From: Henrik Johansson Subject: HOTW: Romans in just 2 dierolls I have condensed the battle system in History of the World into two tables, and invented new rules that removes a lot of the die rolling from the game. The odds and the expected outcome of battles are maintained from the original. In short, each empire is played using just 2 dierolls, using 3 die each. Expansion is planned in advance, and the forces for expansion are kept in separate stacks for different levels of resistance. During expansion no dierolls are made, expanding forces are taken from the appropriate stack and the defenders removed. This lessens the playing time. In the following the tables and rule changes are presented in detail. The Sample Game included in the box is also presented using these new rules. The Rigid Table =============== (-1)(0) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 <- defenders -3 20 24 24 . . . -2 12 20 20 27 . . . -1 8 14 14 20 25 . . . 0 8 11 11 15 18 21 . . . 1 6 8 9 12 14 16 18 . . 2 4 6 6 9 11 12 14 16 . . 3 4 5 5 6 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 4 2 3 3 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 5 2 2 2 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 9 10 6 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 8 8 7 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 0 0 1 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 9 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 10 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 11 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 12 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The Rigid Table is easy to understand. On the horizontal axis you locate the number of defenders you want to remove during expansion. On the vertical axis a tripple dieroll is located. The table value tells how many attacking forces are lost in battles. When using this table, the active empire counts the number of lands and the number of forces in those lands that have the same defensive advantage. He removes the found number of attackers, and puts aside as many forces as are needed for the expansion, the same number as effected lands. An example: An empire plans to remove 4 defenders from 2 lands, both simple land battles without Difficult Terrain. He rolls on the '4' column, gets '8', removes 3 forces (table value (4,8)), and puts 2 forces aside in a stack for later expansion. The Compliant Table =================== (-2)(-1)(0) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 4 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 5 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 6 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 7 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 10 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 11 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 The Compliant Table is used when the player only knows how many forces he plans to use for expansion and losses. The number of enemies removed is determined at the first lookup, but is later revised depending on the actual expansion. When expansion is ready, the current table index horizontal value represent the sum of removed attackers and defenders. The vertical value is a triple dieroll, which is only rolled once. If a player determines he can use 'X' forces, he rolls a triple dieroll 'D3' and locates the table value (X,D3). This value determines the initial loss 'L' of attacking forces. The column value 'X' minus 'L' gives a number 'A', and that number of forces are put aside in a stack for the coming expansion phase. (If the defending forces are placed 1 per land, without defensive stacks, then 'A' defending forces will become removed, and 'A' number of places occupied by 'A' number of expanding forces.) During expansion when the attacking empire enters a land with a single defending force, that force is removed and replaced by an expanding force from the stack. This can be repeated as long as attacking forces remains in the stack. If however a land is entered where a defending stack is located, the defending forces are removed one at a time, and the Compliant Table index is shifted one column to the right for each force. If the new table value is higher than the previous, one more attacking force is lost. Then the defending force is removed if there are any attacking forces left. This goes on until there is only one defending force left, and the land can be occupied as in the single defence case above. An example: An empire has 8 forces to use in expansion. He rolls a '9', and the Compliant Table value (8,9) is '3'. He removes 3 forces and puts the remaining 5 in an expansion stack. The first land he expands into has 3 defenders. The 3:rd is attacked first. The table index is shifted from (8,9) into (9,9), which gives the value '3', same as the previous. The defending force is removed. The 2:nd defending force is now attacked. The table index is shifted into (10,9) which is '4', and thus one more attacking force is lost. He still have 4 in the expansion stack, so the defending force is removed. Now there is only one defender, so he can remove it and replace it with one attacking force. He has now 3 left, which are used to expand into 3 single defended lands where 3 defenders are removed. After expansion, 6 defenders have been removed and 4 attackers lost. The table index has been shifted into (10,9), and the horizontal value should match the sum of attackers and defenders lost. The actual number of occupied lands is dependent on the actual expansion history. Rules Change ============ Each Empire gets 2 table lookups. The cost is -1 VP for each additional table lookup. When planning the expansion, he distributes his forces into stacks calculated from the table lookup procedures outlined above, plus forces to be used for expansion into unoccupied lands, automatic victories, Fort buildings and defensive stackings in one stack. Each stack is calculated for a certain type of defence value. Simple terrain is worth 0, Difficult Terrain is worth -2 defence, Fort is worth -2, Fortress is -3, Terrain & Fort is -5 and Terrain & Fortress is -6. During the expansion a force from the appropriate stack is replacing the defending force. A force from a higher stack may also be used (if the planning has gone wrong). Each stack is either calculated using the Rigid or the Compliant Table. If the Compliant Table was used, the current table index must be maintained, and expansion from the stack must follow the procedure outlined under that table. He may play any Event card that modifies his own strength, more about this later. An example: Rome has 25 forces and a Leader. He places his start land, and puts 5 forces in a stack for walkovers. He looses 1 force in a Rigid Table lookup, and puts 3 forces in a stack for '-2' defensive expansions. He looses 4 forces in a Compliant Table lookup, and puts 11 forces in a stack for '0' defensive expansions, with a current index of (15,11). That concludes the planning phase for Rome. He starts the expansion, and looses 1 more force during Compliant Table index shifts when he enters a land with 2 defenders. Otherwise his 3 '-2' forces does 2 overseas battles and one Difficult Terrain battle, 10 forces occupy single defended lands and seas, and 5 forces move into unoccupied lands or lands with automatic victories. The order between lookups is not as strict as described above. You may for example start by expanding into unoccupied lands, then roll on the Compliant Table with some amount you find sufficient, then expand a few of those, roll on the Rigid Table to knock out som heavy defended land, then proceed with the rest of the occupied lands. You may use the forces planned for walkovers in additional table lookups, maybe at a -1 VP cost. Event Cards =========== Weaponry: Modify the table dierolls with +3 rows. Leader: Modify the table dierolls with +1 row. Fanaticism: Modify the table dierolls with +1 row. Barbarians: Combat must be resolved using the normal method, the new method does not work. Naval Supremacy: A third separate table lookup is made for the Naval battles, with a +3 modifier. (No -1 VP fee.) Surprise Attack: Tips: Remember to plan the battle as a walkover. Treachery: Tips: Remember to to plan the battle as a walkover. Siegecraft: Remeber to exclude the Forts modifier in the table calculation above. Rebellion: The new combat rules is used. Use the '1' column in the Compliant Table. Minor Empires: Combat is done using the new combat rules. Elite troops: Modifies the table value by -2 columns in the Compliant Table, -1 column in the Rigid Table. This is the reason for the extra columns to the left of the '1' column. If you loose a force, Elite troops is not used in the next table lookup. Jihad: Modifies the table value by -3 columns in the Compliant Table, -2 columns in the Rigid Table. This is the reason for the extra columns to the left of the '1' column. If you loose a force, Jihad is not used in the next table lookup. Crusade: The new combat rules is used. Use the '3' column in the Compliant Table, and a +3 row modifier for Weaponry. Jewish Revolt: The new combat rules is used. Use the '1' column in the Compliant Table, and modify with +1 row for Leadership. Civil War: The new combat rules is used. Use the '3' column in the Compliant Table. Revised Sample Game from the box ================================ The temporary situation is described below as a coded number array like this: Forces not yet allocated as '?', forces allocated for walkover as 'wo', forces allokated for simple terrain combat as '0', forces allocated for Difficult Terrain or Fort combat as '-2' and for Difficult Terrain plus Fort as '-5'. It can thus look like this: {?:4,wo:1,0:6,-2:2}, meaning that the table lookups have 4 forces not yet allocated, 1 occupation force ready for a walkover or empty space, 6 forces for simple terrain and 2 attackers ready to conquer 2 lands with difficult Terrain or Forts. Epoch I, Aryans, Hermes, Green, Strength 5 + Leader: One force goes to Turranian Plain Start land {?:4}. Hermes wants to take both Zagros and Middle Tigris, rolls on the '2' column in the Rigid Table, gets '10', modified into '11' (Leader), no losses, {?:2,0:2}. The two remaining forces are allocated for walkovers, {wo:2,0:2}. He expands into Persian Plateau, {wo:1,0:2}, Zagros, {wo:1,0:1}, Middle Tigris, {wo:1}, Persian Salt Desert and is finished. Epoch II, Vedic City States, Hermes, Green, Strength 6: He enters the start land, {?:5}, expands into Ganges Valley, Ganges Delta and Irrawaddy, {?:2}. He rolls on the '2' column in the Compliant Table, rolls a '7' which is modified for Difficult Terrain into Szechuan into '5' which renders a loss of 2 forces. The round ends. Epoch II, Carthagina, Apollo, Black, Strength 8 plus 2 Forts: He enters the start land, {?:7}. He plans to take Libya, rolls on the '1' column of the Rigid Table, rolls a '9', no loss, {?:6,0:1}. The rest is used for unoccupied areas, {wo:6,0:1}. He expands into Libya {wo:6}, then expands into Western Med, {wo:5}, Pyrenees (2 forces), {wo:3}, Western and Southern Iberia and Western Anatolia, which ends the round. Epoch II, Persia, Hera, Blue, Strength 15 + Leader: After entering the Start land she puts aside 7 forces for unoccupied spaces and automatic victories, {?:7,wo:7}. She plans to take the fortified Nile Delta, selects the '1' column on the Rigid Table, rolls '12', modified by '-2' and '+1', no losses, {?:6,wo:7,-2:1}. She now rolls on the '6' column of the Compliant Table, rolls '14', modified into '15', no losses, {wo:7,0:6,-2:1}. Expands into Zagros {wo:7,0:5,-2:1}, Middle Tigris {wo:7,0:4,-2:1}, Eastern Anatolia {wo:6,0:4,-2:1}, Western Anatolia {wo:6,0:3,-2:1}, Balkans, Pindus, Morea {wo:3,0:3,-2:1}, Levant, Palestine (automatic victories) {wo:1,0:3,-2:1}, Black Sea {0:3,-2:1}, Nile Delta {0:3}. Now the battle comes to the three forces in Lower Tigris. Lower Tigris 3:rd force is removed and the Compliant Table result is shifted from (6,15) into (7,15), the result remaining '0', still {0:3}. Lower Tigris 2:nd force is removed and the Compliant Table value shifted into (8,15) which is '1'. One attacking force is lost, {0:2}. Now Lower Tigris is finally occupied, {0:1}. Now Hera takes a chance at Crete. A third Compliant Table lookup is done at a -1 VP cost. Crete is -5 defended by a Fort and Difficult Terrain, and the Leader Modifier still applied. She rolls on the '1' column on the Compliant Table, rolls '13', modified into '9', no loss. The situation is then changed from {0:1} into {-5:1}. Crete is occupied and the turn ends. Epoch III, Celts, Zeus, Red, Strength 8: Occupies Northern Europe except Ireland and Scandinavia. Epoch III, Han Dynasty, Black. Epoch III, Hsiung-Nu, Blue. Epoch III, Romans, Hermes, Green, Strength 25 + Leader: Starts in Southern Appennines, {?:24}. He puts 5 forces aside for walkovers {?:19,wo:5}. He plans to do 2 overseas battles and one Difficult Terrain, a total of 3 forces defending in '-2' lands. He rolls on the '3' column of the Rigid Table, rolls '12', modified by '-2' and '+1' into '11', and loses 1 force, {?:15,wo:5,-2:3}. He now rolls on the '15' column on the Compliant Table, gets '10', modified into '11', which renders 4 losses, {wo:5,0:11,-2:3}. The expansion starts with Northern Apennines, Central Massif, Dalmatia {wo:2,0:11,-2:3}, Western and Eastern Mediterranean {wo:2,0:9,-2:3}, Levant {wo:2,0:9,-2:2}, Shatts Plateau {wo:2 ,0:9,-2:1}, Southern Iberia {wo:2,0:8,-2:1}. Now there are 2 forces in Pyrenees. Pyrenees 2:nd force is removed and the table value shifted from (15,11) into (16,11), which changes the table value form previous '4' into '5', and 1 attacker force is removed, {wo:2,0:7,-2:1}. Pyrenees can now be occupied {wo:2,0:6,-2:1}. Nile Delta {wo:2,0:6}, Arabian Peninsula {wo:1,0:6}, Northern Gaul {wo:1,0:5}, North Sea {0:5}, Albion, Red Sea, Palestine, Libya, Nubia, and the turn ends. Henrik Johansson, h.johansson.stockholm@telia.com