Matt’s DBM Campaign Rules Version 1.6

1.0 The Turn Sequence
2.0 Army Size and Composition
3.0 Allies and Detachments
4.0 Movement
5.0 Battles/Retreat/Civil War/Raids
6.0 Taking/Losing Provinces
7.0 Subjects
8.0 Second Army
9.0 Money
10.0 Prestige
11.0 Disasters
12.0 Special Rules

1.0 The Turn Sequence- There are four campaign seasons and one administrative season each year.
 
1.1 Campaign Seasons- Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
1) The Game Judge sends out a Campaign Report. This includes the past season’s events/results as well as army sizes, money in each state’s treasury, and army and detachment locations. All of this information is public. There is no hidden army movement or hidden money reserves.
2) Orders Phase. Players send out their initial orders. This includes:
a) Monetary expenditures
b) Main army movement
c) Detachment movement
d) Demands for detachments from subjects (this must also be communicated to the subject by the overlord).
e) Subject and mercenary detachment movement.
f) Raid orders.
3) The Game Judge moves the forces as ordered and sends out a quick report on these moves to the players. Forces that did not move may then make a react move (if allowed- see movement).
4) Combat phase. A battle may occur in any province that contains two armies. Armies may refuse battle and return to the province they came from or retreat to the provincial fortress if in a friendly province.
5) Sieges are conducted in any province that was not defended or in which the defenders retreated to the provincial fortress.
6) Raid Phase. Forces that were ordered to raid during the Orders Phase do so now. Raids cannot be conducted as a react move.
7) Next season starts.

2.0 Army Size and Composition
A deck of cards is used to determine the size of each state’s army at the beginning of the season. This system is used to reflect the various demands (and disasters) that occur that are beyond the power of the head of state to control. A two results in an army size of 340 points. An Ace results in an army size of 400 points. A joker results in a disaster for the drawing country.  No single nation’s army can be over 400AP in size.  No allied army can be over 500AP in size.

A= 400 AP
K= 395
Q= 390
J= 385
10= 380
09= 375
08= 370
07= 365
06= 360
05= 355
04= 350
03= 345
02= 340
Due to campaign events an army may end up with less than 300 AP. This army cannot field as a Main Army unless joined by an ally.

2.1 Army size modifiers:
Country size- cannot be changed.
“Barbarian” states receive a +40 modifier.
Campaign events. These modifiers are cumulative.
a) –10/ Main army victory in a foreign province
b) –30/ Main army loss in home/allied territory
c) –50/ Main army loss in a foreign territory
d) –30/ Failed attempt to retreat into a provincial fortress after a battle.
e) –50/ Detachment lost in a siege.
f) –100/ Army lost in a siege.
g) –10/ battle in consecutive seasons.
h) –10/ season under siege after the 2nd.
i) –10/ season besieging after the 3rd.
j) –20/ Detachment broken in battle.
k) +10/ season of main army inactivity after 1st. (this restores damage- it does not allow the army to increase above the card draw + barbarian modifier.
l) +10/ 20Gp spent on restoring the army. This takes effect the following season.
m) +10/-10 Conquered Province
n) +20/-20 Annexed Province
Temporary factors
Allies- up to 100 AP worth of troops may be sent to join an ally in battle. Up to two detachments (they must come from different countries) may join a Main Army. Each point sent results in an equal point deduction in the sending army’s available AP number. The allied detachment must meet the minimum legal BDM detachment size for that army list. No matter how many allies are sent a Main Army may not exceed 500 AP. Unwilling allies will send 70 to 80 AP of troops.

2.2 Army Composition
A Main Army must have at least 300 AP. It must be a legal DBM army with the exception of selection of foreign allies. Foreign allies are determined by campaign events. They can be willing allies sent from friendly states or unwilling allies sent by subject nations.
 
3.0 Allies and Detachments
Willing allies are sent by other players and can never be unreliable. The only way to betray another power as an ally is by refusing to show up as promised during the Orders Phase.
Unwilling allies come from subjects states. They are unreliable in battle on a one in six.  A player subject can specify to the Game Judge that his forces will be reliable for the battle if he/she so chooses. Unwilling allies must show up if their overlord demands a detachment.
Special unreliability rule. Subject allies will be unreliable as per the DBM rules unless the owning player specifies that he will be reliable. If an UNRELIABLE ally rolls a one before becoming reliable he will switch sides in battle. For example Gaul is a subject of Rome. The Romans demand a Gallic detachment for a major battle against Carthage. On the first turn of the battle the Gallic detachment rolls a 1 and becomes unreliable. On the second turn they roll another 1 and switch sides in the battle.

3.1 Detachments
Each Main Army can make up to one detachment. The remaining forces in the Main Army can behave as a detachment as well (For example the Main Army could move to a province and serve as an allied contingent for another player’s Main Army). A detachment can do the following:
a) Move to a friendly province (and man its Provincial Fortress) if given permission.
b) Join an army as an allied command
c) Raid a neighboring country.

4.0 Movement
Armies may not pass through foreign provinces without permission unless they have been conquered by the player or belong to subject states.
a) Detachment move- Three zones (provinces)
b) Main Army move- Two zones.
c) React move- One zone by land.
React moves may only me made to a province in one’s own country or to a friendly province (With permission of the owner) or for a detachment to join the Main Army of an ally. React moves can result in combat.

4.1 Sea Movement
Fleets have four movement points per season for normal movement. Fleets have two movement points for a react move. It costs one point to load or unload troops and one point to cross a sea zone. A fleet cannot start or end a turn laden with troops. Thus a fleet can load troops, move two sea zones, and unload troops in one season. An unladen fleet can move up to four sea zones. A fleet must end the season on a friendly coast or on a coast upon which it has just deposited troops. If those troops are defeated in battle and cannot retreat on land they must attempt to reboard their ships. This is treated the same as attempting to regain a provincial fortress after a defeat in battle. The fleet must retreat after this attempt and will suffer 10% losses for every sea zone it crosses until reaching a friendly coast.

4.2 Special Movement Rules for 240 BC campaign.
Both the Straits of Gibraltar and the Turkish Straits are passable by land troops without the use of a Fleet. However if any Fleet is in the Straits, the W. Black Sea, or Aegean they can block the passage of ground forces through the adjacent waterway.

5.0 Battles/Retreat/Civil War/Raids

5.1 Land Battles
Battles should be fought according to the DBM rules with these modifications:
a) If an army did not move it is the defender. Terrain should be selected from the most appropriate army list. If the Roman player is defending in India the terrain should be selected from the Indian list.
b) If both armies moved the unmodified high roller is the defender.
c) The players controlling the Main Armies must declare if their C in C is also the Head of State before the battle.
d) If there are two allied Main Armies in a province one must be selected to fight any enemy army that is also present. The other ally may act as an allied contingent. If one ally is defeated both must retreat.

5.2  Naval Battles
Fleets that contact each other may choose to attack, retreat, or hold. There will be a battle if both attack or if one attacks and the other holds. If one attacks and the other retreats there is a 1 in 3 chance that the retreating fleet will be forced to do battle.
Both may hold and remain in the same sea zone. A retreat may take the fleet to an adjacent sea zone or it may retreat to a friendly port (coast). However if it retreats to a coast it is blockaded and will be captured if the province is conquered.
Battles will be resolved with a competitive die roll.
+1 larger fleet.
+2 =>50% larger
+3 =>100% larger
+4 =>200% larger
+5 etc.
The modified die roll difference will determine the amount of damage taken. The loser takes 10% times the die roll difference of the larger fleets size in damage. The loser takes 1/3 the damage the victor takes. Example: A 200 point Syracusan fleet fights a 400 point Carthaginian fleet. The Carthaginians get a +3 modifier and roll a 2. The Syracusans roll a 6. The modified scores are Carthage 5 and Syracuse 6 for a difference of 1. 1 X 10% of 400 points (larger fleet size) is a loss of 40 fleet points for Carthage. Syracuse loses 1/3 of this or 13 points.
Transported troops lose ½ the percentage that the fleet lost. If the Carthaginian fleet in the example above had been carrying 300 Army Points of troops they would have lost 5% or 15 AP.
If an invading fleet loses 30% of its fleet points it is turned back and must retreat the direction it came from. If it does not have the movement to make it to a friendly coast it suffers losses(as described in 4.1) for every zone it passes through.

5.3 Retreat
a)An army/detachment that in the same province as an enemy army may retreat to the province it came from if it moved or to a friendly province if it did not.
b) An army/detachment that is defeated in battle may retreat to a friendly provincial fortress), or to a friendly fleet if this is present (as described in 4.1).
c) There is a 1/3 chance that a retreating force will be caught and destroyed (if it lost a battle) or forced to do battle before it can leave the province.

5.4 Loss of generals/civil war
Each player must declare before the battle if the commander in chief is also the Head of State. The advantage of the Head of State participating is an increase in prestige if the battle is won. This increased prestige lessens the severity of disasters and brings increased tax revenues at year-end. However the loss of the Head of State can result in dire consequences:
a) Loss of prestige (see Prestige)
b) On a roll of 1-3 the Head of State is captured alive.
c) On a roll of 4-6 the Head of State is killed in action.
d) If the Head of State is killed or captured there is a 1/3 chance that his/her nation will fall into civil war.
If the Head of State is captured and there is no civil war the player may continue to run his country but may not have a C in C in battle represented by the Head of State until he/she is released. This leaves the opportunity for ransom and/or willing subject status to be negotiated.
If the Head of State is killed and there is no civil war a new Head of State replaces the lost one and the player may continue the game uninterrupted.
If a civil war erupts the nation’s army will return home as fast as possible and place the capital province under siege. The civil war ends when the siege succeeds. The country gains a new Head of State if the original one is dead or still in prison. If for some reason the Head of State is released and rejoins the army there is a +2 modifier to the success of the siege.

5.5 Land Raids.
Raids are declared during the Orders Phase. The success of a raid is decided by a dice roll. A result of a six means that it was successful. A result of one means that it was defeated. A successful raid gains the attacker one prestige point and 5Gp per 100 Army Points raiding (maximum of 30 GP). The defender loses one prestige point and 10Gp per 100 raiding Army Points (maximum of 45 GP). A defeated raid results in the loss of one prestige point and 10Gp for the attacking force. The successful defender gains nothing. Raids do not need to be targeted on a specific province. The attackers must simply be able to get to the defending country. The defenders do not need to make any specific preparations or defend a particular area. By their very presence they are playing a “zone” defense. The die roll for a raid is modified as follows.
a) +1 for each detachment raiding. (or 100 Fleet Points)
b) +1 if raiders are a “Barbarian” power.
c) +2 for each main army raiding (a single country cannot send both a main army and a detachment).
d) –3 for each army defending.
e) –1 for each detachment defending.
If a province of a country is being invaded in the same season as a raid the invading forces add their factors to the success of the raid but gain none of the rewards. A roll of six is always successful and a one always fails.

5.6 Naval Raids
Naval raids are conducted the same way as army Raids. The only difference is that a Naval Raiding force must fight its way past a defending navy if one is present and detects the raiders.

6.0 Taking/Losing Provinces
If a main army defends a province and it loses the battle the province is captured unless the defenders successfully retreat into the provincial fortress.
If a province is not defended in battle and an enemy army moves there it is placed under siege. It is captured that season on a score of six. Modifiers:
+1 Per season of siege
+1 if besiegers are a “Civilized” power.
+1 if besieged country is in a civil war or besieging a fortress in the player’s own nation.
-1 if defended by a detachment.
-2 if defended by an army.
A siege always fails on a roll of one. If the game judge rolls a six but the siege was unsuccessful due to negative modifiers he will immediately roll again. If the result is another six the attack is successful.

7.0 Subjects.
The relationship between subjects and overlords is very important in this campaign system. Involuntary subjects have been forcefully conquered, lose more prestige, and have probably had a fortress or two plundered. Voluntary subjects lose less but may have a difficult time removing the yoke of their subject status.

7.1 Becoming a Subject
There are three ways to become a subject state.
a) Voluntary. A player can willingly declare their voluntary subject status. The prospective overlord does not have to accept.
b) Involuntary. As soon as all provinces have been taken the state becomes an involuntarily subject of the conquering state.
c) Involuntary. If the Main Army is captured in a siege the state becomes involuntarily subject to the attacker.

7.2 Subject obligations
Subject nations have these obligations:
a) Provide an allied contingent to their overlord if asked.
b) Allow passage of their overlord’s forces.
c) They may not attack or raid their overlord (or their overlord’s overlord if one exists) or other subjects of their overlord (or his overlord- ad infinitum).

7.3 Subject liberties
Subjects may:
a) Renounce their subject status if their overlord loses two consecutive battles or becomes the subject of another nation.
b) Renounce their subject status if they are unreliable and switch sides (as per the DBM rules or special campaign rule- see 3.0) in battle and the overlord loses the battle.
c) Gain subjects of their own.
d) Allow other countries to pass through their territory.
e) Not be attacked by their overlord or other subjects of their overlord.

7.4 Annexation
Provinces that have been conquered can supply the new overlord with an allied detachment. This command is taken in place of one of the player’s own commands. Example. Carthage takes Hispania, but has not taken Iberia (the Spanish player is still independent). The Carthaginian player may replace one of his own commands with a Spanish command. This is a command of Spanish Rebels and is treated as a willing ally. They have a Spanish allied commander.
If a province is held for eight seasons it has been annexed and becomes part of the conquering player’s country. If all of a player’s provinces have been Annexed he/she is eliminated from the game. Once a province is annexed a player may include up to ¼ of the defeated army’s listed maximum troops in their own army. These troops are paid for by the conquering player but are not a detachment and may serve in any of the army’s commands.

8.0 Second Army
After annexing three provinces a player may choose to field a second army. The two armies draw different cards to determine their sizes.

9.0 Money
Money can be gained through a variety of means:
a) Taxes are collected during the Pre-Spring Phase. Each province has a tax value listed on the Campaign Map. If you capture a foreign province (or the defenders have retreated to the provincial fortress) you get ½ the value of that province and the former owner gets nothing. If you have a subject (willing or unwilling) you may take up to 33% of that state’s total tax revenues.
b) Sacking Baggage. Each element of baggage sacked in battle earns the owner of the elements most responsible for taking the baggage 5Gp. The owner of the baggage loses 5Gp
c) Gifts and loans. Players may transfer money to one another as they see fit. The Game Judge must be informed and will keep the accounts.
d) Plundering a fortress. A fortress that is taken in siege (does not surrender) is plundered. The former owner loses 20Gp. The attacker gains 10Gp.
e) Raids- see section of Raids for details.
Money can be spent a variety of ways
a) Purchase of Fleet Points. The Fleet points are available the following season.
b) Army restoration. Every 20Gp spent permanently removes a –10AP penalty that an army currently suffers due to battle losses. This restoration takes effect the following season.
c) Gifts and loans to other players. These transfers take place at any time and can be used by the recipient in the same season they are given.

10.0 Prestige
Prestige is a measure of the success of the player’s state in the campaign. Its practical purpose is to lessen or increase the severity of disasters in the campaign and to increase tax revenues.
Prestige modifiers:
+1 Victory as Main Army in battle
+1 Victory as an Ally in battle
+1 Head of State was C in C in a victorious battle.
+1 Each subject gained.
+1 Successful raid
+1 Victory in naval battle
-0 Loss as ally
-1 Loss as main army
-1 Death or capture Head of State in battle.
-1 Loss of subject state
-1 Become willing subject
-3 Become unwilling subject
-1 Lose a siege
-1 Per season with a Gold deficit

11.0 Disasters
If the Game Judge draws a joker the nation it is drawn for will receive a disaster that season. The disaster can take various forms. A six sided dice will be thrown to determine the severity of the disaster with a six being the most severe.   Disasters will cost the player between 10 and 60 gold pieces (cannot be modified higher or lower).
The severity of a disaster is affected by the prestige of the state affected. The disaster die roll should be modified by:
-3 for the state with the highest prestige
-2 for the second highest
-1 for the third highest
+3 for the lowest
+2 for the second lowest
+1 for the third lowest