From: dja1@iscp.bellcore.com (Dave Arlington) Subject: John Carter Warlord of Mars Solo rules... John Carter - Warlord of Mars Solitaire Rules (This is strictly a home-brew unofficial set of rules I've used to play John Carter - Warlord of Mars solo. Comments and feedback, improvements are welcome. - Dave) These rules allow one to play John Carter - Warlord of Mars solitaire. They cover mostly how to run a non-player Villain Player. In many situations however, the Hero Player will be called upon to make decisions for villain-controlled characters. (Mostly for the Duelling Game. No tactical AI is provided, but the Duelling System is simple enough that it should be obvious as to best strategies for villain controlled characters on the Duelling Display.) It is expected that any true Hero worth his salt, will only find true Glory not only by dispatching all the villains, but dispatching them at their best performance. These rules assume you are using the official SPI errata that I provided to the grognard.com website. The solitaire game ends and the hero's performance is evaluated for victory's purposes when one of the following happens: 1) The hero loses a duel to a Beast of Mars in an Outdoor Encounter. 2) The hero loses an Arena duel. 3) (NEW FOR SOLO GAME) The hero allows the villain to flee twice in the destination city without once rescusing a female personage or duelling the villain and/or his entourage. Rule changes/adaptations: [5.7 and 7.7] Villain controlled characters never voluntarily leave any personage they are moving or guarding. They will duel to the death rather than leave. [7.25] If the princess is in the Palace with the Villain, he will egotistically have the princess on display in the Throne Room with him unless the princess is Dejah Thoris, Llana of Gathol, Tara of Helium, or Tavia after Tavia has engaged in melee at least once. (The Villain knows the first three are incorruptible and the latter is too uppity for a true Martian woman.) These women WILL be in the Throne Room if a male character is currently occupying the Dungeon. [7.8] This duelling system is not used in the solitaire game. Resolve duels with Grand Masters and Masters at Arms using Case 7.87. [10.22] Villains will always flee the city at the first opportunity UNLESS the hero loses the duel in the City Sub-Game as a result of discovery and is Imprisoned. (If the hero is discovered and wins the resulting duel, the villain immediately flees the City.) [10.41] If a villain is allowed to flee the city twice in his final destination city AND the hero has not rescued a female personage or duelled the villain and/or his entourage in these two occurences, the game immediately ends and the villain does not redeploy in the city. If the hero can rescuse a female personage or engage the villain in a duel, the villain WILL redeploy as normal in Case 10.41. (It is assumed that even if the game ends, the hero will eventually be successful, but is so ashamed at his performance in winning his princess that he retires to live out his life in shame at the Atmosphere Plant.) [Tables 11.35, 11.46] In any situation where the hero is required to lose turns (see also Cases 16.36, 17.18, and 17.48), the hero simply draws that number of Random Event cards following the adapted rules for Random Event cards given below. [13.23 and 13.31] The villain will always take the die roll for treachery at the first opportunity that presents itself. [16, 16.1, 16.2] Case 16.4 (house by house search) is not allowed in the solitaire game. The hero may only discover the villain and the princess whereabouts by using the information gathering rules. As a hero discovers a piece of information, use the following rules to place the princess and villain. For house and room placement, randomly determine which house or which room is used at the time the hero uncovers the information. If the princess and villain are in the same house within an area that is not the Palace, determinue randomly again. To determine which Area a villain or princess is placed in, use the following tables (If a villain is placed in a deserted area other than the city of Gooli, roll again on the Random Area Table): Villain Non-Final Dest. Villain Final Dest. 1-3 Palace 1-7 Palace 4-5 Noble's Quarters 8-9 Noble's Quarters 6-10 Use Random Table below 10 Use Random Table below Princess Non-Final Dest. Princess Final Dest. 1-2 Palace 1-6 Palace 3 Noble's Quarters 7 Noble's Quarters 4-10 Use Random Table below 8-10 Use Random Table below Random Area Table 1 Deserted 1 2 Deserted 10 3 Deserted 13 4 Common 3 5 Common 11 6 Barracks 6 7 Barracks 9 8 Slave's Quarters 9 Merchant's Quarters 10 Artisan's Quarters [17.27] A hero MUST attempt to use a female personage to modify his escape die roll even if he knows the attempt will be unsuccessful because the villain currently holds a Treachery card (which the villain WILL use). No Barsoomian hero would ever believe a woman would willingly betray him to a villain until it actually happens. [18.0] Random Event cards - Modify the rules for Random Event cards as follows: The player holds two hands of cards, one for the villain, one for his hero. The hero is limited to a total of three cards in his hand at any time. The villain may hold an unlimited number of cards. Whenever the player draws a Random Event card, it goes into either the Villain's hand (if marked Villain Player Only) or the Hero's hand (If marked Hero Player only or Hero OR Villain Player). Whenever the hero uses a Random Event card or must discard one due to having more than 3 cards in his hand, the card is discarded out of play. There is no face-down discard pile to draw from in the solitaire game. A villain is never forced to discard a card. A villain will use a Random Event card at first opportunity to do so (see below for specific examples/cases). A Random Event card used by the Villain is shuffled back into the current Random Event draw deck and is not put into the discard pile. Specific Random Event Cards: Nr. 25-26: Choose the Minor Character with the most levels. If tied, used one with highest Combat value, else choose randomly. Nr. 28-31: Play when hero discovered in City Sub-Game. Nr. 33: Played as soon as hero reaches any City. Nr. 35-36: Played as soon as hero reaches villain's non-destination city. Nr. 43: The villain will NOT duel the hero. Nr. 57-58: Takes effect next time hero engages in melee with any character that is not a Beast of Mars/Warrior of Mars. [19.32] Tario/Luud Mind Control Table Use this table when hero is discovered in City Sub-game and wins the duel OR after the hero wins any Arena Duel due to imprisonment. Enjoy! Dave ---------------------- Dave Arlington Bell Communications Research ISCP AIN Development RRC 4A-365 908-699-4941 dja1@iscp.bellcore.com ----------------------