CONSTANTINOPLE
@Wellsonian and I are about to embark on this one-on-one campaign: CONSTANTINOPLE... a "States of Siege" campaign wITH @Wellsonian commanding the armies of Byzantium from about 533 AD, with the campaigns of Belisarius against the Vandals and Ostrogoths... through to the wars against the Sassanians in late 500's to early 600's and finally facing the Arab Muslim Invasions 630's - 660's AD.
Invading armies or hordes of barbarians advance down the tracks towards Constantinople, and it is the Byzantine commander job to use his stretched resources to beat them back and keep them from capturing the city (if it falls, the campaign is lost)
The map is borrowed and adapted from a board game of the same name: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/196328/constantinople
Battles will be resolved in Field of Glory II.
Above is the starting set up.
The Byzantines have 6 GOLD in their treasury (riches they will probably never see again in this campaign
)
The Byzantines have one active army in Constantinople.
The Goths control ITALIA.
The Vandals control AFRICA and SICILIA (Vandal AFRICA would be much further west around Carthage, but this is abstracted here.
None of the other tracks are active yet (HUNS from the Balkans and SASSANIDS from the east)
CAMPAIGN RULES
OVERVIEW
The campaign runs through 18 turns, 6 each for each of the three eras covered: The Campaigns of Belisarius, The Sassanid Wars, The Arab Invasions
There are FIVE tracks along which enemy forces can advance, which will change as they are eliminated/pacified and new enemies take over as the eras change.
1. RED - from Italy through Greece - (Vandals, Goths, Lombards)
2. GREEN - the Balkans through to Thrace - (Huns, Avars and Bulgars)
3. YELLOW - from Armenia through northern Anatolia - (Sassanids, Armenians)
4. WHITE - from Mesopotamia through southern Anatolia - (Sassanids, Arabs)
5. BROWN - from Africa/Egypt along eastern Mediterranean - (Vandals, Sassanids, Arabs)
TURN SEQUENCE
1. Enemy Activation Phase - random die roll determines which enemy tracks advance or raid
2. Byzantium Income Phase - every turn the Byzantium side receives income over either 3 or 2 GOLD
3. Byzantium Action Phase - four types of actions can be taken:
a. Build new Army
b. Build Forts
c. Continue battle in "Contested" area or withdraw
d. Move and/or attack with armies
4. Battles are set up and resolved in FOG II
ENEMY ACTIVATION PHASE
At the start of every turn I will do a die roll to determine which enemy track becomes active or advances towards Constantinople.
In TURN 1 no enemy tracks are activated - only at start of TURN 2.
Special Rules for GOTHS & VANDALS:
VANDALS in AFRICA can only RAID into AEGYPTUS, not advance - every successful raid will reduce the Byzantine Income by 1 GOLD for that turn.
VANDALS in SICILY only advance to ACHAEA if they defeat and destroy a attacking Byzantine Army.
GOTHS in ITALIA only advance to SICILY if they defeat and destroy a attacking Byzantine Army.
At the Enemy Activation Phase, die roll will determine which track becomes active, the enemy army counter will then start in the first area on the track and advance one step every turn it is activated, leaving the areas behind marked as under enemy control.
If an enemy army starts next to a Byzantine Field Army and is activated it will advance and attack that army.
(example below -- Huns have advanced over several turns from MOESIA to ADRIANOPLE.
The only way to stop or destroy enemy advances is by attacking them with FIELD ARMIES or slowing them down with FORTS.
Once an enemy unit reaches CONSTANTINOPLE and defeats any army defending it with a Major Victory, the campaign is lost to the Byzantines.
BYZANTINE INCOME PHASE and ACTION COSTS
Every turn during the Income Phase the Byzantine player will receive 3 GOLD income (2 if AEGYPTUS is lost or been raided by Vandals from AFRICA)
The Byzantine player can also earn 1 GOLD every time he defeats an enemy force with a MAJOR Victory (see BATTLES)
This GOLD is then used to pay for ACTIONS that can be taken (see the COSTS TABLE on the campaign map at top)
BYZANTINE ACTION PHASE
The Byzantine player can take four types of actions:
1. Build a new ARMY (3 Gold) - a destroyed army can be built/rebuilt and place at CONSTANTINOPLE. A newly built army cannot move or attack in the turn it was built.
The Byzantine side has a maximum limit of TWO field armies available.
2. Build a FORT (1 Gold) - Forts are reinforced static frontier garrisons that can engage and hopefully slow down enemy advances in the absence of a Field Army in the area. (see FORT Battles)
3. MOVE/ATTACK (1 Gold) - the Byzantine player may move an army along any track from and to CONSTANTINOPLE any distance along the track to attack enemy armies, or to relocate the army to CONSTANTINOPLE before advancing on a different track. No lateral movement directly from one track to another is permitted. Only ONE friendly army is allowed to occupy a spot on a track at any one time. (Exception: BOTH armies may be at CONSTANTINOPLE at the same time and could defend in two directions from there in theory)
To change an army's campaign from one track to another, the army must travel back to CONSTANTINOPLE in one turn, and then can advance from there only in the following turn.
4. MOVE/ATTACK BY SEA (2 Gold) - any advance/attack across connecting lines marked with a SHIP icon involves transporting troops by sea and costs 1 GOLD extra. (see below)
5. CONTINUE BATTLE (1 Gold)
When a battle in a previous turn ends in a MINOR Victory (see: BATTLES) , the area on the considered CONTESTED -- there was no decisive result and the fighting continues.
To continue the campaign, the Byzantine player must pay 1 GOLD, otherwise he must withdraw one step and cede the area on the track to the enemy.
Example: Byzantine Army has attacked advancing Sassanid army in CAPPADOCIA, but the battle was indecisive, so the fighting continues next turn if he doesn't chose to withdraw (for lack of GOLD for example)
BATTLES
Battles occur when a Byzantine Army moves into a spot on the track with an enemy army present.
A MEDIUM size FOG II battle is set up by myself with appropriate armies and terrain. (either side has one chance to ask for a map reset if the map is just silly)
Battle results:
1. MAJOR Victory 40% (+25%) - enemy army is destroyed and removed from the map. (a victorious invading Army will receive an INITIATIVE MARKER, which means they will automatically advance again one step next turn)
2. MINOR Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (unless the Byzantine player opts to retreat)
Huns have won a Major Victory at ADRIANOPLE and will automatically advance to THRACE in the next turn.
FORT BATTLES
This type of battle occurs when an enemy army enters a spot on the track that has a Byzantine Fort marker attached.
Seeing that this is possibly cobbled together force of regular and second rate garrison units trying to hold up an enemy advance as best they can, this set up differently to a normal field battle:
SMALL FOG II battle (with appropriate terrain)
Byzantine player must use AUTO FILL to pick his army -- the invading enemy army picks as per normal.
FORT BATTLE RESULTS
MAJOR Byzantine Victory 40% (+25%) - invading army is pushed back one step
MINOR Byzantine Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (FORTS can't retreat) -- (next turn a Byzantine Field Army may enter the area and take over the battle)
MAJOR Invader Victory 40% (+25%) - Fort is destroyed, Invader captures the area.
MINOR Invader Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (FORTS can't retreat) -- (next turn a Byzantine Field Army may enter the area and take over the battle)
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The Byzantine player has various objectives to win in either of the three six-turn eras on the campaign map. (If CONSTANTINOPLE is lost, then the campaign automatically ends)
CAMPAIGNS OF BELISARIUS: Only one Victory Level: the Byzantine player must control ITALIA, SICILIA, AFRICA (ie: destroy the Goths & Vandal forces) and also control AEGYPTUS.
SASSANIAN WARS: Major Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Sassanid Armies AND retain control of ITALIA and SICILIA. Minor Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Sassanid Armies. Draw: Survive without losing CONSTANTINOPLE
ARAB INVASIONS: Major Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Arab Armies AND retain control of AEGYPTUS. Minor Victory: Defeat and drive back off all the invading Arab Armies to at least 3 steps away from CONSTANTINOPLE (ie: CAPPADOCIA, CILICIA and SYRIA). Draw: Survive without losing CONSTANTINOPLE
ARMY LISTS
AGE OF BELISARIUS
Byzantine 551 - 578
(AFRICA: Byzantine 493 - 550 vs Vandals 500 - 534 )
Ostrogoths 493 - 561
Sassanids 477 - 590
Hunnic (Western) 455 - 559
Avars 553 - 557
Lombards 568 - 569
SASSANIAN WARS
Byzantine 579 - 649
Sassanid 591 - 628
Avars 558 - 631 AD
Lombards 496 - 599
ARAB INVASIONS
Byzantine 600 - 649
Sassanids 591 - 628
Avars 558 - 631
Arab Conquest 629 - 637 (or Arab Conquest
Bulgar 631 - 679
I think that covers it all.
Will let @Wellsonian have a read through to see if there are any questions or things that don't make sense.
EDIT: There's a couple of things I left out it seems -- will add them in later today.
@Wellsonian and I are about to embark on this one-on-one campaign: CONSTANTINOPLE... a "States of Siege" campaign wITH @Wellsonian commanding the armies of Byzantium from about 533 AD, with the campaigns of Belisarius against the Vandals and Ostrogoths... through to the wars against the Sassanians in late 500's to early 600's and finally facing the Arab Muslim Invasions 630's - 660's AD.
Invading armies or hordes of barbarians advance down the tracks towards Constantinople, and it is the Byzantine commander job to use his stretched resources to beat them back and keep them from capturing the city (if it falls, the campaign is lost)
The map is borrowed and adapted from a board game of the same name: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/196328/constantinople
Battles will be resolved in Field of Glory II.
Above is the starting set up.
The Byzantines have 6 GOLD in their treasury (riches they will probably never see again in this campaign
)The Byzantines have one active army in Constantinople.
The Goths control ITALIA.
The Vandals control AFRICA and SICILIA (Vandal AFRICA would be much further west around Carthage, but this is abstracted here.
None of the other tracks are active yet (HUNS from the Balkans and SASSANIDS from the east)
CAMPAIGN RULES
OVERVIEW
The campaign runs through 18 turns, 6 each for each of the three eras covered: The Campaigns of Belisarius, The Sassanid Wars, The Arab Invasions
There are FIVE tracks along which enemy forces can advance, which will change as they are eliminated/pacified and new enemies take over as the eras change.
1. RED - from Italy through Greece - (Vandals, Goths, Lombards)
2. GREEN - the Balkans through to Thrace - (Huns, Avars and Bulgars)
3. YELLOW - from Armenia through northern Anatolia - (Sassanids, Armenians)
4. WHITE - from Mesopotamia through southern Anatolia - (Sassanids, Arabs)
5. BROWN - from Africa/Egypt along eastern Mediterranean - (Vandals, Sassanids, Arabs)
TURN SEQUENCE
1. Enemy Activation Phase - random die roll determines which enemy tracks advance or raid
2. Byzantium Income Phase - every turn the Byzantium side receives income over either 3 or 2 GOLD
3. Byzantium Action Phase - four types of actions can be taken:
a. Build new Army
b. Build Forts
c. Continue battle in "Contested" area or withdraw
d. Move and/or attack with armies
4. Battles are set up and resolved in FOG II
ENEMY ACTIVATION PHASE
At the start of every turn I will do a die roll to determine which enemy track becomes active or advances towards Constantinople.
In TURN 1 no enemy tracks are activated - only at start of TURN 2.
Special Rules for GOTHS & VANDALS:
VANDALS in AFRICA can only RAID into AEGYPTUS, not advance - every successful raid will reduce the Byzantine Income by 1 GOLD for that turn.
VANDALS in SICILY only advance to ACHAEA if they defeat and destroy a attacking Byzantine Army.
GOTHS in ITALIA only advance to SICILY if they defeat and destroy a attacking Byzantine Army.
At the Enemy Activation Phase, die roll will determine which track becomes active, the enemy army counter will then start in the first area on the track and advance one step every turn it is activated, leaving the areas behind marked as under enemy control.
If an enemy army starts next to a Byzantine Field Army and is activated it will advance and attack that army.
(example below -- Huns have advanced over several turns from MOESIA to ADRIANOPLE.
The only way to stop or destroy enemy advances is by attacking them with FIELD ARMIES or slowing them down with FORTS.
Once an enemy unit reaches CONSTANTINOPLE and defeats any army defending it with a Major Victory, the campaign is lost to the Byzantines.
BYZANTINE INCOME PHASE and ACTION COSTS
Every turn during the Income Phase the Byzantine player will receive 3 GOLD income (2 if AEGYPTUS is lost or been raided by Vandals from AFRICA)
The Byzantine player can also earn 1 GOLD every time he defeats an enemy force with a MAJOR Victory (see BATTLES)
This GOLD is then used to pay for ACTIONS that can be taken (see the COSTS TABLE on the campaign map at top)
BYZANTINE ACTION PHASE
The Byzantine player can take four types of actions:
1. Build a new ARMY (3 Gold) - a destroyed army can be built/rebuilt and place at CONSTANTINOPLE. A newly built army cannot move or attack in the turn it was built.
The Byzantine side has a maximum limit of TWO field armies available.
2. Build a FORT (1 Gold) - Forts are reinforced static frontier garrisons that can engage and hopefully slow down enemy advances in the absence of a Field Army in the area. (see FORT Battles)
3. MOVE/ATTACK (1 Gold) - the Byzantine player may move an army along any track from and to CONSTANTINOPLE any distance along the track to attack enemy armies, or to relocate the army to CONSTANTINOPLE before advancing on a different track. No lateral movement directly from one track to another is permitted. Only ONE friendly army is allowed to occupy a spot on a track at any one time. (Exception: BOTH armies may be at CONSTANTINOPLE at the same time and could defend in two directions from there in theory)
To change an army's campaign from one track to another, the army must travel back to CONSTANTINOPLE in one turn, and then can advance from there only in the following turn.
4. MOVE/ATTACK BY SEA (2 Gold) - any advance/attack across connecting lines marked with a SHIP icon involves transporting troops by sea and costs 1 GOLD extra. (see below)
5. CONTINUE BATTLE (1 Gold)
When a battle in a previous turn ends in a MINOR Victory (see: BATTLES) , the area on the considered CONTESTED -- there was no decisive result and the fighting continues.
To continue the campaign, the Byzantine player must pay 1 GOLD, otherwise he must withdraw one step and cede the area on the track to the enemy.
Example: Byzantine Army has attacked advancing Sassanid army in CAPPADOCIA, but the battle was indecisive, so the fighting continues next turn if he doesn't chose to withdraw (for lack of GOLD for example)
BATTLES
Battles occur when a Byzantine Army moves into a spot on the track with an enemy army present.
A MEDIUM size FOG II battle is set up by myself with appropriate armies and terrain. (either side has one chance to ask for a map reset if the map is just silly)
Battle results:
1. MAJOR Victory 40% (+25%) - enemy army is destroyed and removed from the map. (a victorious invading Army will receive an INITIATIVE MARKER, which means they will automatically advance again one step next turn)
2. MINOR Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (unless the Byzantine player opts to retreat)
Huns have won a Major Victory at ADRIANOPLE and will automatically advance to THRACE in the next turn.FORT BATTLES
This type of battle occurs when an enemy army enters a spot on the track that has a Byzantine Fort marker attached.
Seeing that this is possibly cobbled together force of regular and second rate garrison units trying to hold up an enemy advance as best they can, this set up differently to a normal field battle:
SMALL FOG II battle (with appropriate terrain)
Byzantine player must use AUTO FILL to pick his army -- the invading enemy army picks as per normal.
FORT BATTLE RESULTS
MAJOR Byzantine Victory 40% (+25%) - invading army is pushed back one step
MINOR Byzantine Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (FORTS can't retreat) -- (next turn a Byzantine Field Army may enter the area and take over the battle)
MAJOR Invader Victory 40% (+25%) - Fort is destroyed, Invader captures the area.
MINOR Invader Victory +60% - area is marked as CONTESTED -- the battle continues next turn (FORTS can't retreat) -- (next turn a Byzantine Field Army may enter the area and take over the battle)
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The Byzantine player has various objectives to win in either of the three six-turn eras on the campaign map. (If CONSTANTINOPLE is lost, then the campaign automatically ends)
CAMPAIGNS OF BELISARIUS: Only one Victory Level: the Byzantine player must control ITALIA, SICILIA, AFRICA (ie: destroy the Goths & Vandal forces) and also control AEGYPTUS.
SASSANIAN WARS: Major Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Sassanid Armies AND retain control of ITALIA and SICILIA. Minor Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Sassanid Armies. Draw: Survive without losing CONSTANTINOPLE
ARAB INVASIONS: Major Victory: Defeat and drive back off the map all the invading Arab Armies AND retain control of AEGYPTUS. Minor Victory: Defeat and drive back off all the invading Arab Armies to at least 3 steps away from CONSTANTINOPLE (ie: CAPPADOCIA, CILICIA and SYRIA). Draw: Survive without losing CONSTANTINOPLE
ARMY LISTS
AGE OF BELISARIUS
Byzantine 551 - 578
(AFRICA: Byzantine 493 - 550 vs Vandals 500 - 534 )
Ostrogoths 493 - 561
Sassanids 477 - 590
Hunnic (Western) 455 - 559
Avars 553 - 557
Lombards 568 - 569
SASSANIAN WARS
Byzantine 579 - 649
Sassanid 591 - 628
Avars 558 - 631 AD
Lombards 496 - 599
ARAB INVASIONS
Byzantine 600 - 649
Sassanids 591 - 628
Avars 558 - 631
Arab Conquest 629 - 637 (or Arab Conquest
Bulgar 631 - 679
I think that covers it all.
Will let @Wellsonian have a read through to see if there are any questions or things that don't make sense.
EDIT: There's a couple of things I left out it seems -- will add them in later today.
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