so, what's the preferred amount of players? Part of me wonders if it'd be too hard for the Redwallers with four vermin armies attacking, but might be too easy with just one. Or is that sort of the point, and the number of vermin armies is sort of a difficulty meter?

So yeah, would definitely like to see a play-by-play of this! Some sort of example of how turns go, how resources are handled/generated, etc.

[Rascal]

TOOLEY! Nice to see you again :D

I havn't play tested it yet. I dont really have anyone too play test it with xD I was planning on using it on an rp forum eventually where players spoof their action and then oocly describe what they did and what they roll.

Generally I made it with 3-5 people in mind but more could be added. Right now I have six factions in the works but there can be more than 1 of each faction in the game. Woodlanders and Long Patrol work on a team with the Redwall Factions.

Vermin, however, may make alliances to help them win the game but in the end only one can be winner so they are also competing with other vermin players.

I have yet to add the board rules to the rule sheet above, but I imagine the board to be a 15x15 board with redwall abbey in the dead center. The abbeys famous Redwalls make up the tiles surrounding the abbey. Players may choose to play with a board resembling the actual mossflower area, or they may chose to use the terrain generator I have in the works, placing mountains, grasslands, forrests, rivers randomly around the abbey along with randomly placing settlements, both vermin and woodlander.

At the moment Im trying to keep it simple to pick up but also complicated enough to not be a crazy Risk spin off :) the rules listed above are currently being modified for grammer and other edits so it might change over the next few weeks xD

But, in generall you start the game by first making your leader and choosing a faction. You can take as many actions as you have Scheme or Logic. At the begining of your turn you get 1 resource for every Fort or Settlement you control. During your turn you can spend a command to recruit your followers and minions, buy or build things, and a lot more. Battle is done at the end of your turn where both players in a contested area roll as many dice as they have troops + their CUNNING score of one of their Leader or officer, + 1 for every other officer or Leader on that space.

Example: I have 5 warriors, My leader with a cunning of 2, 2 officers with a cunning of 2, and 1 officer with a cunning of 3. I would use the officer with the highest cunning as my bonus so I would roll 5 (number of troops)+ 3(officer with the highest cunning) +3 (1 dice for each additional officer / leader on this space) for 11 dice. Wow...that was a bit more complicated than imagined. And still quite a few dice.

It...will take some tweaking to find the right ballence obviously xD

[Tooley Bostay]

Yarr! Glad to see you've stuck around, too!

Ahh, gotcha. I'm sure there would be some willing volunteers to playtest it on that RP forum. Just a couple games without the RP-aspect, working out how the flow of play works and if there are any issues with the mechanics.

The tenuous alliances forged between vermin players sounds like it could be one of the cooler strategic elements to the game. Deciding when to ally oneself and when to betray them. It's very verminy.

Not too complicated. After that initial learning curve, I imagine most of this stuff will be pretty fast and easily-remembered. There is a lot of information to keep track of, though. You mentioned a terrain generator--are you planning on programming this game? It sounds like the visual component is very important in clearly communicating what's happening--much like how chess is a pain to play over just text.

[Rascal]

Thanks ^.^ I actually just overhauled the rules to make them simpler. Combat is much the same, villages have been simplified though, now they provide resources to redwall until claimed by vermin. There are seasons now which effect resource collecting and building has been simplified.

Oh, and there are cards. Ill post them seperately xD and Ill post the new changes later today.

Video game format would be a bit ambitious for me but Ive thought about using simular mechanics for cyoas before yes.