Experimental Rules: Badlands Crusade - Multiple Challenges

I want to cover how movement and challenges will work differently this next game turn that we will try to do on the October game day.

1) the Flying Fortress will move a random direction D6 hexes. The way this will be done is by rolling a D6 to pick a random direction (1 being the hex to the northwest of the fortress, 2 through 6 being hexes clockwise from that).

2) We will all roll on the random events table.

3) The player with the smallest empire rolls a D3 and moves ONE of his armies that many hexes wherever he wants. Then the player with the next smallest empire does the same, and so on. In the case of ties we will use the following tie breakers. First, whoever has fewest armies, second, whoever has the fewest relics, and third a roll off. We continue until everyone present has moved at least one army. Then we do this again, but everyone must choose a different army than the one that has already moved. There is only one rule on whether an army can move or not, and that is it may not move any additional hexes if it is in a hex with a non-allied army. In this way a player can stop an opponents army from moving. Once all people have moved all armies that they want to we end our movement phase.

4) Then we start challenges. We are going to experiment with the idea that people can issue multiple challenges. So again, starting with the person with the smallest empire, and going through the same tie breakers, a player may challenge any other player, following these rules for who they can challenge.

a) They must challenge any player that they have an army in the same hex of. If they do not have an army with another army in the hex, then

b) They must challenge any (non-allied) player that has an army in their empire. The army that makes the challenge must be the an army that is within their empire. In the case of a more than one army to make a challenge with or against, always choose the army that is closer, if tied, the controlling player may choose which army to challenge and which army to use.

c) If no one has invaded their territory they may make a challenge with an army within the borders of a (non-allied) player. This is done using similar rules for which army must be used as in b).

d) And finally if none of the above applies they may challenge any army that any of their allies would be able to challenge if it was their turn. In this case, choose which ever army is closest to that you wish to challenge.

Once the first player has made a challenge we move to the next and so on until each player that can make a challenge has. Then the player with the smallest empire makes a second challenge following the same rules as above using a second army.

You may not challenge any armies that are already in a challenge, unless that army has been challenged by an ally, in which case you can play an allied game against that army. The ONLY exception to this rule is if you are in a hex with two other armies. In that case you may challenge the other armies in that hex to a battle royal. There are no on-the-fly alliances in the badlands, only war.

So there will be ties when you second army could challenge in the case of c) but there are no free enemy armies for the player. You may still challenge that player, and if they accept the challenge, they may fight you but with a 15% penalty on points and with a generic lord/hero character. This represents a garrison or patrol coming to fight off the invaders. The garrison is assumed to return to the capital city or fortress from which it came after the battle and so cannot roll on the spoils of war or ignominious defeats tables, nor can they benefit from any effects from the random events tables or mines.

Each player must accept the first challenge issued to them. They must fight that battle at some point prior to the next monthly meeting or they forfeit the match and are assumed to have routed in defeat.

They are never forced to accept any challenge beyond the first. Not accepting a challenge is not an automatic forfeit, sometimes players do not have the time to fit in multiple games per month and they should not be penalized for it. If they do accept any secondary challenges they should make the best attempt to meet that player in combat, but there is no penalty in the case that they cannot beyond a rolling on the "random winner" table. In the case of a secondary challenge of type c) without an army to take the challenge, assume the challenger wins but do not roll on the spoils of war table.

Once all armies that can possible issue a challenge can we move to the final thing before battles.

5) Then we all roll on our mines and record the results.

6) Start fighting battles with a focus on getting that first challenge in so that you do not forfeit the fight. The deadline for fighting a challenge is by the next monthly meeting.

If you have multiple challenges to fight in a month, only one army at a time can benefit from any random event rolls, and dish out any rolls from mines to only one army. If you have multiple mines, each roll is considered separate and so if you rolled an extra 150 and an extra 200, either one army can get all extra 350, or those 150 and 200 can be given to each army, but they must be dished out in the same size as they were found. So in the example above it must be 150 and 200, you cannot change it to 250 and 100.

When a battle is over record who won. The winner must in front of his opponent roll on the spoils of war table and the loser on the ignominious defeats table. If either player has their army's general go to zero wounds during the game, also roll on the character injuries table then. Have both players record all results so that we are sure that someone has it written down somewhere.

Which ever player lost the battle must retreat backwards one hex directly towards their capital city. Do this even if it brings you into a hex with another army. The winning army is free to conduct an expedition later.

Please email your results to me as soon as possible.

7) During the same time as challenges we will start doing expeditions. If an army is in a challenge it cannot do its expedition until after that challenge is resolved.

So some armies will surely be unchallenged. If so they can resolve their expedition immediately. If not, once an army has completed a challenge and has won it may conduct an expedition. Any army that has lost as battle, including the "random winnner" battles, may not do any expeditions.

So what can your armies do?

a) If within your borders and on an empty hex, that army may build a fortress, mine or wizards tower. If on a fortress it may improve the fortress to a city. Each army may only build one thing each season. The seasons start in December, March and June.
b) If in an unclaimed hex they may capture that hex.
c) If in an enemy's hex they may attempt to capture it. If the hex has a fortress or city on it they must have won a siege battle in its challenge to attempt to capture it. To attempt to capture the army must roll a D6 and try to get less than a 6. Modify this roll by the following: -1 if the hex borders your empire, +1 if adjacent to at least one fortress (or is one), +2 of adjacent to at least one city (or is one) and +1 for each relic the hexes's controlling player bribes you with (do the transfer before the roll). If captured the hex changes hands with all improvements remaining.
d) Fight "random winner" battles if any armies are sharing a hex with another (non-allied) army. One a 1 the attacker is destroyed, on a 2-3 the attacker wins, 4-5 the defender wins, on a 6 the defender is destroyed. The winner of this fight can do another expedition.

*So the big question is what do we do about players that will be absent from the monthly meeting. If you cannot be there, please attempt to send us advanced notice. Our goal is to do all of the random events, movement, challenges and mines by 2pm on the Saturdays so that people can start fighting battles. If you cannot be there by 2 pm please let us know. One thing you could do is give me or Derrick your planned movements early. Or you could pick someone that you trust to be your proxy and allow that player to move your armies and issue challenges for you in your stead.

What we will do if you cannot make it initially is roll on the random events table. In the case that you have a wizards tower we will record the roll and let you still choose. Then we will start the movement phase without you. Unless you have a proxy or some preissued movements, the assumption is that your generals had bad scouting information and must wait last to move. Then we will roll on your mines for you and record the results. Finally if you are not present for challenges we will skip your turn again to issue challenges unless you trust your proxy to do so for you. Chances are, other players will have challenged your armies, in the case that your armies were challenged they will not be able to move that turn, if you choose to accept the challenges.

We will attempt to give you the ability to move and issue you own challenges as soon as possible.