SATAN'S FOLLY
by Dana Darby sz3d@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION
This is a simulation of the War in Heaven from John Milton's Paradise Lost.
In it, the forces of Satan fight the forces of God in a battle for control of Heaven before the
Son defeats them and they are cast out of Heaven and into Hell.
Contents of rulebook:
1. Map and chits
2. Victory conditions
3. Set-up
4. Unit descriptions
5. Turn sequence-with break down of how to play the game
6. Optional rules
7. Designer notes
1. MAP & CHITS
The following items are needed for play:
1. Hex grid map.
2. Cardboard counters either commercial or homemade from poster board.
3. Dice for all players.
2. VICTORY
Satan player: You must have achieved a moral victory by the end of turn 20 or eliminate
all of Heaven's forces first. A moral victory is achieved by eliminating 40 points of power.
Keep track of the units killed by the Satan player.
On the start of turn 20, if the total of power from these dead unit equals 40 or more, then
Satan has a moral victory.
Force of Good player: Prevent Satan from achieving his goal by the end of turn 20.
3. SETUP
The map should be drawn as follows: Satan's forces assemble in the "Quarters of the North"
and build a palace. On the top one third of the map, draw 8 "city hexes" to represent the
palace of Satan. The Satan player may place a wall around the entire city.
Just draw a dark line around the city hexes. The rest of the map may have forests, hills,
plains, rivers and mountains. Each player can take turns drawing a terrain feature on the
map or the players can mutually agree on a map before hand.
4. UNIT DESCRIPTIONS
POW = Power points
MOV = Movement points
C = Carry 1 unit
C2= Carry 2 Units
R = Ranged Attack up to two hexes away
R3 = Ranged Attack up to three hexes away
F = These units can fly.
Breach = Unit automatically moves through walls destroying them
Draw the following units on the cardboard counter.
Place a mark to represent either Satan or Forces of Good on the counters to avoid confusion,
as to whose counter belongs to who.
ANGELIC FORCES (available to both sides)
UNIT POW MOV NOTES
Seraphim 1 3 See designer notes at the end of
Cherubim 2 3 rules.
Thrones 2 3
Dominions 3 3
Virtues 3 4
Powers 3 4
Principalities 4 4
Archangels 4 4
Angels 4 4F
Note: Each side draws from a pile of 27 chits. Make three chits per type of angelic unit.
Alternate drawing the chits until all of them are gone.
This will leave one side with an extra chit. Discard that chit so the forces are equal.
LEADERS (one each of the following)
UNIT POW MOV NOTES
The rebel angels:
Satan 6 5F leader of the rebels
Belial 4 4F became the god of luxury
Beelzebub 4 4F second in command of the rebels
Leaders of God's forces:
The Son 8 6F became the Messiah, enters on turn 16
Gabriel 5 4F guardian of Eden
Michael 5 4F leader of God's forces during the great battle
Abdiel 4 3F stood up to Satan in Book V and fought in the battle
Available Rebel units
Infernal Engines XR3 1 Power Points = 1D6-1; Reroll for each attack;
(5 available) Cannot move & attack on the same turn
Available after turn 8.
Lens Towers 3R3 0 Located on edges of city;
(4 available) Create deadly beams of Light & Heat
Flying Machines 3 4FC
(3 available)
Available Divine units
Juggernaught 5 2C Breaches wall automatically
(5 available)
5. TURN SEQUENCE
Draw Phase
Movement Phase
Attack Phase
Advance turn marker
The following sequence is done in order for each turn.
Eight turns equal one day in Heaven. Historically the war was fought for three days.
5-1: DRAW PHASE
Each player draws to replenish a max hand of 3 spell chits.
Unflip and unrotate unit chits from previous turn.
5-2: MOVEMENT PHASE
Each unit is given a MOV value.
This is the total number of movement points the unit has each turn it is in the game.
Players take turns moving units until all units have moved once.
Rotate units to indicate that they have moved.
Units may move up to a number of hexes equal to their movement rate.
Units may move in any direction as long as they pay the movement cost.
Units do not have to use their entire movement allowance.
Terrain features may cost more to enter, consult the terrain section for more information.
Unless otherwise noted, all units can move at least one hex per turn.
F = These units can fly.
5-3: TERRAIN
Even with penalties the minimum movement rate = 1hex per turn
Clear = Costs 1 Move point to enter
City spaces = Costs 2 Move points to enter. +1 Power to defense rolls for defending units
Forest = Costs 2 Move points to enter. +1 Power to defense rolls
Mountains = Costs 3 Move points to enter. +1 Power to defense rolls
Rivers = Seperate adjacent hexes. Costs 2 Move points to cross. Units being attacked from
across a river get +2 Power to defense rolls.
Walls = Seperate adjacent hexes. Costs 3 Move points to cross, unless breached, then it
costs 0 points.
Flyers do not receive move penalties, they can move up to their full MOV value at
only 1 point per hex.
5-4: STACKING & CARRYING
Only one unit may occupy a space unless it is carrying other units.
Carried units attack at -1 Power to a minimum of 1.
Carried units cannot be attacked.
If a unit is destroyed all units it is carrying are also destroyed.
Units carrying other units cannot be carried.
5-5: ATTACK PHASE
Each unit is given a POW value. This is the total power the unit has when either
attacking or defending. Units may attack only once per turn.
They may defend as many times as necessary.
Players take turns attacking target units until all units have attacked.
Units may combine their attacks against a single target.
Units can attack targets in an adjacent hex.
Units with ranged attacks can target defenders within two hexes.
The attacker rolls 1D6 for every point of power used in the attack. This is the attack roll.
The defending unit rolls 1D6 for each of its power points. This is the defense roll.
If the attackers total is higher, the target is destroyed, otherwise the defender survives.
Spells may contribute power points to the attackers or the defenders.
Flip units to indicate that they have attacked or cast spells.
NOTE: Remember to add any power points from terrain if defending or any points from
spells cast.
Example: A unit with a POW of 3 attacks a unit with a POW of 4.
The attacker rolls 3 dice and gets a 3, 2, 5 for a total of 10.
The defender rolls 4 dice and gets a 4, 3, 3, 1 for a total of 11.
The defender survives. The attacker flips his unit over to show that it has attacked this turn.
5-6: SPELLS
The spell pile mix should be 1 chit for each of the spells listed below.
A leader can cast one spell per turn.
Each player has a hand of 3 spell chits they replenish in Draw Phase.
A player casts a spell from his hand through a leader unit he controls.
Once spells are cast they are discarded unless they are to be used as markers.
Unless otherwise noted spell have a range of 2 hexes.
SPELLS- NOTES
Shield- Unit gets +3 Power Points on Defense roll. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Haste- Unit gets +2 Move Points. Cast at beginning of move phase
Fly- Unit Flies at Move Points = 4 this turn. Cast at beginning of move phase
Aid- Unit gets +2 Power Points. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Inspire- All adjacent friendly units get +1 Power points this turn.
Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Rage- Unit gets +3 Power Points on Attack roll. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Fireball- Range = 2 attack for 4 Power Points
Lightning Bolt- Range = 3 attack for 3 Power Points
Invulnerability- Unit cannot be Destroyed. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Negate- Negate the effect of spell just cast within 3 hexes
Mesmerize- All adjacent enemy units cannot attack. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Winds- Negate all nonmagical ranged attacks against target. Cast before Defense roll made
Wall of Fire- No unit may enter 1-3 adjacent target hexes targeted by caster
within 3 hexes of caster. Cast at beginning of move phase
Earthquake- 3 Adjacent hexes within 3 hexes of caster. Ground units in these
hexes attacked for 2 Power Points
Poison Gases- Unit -2 Power Points. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Summon- Move any Friendly unit from anywhere adjacent to caster
Teleport- Caster or Friendly unit adjacent to caster can move to any empty hex
Control- Take control of unit this turn. Cast at beginning of Attack phase
Fear- Move enemy unit. Unit cannot end move adjacent to one of your units.
Cast in move phase before unit moves
6. OPTIONAL RULES:
Command control: Units cannot move or fight unless they are within 3 hexes of a friendly
leader. It is recommended that you get some experience first with the game before you try
this rule.
No spells: Eliminate the spell rules. This will make the game more like a regular wargame
and less "colorful."
Prince of Lies: The Satan player must recruit his forces before the game.
Each angelic unit will follow Satan on a roll of 5 or 6 on a 6 sided die.
The Satan player can add 1 to the die roll up to a maximum of 6 times.
This will simulate the fact that he can make an extra effort to get some classes of angels
over other classes.
7. GAME DESIGNERS NOTES
The information for this game from Books V and VI of Paradise Lost.
Additional sources were consulted for information on the units involved.
Historically this battle is lost by Satan on the third day when the Son casts him and his
followers out of Heaven after a crushing defeat in which Satan's cannons are buried under
mountains.
Here is a run down of the events in the book:
Day One: Both sides meet on a plain outside Satan's palace in the "Quarters in the North."
They both form a giant phalanx and advance on one another. Michael cleaves Satan's
right side off and Satan and his followers retreat.
Day Two: After a council of war, Satan decides to build cannons or infernal machines to
fight with. These cannons take Michael by surprise and wreak havoc on Heaven's forces.
Then they regroup and throw mountains on top of the cannons to bury them.
Day Three: The Son arrives per God's will and rides a chariot into battle and defeats Satan
and his forces. The rebels retreat to the Gates of Heaven and are cast out.
The main problem with this game is the lack of detailed information.
We are told that the forces line up in a classic Greek style formation and face off.
But there are also chariots and cannons and some Roman style tactics.
But not much in the way of detail. We are not told exactly what the angels are capable of
doing in a fight, so much of this is speculation. Consulting the internet for information, we
find that the angel are grouped by "choirs" and that there are nine classes of angels.
Hence the angelic units in the game. The combat capabilities are purely arbitrary and were
done to provide favor between the classes. The spells were added to give the leaders added
ability against the "common angel" and can be considered an optional rule if need be.
The extra "non-angelic" units are added to make the game more fun. The infernal engines
are , of course, historically accurate, the rest is speculation.
References from the web:
Hierarchy of Angels
Paradise Lost
References from the book Paradise Lost:
Book V
Book VI