Rules for Baronies
We're not using these just yet, but I plan on using these rules in the future (maybe as much as 6 mos down the road or as much as 9!) There are variations on what is published here, this was just the players guide an online DM made up for his particular campaign.
AEG’s “EMPIRE”
Playguide
I. INTRODUCTION
Empire is a D20 supplement published by Alderac Entertainment Group (www.alderac.com), worth every penny of the $24.95 price. It’s one of the best D20 books I’ve come across. It tackles an issue that no other sourcebook has adequately dealt with before – the management of nations.
This playguide has been written for those players who do not have access to the Empire sourcebook, but who nonetheless are interested in participating in an Empire campaign. Some of the rules have been changed to reflect house rules.
II. BASIC CONCEPTS
A. REALM SCALE
An Empire campaign may be played under one of three scales, determined by the DM. From smallest to largest, these are: Barony, Kingdom, and Empire.
Scale is used to greatly simplify record-keeping. Rather than determine the exact size of a realm’s population, treasury or area, Empire uses the abstract concepts of “population units,” “gold units,” and “land units.” When necessary, reference to the campaign’s scale allows for these units to be translated into firm numbers as follows:
REALM SCALE TABLE
Scale 1 Population Unit 1 Gold Unit 1 Land Unit
Barony 100 1000gp 1 square mile
Kingdom 1000 10,000gp 20 square miles
Empire 10,000 100,000gp 400 square miles
B. LAND TYPES
For the purpose of realm management, each land unit is assigned one of eight types: forest, hills, plains, mountains, ruins, swamp, wasteland, and water. Each type is described below, and their effects are summarized in the bottom table:
Forests are useful for producing lumber and, to a lesser extent, food.
Hills can be used to produce either stone or minerals.
Mountains are difficult areas in which to work, but they can be mined for stone or minerals.
Mountains: Difficult to travel through and requiring expensive labor to harvest, mountains are a source of mineral wealth and stone building materials that can prove profitable for those with the resources needed to exploit them. Mountains are best left for settlement once you have established a steady stream of food production and have enough money saved up to invest in expanding your holdings.
When you first attempt to harvest minerals from a mountain, roll twice on the minerals table to determine the available resources. If you roll the same material twice, then only that mineral can be mined there. [This means that you will be assured of having at least one, if not two minerals you can mine in every mountain square.] You can assign 1 population unit to spend 2 seasons surveying the mountains for new veins. [This gives you a chance to find a new vein of ore.]
Production: 2 mineral units/area or 4 stone units/area
To Harvest: 2 population unit/area
Settlement: 2 population/area
Hills: The low foothills surrounding mountains or breaking up plains and forests are usually categorized as other terrain types, as they usually follow the resource patterns of the surrounding area. sometimes, though, hills can produce mineral wealth and raw stone useful for constructing castles and other fortifications. While rarely as productive as mountainous regions, hills can provide a fief with much-needed stone and ore resources.
When you first attempt to harvest minerals from a hill. rol once on the minerals table to determine the available resources. You can assign 1 population units to spend 2 seasons surveying the hills for new veins.
Production: 1 mineral units/area or 2 stone units/area
To Harvest: 2 population unit/area
Settlement: 2 population/area
Plains are used for farming, and dramatically increase the population your realm can support.
Ruins are a gamble. Sometimes treasure can be found within them, translating into gold units, but sometimes nothing of value is found. Takes 2 Population Units to harvest.
Swamps produce both food and gold, in small quantities.
Wasteland produces absolutely nothing of value. This is unclaimed, wild land which lies beyond the borders of your realm. With some work, you can convert wasteland into another type of terrain.
Water produces some food and can be very useful in trade.
LAND TYPE TABLE
Forest = 4 Lumber Units and 1 Food Unit
Hills = 2 Stone Units or 1 Mineral Unit
Plains = 4 Food Units
Mountains = 2 Mineral Units or 4 Stone Units
Ruins = 1d10-4 Gold Units
Swamp = 1 Food Unit and 1 Gold Unit
Wasteland = Nothing
Water = 2 Food Units
C. RESOURCES
As mentioned above, all land types except wasteland produce resources (if you assign population units to harvest them). The various resources, their effects, and their values on the market are provided below:
Food is primarily used to feed your population – each population unit requires one unit of food per year. Less can be given, but this lowers morale. Stockpiling food has a positive affect on your yearly population growth. On the market, food generally sells at 20 food units per gold unit.
Lumber is used in virtually all building projects, making it extremely important to an expanding realm. On the market, 15 units of lumber sell for one gold unit.
Stone, like lumber, is also important in building projects – especially for strongholds. 12 units of stone generally sell for one gold unit.
Minerals are discussed last, because there are several subcategories under this heading. When you first begin to conduct mining operations, the minerals in the area are determined randomly. You can later assign one population unit to survey the area again for two seasons, and there is a chance that a different mineral will be found. Note that these metals are useful only for their value on the market and in trade goods. The value of each is provided in the following table:
MINERAL TABLE
Adamantite 1 unit = 3 gold units
Copper 10 units = 1 gold unit
Gold 1 unit = 1 gold unit
Iron 10 units = 1 gold unit
Mithral 1 unit = 2 gold units
Silver 5 units = 1 gold unit
D. STRONGHOLDS
Strongholds represent your population centers, where you conduct commerce and/or defense. The game effects of each stronghold type are described below, and the Stronghold Table lists materials necessary to build each type. Note that lesser strongholds may be upgraded.
Villages are the smallest settlements you can establish in your domain. They increase the number of population units which may live on a given terrain unit.
Towns are a step up from villages. In addition to increasing the supportable population, towns may be upgraded with guilds and other projects which will allow you to engage in trade.
Cities are the best settlements money can buy. Cities attract merchants and the like and allow your economy to blossom.
Keeps are basic defensive fortifications. These are best used as outposts to protect the outlying areas of your realm, and later upgraded as you expand.
Castles are the ultimate in defensive fortifications.
Mines are not necessary to harvest stone or minerals from an area, but they do increase output when constructed.
STRONGHOLD TABLE
Type Cost
Village 2 stone units, 2 gold units, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 1 seasons.
Town 5 stone units, 5 gold units, 5 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
City 10 stone units, 10 gold units, 10 lumber units, 2 population units, 4 seasons.
Keep 5 stone units, 4 gold units, 4 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Castle 10 stone units, 8 gold units, 8 lumber units, 2 population units, 4 seasons.
Mine 4 stone units, 3 gold units, 3 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
E. STRONGHOLD UPGRADES
With some cost and effort, you can upgrade your strongholds with certain add-ons. The effects of these upgrades are described below, and the table at the bottom gives the total cost for each:
A Craftsmen’s Guild can be built in any town or city, and it allows you to produce all trade goods except magic items.
A Drydock can be built in any town or city that also has a port. Drydocks allow you to construct new naval units and to repair old ones.
A Grand Temple can only be constructed in a city. Each such temple in your domain improves your luck with random events. Note, however, that you must pay each temple 1 gold unit each year, or the gods may become angry.
A Marketplace may be built in any town or city, and it improves your odds of finding any given item for sale within your realm.
A Port can be built in any seaside town or city, and it helps you to efficiently move goods into and out of your realm.
A Wall may be constructed around any town or city for defensive purposes.
Finally, a Wizards’ Academy allows you to produce magic items for use in trade and in the military. Note, however, that you must spend 1 gold unit each year to maintain and fund each academy.
STRONGHOLD UPGRADES TABLE
Type Cost
Craftsmen’s Guild 2 gold units, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Drydock 2 gold units, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Grand Temple 4 stone units, 4 gold units, 4 lumber units, 1 population unit, 4 seasons.
Marketplace 2 gold units, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Port 2 gold units, 4 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Wall 2 stone units, 1 gold unit, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
Wizards’ Academy 4 gold units, 2 lumber units, 1 population unit, 2 seasons.
F. TRADE GOODS
You can generate gold units for your realm in a number of ways – one of these is through the production and sale of trade goods. These goods can be produced in your towns and cities if you have a craftsmen’s guild (for most items) and/or a wizards’ academy (for magic items). Each trade good type is described below, and the bottom table lists the production costs and retail price.
Exotic Items are luxury goods, useful only for the revenue they generate upon their sale.
Magic Items can be used to generate income for your realm, but also can be used to equip your armies with enchanted items. For every 1 unit of magic items you produce and dedicate to a medium-sized unit, you may equip each soldier in that unit with 100gp of magic item supplies.
Similarly, Weapons and Armor may be produced either for sale or for use by your military. Each 1 unit of weapons and armor which you produce and dedicate to a medium-sized unit allows you to spend 100gp equipping that unit.
Wooden Goods are a source of income for those realms that produce excess lumber.
TRADE GOODS TABLE
Type Cost Selling Price
Exotic Items Mineral units worth 1 gold unit, 1 population unit, 1 season. 2 gold units/unit.
Magic Items Mineral units worth 4 gold units, 1 population unit, 4 seasons. 6 gold units/unit.
Weapons & Armor 5 iron units, 1 population unit, 1 season. 1 gold unit/unit.
Wooden Goods 10 lumber units, 1 population unit, 1 season. 1 gold unit/unit.
III. SEASONS
A. INTRODUCTION
For the purposes of realm management, the passage of time is measured by four seasons. Generally, the spring is the most difficult time – this is when you set your land’s agenda for the following year, including assigning various tasks to your population units. Your armies march to war during the summer while the commoners at home continue working on their tasks. Fall is harvest season, when all but the largest projects are completed and your stockpiles are increased. Finally, the winter is a quiet time for your realm – offering you the opportunity to engage in adventuring, if you so choose.
Below you will find described the various tasks which you may undertake in each season along with the associated costs.
B. GENERIC ACTIONS
Adventure
Season(s): Winter.
Prohibited: None.
Restricted: If you take this action in the spring, summer or fall, your people must make Loyalty checks – failure indicating a drop in their loyalty to you.
Description: This action indicates that you leave your realm, with or without other companions, to seek fortune and glory (and experience) through adventuring. While you are gone, your highest-ranking minister will rule in your place – you will have no input in the affairs of your realm. Disloyal ministers may see this as an opportunity to seize power for themselves permanently.
Each season that you spend adventuring, you will gain a random amount of experience and – possibly – treasure. You may bring others along with you, but all experience gained is divided equally among the group. Each additional person in your party also makes it easier to track you down.
Your character will not suffer any random misfortunes during his/her adventure, but you should be aware that other rulers may venture forth themselves or send others to attack you in the field.
Buy Goods
Season(s): Spring, summer, fall.
Prohibited: None.
Restricted: If this action is taken during the winter, you suffer a +5 penalty to the DC to find the goods you want to buy.
Description: If undertaken successfully, this action allows you to purchase units of resources at their listed gold prices. To find any specific good, however, you or your Minister of Finance must make a Knowledge: Economics check against DC 10. If this check is failed, you cannot find the item for sale. If the check is passed by more than 10, you may buy one extra unit at the same listed price.
Note that the DC of your check may be increased by the efforts of your enemies – preying upon your roads, blockading your harbors, etc.
Dispatch Diplomats
Prerequisites: A servant, minister, or ally available to visit a foreign land and a method of delivering him there.
Cost: 1 gold unit, paid when this action begins (NPC only).
Season(s): Spring, summer, fall.
Prohibited: Winter.
Description: You send a diplomat to another realm, bearing a message or an offer of alliance or the like. Note that this action is unavailable in the winter – during this time, communication comes to a halt.
If the target realm is managed by another player, you needn’t pay the 1 gold unit cost. Your message will be forwarded to the player, who – if he/she is not adventuring – will determine when, whether, and how to reply.
If the target realm is managed by an NPC, you must pay 1 gold unit to undertake this action. Your diplomat, upon safe arrival, will spend time with the NPC and make a modified Diplomacy check in an attempt to influence the leader. Each success sways the NPC toward you (though of course your allies may sway him away), while failure damages the relationship you have with the individual. Eventually the NPC may agree to become an ally of yours, or he/she may begin actively plotting against you.
Hunting
Season(s): Winter.
Prohibited: None.
Restricted: If you personally take this action in the spring, summer or fall, your people must make Loyalty checks – failure indicating a drop in their loyalty to you.
Description: The Hunt is a dangerous action to take. You and/or others in your service leave your realm, attempting to track down others who might be out adventuring. Just as with adventuring, if you undertake this action personally, the loyalty of those left behind may suffer.
In the best-case scenario, you can confront your enemy in a randomly-determined location and get one surprise round before general combat begins. In the worst-case scenario, your enemy learns that you are searching for him – and he/she may choose either to avoid you or to ambush you.
The more individuals you use for this task, the easier it is for your enemy to learn of your presence.
Produce Trade Goods
Season(s): Any.
Description: You may assign population units within your realm to the task of producing trade goods, which takes one season to complete. Note that you must meet certain prerequisites to produce the different categories of goods – see the Trade Goods section for more information.
Raise Loans
Season(s): Any.
Description: You or your Minister of Finance may make a Knowledge: Economics check in order to secure a loan of gold units. Your check result determines whether you receive such a loan, and in what amount.
All loans must be repaid, of course. At the beginning of each season after the loan is secured, 10% interest will be charged. You must pay at least this 10% each season or you will be declared in default. While you are in default, traders charge you twice the listed amount for purchases and will only pay half price for any items they buy from you. While in default, you also cannot secure any other loans. If you are in default for more than a year, the bankers and merchants will begin conspiring against you.
If you are not in default, you may attempt to secure multiple loans – though you may only make such an attempt once each season.
Raise Taxes
Season(s): Any.
Description: The resources that your realm produces – food, lumber, and the like – are the taxes which your population pays. Using this action, you may increase the amount of all stockpiled resources by 10% – but you will also see a sharp decline in loyalty among your population.
You may only use this action once per season.
Sell Goods
Season(s): Spring, summer, fall.
Prohibited: None.
Restricted: If you take this action during the winter, the difficulties associated with traveling means that your goods aren’t quite as profitable. You must sell an additional two units of the good in question in exchange for a unit of gold.
Description: Taking this action allows you to convert resources and trade goods into gold for your realm. This action is usually automatic, but your enemy can attempt to interdict your trade (see the note under Buy Goods).
If desired, you or your Minister of Finance may make a Knowledge: Economics check. A successful check will increase the value of your goods, while a failure may actually decrease the value.
You cannot cancel the Sell Goods action if you do not get the price you want. Any resources and goods committed are immediately lost, but you do not receive the profits until the following season (selling takes time).
C. SPRING ACTIONS
Morale Upkeep (obligatory)
Cost: Varies.
Description: The first action each year is to determine the loyalty of your subjects, your soldiers, and important NPCs under your command (generals, ministers, etc). The DM secretly makes a Loyalty check for each party, modified by any positive or negative events within your realm. Loyalty scores are not revealed to you.
You can, however, give any one group or any individual a bonus to his/her/their Loyalty Check by spending a gold unit.
Note that if Loyalty drops too low, you may face rebellion within your lands.
Population Upkeep / Recruitment (obligatory)
Cost: Varies.
Description: The second action each year is to determine whether the population of your realm grows or shrinks. The DM first makes a roll to determine any natural increase or decrease of your population. Any food surplus from the previous year is added to this roll as a bonus.
Next, you may opt to attract new settlers to your lands. You may pick up to three racial groups to target. The DM will make a Settlement Check, modified by your Charisma bonus and the Loyalty of your population. You may also engage in advertising – each gold unit you spend gives you a +4 bonus to attract a single racial group.
Finally, you must make certain that you have enough land in your realm to support your population. Each land type allows you to support a given number of population units, expressed on the table below. Strongholds can increase this amount. If your population is larger than what your realm can support, your people face overcrowding – and their Loyalty will suffer.
SETTLEMENT AREA TABLE
Land Unit Population Supported
Forest 2/area
Hills 2/area
Plains 4/area
Mountains 2/area
Ruins 2/area
Swamp 1/area
Wasteland None
Water 1/area
Allocate Projects (obligatory)
Season: Spring.
Cost: Varies.
Prohibited: Winter.
Restricted: You may use this action during the summer and fall, but projects initiated during those seasons add +1 and +2 seasons to their duration, respectively.
Description: With your population size now settled for the year, you will want to give your population units jobs to do. These projects are discussed in the following paragraphs, and the costs are summarized in the table below.
Build Roads: This action allows you to build a road across up to four land units. Roads improve movement in your realm and allow your various strongholds to stay connected.
Build Strongholds: This action allows you to build various strongholds within your realm.
Convert Terrain: Using this action allows you to convert an area of wasteland into its base terrain type – thereby bringing it into your realm. A road must connect this wasteland area to a stronghold, or it must be adjacent to one; otherwise, the cost increases dramatically.
Harvest Terrain: The most common project you will undertake, in this action you assign a population unit to a single land unit (note that Hills, Mountains and Ruins each require two population units). When the project is completed, the resources generated from that land unit are added to your stockpiles.
PROJECT TABLE
Project Cost
Build Roads 1 population unit, 2 seasons, 1 stone unit, 1 lumber unit.
Build Strongholds See the stronghold section.
Convert Terrain (special)
Near Road/Stronghold 2 population units, 2 seasons, 3 lumber units, 2 food units.
Otherwise 2 population units, 4 seasons, 5 lumber units, 2 food units.
Harvest Terrain 1 or 2 population unit(s), 2 seasons.
Hire Soldiers
Season: Spring.
Cost: Varies.
Restricted: The difficulty of finding soldiers to hire increases greatly after the spring.
Description: Using this action allows either you, one of your ministers, or one of your generals to make a Diplomacy check in an effort to locate and hire a band of mercen
aries (which may include sailors and/or siege units). The DM will make this check, then inform you of what units are available and at what cost.
Note that you must pay the mercenaries as soon as they’re hired. You can increase their pay to improve their loyalty to you. You must also immediately provide the unit with food.
Muster Soldiers
Season: Spring.
Cost: 1 gold unit, 1 population unit.
Restricted: When this action is used outside of the spring, an additional gold unit must be spent for training.
Description: Using this action allows you to transform one of your population units into a medium-sized unit in your army. You have 100gp with which to equip these soldiers, including horses and the like. You may spend additional gold units to buy more equipment – each gold unit spent in this way gives you an additional 100gp to spend. You may also select the skills and feats for the new unit.
Once training is complete, the unit joins your army and is ready for action. Note that the population unit which composes the unit still counts as part of your realm – you must provide it with food in the fall. In the spring, if you do not disband the army, the population unit’s assigned task is “Soldiering.”
After the unit has been in your army for a year, every spring thereafter you may choose to increase the level of the soldiers (though their level may never equal your own). This costs gold units equal to the unit’s current level +1. No unit may gain more than one level per year.
Finally, note that each spring you will have to pay your soldiers. A medium-sized unit of first-level soldiers requires 1 gold unit per year in salaries. Each level beyond first costs 1 additional gold unit. If you cannot afford to pay, the unit automatically disbands.
Recruit Generals / Ministers
Season: Spring.
Cost: Varies.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: You begin play with the services of 1st-level generals and ministers, but you might wish to hire more competent help. For every unit of gold you spend on this action, you can recruit 3 levels’ worth of generals and ministers. Thus, with one gold unit you could hire three first level individuals or one at third level. You cannot hire anyone whose level equals or exceeds your own.
Each spring, you must pay one gold unit for every 3 levels of generals and ministers in your service.
Train Sailors
Season: Spring.
Cost: 1 population unit.
Prohibited: When this action is used outside of the spring, 1 gold unit must be spent for training.
Description: Each unit of warships and transports under your control must be crewed with a single unit of sailors. Training takes 1 season, and while assigned to ships the population unit used as the sailors is considered to be “Sailing” for purposes of spring projects.
You may elect to spend 1 gold unit or more to equip your sailors – each gold unit spent in this way gives you 100gp with which to buy equipment.
Every spring you must pay each unit of sailors 1 gold unit, and every fall they must be given 1 unit of food. You may also choose to advance your sailors’ levels each spring in the same way as soldiers.
Random Event
Once your spring move is complete, the DM will roll to determine whether any random events occur within your realm.
D. SUMMER ACTIONS
Manage Forces
Season: Summer.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: For each military unit you have in the field, you must designate one of your strongholds as the source of that unit’s supplies. Thereafter, that unit’s supply line is traced back to the designated stronghold along the most direct route. Long, undefended supply lines make very tempting targets to your enemies.
Sack Enemy Lands
Season: Summer.
Cost: Two days.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: Your army spends two days sacking and pillaging enemy lands. Any of the enemy’s population units assigned to this area are slaughtered. If any goods were being harvested, your forces take what they can carry and burn the rest.
If you seize control of an enemy’s stronghold, you may use this action to burn the stronghold to the ground. Your men will also loot 1d6 units of gold which are added directly to your treasury.
Note, however, that during this two-day process your army is dispersed throughout the area. Should any of your enemy’s armies arrive upon the scene, you will be at a significant disadvantage.
Warfare
Season: Summer.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: Summer is the season of bloodshed. There is too much work to be done during the spring and fall, and the winter months are too brutal for an army to be in the field, but in the heat of summer your soldiers and mercenaries earn their pay.
Whether you are the invader or the invaded, you may now command your forces in battle. See the warfare section for more details.
E. FALL ACTIONS
Random Event
Fall begins with the DM once more checking to see if any random events occur within your realm.
Harvest Crops (obligatory)
Season: Fall.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: At the onset of fall, all of the resources your population units have been gathering are added to your stockpiles. These resources are immediately available for use.
Allocate Food (obligatory)
Season: Fall.
Prohibited: You may not perform this action in any other season.
Description: Each unit of your population must now be provided with one unit of food. If you lack sufficient resources, the loyalty of your people will drop and you may face revolt. If you have less than half of the required food, famine strikes your land and starvation may reduce your population.
F. WINTER ACTIONS
Apart from adventuring and hunting, little of any importance occurs during the winter months.
IV. LAND WARFARE
A. INTRODUCTION
Warfare in Empire is very similar to combat in the D20 rules. The DM will be rolling all of the dice for you, and so the actual game mechanics will not be described unless absolutely necessary. Instead, the following section will inform you of all that you need to know in order to effectively command your armies in the field.
B. COMMAND & CONTROL
Even before you begin to consider your military options for a given year, you should first pay attention to the individuals who are leading your units. If you did not hire and assign a leader, one member of that unit will serve the role. This person will be given his/her own personality, motives, and loyalty.
With the exception of a unit that is directly under the command of your character, when you decide to have unit X move from A to B, it is the NPC commander who interprets your order. Sometime, random confusion on the battlefield will cause your orders to be innocently modified or ignored.
Sometimes, however, your leaders may deliberately disobey you. Disloyal leaders may seek to undermine your efforts. Headstrong, glory-hungry leaders may decide that they know what’s best.
C. GARRISON DUTY & PATROLS
Rather than marching an army off to battle, you may instead choose to use it to defend against potential threats. You must choose one of two actions for your defending units: garrison duty or patrols.
Units on garrison duty are assigned to defend one of your strongholds. Those placed in keeps and castles can also detect and immediately respond to any enemy units within their “defensive perimeter.” A keep’s perimeter is composed of the land within one square of the fortification. A castle’s perimeter has a radius of three squares. This action is useful for protecting your population working in the field.
Only cavalry units may be assigned to patrol. They spend the summer watching your borders for any sign of hostile forces. They are widely dispersed, however, and are of no use in combat unless they are recalled. Recalled patrol units take one week to reassemble.
D. STRATEGIC MOVEMENT
If you go on the offensive, the first phase is moving your army to the enemy. You must specify to the DM the route that you will take and any actions in which you will engage along the way. Your objective – whether to surprise or intimidate the enemy – should determine your selection.
Any foreign realms that you pass near to or through have a chance of detecting your army. Various factors influence this chance, such as the terrain through which you are traveling and whether or not the realm has units on patrol. Note that your units may attempt Hide and Move Silently checks to pass undetected, opposed by the Spot and Listen checks of the foreign units.
If you are detected, the foreign power may attempt to lay an ambush for you or intercept you – especially if he/she is the target of your invasion. In each case, the other ruler must guess at your army’s path and attempt to move his own army to some point ahead of you. Ambushing forces must make Hide checks, opposed by your Spot checks. Intercepting forces fight a straightforward battle. See the section on battles for more information.
If both you and your enemy detect one another, a battle for strategic position may ensue. Initiative is rolled between the two highest-ranking commanders, who then take turn moving their armies on the map (strategic movement equals one-half tactical movement). When at last the armies meet, a battle occurs.
If you are able to pass undetected, many rewards await you. You can sack undefended lands. If the enemy has units garrisoned in his/her strongholds, you may lay siege and trap them inside. You can order your army to encamp along the enemy’s roads, intercepting his trade and communication – and daring him to remove you with force.
E. SUPPLY LINES
While outmaneuvering the enemy or creeping unnoticed into his/her realm, you must always remember one of the keys to warfare: protect your supply lines. The farther your armies are away from their supply sources, the longer the lines – and the more opportunities there are for anyone nearby to cause a serious disruption.
By default, each of your units carries four days’ of supplies – and you can increase this amount when you equip the unit. If the enemy maneuvers to your rear and severs your supply lines, your unit now has four days to either remedy the situation or start foraging.
F. THE BATTLEFIELD
Once a battle begins, the first step is to determine the battlefield. Both the attacker and defender should agree upon the size of the field, though it may not be smaller than 20x20. If an agreement cannot swiftly be reached, the DM will average the suggestions of both sides.
The land unit in which the battle occurs determines the dominant terrain feature of the battlefield. Secondary terrain features will be generated randomly by the DM. Each terrain feature is described in the following paragraphs:
Clear: Plains, clearings, city streets, and other flat, featureless areas count as clear. Clear terrain offers no special bonuses or penalties, and it does not block line-of-sight. Movement through clear terrain costs one movement point.
Buildings, Light: A few huts, a single manor house, or a small village counts as light building terrain. The buildings are too scattered to block line-of-sight, but units in light building squares receive one-quarter cover. Movement through light building terrain costs one movement point.
Buildings, Heavy: Built up cities, urban areas, and tightly packed collections of houses and huts count as heavy building terrain. Heavy building squares block line-of-sight and provide units with one-half cover. Movement through heavy building terrain costs two movement points.
Forest, Light: A light forest consists of scattered trees with many clear, open spaces between them. Line-of-sight is blocked for two forces only if four or more units of light forest stand between them. Units in light forests receive one-quarter cover. Movement through light forest terrain costs one movement point.
Forest, Heavy: Overgrown, heavily wooded areas count as heavy forests. Line-of-sight is completely blocked and units inside of heavy forests gain one-half cover. Movement through thick forest terrain costs two movement points.
Fortifications: Fortifications are the walls around strongholds and the interior structures of keeps and castles. If a unit occupies a fortification square, enemy units may not move into or through it. Additionally, units within fortifications gain a +2 bonus to AC, a +1 bonus to all attacks, and a +4 bonus to Morale saves. Units within fortification squares cannot make melee attacks, nor may any melee attacks be made against them, unless the fortification is somehow overcome. Occupying a fortification square takes one full round.
Hill: Hills block line-of-sight for units below them, though not for those on top. Units occupying a hill gain a +1 bonus to attacks when attacking units below them. Movement through hill terrain costs two movement points.
Ice: Found mostly in the mountains, ice is a feature which can be added to other terrain types. Units that fight on ice suffer a -1 penalty to their attacks. Movement through ice-covered terrain costs one additional movement point.
Mountain: Combat in the mountains is slow and dangerous. Mountain squares vary in their elevation, as noted on the squares themselves. Moving up one elevation costs three movement points, while moving down one elevation costs two movement points. If the elevation of two adjacent mountain squares differ by more than one, movement between these two squares may only be accomplished by climbing (see the Movement section). Units occupying higher elevation than their targets receive a +1 bonus to their attacks. Units fighting in the mountains must also make Fortitude saves when engaging in strenuous activity (melee, force marching, etc) or suffer the effects of fatigue and exhaustion.
Mud: Like ice, mud is a feature added to other terrain types. Movement through mud-covered terrain costs one additional movement point. Note that swamp terrain is generated by combining mud and heavy forests.
River: If an area of water is more than one square across, it counts as a river. Rivers do not block line-of-sight, and units may only cross rivers by swimming (see the section on Movement).
Snow: Snow can fall in the higher elevations of mountains even during the summer, and combat in snow is tremendously difficult. Moving into a square with snow costs two additional movement points. Fighting in snow causes a -2 penalty to all attacks.
Stream: If an area of water is only one square across, it counts as a stream. Moving through a stream costs two squares of movement, and streams do not block line-of-sight.
G. PRE-COMBAT – SCOUTING & SCREENING
If the battle begins with an ambush, the Scouting/Screening stage is skipped.
Otherwise, each side may designate one unit as a “Scout” and one as a “Screener” – cavalry works best in both roles. Scouting units make Hide and Move Silently checks, opposed by the other side’s Spot and Listen checks.
The degree by which one side beats the other side determines the outcome of this phase. Successful scouting improves the initiative of the scout’s army and allows the army to adjust its position on the battlefield after initial placement. Successful screening imposes a penalty upon the enemy army’s initiative and may allow the screening force to attack the scouting force.
Note that scouting and screening are entirely optional – you do not have to engage in either if you so choose.
H. PRE-COMBAT – INITIAL PLACEMENT
If the battle begins with an ambush, the units being ambushed must now be placed near the middle of the map by their controller. Afterwards, the units conducting the ambushed are placed anywhere on the map – though no closer than two squares to any enemy unit.
If there is no ambush, the defending player (or the player with the highest initiative, if there is no “defending” player) chooses who will place their units first. Attacking units must be placed within 10 squares of the side of the map corresponding to where their army entered the land unit. Defending units may be placed anywhere outside of this “invasion zone.”
Once all forces are on the field, each unit rolls initiative.
I. AMBUSH ROUND
If the battle begins with an ambush, the units conducting the ambush may now move and attack for one round (see the sections below for more information on actions during a round). Once all of the units have moved, each unit ambushed makes an opposed Spot check against the Hide check of the ambushing units attacking it.
If the ambushed unit prevails, it may now counterattack.
J. COMBAT ROUND – MISSILE FIRE & SPELL PHASE
As the first step of each combat round, each unit that wants to use missile fire or cast a spell resolves its actions in order of initiative. Just as in regular D20 combat, a unit has two actions to use each round – it may use one, both, or neither at this time. Note that units which use two actions to fire missiles and/or cast spells, however, can neither move nor engage in melee later in the round. All of the actions available at this point are discussed below.
Aim: A unit may spend one action to aim, giving it a +2 bonus to its missile attacks for the remainder of the round.
Cast a Spell: A unit or individual may opt to cast a single magic spell. Note the range table at the end of this section.
Fire Missiles: As a single action, a unit may fire its missile weapons – and those with multiple attacks per round may make them all. Again, note the range table at the end of this section. Also note that all of the basic D20 modifiers to missile fire apply, such as a -4 penalty for firing into melee.
Opportunity Fire: A unit may choose to hold its fire and/or spells until the Movement phase. If any unit moves into range at this time, the unit may immediately open fire. Note, however, that if no units move into range, the action is wasted.
REALM SCALE & RANGE
Realm Scale Size of a Square
Barony 50’ x 50’
Kingdom 100’ x 100’
Empire 200’ x 200’
K. COMBAT ROUND – MOVEMENT PHASE
In order of initiative, units that wish to move now resolve their actions. Each movement type is described below:
Change Formation: By default, your unit marches in closed formation – tight, orderly ranks. You can opt to change this by using one action. Column formation is used for quick movement, open formation helps to avoid missile attacks, stand formation is used to defend against attacks from all sides, turtle formation is used for maximum defense against ranged weapons, and wedge formation is used to punch holes in enemy lines. The game effects of each formation are summarized in the table at the bottom of this section.
Charge: By using both of its actions for the round, a unit can charge forward and engage an enemy in melee (resolving its attacks at the end of the Movement phase, before the Melee phase). A unit may not charge through terrain that costs more than one movement point to cross. While charging, a unit’s movement points are doubled. A charging unit gains a +2 bonus to attack, but suffers a -2 penalty to AC. Cavalry units equipped with lances inflict double damage and may inspire its target to rout. In the mountains, charging forces a Fortitude save.
Climb: Climbing requires one action for each level of elevation – thus, moving from Elevation 1 to Elevation 3 takes an entire round (note that walls count as Elevation 3). While climbing a unit loses its AC bonuses from Dexterity and shields, and any units attacking it get a +2 bonus to hit. Climbing units must succeed at a Climb check. In the mountains, climbing forces a Fortitude save.
Forced March: A unit may spend both of its combat actions to move at four times its normal speed. Such a unit loses the AC bonus provided by any shields and suffers an additional -2 to AC. In the mountains, forced marching forces a Fortitude save.
Man Fortifications: Units within fortification squares may use two actions to occupy the square, gaining all of the benefits of the fortification.
Receive Charge: Units being charged, if equipped with weapons that can be set to receive a charge, may use one of its remaining actions (if any) to receive the charge. This attack is resolved immediately, before the charge attack. Weapons set to receive a charge deal double damage.
Standard Move: By spending a single action, a unit may use all of its movement points to cross the battlefield.
Swim: A unit may cross river (and ocean) squares only by swimming. Doing so first requires a successful Swim check – failure indicating that the movement fails and some of the soldiers drown. On a successful check, the unit may move at half its normal speed.
Take Cover: If a unit occupies terrain that grants cover, a unit may spend one action to fortify its position. So long as the unit does not move from the square, it thereafter gains a +2 bonus to its AC. Note that a unit may not gain multiple bonuses by taking cover more than once.
Opportunity Fire: Missile attacks and spells held from the previous phase may be resolved at any time during the Movement phase.
FORMATIONS
Formation Effects
Closed None (default).
Column Increase speed 50%, suffer -4 penalty to all attacks, if flanked opponents get +4 to hit.
Open Increase speed 25%, +4 bonus to Reflex, +2 bonus to AC, -4 penalty to attacks.
Stand Cannot be flanked, suffers -2 penalty to all attacks.
Turtle Reduce speed 50%, -4 penalty to attack, +4 bonus to AC against ranged, must have shields.
Wedge +2 bonus to attack when charging, counts as charging so long as in contact w/ enemy unit.
L. COMBAT ROUND – MELEE ATTACK PHASE
Units adjacent to one another may now use any remaining actions to launch melee attacks. Your options are summarized below:
Attack: As a single action, a unit may attack as if it used the D20 “full attack action.” Thus, units that receive multiple attacks may use them all. All of these attacks must be used against the same target unit.
Total Defense: A unit that selects this option spends two actions to receive a +4 dodge bonus to AC until it next takes an action.
M. COMBAT ROUND – MORALE PHASE
Finally, in order of initiative, various units on the battlefield may be called upon to make Morale checks to avoid routing. Morale checks are triggered by casualties, cavalry charges against unprepared infantry, and so on.
N. POST-COMBAT – CASUALTIES OF WAR
Your total casualties from a given battle are calculated after the battle is over, and the size of your unit is adjusted accordingly. Only clerics may attempt to prevent some of the casualties, and only if they are at the scene immediately at the conclusion of the battle.
O. SIEGE WARFARE
Siege warfare begins when one realm’s army retreats into its own stronghold and the invading army chooses not to pursue. If pursuit is made, the battle is resolved under the usual rules – though the defenders will likely have many fortified squares from which to inflict punishment upon the enemy. Unless time is a factor, however, siege warfare can be far less costly for the invaders.
A besieged stronghold can no longer act as the supply source for any military units. Units within the stronghold are effectively severed from supplies. Each stronghold has its own stockpiles which can now be used to sustain the soldiers and the civilian population for 1-3 months. Beyond that, desperation, starvation and disease begin to take their toll.
Besieged units may attempt to life the siege themselves, but the time it takes to file out of the stronghold places them at a heavy disadvantage. The besieged units are placed first on the battlefield within five squares of the side closest to the stronghold. The units conducting the siege are then placed in any of the remaining squares – and they each receive a substantial bonus to their initiative for the fight.
The tables can be turned, however, if units outside of the besieged stronghold attempt to lift the siege. The besieged units can rally to join the battle 2d10 rounds after it begins, hopefully flanking the enemy.
If you are conducting the siege, however, you are not without options of your own. Each day, any siege weapons at your disposal may each fire once. A conventional commander smashes down his opponent’s walls and fortified squares… the evil commander takes the opportunity to launch fire and disease.
Siege engines may be bought or built – and note that no population units are needed to man the engines. The table below describes each:
SIEGE UNIT TABLE
Unit Type Price Construction Cost
Catapult 1 gold unit 15 lumber, 1 population unit, 2 seasons (craftsmen’s guild required).
Ballista 1 gold unit 15 lumber, 1 population unit, 2 seasons (craftsmen’s guild required).
Ram 1 gold unit 15 lumber, 1 population unit (or 1 army unit), 1 day.
Siege Tower 2 gold units 30 lumber, 1 population unit (or 1 army unit), 1 week.
Trebuchet 2 gold units 30 lumber, 2 population units, 2 seasons (craftsmen’s guild required).
V. IN THE NAVY
A. INTRODUCTION
The Empire rules do not contemplate naval action, but extrapolating rules for the sea from the existing framework is easily done. The entire naval system is explained in this section.
B. SHIP TYPES
There are two types of ships for purposes of Empire: transports and warships.
The transport is a large galley, 3 squares long and 1 square wide. Though propelled by sails and oarsmen, the ship is both slow and clumsy. Its primary function is to carry your army across the seas – but soldiers carried on transports cannot engage in combat while onboard.
Warships are smaller and faster, 2 squares long and 1 square wide. While also propelled by sails and oarsmen, the warship differs from the transport in two important respects. First, it is armed – each individual vessel carries four ballistae and two catapults. Second, each vessel can carry a compliment of marines who can engage in missile attacks and boarding actions.
The table below lists the game features of each vessel type:
SHIP TYPES TABLE
Ship Speed Notes
Transport 4 Each transport unit can carry 2 infantry units or 1 cavalry unit (medium-sized).
Buy Cost = 10 gold units.
Build Cost = 100 lumber units, 2 seasons, Drydock required.
Warship 6 Each warship unit can carry 1 medium-sized infantry unit as marines.
Buy Cost = 7 gold units.
Build Cost = 70 lumber units, 2 seasons, Drydock required.
C. SHIPS & REALM SCALE
Under the Barony scale, each naval unit commissioned represents a single vessel. Under the Kingdom scale, each naval unit represents a flotilla of five ships. Under the Empire scale, each naval unit represents a flotilla of ten ships.
D. NAVAL COMBAT – INTRODUCTION
Naval combat proceeds in the same manner as land combat, though the following sections will make note of any differences.
Before combat can begin, the opposing ships must spot one another. Each Captain makes a Spot check, modified by factors such as the weather. After this, initiative is rolled and the units are deployed as usual.
E. NAVAL COMBAT – MISSILE FIRE & SPELLS
Artillery Fire: Each warship can load and fire its artillery weapons once each round. They may hold these as opportunity fire as usual.
Incendiary Attacks: Archers may spend one action lighting their arrows, then another to fire these flaming projectiles onto an enemy ship’s hull and sails. Artillerists may also fire incendiary projectiles, though these take one full round to light and another to fire.
Marine Ranged Attacks: Each warship’s company of marines has two independent actions each round – and they may use one or both of these to launch spells or ranged weapons at enemy vessels. These attacks may also be held as opportunity fire as usual.
F. NAVAL COMBAT – MOVEMENT
Battle Sails: By default, every vessel not caught by surprise begins a combat encounter with some of its sails pulled in to prevent damage. A ship at full sails can pull back to battle sails after working on it for three rounds.
Full Sails: By spending three full rounds, a ship’s crew can stretch out its sails to increase its speed. The effects of wind are doubled, but the chances of a critical hit on the sails are increased.
Maneuvering: Turning a ship 90_ requires 1 point of movement. In order to turn 90_, a warship first needs to move one square forward. A transport needs to move two squares forward.
Ram: Warships are equipped with rams which can do terrible damage to enemy vessels. A ship must order its oarsmen to work harder to obtain ramming speed – 2x the vessel’s normal movement – on the round in which the ramming attempt is made. The Captain’s attack bonus is used to determine whether the attack succeeds or fails.
Speed Burst: Ships may move at 4x normal speed by ordering the oarsmen to work furiously. Each round of such movement, however, requires the oarsmen to succeed at Fortitude saves against fatigue. Fatigued rowers cannot perform additional speed bursts for the rest of the battle. If a fatigued rower is ordered to ramming speed, he must make an additional Fortitude save or become exhausted. Exhausted rowers can no longer propel the ship for the remainder of battle, cutting speed in half.
Wind: Wind direction is determined randomly at the start of the battle. A vessel moving with the wind gains +2 speed, while a vessel moving against the wind takes a -2 penalty to speed. Vessels moving perpendicular to the wind move as usual.
G. NAVAL COMBAT – MELEE ATTACKS
Boarding: Once two ships are grappled, a warship’s marines may storm the enemy vessel. The attack is treated as a typical land-based melee attack. Note that during a boarding action, neither vessel may fire its artillery weapons. Also note that only marines may make a boarding attempt.
Grappling: If two ships end their movement phase side-by-side, one or both ships may attempt to grapple the other. If both sides make the attempt, the grapple automatically succeeds. If one side resists, the grappling marines make a Rope Use check opposed by the defending forces’ Strength check. Once the ships are grappled, neither vessel can move – and the marines may attempt to board on the next round.
Repel Boarders: Rather than attempt to board the enemy ship, a vessel’s marines and/or crew may instead adopt a defensive posture. Both the marines and the crew fight on warships, while on transports only the crew may engage in this action. All units assigned to repel boarders get a +2 to attack.
H. NAVAL COMBAT – RESOLUTION
Generally, a naval battle ends when one side’s naval units are sunk or forced to withdraw.
If a boarding attempt succeeds, the boarding marines seize control of the vessel. They may now slaughter, imprison, enslave or release any surviving crew members – and on transports, they may do the same to any military units in the cargo hold. They may now either sink the ship or take it as a prize – and in the latter case, the marines themselves crew the captured vessel until a new crew can be trained and installed at port.
If a boarding attempt on a warship fails, the other side may attempt use its marines to conduct a boarding action of its own or it may escape from the grapple. If a boarding attempt on a transport fails, the transport may escape from the grapple.
I. REPAIRS
Ships damaged during naval combat remain damaged until they can be repaired at a friendly drydock. Repairs require 1 population unit, 1 gold unit, 10 lumber units, and 1 season.
VI. CHARACTER CREATION
A. INTRODUCTION
This final section takes you step-by-step through the character creation process. Please refer to your 3.5 Edition Player’s Handbook for the fine details.
B. ABILITIES
Your character begins play with 82 ability points, distributed on a one-to-one basis to your six abilities. Before racial modifiers are applied, no score may be below 3 or above 18.
C. RACE
You may choose from the following races: human, dwarf, elf, gnome, goblin, half-elf, half-orc, halfling, or orc. Your starting race determines the primary race of your realm (half-elves and half-orcs both have primarily human populations).
D. CLASS
You begin play with five total levels, which you may divide among any class from the PHB. Be certain to give yourself +1 to a single ability score.
E. SKILLS & FEATS
Determine your skills and feats as usual. The following skills are particularly important to the leaders of realms: bluff, diplomacy, intimidate, knowledge (economics), perform, and search.
There are also a number of new feats introduced in Empire. Note that all the feats available in the PHB are still available, including to military units. These are briefly described below – those marked with a “*” are available only to fighters:
GENERAL FEATS
Battle Leader: You need the Leadership feat to take this feat. During combat, your cohort and followers acquired by the Leadership feat receive a +1 bonus to attacks and damage and a +2 bonus to Will saves, so long as you are present.
Heroic Leader: You need a Charisma of at least 13 to take this feat, and the Leadership feat. Your cohort and your followers gained through the Leadership feat never fail Will saves and are immune to all fear-based effects so long as you are present, and automatically succeed at all Morale checks.
Improved Leadership: You need a Charisma of at least 13 to take this feat, and the Leadership feat. Rather than being restricted to NPC classes (such as warrior, expert, etc), followers you gain through the Leadership feat may instead be any class allowed to PCs.
Inspire Fanaticism: You need a Charisma of at least 13 to take this feat, along with the feats Heroic Leadership and Leadership. The cohort and followers you gain through the Leadership feat may now rage once per day or – if they are barbarians – they gain one additional use of rage.
Inspiring Leader: You need the Leadership feat to take this feat. You attract a more-experienced cohort and more followers with your Leadership feat.
REALM FEATS
Clever Financier: [UNAVAILABLE] You need a Wisdom of at least 13 to take this feat. At the start of each season, you may set aside up to 10 units of gold to invest in outside opportunities. At the end of the season, roll a d4 for each unit invested in this manner. For every “4” you roll, you gain an additional unit of gold.
Cunning Businessman: You need a Wisdom of at least 13 to take this feat. You gain a 10% discount on all resources you buy and a 10% increase in the price of any resources you sell. You only gain this discount and bonus with raw resources bought and sold through the realm management rules. This bonus does not apply when shopping for individual, personal items, such as weapons, armor, or magic items.
Keen Judge of Character: You need a Wisdom of at least 13 to take this feat. All of your individual generals, ministers and the like gain a +2 to their loyalty scores.
Magnetic Personality: You need a Charisma of at least 13 to take this feat. When attempting to attract settlers to your realm each spring, you get a +4 bonus to your rolls.
Motivational Mastermind: You need an Intelligence of at least 13 to take this feat. Once per season, you may select one project in your realm to personally oversee. You may reduce the time necessary to complete the project by one season, and cut its costs in terms of labor and all materials (including gold) by 10%.
MASS BATTLE FEATS
Brilliant General*: You need an Intelligence of at least 11 to take this feat, along with a base attack bonus of at least +8 and the feats Cunning Tactician and Wily Strategist. A military unit under your command gets a +4 to initiative and a +1 to its morale.
Cunning Tactician*: You need an Intelligence of at least 11 to take this feat, along with a base attack bonus of at least +1. A military unit under your direct command gains a +2 bonus to initiative and cannot be flanked.
Disciplinarian*: You need a base attack bonus of at least +1 to take this feat. A military unit under your direct command gets a +4 bonus to its morale.
Fiery Commander*: You need a base attack bonus of at least +1 to take this feat. A military unit under your direct command gets a +1 bonus to attack and damage when charging, but it MUST charge whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Indomitable Leader*: You need a base attack bonus of at least +1 and the Disciplinarian feat to take this feat. A military unit under your direct command may automatically succeed at a Morale check once per battle.
Inspiring Oratory*: You need a Charisma of at least 13 to take this feat. If you spend one action addressing your men, a military unit under your direct command gains one of the following bonuses for one round: a +1 bonus to hit, a +2 bonus to Morale checks, or a +1 bonus to movement.
Master of Wood & Glade*: You need at least 8 ranks in Survival to take this feat, along with the Track feat. A military unit under your direct command, while in a forest square, receives a +2 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to hit enemy units that are also in forest squares.
Relentless Driver*: You need a base attack bonus of at least +1 to take this feat, along with the feats Disciplinarian and Indomitable Leader. Once per battle, a military unit under your direct command may take one additional action in a round.
Wily Strategist*: You need an Intelligence of at least 11 to take this feat, along with a base attack bonus of at least +1 and the Cunning Tactician feat. If you are commanding a military unit at the beginning of a battle, you may give one enemy unit a -4 to its initiative, or two enemy units a -2 each, or four enemy units a -1 each.
F. EQUIPMENT
You have 4000gp with which to equip your character with mundane items from the PHB and magic items from the DMG before the game begins.
G. FINISHING TOUCHES
Your character sheet must be approved by the DM before the campaign begins. Magic-users who use spell lists (wizards, etc) must submit a “default spell list” as well. Unless updated, this list will represent all of the spells available to the character at any given time.
