From: mustosnuggs Subject: britannia (fwd) Dear Mr Poulter Me again; thought perhaps you'd like the newest version of those Ireland rules for Britannia. Many changes. These rules should see publication ere long, by the way. [...] The six Irish provinces are Dublin, Leinster, Munster, Meath, Argialla and Ulster. The off-map western holding area is now called Connaught. All provinces are mountain except Dublin (clear) and Meath (marsh). Find a map of Ireland that shows county divisions. Roughly speaking, each province will incorporate the areas of the following counties. Dublin: Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare. Argialla: Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan. Ulster: Antrim, Down, Armagh. Meath: Meath, Louth, Westmeath, Longford, Offaly. Leinster: Wexford, Carlow, Laois, Kilkenny. Munster: Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, southern half of Tipperary. Connaught holding area: Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and the rest of Tipperary. Thus, Argialla is adjacent to Ulster, Connaught and Meath. Ulster is adjacent to Meath and Argialla. Connaught is adjacent to Argialla, Meath, Leinster and Munster. Dublin is adjacent to Leinster and Meath. Meath is adjacent to Connaught, Dublin, Argialla, Leinster and Ulster. Leinster is adjacent to Dublin, Meath, Connaught and Munster. Munster is adjacent to Leinster and Connaught. Munster and Leinster are adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Argialla, Ulster and Meath are adjacent to the Irish Sea. Dublin is adjacent both to the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Man still exists and is still a mountain province adjacent to no other province. Irish straits arrows connect Ulster with Dalriada and Man, Argialla with the Hebrides, Dublin with Man and Gwynedd, Leinster with Gwynedd, Devon and Dyfed, Munster with Cornwall, and Man with Dublin, Ulster, Cheshire and Galloway. Sorry to go on, but it is better to have no ambiguities when it comes to testing the game. While weÕre having leaders printed, why donÕt we print two separate Brigante leaders to replace that annoying generic ÔBrigante LeaderÕ? I suggest ÔCuneddaÕ for turn 5 and ÔUrienÕ, or possibly ÔCereticÕ for turn 7. What follows is the complete current version of the Ireland rules, including player notes. _______________ Ireland in BRITANNIA (PROVISIONAL II) These rules are intended for the four-player game and may upset the balance of one played with five or three. Feedback is encouraged. The special rule ÔBrittanyÕ should be considered an option within an option. Charlie Schmidt ( in term time; please note, however, that I leave university in 2001, and will no longer be able to read any mail sent to this address after June of that year) 30-9-2000 -=- Lay the new Ireland add-on map over the grey ÔIrelandÕ space on the Britannia board, and apply the following changes to the standard game of Britannia: Replace the Irish with the ÔLaginÕ. The Lagin get the same Turn Record Chart reinforcements, move at the same point in the turn, and use the same VP card as the Irish except as amended below. Unlike the standard game, the Lagin and Scots now begin T1 in control of some areas. When in Ireland, the Scots represent the Ulaid tribal grouping. Note that the Lagin and Scots continue to get the reinforcements appearing in the Atlantic / Irish Sea allowed them by the Turn Record Chart; it is up to the player whether to make use of these reinforcements in Ireland or Britain. Ireland T1 setup: Scots - Ulster, Meath, Argialla Lagin - Leinster, Dublin, Munster Welsh - Man New nations: Ui Niall - eight blue armies and leader Niall, may increase population Ui Niall move between Lagin and Scots. Dal Cais - seven black armies (green armies in AH version) and leader Brian Boru, may increase population Dal Cais move between Scots and Norsemen. Other changes to countermix: Scots - leader Kenneth and two more armies, remove leader Fergus. Angles - two more armies. Lagin - one more army (than the Irish). Norsemen - two more armies. Danes - one more army. Dubliners - two more armies. Welsh - two more armies. Changes to turn record chart: (Throughout, read ÔLaginÕ for Irish.) T3 - no Lagin raider, Lagin may not raid. T4 - Scots and Lagin raiders. T5 - Scots and Lagin raiders. Replace Brigante Leader with Cunedda. Optional Brittany rule in effect for Welsh player until T7. T6 - 4 Ui Niall (Connaught) led by Niall. They need not obey overpopulation rules this turn. Ui Niall may move and retreat into Connaught (see below) from any adjacent province any turn up to and including T10, and are considered to have one off-map hiland area for the purposes of population increase until that turn or until eliminated. T7 - replace Brigante Leader with Urien. No Fergus. Scots may only use Major Invasion second movement / combat phase to move armies into or within the Scotland area. 2 Ui Niall (Connaught). Optional Brittany rule ceases to have effect. Welsh player rolls die after movement phase to determine if special bonus scored. T8 - Scots still have Boats. 2 Ui Niall (Connaught). 2 Angles (not 1 - North) T9 - no Lagin reinforcement appears at sea. T10 - High King possible each turn, bonus 1VP per turn. Ui Niall population increase bonus ends; Ui Niall may no longer move or retreat into Connaught; these restrictions begin to apply after the Ui Niall have taken their turn. T11 - Scots leader Kenneth if Scots hold Dalriada at start of own turn. Kenneth may not be placed in Ireland or Man, though he may enter them once placed. T12 - 4 Norseman raiders, 4 Dubliner raiders (not 2 - Irish). Possession of Man at start of any nationÕs movement phase confers Boats in Irish and Atlantic hereafter. T13 - High King bonus increases to 2VP per turn. T14 - 6 Dal Cais led by Brian Boru (Connaught). Dal Cais Major Invasion. Check whether Brian is High King at end of Dal Cais turn. Count Dal Cais territorial victory points at end of whole turn. Dal Cais need not obey overpopulation rules following the first half of their Major Invasion. They may move and retreat into Connaught (see below) from any adjacent province until the end of the game, and are considered to have one off-map hiland area for the purposes of population increase until then or until eliminated. Special rules: Ireland stacking: Stacking and overpopulation limits in Ireland are the same as BritainÕs, although for the purposes of stack legality and overpopulation Ireland is determined as being distinct from Britain. A tribe may, for example, have one stack of theoretically unlimited size in Meath and one other in a clear British province, although, since overpopulation rules apply separately in Ireland, a tribe owning (say) one Irish area and six British areas would still be legally limited to two armies in their Irish area. The Isle of Man is part of Britain for stacking purposes. Landing from sea; raiding: The Lagin and Scots have the same restrictions on landing in Britain as do their standard game Irish / Scot counterparts; the Scots still canÕt land east of Orkney / Caithness or south of Galloway, and the Lagin canÕt land north of Cumbria or east of Cornwall. Normal rules permitting, both nations are allowed to land in any coastal area on the Ireland map, including Man. Scots and Lagin armies that begin movement in a coastal Irish area - not Man - can use Boats to raid, like the Picts, in T4 and 5, returning to the area from which they came on completion of the raid. Lagin and Scots raiders may only raid Britain - never Ireland, whether they began at sea or land. Both may raid Man. The Norsemen and Dubliners may raid and invade any Irish or Manx province. Other nations may only attack Ireland or Man by using Boats or straits. Irish map straits: Straits arrows connecting Ireland with Britain and the Isle of Man are handled differently to those printed on the original map. In order to cross an Irish strait, you must spend your entire movement allowance - that is, you must begin the movement phase on one side of the strait and end on the other. You may not retreat across an Irish strait unless you were attacking across it. The Isle of Man: Whichever tribe holds Man at the start of its turn 12 or after gets Boats for use in the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean areas only, regardless of whether or not that nation would normally ever have Boats. Man is not part of England or Ireland for the purposes of counting towards determining Bretwalda, King or High King. Invasions from Connaught: Reinforcing armies for the Dal Cais and Ui Niall appear in Connaught. Connaught is a holding area rather than an ordinary province. Invaders appearing in Connaught, like invaders appearing in sea zones, may remain there for as many turns as they wish, and, while there, are not counted towards stacking or overpopulation. Movement out is made into an adjacent province. Although every area bordering Connaught is hiland, you could continue to move if a leader accompanied the force. Unless eliminated, the Ui Niall, between their T6 and 10 inclusive, and the Dal Cais, between their T14 and the end of the game, are considered still to possess significant estates in Connaught. During these turns, they may move or retreat into Connaught from any adjacent province. Moving into Connaught always ends an armyÕs or leaderÕs movement, though armies will be able to return to the map in subsequent turns (or potentially, in the case of armies returning to Connaught during the first movement / combat round of the Dal Cais Major Invasion, in the second round of the invasion). While they have this power, the Ui Niall and Dal Cais are also considered to have one off-map hiland area for the purposes of population increase. The Ui Niall in T6, and the Dal Cais after the first half of their T14 Major Invasion, need not obey the overpopulation rules, though stacking limits still apply. No nation other than the Ui Niall or the Dal Cais may ever enter Connaught. Nor may either of these nations enter Connaught outside the given turns. No combat can take place in Connaught, even if not all the Ui Niall have left by the time the Dal Cais arrive. High King: Any out of Scots, Lagin, Dal Cais and Ui Niall that controls three areas or more on the island of Ireland, at the very start of any turn after and including T10, is considered to have the High King. If two eligible tribes have three areas each, kingship goes to the owner of Dublin (Tara). Otherwise there is no High King. Despite the name, this title does not confer an extra army on the holder as per the English King. Being High King scores your nation one VP per turn kingship is achieved until T13 when the bonus is increased to 2VP per turn. On T14, the Dal Cais (only) may score for High King at the end of their own turn if they meet the normal criteria and if Brian Boru is still alive. [Special optional rule: Brittany: Any Welsh army that begins Welsh movement phase of T5, 6 or 7 in Devon or Cornwall may be removed from the board prior to movement for an automatic bonus of 1 point per army removed, maximum 2 armies each turn. After movement phase of T7 Welsh player rolls a die and compares roll to total number of armies removed. If roll was less than or equal to number of armies removed, score 4 bonus points.] Additions to VP cards (Ôno changeÕ if nation not listed): Welsh: Man is considered Ôan area outside WalesÕ. (Optional; see Brittany above.) Brigantes: may score for Man. Picts: may score for Man. Lagin: T4&7; Leinster, Dublin, Munster (2), Ulster, Argialla, Meath (1). T10&13, endgame; each area in Ireland (1). T14-15; kill Brian Boru (2). Ui Niall: T7; Meath (4), Argialla, Dublin (2), Ulster, Munster, Leinster (1). T10&13, endgame; Meath (2), each other area in Ireland (1). Scots: T4&7; Ulster, Argialla, Meath (2), Man, Leinster, Munster, Dublin (1). T10&13, endgame; each area in Ireland (1). Dal Cais: each Lagin / Dubliner / Ui Niall / Norseman army killed during Dal Cais T14 (1). Brian Boru High King at end of Dal Cais turn (2). At end of T14; Dublin (3), Leinster, Munster (2), Meath (1). At endgame; each area in Ireland (1). Norsemen: T12-16; Man, Dublin (1.5), Ulster, Argialla, Leinster, Munster, Meath (0.5). T13; Dublin (3), Man (2), Munster, Leinster (1). T14; kill Brian Boru (4). Dubliners: T13, endgame; Dublin (3), Man (2.5), Munster, Leinster (1). T14; kill Brian Boru (4). Angles: T7; Man (1). -=- Player notes: These rules were initially based on a fine add-on map done by Jim Lawler for the General all those years back. I liked the map, but wished it to integrate better with the game and be closer to history. I began to submit embryonic versions of these rules to Web-Grognard and before long the creator of the map himself got in touch. This is the fruit of our labours. Playing with Ireland truly adds an extra dimension to Britannia. It provides many new strategic choices for all players. My aims were to maintain play balance and flexibility while giving every player, particularly Blue who generally has less to do elsewhere, a stake in Ireland. The Scots now have somewhere to fall back to when under attack from the Picts where before there was only sea; Lagin and Scots may choose to stay in Ireland, abandon Ireland and go overseas in force or some combination of the two. Whatever they choose will affect the other two players somehow. If the Scots make a priority of going overseas, the Picts will find it hard going but BlueÕs Ui Niall may find the job of overrunning northern Ireland that much easier. Similarly, Lagin ignores Ireland at its peril. Wales may fall if the Irish press hard, but the aggrieved Black / Green player has a chance for revenge in the gameÕs final turns as the great Brian Boru. The Lagin will thus have trouble holding both Wales and Ireland in the long term. The Connaught holding area ensures that invasions from the west canÕt be bottled up by cunning Lagin / Scots play, and it allows the Dal Cais and Ui Niall a few turns to establish a foothold so that immediate, stunning success is not a prerequisite for survival. In my opinion, the Ireland map really comes into its own in the Viking Age. Now you truly get the impression of the Irish Sea as the distinct system it historically was, not the edge of the world as it is in the standard game, with the Irish coast and the British artificially separated. Now it is quite possible for a seafaring nation with bases on the Irish Sea to shuttle back and forth attacking targets of opportunity wherever on the coast they arise. Again, the players are faced with strategic level decisions that, however decided, will have lasting implications for the course of the game. The Dubliners may take Dublin and York but can they hold both for the T13 points count? Should they instead focus on one shore or the other? What of Man? Nor is a place in Ireland restricted to the Gaels and Vikings. Welsh, Brigantes, Picts, Caledonians, Danes and Angles, maybe even Romans, may all find that a foothold here serves their short-term interests. Man in particular becomes a strategic focus for all players with influence on the Irish Sea, the more so once its special Boats-giving privilege comes into effect in T12. The Brittany optional rule was introduced partly to replicate this historic movement, partly to make it less likely that Devon and Cornwall will be mighty Welsh fortresses when the Saxons arrive. For several reasons, there is no Brittany map. Instead Brittonic success, or lack of it, on the Continent is abstracted through the bonus die roll on T7. The Welsh player will have to make up his mind whether he has the resources to make it worth sending armies to Gaul in number. Enjoy your play of Ireland-enhanced Britannia. Wes thu hal, Charlie ÔSnuggsÕ Schmidt _______________ [...] Yours ------------------------------------------------- Charlie 'Snuggs' Schmidt Department of Anglo-Saxon Norse & Celtic Peterhouse CB2 1RD ------------------------------------------------- ... Com on wanre niht scrithan sceadugenga. Sceotend swaefon, tha thaet hornreced healdan scoldon, ealle buton anum. Thaet waes yldum cuth, thaet hie ne moste, tha Metod nolde, se scynscatha under sceadu bregdan; ac he waeccende wrathum on andan bad bolgenmod beadwa gethinges. Tha com of more under misthleothum Grendel gongan, Godes yrre baer... From: mustosnuggs Subject: Re: britannia (fwd) Dear Mr Poulter There follows the completely updated Britannia TRC for my Ireland variant. No more ambiguity - though I would ask you to update my rules to the latest version so that everything is compatible. TURN RECORD CHART updated for use with the Ireland extension Charlie Schmidt T1 (45-110AD) Start on board: 15 Romans, 10 Belgae, 10 Welsh, 9 Brigantes, 6 Picts, 3 Caledonians, 3 Lagin, 3 Scots. Major Invasion: Romans. T2 (110-185) No invaders. T3 (185-260) No invaders. Romans record victory points. T4 (260-335) Roman minimum 10. 2 Lagin (Atlantic, R), 1 Scot (Irish, R), 2 Jutes, 3 Saxons (English Channel, R), 3 Angles (Frisian, R), Pict, Lagin and Scots raiders. All except Romans count victory points. Boats: Picts, Caledonians, Lagin, Scots, Jutes, Saxons, Angles. T5 (335-410) Roman minimum 10. 1 Lagin (Atlantic, R), 1 Scot (Irish, R), 2 Jutes, 3 Saxons (English Channel, R), 3 Angles (Frisian, R), Pict, Lagin and Scots raiders. Cunedda Brigante leader. Optional Brittany rule in effect for Welsh player. Romans count Limes. Boats: Picts, Caledonians, Lagin, Scots, Jutes, Saxons, Angles. T6 (410-485) Romano-British appear as Romans leave. Remove Roman forts. 1 Lagin (Atlantic), 2 Scots (Irish), 1 Jute (English Channel), 8 Saxons led by Hengest (Frisian), 3 Angles (North), 4 Ui Niall led by Niall (Connaught); Ui Niall may ignore overpopulation rules this turn. Optional Brittany rule in effect for Welsh player. Major Invasion: Saxons. Boats: Picts, Caledonians, Lagin, Scots, Jutes, Saxons, Angles. T7 (485-560) 2 Romano-British cavalry armies led by Arthur. Urien Brigante leader. 1 Lagin (Atlantic), 3 Scots (Irish), 4 Saxons (Frisian), 8 Angles (North), 2 Ui Niall (Connaught). Optional Brittany rule ceases to have effect: Welsh player rolls for special bonus score after movement phase. All count victory points. Major Invasion: Angles, Scots (Scotland only). Boats: Scots, Jutes, Saxons, Angles. T8 (560-635) 1 Lagin (Atlantic), 1 Scot (Irish), 2 Angles (North), 2 Ui Niall (Connaught). Boats: Scots, Jutes, Saxons, Angles. T9 (635-710) Bretwalda may be elected. Oswiu Angle leader if Angles hold Bernicia at start of Angle turn. Boats: Saxons, Angles. T10 (710-785) Bretwalda may be elected, High King possible. Offa Angle leader if Angles hold North Mercia at start of Angle turn. Ui Niall lose benefits of Connaught after their turn. All count victory points. Boats: Saxons, Angles. T11 (785-860) Bretwalda may be elected, High King possible. 6 Norsemen (Icelandic), 4 Danes (North, must R), 4 Danes (Frisian, must R). Egbert Saxon leader. Kenneth Scots leader if Scots hold Dalriada at start of Scots turn. Kenneth may not initially be placed in Ireland or Man. Major Invasion: Norsemen. Boats: Norsemen, Danes. T12 (860-935) King and High King possible. 4 Norsemen, 4 Dubliners (Irish, R), 2 Norsemen (Atlantic, R), 6 Danes led by Brothers, sons of Ragnar (North). Alfred Saxon leader. Danes count victory points at end of own turn. Possession of Man at start of any nation's movement phase confers boats in Irish and Atlantic hereafter. Major Invasion: Danes. Boats: Norsemen, Dubliners, Danes. T13 (935-985) King and High King possible. High King bonus increases. 5 Dubliners (Irish), 2 Danes (North). Edgar Saxon leader. All count victory points. Major Invasion: Dubliners. Boats: Norsemen, Dubliners, Danes. T14 (985-1035) King and High King possible. 2 Dubliners (Irish), 6 Dal Cais led by Brian Boru (Connaught). Dal Cais may ignore overpopulation rules following the first movement / combat phase of their Major Invasion. Check whether Brian High King at end of Dal Cais turn. 6 Danes led by Sweyn / Canute (Frisian). At end of Danish turn Danes must remove four armies and Canute. Dal Cais count territorial victory points at end of whole turn. Major Invasion: Dal Cais. Boats: Norsemen, Dubliners, Danes. T15 (1035-1070) King and High King possible. Harold Saxon leader. 10 Norwegians led by Harald Hardrada (North), 6 Normans and 4 Norman cavalry armies led by William (English Channel). Major Invasion: Norwegians, Normans. Boats: Danes, Norwegians. T16 (1070-1085) High King possible. Harald and William reinforcements. End of game point tally, and King possible. Regards ------------------------------------------------- Charlie 'Snuggs' Schmidt Department of Anglo-Saxon Norse & Celtic Peterhouse CB2 1RD ------------------------------------------------- ... Com on wanre niht scrithan sceadugenga. Sceotend swaefon, tha thaet hornreced healdan scoldon, ealle buton anum. Thaet waes yldum cuth, thaet hie ne moste, tha Metod nolde, se scynscatha under sceadu bregdan; ac he waeccende wrathum on andan bad bolgenmod beadwa gethinges. Tha com of more under misthleothum Grendel gongan, Godes yrre baer...