�Version: Public BETA 1.0

�

Except as otherwise identified, all written portions of this book and Statecraft logo ©2010 Greg Christopher, all rights reserved. All artwork in this book is in the public domain. The mention of, use of, or reference to any company, trademark or product in this book is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright in question. This book is not for sale. Download a free copy at errantgame.blogspot.com.

DedicationThis book is dedicated to the people of the RPG blogging community. The arguments put forward in the community about elegance of design, importance of player agency, neutrality of gamemastering, and a host of other topics have had a profound impact on my thinking. The design of the roleplaying side of this book was strongly influenced by these ideas.

Furthermore, the RPG blogging community represents the do-it-yourself spirit that is an undercurrent to everything that I have done. Some things must be done without the support of the RPG industry. Some things are worth doing even if they are not profitable. It is important to remember that we are human beings, not currency robots.

Game on!

�

What is Statecraft?Statecraft is a Grand Strategy Roleplaying Game designed to simulate international relations during the early modern period, roughly 1500 to 1900 A.D. The game can also be used to simulate earlier periods of history if you wish, although some of the game concepts (like Casus Belli) may not be entirely appropriate for the time.

In Statecraft, the players take on the mantle of a ruler from history, called a Sovereign. The Sovereign is represented using a character design similar to those in traditional roleplaying games. Sovereigns will be good at some things and bad at others, just like rulers in real history. The character design is set up in a way that encourages real life behavior, including recklessness and short-sightedness, to create an experience akin to actually commanding nations from history.

Each Sovereign is in control of a nation or country called a State. The State is represented using some basic mechanisms that provide tax revenues, soldiers, ships, and other resources for your Sovereign to use in pursuit of their goals. You can use a printed or a digital map as a guide to represent the world you are shaping, but you are not required to do so. Each Sovereign eventually dies and you move on to a new Sovereign, passing down a variety of things including the most important measurement of your success in the game; Prestige. So even if you manage to totally wreck your economy and end up under the heel of your most bitter rival, you can choose to pass on not to your direct heir but to a distant cousin and take up the throne of a different State.

One of the players does not control a specific Sovereign, but instead takes on the role of the Gamemaster (GM). The GM is in charge of running all the States in the game that are not controlled by players, as well as pirates and rebels. The GM also has a lot of tools at their disposal to shape and influence the game to make it more enjoyable for the players. GMs can introduce events to stir up chaos, like civil wars and religious conflicts. GMs can use Prestige as a carrot to send players off to the far reaches of the globe in search of glory and honor. You do not have to rely upon poorly coded AI. The GM brings realism and life to the rest of the world in a way that a computer cannot hope to ever achieve.

Winning the GameStatecraft is about having fun, not accumulating wealth and power. The game is designed so that it is often not in your best interest to take the most conservative and safe path. Your reward for taking risks and being ostentatious is Prestige. This is your barometer of success in the game. If you are accumulating large amounts of Prestige, you have probably been contributing to the fun of everyone in the group. There are also opportunities to spend Prestige to accomplish even more amazing things in the game.

If you want to crown someone the winner of the game, you can use Prestige to do so. Simply set a timeframe for play, such as starting in 1492 and playing until 1792. Whoever has accumulated and spent the most Prestige at the end of that timeframe is the winner. However, you will most likely not be concerned about having a “winner” by the time you reach 1792. Winning is ancillary to enjoying the game. You cannot lose at Statecraft either. If your State is totally destroyed, you can move into a new State with a new Sovereign. You are never eliminated from play.

What do you need to Play?Statecraft uses six different types of dice; four-sided dice (d4), six-sided dice (d6), eight-sided dice (d8), ten-sided dice (d10), twelve-sided dice (d12), and twenty-sided dice (d20). However, since the game is designed to be played on an internet forum or using e-mail to distribute game information, you can simply use online die rolling software for this. If you choose to play at a table, it will be tricky to keep everything secret and you will need physical dice.

�

The Sovereign& The State

�

Attributes:Attributes define the abilities of the Sovereign to accomplish tasks. This aspect of the Sovereign is completely random and represents the hand that fate has dealt for you. Do not worry about whether your Sovereign is good or bad based on whether they can succeed or fail at tasks. Ultimately, you are not rewarded based on your ability to succeed or fail, but if you succeed or fail spectacularly.

Each attribute has a value from 3 to 18, determined by rolling three six-sided dice and adding the results together. You will need to make seven rolls to get a value to assign to each attribute. Rolls must be assigned to each attribute in turn as rolled, not assigned by the players to whatever attributes they wish.

The Sovereign:Each player in Statecraft controls a bloodline of political rulers called Sovereigns. A Sovereign lives one lifetime, hopefully an exciting and fulfilling one, but like other mortals they fall victim to the ravages of time and damage to the body. When their current Sovereign dies, the player moves on to a new Sovereign. Throughout the game and across the lives of many Sovereigns, you will track a variable called Prestige. This is the ultimate measure of your contribution to the game as a player and you should make every attempt to accumulate more Prestige. Each Sovereign is merely a vessel to use in achieving the goal of maximizing your Prestige. We will talk more about exactly how to do that very shortly.

This section will walk you through how to create manage your Sovereigns. Each one has eight Attributes and seven Measures which serve for the basis of roleplaying and for interacting with the game mechanics.

AttributesAcumen Ability to Manage

Authority Ability to Inspire

Fertility Ability to Procreate

Fortune The Favor of Fate

Grace Ability to Charm

Guile Ability to Deceive

Strategy Ability to Wage War

Vigilance Ability to Anticipate

Attribute TestsAttributes are tested frequently during play by rolling a 20-sided die. If the die result is lower than the attribute, the test is a success. If the result is lower than the attribute being test, then the test is a failure.

Many rolls are also affected by several potential modifiers. These modifiers are applied to the attribute, not the die result. Thus if you are making an Authority test with a +2 bonus and you have an Authority of 12, you make the tests as if you had an Authority of 14 instead.

Opposed RollsAn opposed roll is when you are competing against another player or the GM in the action you are undertaking. In these cases, simply succeeding is not enough. You must succeed by a larger margin than your opponent. If you needed to roll a 14 or less and you rolled a 10, your margin of success is 4. If your opponent only succeeded by a margin of 2, you are victorious.

If you wish to attempt something not covered by the game rules as written, the GM may allow you to test an attribute to determine the action’s success.

�

Attributes (continued):

AcumenAcumen is the administrative skill of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to make organizations function properly. Acumen not only represents good money management skills, but also the ability to effectively utilize the work of subordinates. Sovereigns with high Acumen have more efficient governments, make more money, and keep their armies better supplied in the field. Acumen is used for Growth and Decline rolls every year and the amount of supplies available to your forces on the battlefield.

AuthorityAuthority is the social presence of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to maintain loyalty even in the face of disagreement. Authority represents both the personal charismatic presence of the individual but also the ability to manipulate others so that they are serving your interests by pursuing their own. Sovereigns with high Authority have more loyal followers, more political stability, and fewer rebellions against them. Authority is used for the annual Control roll and in keeping the loyalty of military forces that might otherwise rebel against your rule, either due to your own financial insolvency or the nefarious bribes of others.

FertilityFertility is the natural strength of your reproductive system. It is only tested in one instance, at the death of the Sovereign, to determine if there are eligible heirs to continue ruling the state.

FortuneFortune is the natural luck of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to come out on top when the chances are against them. Fortune represents your raw talent for survival in the face of adversity. Sovereigns with high Fortune have better luck when exploring the world for new regions to colonize, manage to emerge from the jaws of defeat unscathed, and just tend to have longer lifetimes. Fortune directly affects your rate of Vitality loss over the years and rolls made when personally commanding armies to avoid injury and death on the battlefield.

GraceGrace is the charm and influence of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to get others to see things from their perspective without resorting to the use of coercion. Grace represents a lightness of social presence as well as a talent for seduction. Sovereigns with high Grace have more friend and allies, as well as an easier time negotiating peaceful solutions to disputes. Grace directly affects success at converting the populace to your religion, claiming titles, extracting information via royal marriages, and increases the pain a Sovereign endures when refusing generous peace terms that you offer.

GuileGuile is the cunning and treachery of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to deceive and manipulate others. Guile represents talent for manipulating and using others in pursuit of your own ends. Sovereigns with high Guile have an easier time acquiring secret information and enjoy the company of spies, thieves, and pirates. Guile directly affects your success in many Targeted Actions, such as Infiltrate and Piracy.

StrategyStrategy is the military prowess of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to make decisive tactical decisions on the battlefield. Strategy represents both tactical and strategic competence in military affairs of every kind. Sovereigns with high Strategy have a better chance of winning battles, both on land and sea. Strategy directly affects all combat rolls.

VigilanceVigilance is the awareness and perception of your Sovereign. This is a rough measure of their ability to take the initiative and move to defend before they are even attacked. Vigilance represents the ability to anticipate, to put complex data together, and to see the overall picture. Sovereigns with high Vigilance tend to position their armies in advantageous locations on the battlefield and succeed when making tactical retreats. Vigilance directly affects the detection of enemy forces on the march, whether your army can take up an advantageous Position before a battle, the ability to retreat from combat successfully, and defends against Targeted Actions.

�

GoldGold represents the total amount of money available in liquid form to be spend on other expenditures at the Sovereign’s discretion. It is the accumulated result of Tax Income over time. Wars and diplomacy are two ways to quickly relieve yourself of gold. The GM will give you a starting value for this condition based on the scenario design.

HonorHonor is a measure of the dignity of the Sovereign. Keeping your word, defending your allies, and living up to your treaty obligations will raise your honor. Failure to do so will reduce it. Whenever issues of trust arise, such as when writing a diplomatic agreement, your honor will be tested. Honor cannot be greater than 20 or less than 0. Your first Sovereign begins play with 10 Honor to represent the neutrality of opinion on their behavior.

When a Sovereign dies, their heir inherits half of accumulated honor, rounded down. This is the classic assumption that the apple does not fall far from the tree. You may notice that this rule will result in a gradual loss of honor over time by your family if you take no actions to raise it. This is because honor is something that must be continually maintained. If the player moves to a new State, honor is reset to 10.

ManpowerManpower represents the current pool of available men to recruit into the military. It is the accumulated result of Recruitment over time. It will decrease when you raise new military forces. The maximum amount of manpower you can have is equal to five times your Recruitment.

MeasuresGold The Treasury

Honor Trust of Your Peers

Manpower Human Resources

Prestige Legacy of Greatness

Religion Your Faith

Vitality Life Remaining

Measures:Measures are the changing aspects of the Sovereign’s life. They are fluctuating values that change frequently as a result of your decisions. In many ways, measures represent the your Sovereign’s personality and how they are perceived. Measures are not rolled against, however they can be spent to accomplish some actions and they can be lost or gained as a result of certain behavior.

PrestigePrestige is a measure of the greatness of the player. Prestige accumulates from only one source; the GM. The GM awards Prestige when you engage in great roleplaying. Brilliant successes on the battlefield, the signing of great treaties, the construction of great colonial empires, dramatic betrayals, and any other exceptional act should result in the awarding of Prestige, regardless of the negative consequences that might result. A great failure can be as spectacular as a great success. Prestige is fully inherited by the player to their next Sovereign. It can sometimes be taken away if you cannot pay a price in the traditional way and it must be used to fuel some diplomatic actions. It can accumulate to any value without limit. Your first Sovereign begins play with 10 Prestige.

ReligionReligion is a measure of the religion that the Sovereign enforces in their State. All Sovereigns inherit the religion of their predecessors when they are created. There are opportunities for Conversion to bring parts of your nation in line with your faith, just remember to prepare to deal with the consequences if the people refuse. Religion is also affected by special rules, such as the Papacy. You can change your personal religion at any time, but you will lose 2d6 Stability doing so.

VitalityVitality is a measure of the life remaining in your physical body. Roll 1d8 when creating the Sovereign to get the initial Vitality value. Every year, you must make a Fortune test to determine if this measure falls. If you fail the roll, lower your Vitality by 1. It is possible to lose Vitality in other ways, such as defeat on the battlefield. This measure cannot be negative. If vitality is reduced to zero, the Sovereign dies and a new one must be created.

Even with a positive Vitality, no Sovereign can cheat death forever. If you are lucky enough to survive long enough to experience it, life will end on your 80th birthday.

�

CapitalEvery State has a designated capital city. It represents a fixed point on the map that must be defended to retain control of your State. Even though combat and land ownership is abstracted to a great degree in Statecraft, the Capital represents one particular piece of land that you need to monitor. The territories around your capital can never be ceded by a treaty.

The capitals of other States may become vital in your efforts to defeat them militarily or annex them completely. The mere chance that your Army may be on the verge of capturing an opponent’s capital can quickly bring them to the peace table. If your capital falls into enemy hands, your rule can come to an end rather quickly.

Centralization This condition determines how much autonomy is possessed by local government officials, expressed as a value from 0 to 10. A setting of 0 represents perfect feudalism where the central government controls nothing save the military forces and diplomatic services. A setting of 10 represents perfect absolutism where the central government makes all possible decisions. Most States lies somewhere between those positions.

Centralized States have a stronger role in economic development and can grow economically at a rapid rate. However, this comes at a political cost. Highly centralized states create dissatisfaction in their societies and are vulnerable to political instability.

g Positive Modifier to Growth rollsg Negative Modifier to Control rollsg You can change by one unit every ten years at a cost of 1d6 Stability

DecayThis condition is the accumulated result of economic decline. No State remains on top of the heap forever. Decay is a kind of drag effect that will slowly bring down your State over time. If you are able to grow at a faster rate than you decay, then your State will become strong and prosperous. If you are not, your State will fall by the wayside.

g Accumulates from Decline rolls over the yearsg Subtracted from Tax Income every year during tax collection

The Conditions of the State:The State represents the political entity which is controlled by the Sovereign. It provides all the resources at the Sovereign’s disposal and the means through which those resources can be used. The State is managed through a set of Conditions. Initial values are always determined by the scenario design provided by the GM. As the game unfolds, this data will change significantly with the ebb and flow of gameplay. Conditions are transferred seamlessly to new Sovereigns.

ConditionsCapital Location of the Government

Centralization Degree of Autonomy Delegated to Local Authorities

Decay Degree of Economic Decline

Investment Percentage of Tax Income Invested Internally

Readiness Military Mobilization and Combat Preparedness

Recruitment Annual Military Recruitment

Stability Degree of Internal Harmony

Tax Income Annual Tax Collection

�

Investment This condition determines how much of tax income is invested internally, expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100% in 10% increments. A setting of 0% represents no investment at all and a setting of 100% represents all income being spent on investment. Most States lies somewhere between those positions. This policy represents a trade-off between money today and growth for the future.

g Positive Modifier to Growth rollsg You can change by 10% every year at a cost of 1 Stability

ReadinessThis condition determines how much money is being spent on combat preparedness, expressed as value from 1 to 3. Readiness is tracked separately for naval & land units. You can have a high degree of naval readiness while having a low degree of land readiness. Starting land and naval readiness is determined by scenario design.

A value of 1 represents minimal preparedness. Your military units exist almost exclusively on paper. While at this setting, your military forces cannot engage in combat and will automatically retreat if engaged. However, you only have to pay half the normal Upkeep cost of all your units.

A value of 2 represents average preparedness. Troops are engaged in regular training with all of their equipment, ships are on defensive patrols, and everyone is prepared for war. While at this setting, your military forces function normally.

A value of 3 represents extreme preparation for war. Troops are prepared for offensive operations, magazines are in place, supply wagons have been requisitioned, ships are in forward combat positions, and everyone is ready to open fire at the slightest provocation. While at this setting, your military forces function at a +5 bonus to all Combat Rolls. However, you have to pay double the normal Upkeep cost of all your units.

g You can change by one unit every season at no cost, however changes require a full season to take effect

RecruitmentRecruitment represents the annual addition to the pool of available men for the military. Every year, this value is added to your Manpower to represent the growing population under your control. Some nations have more people at their disposal than they can afford to put on the battlefield while others have so few men that they must resort to mercenary forces to make up for the shortfall. The degree to which your recruitment value compares with your Tax Income value will determine your capacity in this regard.

StabilityStability represents the current condition of State loyalty, expressed as a value from 0 to 10. A value of 0 represents the most chaotic situation short of complete state collapse. A value of 5 represents average loyalty of the population to the State. A value of 10 represents the strongest imaginable loyalty to the State. A large number of diplomatic and military outcomes lower your Stability. Any incurred loss that would lower Stability below 0 instead triggers a rebellion, as described under Foment. Every year, there is an annual Control roll that can improve the situation or slide further down.

Tax IncomeTax Income represents the taxes collected annually. Every year, this value reduced by Decay, then reduced by your Investment condition, and the remainder is then added to Gold. This process is called tax collection.

For example, if you have a Tax Income of 120, 20 points of Decay, and an Investment of 60%, then you will add 40 to your Gold each year.

Ex: 120 - 20 = 100 * (100% - 60%) = 40

�0

Example of Sovereign Creation: Charles I: King of England

Example Attribute Assignment:Roll 1 : 6 + 5 + 3 = 14 Roll 5 : 5 + 2 + 5 = 12Roll 2 : 2 + 2 + 6 = 10 Roll 6 : 5 + 6 + 2 = 13Roll 3 : 4 + 5 + 4 = 15 Roll 7 : 4 + 4 + 2 = 10Roll 4 : 3 + 2 + 3 = 8 Roll 8 : 2 + 6 + 3 = 11

Example Measures:Gold : GM gave out 120 based on scenario designHonor : All first Sovereigns begin with a value of 10Manpower : GM gave out 70 based on scenario designPrestige : All first Sovereigns begin with a value of 10Religion : The English people may be Protestant, but Charles is CatholicVitality Roll : 5

Example Conditions:All Determined based on Scenario Design provided by GM

AttributesAcumen 14

Authority 10

Fertility 15

Fortune 8

Grace 12

Guile 13

Strategy 10

Vigilance 11

MeasuresGold 120

Honor 10

Manpower 70

Prestige 10

Religion Catholic

Vitality 4

ConditionsCapital London

Centralization 5

Decay 0

Investment 40%

Readiness 2

Recruitment 40

Stability 6

Tax Income 85

��

Life and Death of Sovereigns:Eventually a Sovereign’s Vitality will run out. Death claims us all. When this occurs, you must make Fertility test. This is the only time in the entire game when you will test this attribute, but it is of vital importance to the stability of your dynasty. Add a +1 bonus to this test for every five years of power enjoyed by your sovereign in their lifetime. If you succeed on the test, you become your Sovereign’s eldest child and seize power. Play continues normally. If you fail this test, you experience a Succession Crisis.

Succession CrisisA succession crisis is an invitation for other States to intervene in your dynastic transition. The death of a Sovereign without a clear successor creates an opportunity for any other Sovereign with the slightest claim on your throne to do so. Any State with which you share a Royal Marriage can make a Claim against you for half the normal cost, rounded down. This may result in the loss of control over your State. In that case, you must change States as described to the right.

Once any claims have been resolved, you may roll up a new Sovereign and play continues normally.

Changing StatesYou will likely have worked hard to improve the State which you are ruling and you probably have a lot of diplomatic agreements in place. However, sometimes things do not go as you wanted them to. Perhaps your State is on the verge of collapse or has been reduced to a low political status that you are unwilling to accept. Perhaps you simply yearn for a change of pace. Perhaps you are being forced to change States due to a succession crisis. Whatever the case, you may choose to abandon your current Sovereign lineage and move to a different State which you do not currently control. You become a distant cousin of your Sovereign that has risen to power elsewhere.

You will need to negotiate with your GM about which alternative State you would like to play. Preferably, you should have these discussions before your Sovereign actually dies, so you do not waste a lot of valuable game time discussing it. In general, you should be moving to a State with less power and resources than your current one. It should also not be a State that you have been overly generous with in the past, nor should it be a State that is too far away from the rest of the players. It should be a viable State, but with a lot of work necessary to bring it up to speed as a great power.

For example, you may feel that England is no longer a State that you want to play. You still want to play a naval-oriented nation, but England is getting too complex for you to enjoy. You talk to the GM and decide that Denmark is a good transition State for you. It has a similar style of play to England, but it is both militarily weaker and has a smaller economic base. When your Sovereign dies, you inform the rest of the group that your cousin has inherited the throne of Denmark and you are now the King of Denmark instead of the King of England. From that point on, England would be ruled by a Sovereign under GM control.

Becoming A GeneralA final path beyond death is to take up service under another monarch as a General. This should probably be negotiated beforehand so that there is a smooth transition.

��

Economics

��

The Flow of Time:Statecraft is a game that is played out over very long periods of history. The basic unit of game time is the Season, which represents the natural weather cycles of the year. The Season is primarily a unit of accounting and performing actions in the Spring instead of the Fall usually does not occur any differently. The one exception to this is Supplies, which can be profoundly impacted by weather. Most actions that occur during a Season are related to unit movement and combat. Most economic activity is resolved on an annual basis. Of course, diplomatic activity will occur at all times.

Order of Seasonal Activity:• Pay Upkeep on all Military Units• Submit Movement orders for all Military Units in secret to GM• Resolve Combats that occur• Calculate Supplies and remove units lost to Attrition

Activity that can occur at any time:• All diplomatic activity, including Targeted Actions• Funding of Explorers

Order of Annual Activity:• Resolve the entire Winter Season first• Accrue Gold• Accrue Manpower• Make a Growth roll• Make a Conversion roll (optional)• Make a Control roll• Make a Decline roll• Make a Death roll• Pay interest on all Loans• Begin Spring Season

SeasonsSpring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Loans:It is possible that a Season may begin and you lack the funds to pay for your military. So make up for this shortfall, you can take out loans from capital markets, which in this time period means primarily banking families. These markets will loan out money in increments of 100 Gold with an interest rate determined by the GM based on an assessment of how risky you are based on your previous financial management. The standard starting interest rate is 5% per year. Interest is paid every year out of your Gold. If you cannot pay the loan interest with available gold, you must take out another loan to pay for it.

You can repay the loan principle at any time to terminate the loan.

Bankruptcy:If you feel that you can no longer afford to pay the amount of interest that you owe, you can default on all your debts instead of pay. This is called Bankruptcy. When you declare bankruptcy, you must make an Authority test with Decay applied as a penalty. If you fail this test, the GM may have some armies and navies under your control rebel against your command. The degree to which this happens is based on your margin of failure. Armies that rebel in this manner function as if they have just been created by Foment. Navies that rebel in this manner become Pirates.

Even if you succeed on your Authority test and retain control of your military, declaring bankruptcy always causes 2d20 Decay. Bankruptcy is a powerful blow to even the mightiest of empires and a bellwether of decline.

��

Annual Calculations:Gold:At the end of every winter season, a State gains Gold equal to Tax Income multiplied by Investment.

Manpower:At the end of every winter season, a State gains Manpower equal to Recruitment.

The Growth Roll:Every year, you make an Acumen test called a Growth roll. For every 10% spent on Investment that year, you get a +1 bonus to this test. If the test is successful, raise your Tax Income or Recruitment by the margin of success. You may elect to not make a Growth roll, instead using your economic growth to create a Colony in an undeveloped part of the world that you have already explored.

For example, if you had an Acumen of 12 and 60% investment, you would make a roll as if you had an 18. With a die result of 11, that would be a margin of success of 7. This would raise your Tax Income or Recruitment by 7 or you could have built a Colony in newly discovered Madagascar.

The Conversion Roll:Each year you have a chance to convert a portion of your populace to your own religion. This process increases control over your populace, but at a steep financial cost. The conversion process involves making a Grace test. If you succeed by a margin of 5 or more, you gain 1 Stability but lose an amount of Tax Income equal to the margin of success. If you succeed, but not by 5 or more, you lose Tax Income equal to the margin of success but do not gain any Stability in the process. If you fail, nothing happens except in the case of extreme failure in which the GM may decide that a religious uprising occurs, creating an army as described under Foment. This roll is entirely optional.

The Control Roll:Each year, you may gain or lose favor in the eyes of your populace due to the accumulation of minor slights or kindnesses. The Control roll is an Authority test to represent this shift. If you succeed on the test by a margin of 5 or more, your Stability improves one step (e.g. from 3 to 4). If you fail by a margin of 5 or more, you lose one point of Stability. If you are in between these two extremes, nothing of importance really changes.

The GM can apply penalties to this roll if you have a large portion of religious minorities within your State. For example, the Ottoman Empire should suffer a penalty for controlling lots of Orthodox Christians and not Sunni Muslims. However, over successive Conversion rolls the GM should reduce this penalty.

The Decline Roll:The Decline roll is an Acumen test you must make a roll every year to determine the change to your nation’s fortunes that occurs from the normal passing of time. For every 10% that was not spent on Investment that year, you get a -2 penalty to this test. If you succeed on the test, you lose Decay equal to the margin of failure. If you fail the test, you gain Decay equal to the margin of failure.

The Death Roll:The Death roll is a Fortune test. Failure reduces your Vitality by 1.

��

Exploration:All States have access to knowledge about what is called the Known World. This may be an actual map that the GM maintains and updates for the group as a whole or it may simply be the ability to ask the GM questions about what is going on in the world at the moment. At the start of the Age of Exploration scenario for example, the Known World is limited to the European continent, the shoreline of North Africa, and a portion of the Middle East. Everything beyond this area are considered unexplored. The players have no information about it at all. The only way to acquire information about the regions beyond the Known World is through exploration. As States explore these areas over time, they will become common knowledge and eventually appear in the Known World.

Finding New Lands:A Sovereign who wishes to explore the world beyond their current knowledge can commission an Explorer to venture into the unknown. The player simply declares their desire to do so and a rough cardinal direction in which to travel, such as West or Southeast. The GM will quote them a price in Gold to do so.

If the Sovereign is willing to pay the price, the GM will make a secret Fortune roll on behalf of the player. Based on that roll and their judgment, a few seasons later the GM will provide the player with information on what new lands were discovered by their explorer. Sometimes this may include knowledge of new foreign states. For now, the player can keep this information to themselves or share it as they wish, however it is the only record of what lies beyond the Known World. The GM will not inform other players about what has been discovered.

Undeveloped parts of the world, such as the Americas, can be developed as Colonies though Growth rolls. Until the knowledge of the region spreads into the Known World, these developments can remain secret (unless revealed through espionage or a royal marriage). Multiple Sovereigns may have secret knowledge of the same locations or foreign States and not even realize it.

Spreading Map Knowledge:Twenty years after being discovered, the other Sovereigns are informed that new land has been found. They are not given the exact location or the ability to build Colonies in the area, but they are aware that the lands exist. This allows them to make directed attempts to discover them with Explorers that should usually succeed, subject to GM judgment. Fifty years after being discovered, a location is added to the Known World.

Colonies:Colonies can be built using Growth rolls. Each attempt to build a colony triggers a Fortune roll against a difficulty set by the GM based on the suitability of the terrain. The presence of land units in the area may result in a bonus from the GM. If you fail this roll, the colony is lost. Building colonies in Western Australia is significantly harder than in Cuba.

If this Fortune test succeeds, it is followed by a Discovery roll. The GM will inform you of a number of dice to roll based on the inherent wealth of the area you are colonizing. For example, 3d6 might be a value for a colony in Virginia while a colony in Greenland may only net 1d4. The result of the Discovery roll is added to your Tax Income. Once a colony is built, the area is considered a part of your State.

��

Diplomacy

��

Diplomacy:The majority of gameplay will typically be spent engaged in diplomacy. A large portion of this will be conducted in secret by sending secret messages to the GM or other players.

Maintenance of Honor:Honor is gained from upholding treaties. It represents your word in the eyes of the international community. Relations between Sovereigns and States is highly dependent upon trust and reliability. A Sovereign needs to believe that their ally will come to their defense, that terms of treaties will be upheld, and that they can depend upon certain things to occur that have been promised.

If you do not stand by your word, you will not be trusted. The GM and other players will use your Honor as a measure of your truthfulness. You can gain Honor by taking actions that are expected of you. You can lose Honor by failing to take those actions. Often, there is no middle ground to tread. You must stand up for yourself or be viewed as a coward. To fail is a better fate than to have never tried.

The Papacy:If appropriate for the time period, the Papal State is a State which is always under GM control unless annexed by a player. The Papacy can confer Fidei Defensor status on a single Sovereign at a time. Fidei Defensor is a Latin term meaning Defender of the Faith. The Sovereign who has this status gets +2 on their Conversion rolls and +1 to all combat values while engaged in battles against States of a different religion.

The Papacy can also Excommunicate Catholic States that are acting against the expressed will of the Pope. This causes the loss of 5 Stability and the Papacy will not discourage war against that State until the Sovereign dies. Further, the Papacy can declare a Crusade against a non-Catholic State of their choice. All Catholic nations are considered to have a Casus Belli on that State while the Crusade lasts. The Pope can end the Crusade at any time, but it cannot last longer than 10 years. Of course, if the targeted State is annexed then the Crusade will end naturally.

Casus Belli:Casus Belli is a Latin expression meaning the “cause for war”. It implies that there are reasonable and unreasonable causes for war, legitimate grievances that justify war, and ingrained with a concept of honor and respect between States. If you have a Casus Belli, you can declare war on another nation at a much reduced Stability cost. You typically gain a Casus Belli against someone who violates a treaty they signed with you or when someone commits some act of espionage against you. The GM can also grant a Casus Belli to any Sovereign that they feel has a legitimate grievance against another State that would not normally be granted by the game mechanics.

To protect their personal honor, any Sovereign with a Casus Belli should declare War in an attempt to right the wrong that has been done to them. This represents a social obligation to redress grievances, therefore a Sovereign declaring war with a Casus Belli will receive 2 Honor and all Stability losses from declaring war are ignored. Failure to declare War within a year of receiving the Casus Belli will result in the loss of 1 Honor and 1 Stability, because no one respects a coward. The Casus Belli is removed immediately after use and rendered unavailable for future declarations of war.

Annexation:If you control a State’s Capital, you may attempt to Annex that state. This involves an opposed Authority test against the other Sovereign. You may only make one such attempt per year. If successful, you will lose Stability based on GM judgement of the relative size of the territory being annexed.

At the time of annexation, any portions of that nation under your control are immediately transferred to your ownership. Any portions that you do not yet control either declare their independence as new States, subject to GM judgment, or also transfer to your ownership.

For example, you may annex Great Britain, but if you do not control their American colonies they might refuse to join you, instead choosing to form their own new State; the United States of America.

��

Treaty Conditions:Sovereigns are free to write treaties using any language they wish, so long as that language does not violate the rules of the game. These conditions may include requirements to use Targeted Actions against specified States (or to abstain from them). However, the conditions listed here have specific consequences to violation. Any terms that are agreed to by the players are subject to GM judgment regarding what specific game obligations are involved and how they affect Honor, Prestige, and Stability.

Coalition:A Coalition is when more than two States enter into a collective agreement to wage war against a common enemy. This enemy must be specified in the treaty. One State in the coalition is designated the Coalition Leader and the Sovereign of that State negotiates with the chosen enemy on behalf of the entire coalition. The treaty may provide stipulations that limit the ability of the Coalition Leader to negotiate, however they cannot demand active oversight by the Coalition members. For example, the treaty in a war to restore a State that has been annexed by the enemy may specify that the Coalition Leader cannot sign a peace treaty that does not restore that State.

The treaty does not immediately result in war when signed, nor does it provide a Casus Belli. Each member must declare war separately. The timing of these declarations and size of forces committed may be specified in the treaty. The coalition automatically dissolves once a Peace treaty is signed. Members may leave the Coalition at any time, including to avoid signing a peace treaty that the Coalition Leader has secured, however this is considered a violation. When the Peace is signed, the coalition members vote on whether or not the Coalition Leader lived up to their promises. If the majority agrees, the Coalition Leader is awarded 3 Honor.

Treaty Conditions Violation Penalty (Stability & Honor)Coalition 1d6

Defense Pact 1d6

Exchange 1d6

Military Access 1

Non-Aggression Pact 2d6

Peace 2d6

Protectorate 2d6

Royal Marriage 1

Treaties:Treaties are the method of formalized diplomatic relations. A treaty must be actually written out and formally signed by all parties involved to be valid. Once signed, the GM is the sole arbiter of what is a violation of the terms. If a treaty is violated, the GM will then reduce both Stability in the State and the Honor of the Sovereign by the amounts listed in the Treaty Conditions chart as a penalty for violating the treaty. If the State lacks the Stability or Honor to pay the full price for the violation, excess is taken out of Prestige. Violating secret treaties is not a public disgrace and thus carries no mechanical costs, however it absolutely destroys any trust extended from the parties to the treaty.

��

Defense Pact:A Defense Pact is a bilateral agreement involving two States. Each State must make a reasonable attempt to come to the defense of the other if a third party declares war on either of them. Once signed, both parties will always have a Casus Belli to declare war on anyone attacking the other. Stipulations can be added to limit application (e.g. will not be forced to fight against France). If violated, the other party to the treaty gains a Casus Belli on the violator.

Exchange:An exchange is the immediate transfer of land ownership, money, military units, or manpower between two states. Stipulations may be amended to the treaty that control the return of these resources. For example, a State may give another State several military units to assist in a war with the stipulation that they are return once peace is signed or if the lending State is itself attacked, provided they survive the war intact. The exceptions to this is manpower, which can never be returned, and mercenary units which can never be traded between States under any circumstances. Since the exchange is generally done immediately, the only way to violate this treaty is to fail to live up to any stipulations added. Note that you can only exchange land that you own.

Military Access:Military Access is the right of one State to move military units through regions belonging to another State. This may be limited to only naval access to ports for resupply or only land access for armies if desired. Access may also be further limited to specific lands, such as allowing another States to only move troops through Normandy.

Non-Aggression Pact:A Non-Aggression Pact is a bilateral agreement involving two States. The terms stipulate that each State will refrain from taking any offensive action toward the other. Certain targeted actions that are exposed can sometimes be considered violations of these terms (e.g. Destabilize). A Sovereign who upholds the treaty even when greatly tempted, subject to GM judgment, will receive 1 Honor. A great temptation might be the other Sovereign suffering major defeats in an ongoing war and presenting an easy target. If violated, any other State that also has a Non-Aggression Pact with the violator gains a Casus Belli on them.

Peace:A Peace term in a treaty ends a War. Violation of any other conditions attached to a Peace treaty are considered violations of the Peace as well and render the entire agreement void if violated.

There may be times when you are making what you feel are reasonable offers of peace that are being refused by your opponent out of stubbornness. You can attempt to override the Sovereign and appeal to their population instead. Inform the entire gaming group that you are going to make generous terms and lay out those terms in public. The other players then vote by submission of a secret ballot to the GM whether they believe you are offering generous terms or not. Anyone involved in the war is not given a vote, including the player offering the terms. The GM always gets their own vote as well, regardless of their involvement in the war.

If a majority believe the terms are generous considering the degree of your victory on the battlefield, the GM informs the player being offered the terms that they are generous and refusal will carry a penalty. The player being offered the terms can either accept them or refuse them, however refusal results in Stability loss equal to half your Grace attribute. This represents the internal dissent against the Sovereign caused by refusing generous offers. The GM will also award Prestige and Honor to the generous Sovereign in proportion to the actual generosity of the act.

�0

Protectorate:A Protectorate is a bilateral agreement involving the domination of one State by another. The dominating state is called the Suzerain and the dominated state is called the Vassal. The Vassal is not able to sign Treaties without the consent of their Suzerain. Any declaration of War on the Vassal is also considered a War on the Suzerain. This effect does not work in reverse and the Suzerain may be engaged in a war without involving the Vassal. This treaty condition is almost always attached to some form of Exchange as well, such as a regular monetary payment. The only way to escape from this status is via the terms of a treaty or by the Vassal declaring war on the Suzerain, which costs an additional 2 Honor beyond any other Honor loss that occurs from the violation of related treaty conditions. However, you will probably gain a lot of Prestige if you can break free of your vassalage.

A Sovereign may release a piece of land as a new State that begins play as a Protectorate. This costs 1 Prestige, 1 Honor, and 1 Stability per region released in this manner, since it implies that you lack the power to govern the territory properly by yourself. However, it can be useful for managing religious issues. For example, Austria may feel that Protestantism is hurting their Stability in the long term, so they release Bohemia as a vassal. The exact Tax Income loss for performing this action is up to the GM.

Royal Marriage:A Royal Marriage is a bilateral agreement to a marriage involving one influential member of the ruling elite from each nation. This provides each side of the agreement with an advocate inside the other nation to ensure their views are presented more accurately. Each State receives a +3 bonus to any attempt to Destabilize, Foment, Infiltrate, or Influence the other. Whenever a secret treaty or discussion takes place that involves one State, but not the other, the GM may allow the uninvolved Sovereign to make a Grace test, perhaps with a penalty for really secret information, to learn what happened. The only way of violating this condition is by declaring war on the other State. Doing so is an egregious offense of honor and causes double the Honor loss rolled instead of the same amount (Stability loss occurs normally).

The act of signing a Royal Marriage results in a gain of 1 Honor to both Sovereigns. When formed, a Royal Marriage receives a random Vitality value that falls as if it were a Sovereign. When it ends, both sides gain 1 Honor.

��

Targeted Actions:Sovereigns can take Targeted Actions at any time, though they cost resources to perform, usually either Stability or Prestige. If you lack the ability to pay the cost, you cannot perform the action. For example, you probably will not be able to declare War on anyone at 0 Stability nor can you make a Claim with zero Prestige.

Some actions carry a risk of being caught. If you are caught performing these actions, you lose Honor equal to the amount listed in the chart to the right. The State being targeted will also receive a Casus Belli against you. Any costs paid to take actions is not returned if the action fails. Other effects may be listed in the descriptions.

Claim:A Claim is an attempt to grab the title of a deceased Sovereign for yourself or one of your family members. Whenever a Sovereign dies, you can claim that someone else is the true inheritor of their State, either yourself or someone in your royal line. Multiple Sovereigns can make claims against the same State.

If you are claiming the title for yourself, you must pay an amount of Prestige determined by the GM, based on the strength of the title you are attempting to claim. For example, making a claim against Spain should cost more than Portugal. If you are making the claim on behalf of one of your family members, you only need to pay half this amount. However, the family member will be rolled up by the GM and their newly rolled Grace will be used in the next step of the process. If you are making a claim during a Succession Crisis, you only have to pay half the normal amount of Prestige required, rounded down.

Once a list of claimants is assembled, they must all make an Grace test. After dice rolls are made, any Sovereign may pay Prestige voluntarily to support one of the claimants, adding the same amount to the claimant’s Grace as Prestige paid. These payments can be made multiple times as a kind of bidding war. In the end, the Sovereign with the highest margin of success is allowed to Annex the targeted State. All other claimants gain a Casus Belli on the inheritor.

Targeted Actions Discovery Penalty (Honor)Claim -

Destabilize 1d6

Foment 2d6

Infiltrate 1

Influence -

Piracy 1d6

War Special

Destabilize:Destabilize is an attempt to reduce Stability in a target State. This is done by declaring your intent to the GM via a secret note. Be sure to list your Guile and the amount of Prestige you are paying on your note. The GM will announce there has been an attempt to destabilize that State and ask the Sovereign how much Prestige they are willing to spend to stop the attempt. The GM will then make a Guile test on your behalf against the opposing Sovereign’s Vigilance, adding spent Prestige to the attributes as bonuses. Results are adjudicated as indicated on the below table:

Destabilize Roll Results OutcomeBoth tests succeed,

but the defender has alower margin of success

Defender loses Stability equal tothe difference between the two

margins of successAttacker succeeds,

Defender failsDefender loses Stability equal tothe attacker’s margin of success

All other results Nothing happens

��

Foment:Foment is an attempt to raise a rebel army inside another State to topple their government. You must pay an amount of Prestige equal to ten minus the Stability of the target State, though you can choose to pay more. You must further make a monetary payment in Gold to give to these rebels. This is done by declaring your intent to the GM via a secret note. Be sure to list your Guile and the amount of money and Prestige you are paying on your note.

The GM will announce there has been an attempt to foment rebellion that State and ask the Sovereign how much Prestige they are willing to spend to stop the attempt. The GM will then make a Guile test on your behalf against the opposing Sovereign’s Authority, adding spent Prestige to the attributes. If their margin of success is at least twice yours or you fail your test, the GM will reveal you were making the attempt.

If you are successful, the GM will roll up a new Sovereign and purchase an army for them using the money you have provided. This army will then be placed in an appropriate location (never the capital) by the GM and function as any other army.

They are immediately declared a new State with their capital located within the initial lands that they control. Other Sovereigns can being diplomatic relations with them, including exchanges to assist them in their war. They are automatically at war with their former owner and do not have to declare war. The new State has Conditions determined by the GM and Gold equal to the remaining unspent money.

Infiltrate:Infiltrate is an attempt to acquire information from a targeted State. This is done by declaring your intent to the GM via a secret note. Be sure to list your Guile and the amount of Prestige you are paying on your note. The next time a secret treaty or discussion takes place that involves that State, but not the infiltrating State, the GM will roll a Guile test against the defending Sovereign’s Vigilance to learn the secret information. If successful, the GM will reveal the information. If their margin of success is at least twice yours or you fail your test, the GM will reveal you were making the attempt. You receive a number of chances to learn information equal to the amount of Prestige paid. Once you have used up your chances, the GM will no longer make tests for you. Of course, you can re-infiltrate by spending more Prestige.

Influence:Influence is an attempt to affect the decisions of any other Sovereign. This represents the personal appeal of the Sovereign to their peer. At any time and with respect to any decision in the game, you can declare that you want to influence another Sovereign. Express how you would like to see the decision made and declare how many points of Prestige you are willing to pay to the Sovereign if they change their mind. They may propose a compromise solution or wrangle over price or duration of the effect.

For example, England’s Sovereign may see that France is declaring war on the Netherlands, yet wish to stop it. They offer 5 Prestige to France to not declare war on the Netherlands, either now or for the next 10 years. France’s Sovereign could counter, asking for 7 Prestige to hold off for so long. They might agree upon 6 in the end.

Once an agreement has been reached, the Prestige is transferred. If the terms of the agreement are ever violated, subject to GM judgement, double the original amount of Prestige is removed from the violating Sovereign and the amount paid is returned to payor.

��

Piracy:Piracy is an attempt to cause mayhem in a sea using pirates. You must pay 1 Prestige per attempt. You must further make a monetary payment in Gold to outfit the pirate fleet. This is done by declaring your intent to the GM via a secret note. Be sure to list your Guile, the amount of money you are paying on your note, and what general area you wish to cause piracy in (ex. Greater Antilles in the Caribbean or the Western Mediterranean).

The GM will announce there has been a surge of piracy in this area and ask the Sovereigns with regions neighboring that area if they are willing to spend 1 Prestige to discover the source of the attempt. If so, the GM will then make a Guile test on your behalf against the opposing Sovereign’s Vigilance. If a defending Sovereign’s margin of success twice your total or more. Otherwise, they learn nothing.

The GM will construct a fleet of pirates using your money and place that fleet in the area. While present, the pirate fleet reduces the Tax Income of all States neighboring that area by an amount equal to the number of ships in the pirate fleet. Any navy can engage the pirates as any other hostile naval force and thereby remove the penalty.

War:War is the most extreme diplomatic action available. Declare war in front of the entire game group and specify the target of the declaration. The GM will then determine the total Stability and Honor loss from violating any applicable treaties. If the final costs cannot be paid, Prestige is paid instead to make up the difference. A Casus Belli may negate these losses.

The GM will then give all States that would be obligated to join the war the chance to do so. If two treaties contradict, such as when a State with a Non-Aggression Pact with another State declares war on a third State that has a Defense Pact with the other State, the Sovereign must make a choice of which treaty to honor. Penalties for violating the other treaties are then applied. Let this serve as a stern warning to avoid signing too many treaties that could potentially overlap.

Once war is declared, you may move your armies into land controlled by your enemies and engage in combat. Any opposed navies that meet at sea engage in combat. This condition remains in effect until ended by a Peace.

��

Military Units

��

Military Units:Wars must be fought with force of arms. Military units represent these forces. There are two types of units; Land and Naval. The only real difference between the types from a mechanical perspective is that they operate in mutually exclusive spheres. Obviously, naval combat can only occur at sea and land combat can only occur on land. Other than this distinction, the two types operate identically in the game.

A group of land units moving around on the map is referred to as an Army.

A group of naval units moving around on the map is referred to as a Navy.

The number of actual soldiers per unit is left to the GM and may change over the course of play, usually increasing in size over time. In the early medieval period, a single unit may represent only a few hundred men. In the Napoleonic period, a single unit may number in the thousands. The exact ratio has no real bearing on the game mechanics and is purely for adding flavor to the game experience.

Recruiting Units:Units are created by a recruitment process takes two seasons to complete (e.g. units constructed in the Spring will be ready at the start of the Fall season). Each unit costs 2 Gold and 2 Manpower. This price must be paid at the beginning of recruitment.

Additionally, the creator must specify to the GM a city in their territory where the units are being constructed. Obviously, for naval units this must be a coastal city. If the city is captured by the enemy before recruitment is complete, the attempt fails but any Gold and Manpower paid is still lost.

Upkeep:At the start of every Season, you must pay 2 Gold per unit in Upkeep. For example, if your entire armed forces consisted of 12 units, you would have a total upkeep of 24. This value is modified by two factors; your Readiness condition and whether a unit is a mercenary.

Mercenaries:If you lack the manpower to create land units but have excess money to spend, you can purchase Mercenaries on the international market. Each mercenary unit costs 5 Gold to recruit. The number of Mercenaries that you can purchase and the amount of time it will take for them to relocate to your desired location are left to the GM. Mercenaries charge double Upkeep, so be prepared to pay significant sums to keep them in the field. Note that the doubling effect of Mercenary status is applied after the Readiness modification. Naval units cannot be raised in this manner.

Privateers:Naval units that you have already recruited by normal methods can be converted into Privateers to attack enemy shipping lanes. Privateers function as if they were Pirates in terms of damaging the tax incomes of other States with their presence in neighboring areas and in operating under GM control. However, your naval units can only be converted into Privateers during wartime and they return to your control when the war is over. Privateers are most useful when you have a sizeable fleet that you do not wish to risk in direct naval battle with the enemy, but that you would like to use to harass the enemy as much as possible instead.

��

Military Leadership:By default, all Armies and Navies are led by generic unnamed Officers. Until these officers engage in a combat, they do not have any attributes. At the beginning of their first battle, the GM will roll two attributes for them, assigning them in the order rolled to Strategy and Vigilance. These values will then be used for the combat. Officers use a 1 for their Acumen when calculating Supply for their forces. While engaged in combat, the decision to retreat or keep fighting will be left to the GM. Once the combat is over, you can choose to remove the officer from command or keep them in place. After every battle, the GM rolls makes a Fortune test on their behalf using their Sovereign’s attribute. If they fail this roll, the officer is killed. If their force is destroyed, they are killed automatically without a roll.

Alternatively, you can appoint a General or Admiral to command an Army or Navy respectively, if you have a player to take that character. These commanders roll up a full character as if they were preparing a Sovereign, however unlike a Sovereign they can assign their two highest rolls to Strategy or Vigilance if they so choose. These commanders can make decisions to retreat or keep fighting when that issue arises in combat. Additionally, these commanders use their Acumen to assist in providing Supply for their forces. Like a generic officer, they must also make a Fortune test after every battle to determine if they are injured in battle. They use their own Fortune instead of yours and even if they fail this test, they only lose 1 Vitality. If their force is destroyed, they are not killed automatically like an Officer. Instead, they merely make the standard Fortune test for a lost battle.

A Sovereign may choose to award a General or Admiral their own State as a reward for excellent service. This may even be negotiated beforehand to secure service in the first place. This new State must be released as a Protectorate. Normal Prestige and Stability costs for releasing a Protectorate do not have to be paid in this instance. The General or Admiral then leaves the service of their former Sovereign to become a Sovereign in their own right.

Finally, the Sovereign can command armies personally just as if they were a General or Admiral. However, this does place them at risk of being injured or killed using the same rules.

Military Intelligence:Once per year, a player may tell the GM they want to look into a particular region, make a Guile test, and the GM will tell them what they believe is going on in that region from a military standpoint. This information will not be perfect, but it can be useful. No unit can remain completely hidden from view unless it is outside of the Known World.

Awareness:Whenever a large amount of units is recruited, a large amount of units is on the move, or there is a major battle, the GM will inform other players that this is occurring. Complete secrecy during the time period covered by the game is essentially impossible. You cannot hide an army of 100,000 men marching through an area. However, this information will not be 100% accurate.

Field Intelligence:A General, Admiral, or Sovereign can acquire active intelligence about the surrounding areas when they are commanding from the field. This can be highly accurate, but is limited in geographic scope. Once again, it involves making a Guile test and the GM will tell them what they believe is going on around them.

In fact, while commanding from the field, a Sovereign may have a much better grasp of what is going on in their immediate vicinity compared to other parts of their nation. They may receive delayed reports from subordinates with updates on the homefront. For example, a French Sovereign that has invaded Italy may receive a report from Paris in the Fall informing them of an English army landing in Aquitaine earlier that Summer.

��

Example Supply Modifiers

Spring +0

Summer +1

Fall +2

Winter -3

Plains +2

Forests & Lowlands +1

Mountains & Tundra -3

Deserts, Islands, & Jungle -5

Surrounded by Enemies -10

Military Movement:All movement orders are submitted to the GM in secret. Armies can generally move up to 500 kilometers every Season. An army may only be able to move half as far, or perhaps even less, through Deserts & Jungles. Navies can generally move up to 5,000 kilometers every Season. The maximum distance you can travel and what region you ultimately reach is up to the GM.

Naval Transport:Naval units can carry a number of land units equal to half their number. Thus a Navy consisting of 6 naval units could carry up to 3 land units. Land Units can only board and disembark while in a coastal city.

Devastation: When an Army stands essentially unopposed in enemy territory, they can choose to devastate it. This is an Strategy test with the number of land units in the Army applied as a bonus. If successful, the enemy State is temporarily denied Tax Income equal to the margin of success for the next 2 annual tax collections. Additionally, the Sovereign of the devastating army gains half the amount stolen in Gold. This represents the process of essentially stealing everything you can carry with you.

The GM may impose a maximum amount that can be gained from devastating a particular area, regardless of the roll result, based upon the inherent value of the region. For example, no one can loot the Scottish Highlands for vast sums of money. It just isn’t there for the taking.

Blockades: A Navy can blockade the ports of an enemy by positioning themselves in the adjacent seas and declaring their intent to blockade. This is an unmodified Strategy test. If successful, the enemy State is temporarily denied Tax Income equal to the margin of success for the next tax collection. As with devastation, the Sovereign of the blockading force gains half the amount stolen in Gold and the GM may also impose a maximum amount to be gained. Any navy attempting to leave port while under a blockage is automatically detected and the blockading navy always gets the Weather Gauge in such an engagement.

Supply:All units are dependent upon Supply to function. Supply represents the availability of essential materials such as gunpowder, shot, food, water, and horses. Units without access to these things can suffer casualties simply out of hardship. If the GM feels that your army is operating in a manner that would result in supply shortages, they can call for a Supply roll. This is an Acumen test subject to a modifier provided by the GM representing the challenge of the environment. For example, an Army operating in Champagne would have a much easier time than one in Algeria. Due to the unforgiving nature of the sea, naval forces should roll for supplies on any trip of significant distance. Land forces should generally only roll when operating in enemy territory or in extreme physical environments like deserts.

If you fail the Supply roll, your force takes casualties equal to the margin of failure. Thus a General with an Acumen of 15 could roll a 19 on the test, and with no modifiers fail it. This would cause that Army to lose 4 units. If you succeed on the Supply roll, your force takes no losses.

The below chart is provided merely a guidepost for you and the GM, not the last word. Circumstances dictate supply. An army taking refuge in a burned-out snow-covered Moscow could experience a penalty of epic proportions.

��

Battle Adjudication:Contact:It is possible that two armies or navies may cross paths during movement. If the GM feels like contact is likely between two forces, they will have each force make a Vigilance test. Use the below table to determine results.

One side of the combat may enjoy a Position bonus from their Contact Roll. This represents making the best tactical choices on where the battle takes place. This bonus applies to all combat rolls made in the coming battle. If a navy has a Position bonus of +5 or greater, they have the Weather Gauge. Having the Weather Gauge means that you are upwind of the enemy Navy and can choose to engage in battle or not. When you have the Weather Gauge, your opponent cannot retreat from battle and must fight to the death.

Combat:When two or more armies make contact, a battle occurs. Battles are broken into Rounds of combat. Each round, each commander makes a Strategy test and adds the number of units in their force as a bonus, along with any relevant Position bonus and any other modifiers (e.g. Readiness).

Margins of success are compared and the difference is applied to the army with the lower result as casualties, meaning that many units are killed in action. One fourth of the difference is applied to the army with the higher result as casualties. Nobody escapes combat unscathed. Casualties are removed from the battle before moving on to the next round.

Contact Roll Results Outcome

Both tests succeed:Each force notices the other

Highest margin of success gains Position bonus equal to difference

between the two roll resultsOne test succeeds:

Successful force can choose to either initiate or avoid combat

If they choose to initiate, successful force gains Position bonus equal to

margin of success rolled.Neither test succeeds:

Forces do not notice each otherNothing occurs

Retreat:Before the battle even begins or at the end of each round of combat, either commander may decide to retreat from battle. They make an opposed Vigilance test against their opponent (the Position bonus applies to this roll). If the force remaining on the field succeeds on this test by a higher margin than the retreating force, they inflict pursuit damage on the retreating force equal to the difference between the two margins.

A retreating force moves to a nearby location of their choice. If they have been trapped, such as by pushing them to the tip of a peninsula (or inlet in the case of naval units), the force is destroyed and all units are removed from play.

An Army that remains after a battle can keep their Position bonus result as long as it remains in the immediate area. It can use this bonus against any army that attacks that area in the future.

��

Gamemastering

�0

The Role of the Gamemaster:The primary job of the GM is to adjudicate the rules in a fair and neutral manner. They are responsible for keeping the game moving forward in time, including everything from calling for movement orders every season to overseeing tax collection. The GM is also responsible for maintaining the unplayed States and Sovereigns in the game in a believable and realistic manner. Finally, there are some mechanisms by which the GM can proactively intervene in the game itself.

Time Management:The GM can conduct their tasks within whatever real time intervals that are appropriate for the group. Typically this involves setting a regular flow of time, such as 1 day of real time to turn in your military movement orders for the season via e-mail. The game is designed to be played over the internet, so if you want a game with a faster or slower pace, make your own adjustments.

A Season can technically be resolved in a matter of seconds, if everyone is at peace and all military units are in supply. However, you may want to build in some time for people to discuss basic matters and make proposals to one another. No matter what timetable you are using, a player should have the right to ask for a temporary stoppage so that they can conduct emergency diplomacy. The GM must be careful not to let this right be abused as a method of stalling.

Setting Difficulty:The GM is given the task in some instances of imposing a penalty to reflect difficulty. In these instances, the range of possibilities is so large that it is impossible for us to set a standard in every case.

For example, the GM can set a difficulty penalty for a piece of secret information to be learned through a Royal Marriage. The range of potential secret information is massive. Thus, the GM must rely upon their judgment to determine how likely it would be for someone to get access to the secret information that is being discussed.

Representing other Nations:The GM is responsible for all Sovereigns and States that are not run by a player, as well as pirates and rebel armies. The GM can simply set whatever Conditions they desire in one of their States, they can create Armies and Navies in any unit amounts that they wish, and they can kill Sovereigns under their control whenever they like. They are free to do essentially anything they want within these States, so long as it is realistic and serves the purpose of the game.

In general, these entities should be passive and relatively unambitious unless threatened by unusual circumstances. The game is about the rise and fall of the States played by the players, not a vehicle for a GM’s power trip. The GM has an ethical duty to run the game so that it is enjoyable to everyone and thus should refrain from abusing their power for their own amusement. Forces under GM control should generally be used as obstacles, boundaries, and pawns for the players to interact with, not as serious rivals to their existence. There can be exceptions if you have the consent of the players.

The Papacy:The GM can use the Papacy and its significant financial backing to influence player politics and to encourage religious strife between Catholics and other religions, particularly Islam and Protestantism. The GM can use the threat of Excommunication to discourage Catholic players from taking actions that the Papacy frowns upon, such as declaring war on peaceful Catholic minor powers. The GM can also use the declaration of Crusades to encourage the players to work towards common goals. In general, it should minimize conflict among Catholics and encourage it with other religions.

Before Protestantism, the GM should use their power to slightly annoy the players, while being careful not to threaten player autonomy. After Protestantism, the Papacy should become supportive and useful to keep Catholicism strong.

As with everything under GM control, exercise appropriate restraint.

��

Giving Out Prestige:The goal of every game should be to have fun. The ability of the GM to give out Prestige is the most powerful tool they have to accomplish this goal. You should give Prestige to players that engage in the kind of play that makes the game more fun, even if that play hurts their Sovereign or State. The guidelines below exist for you to use when making decisions about your own game.

Great Things to Give Prestige For:g Acting on impulse, even when it is to your detrimentg Doing something unexpected and surprising everyoneg Doing something extremely sneaky and not getting caughtg Stunning betrayals that have been planned for a long timeg Aggressive defense of your Sovereign’s Honorg Good roleplaying of your Sovereigng Recovering lost territory because it is rightfully yoursg Coordinating a complex treaty involving many terms and/or multiple statesg Accomplishing Challenging Tasks for the glory of having completed themg Attempting something despite high risk because it is daring and boldg Letting an opportunity pass despite low risk because it is weak and cowardly

Prestige Rewards:The GM can use Prestige Rewards to encourage exciting gameplay. A Prestige Reward is informing the players ahead of time and you are going to be granting Prestige for accomplishing a particular task. The details of the task are left to the GM’s imagination, but must be fully disclosed in advance to all the player. The player who accomplishes the task first gets the reward added to their Prestige.

Ideas for Prestige Awards:g Discover a Sea Route around Africag Discover the Americasg Get a colony in the New World built up into a developed regiong Conquer a particular foreign State (ex. Aztec Empire)g Conquer a particularly difficult-to-invade region (ex. Malta)g Drive a Religious Enemy out of an area (ex. Moors out of Spain)g Consolidate political control over a large area (ex. Unify Italy)g Discover a far-off location (ex. Discover Australia)g Build a Trading Post in a difficult location (ex. Shanghai)g Control trade over a large area (ex. India)g Accomplish a seemingly impossible goal (ex. Liberate Israel)g Become the first Protestant State

��

Events:Events represent the most powerful and unique way that the GM can shape and influence the game. The GM should come to the table with a number of events prepared ahead of time. These events represent a potential situation that could occur in any country, for example a political scandal involving prominent elites. An event that would only make sense for a few of the played States, such as only Islamic States, would be inappropriate because everyone gets a chance to receive the event. Many GMs will want to create their own custom events to make their game more interesting. However, you can just as easily rely upon the template events found in the Events chapter.

Every event should be either positive or negative. If there is a high level of ambiguity about whether the event would ultimately be helpful or hurtful, you should probably not use it. When a player learns of the event, they should be able to instantly discern whether they would want the event to occur to them or not. Template events are sorted in this way for easy reference.

Introducing Events:The GM is free to introduce an event at any time in the game. Introducing an event in the midst of a moment of extreme uncertainty, such as a few seasons into a major war, could add an extra layer of tension to the bidding process. The GM informs everyone that an event is up for bidding and reads the event description out loud to the group. Players should submit the amount of Prestige that they want to bid to the GM. Even if they are bidding zero, players should still submit that to the GM.

If the event is positive, the players are bidding Prestige to RECEIVE the event. The event occurs for whichever player bids the most Prestige, with ties broken by an opposed Fortune test. Only the winner actually loses the amount of Prestige they bid.

If the event is negative, the players are bidding Prestige to AVOID the event. The event occurs for whichever player bids the least Prestige, with ties broken by an opposed Fortune test. All players lose the amount of Prestige they bid.

Technology:The advance of technology throughout the game is handled by events. Each event represents a chance to acquire a technological advance first, before your opponents can adopt it. It confers a temporary bonus of some kind to represent the leading edge that your State enjoys in this field. Technology events are always positive and they share some common characteristics.

g Technology always grants some kind of specific effect, such as a bonus to combat rolls on open plains.g Technology effects always last for specific number of years. After that time, the technology is assumed to be spreading to other nations and thus no longer confers any special advantage.g Technology events are bid upon with Gold instead of Prestige.g Technology events take away all the Gold bid from all players, in the same way that a negative event takes away Prestige.

Global Events:Certain things occur in history that instantly change things for everyone, not just a single recipient. These events are based upon the period of history you are dealing with, but the clearest example is Protestantism. Martin Luther will nail is 95 theses on the church door in 1517. This changes the religious climate in Europe permanently. From that point on, a Sovereign could convert to Protestantism, albeit at a social cost. When these events occur, the GM will inform the entire table about the nature of the global event and what it means for the game going forward.

��

Scenarios

��

Scenario Design:The GM is responsible for providing the scenario for the game. A scenario is the starting point of the game and defines the fixed elements from which the players to make their early choices.

Starting Date:This is the year in which play begins. For example, 1492 A.D.

Primary States:The GM should choose a number of States and present them as recommended choices for the players. Placing a player in each of these States is essential to having a quality game. For example, the Age of Exploration scenario suggests a choice from England, Spain, France, and Portugal. These nations exemplify the colonial efforts of Europe during this time frame. In the scenario design, the GM should provide a listing of all the details for each State, such as their starting military forces and Conditions.

Alternate States:The GM may designate certain States as possible alternative choices to the primary selections. These States may be influential in the affairs of the primary states or they may be minor States that present a more challenging game. If you have additional players who wish to join in the game, they can choose from these States.

Late Emergence States:The GM may designate certain States as not existing yet, but as future possibilities. These States emerge during play and represent a possible choice for a player in the future. For example, the Netherlands revolts from Spain during the late 1500s. A player may choose to start the game as a General if they know they can move to one of these States later on. Unlike alternate States, descriptions are not provided for these States in the scenario templates and must be drawn up by the GM when the time arises.

��

Age of Exploration:Starting Date: 1492 A.D. Alternate States: Austria & VenicePrimary States: England, Spain, France, & Portugal Late Emergence States: the Netherlands & Brandenburg-Prussia

EnglandMeasures Conditions

Gold 55 Capital London

Manpower 20 Centralization 4

Armies Decay 0

London 5 Investment 60%

Calais 2 Readiness 1

Navies Recruitment 12

Bristol 3 Stability 7

London 8 Tax Income 34

Measures ConditionsGold 120 Capital Toledo

Manpower 45 Centralization 2

Armies Decay 0

Castile 18 Investment 30%

Naples 5 Readiness 2

Navies Recruitment 25

Cadiz 15 Stability 5

Naples 4 Tax Income 54

Measures ConditionsGold 85 Capital Paris

Manpower 52 Centralization 1

Armies Decay 0

Paris 15 Investment 40%

Gascogne 8 Readiness 2

Navies Recruitment 34

Brest 3 Stability 5

Marseilles 12 Tax Income 60

Spain France

PortugalMeasures Conditions

Gold 35 Capital Lisbon

Manpower 12 Centralization 3

Armies Decay 0

Lisbon 1 Investment 80%

Sao Tome 3 Readiness 2

Navies Recruitment 8

Lisbon 4 Stability 9

Sao Tome 6 Tax Income 28

Measures ConditionsGold 72 Capital Vienna

Manpower 34 Centralization 4

Armies Decay 0

Vienna 12 Investment 50%

Flanders 4 Readiness 2

Navies Recruitment 30

Stability 6

Tax Income 43

Measures ConditionsGold 150 Capital Venice

Manpower 15 Centralization 6

Armies Decay 0

Venice 10 Investment 70%

Crete 2 Readiness 2

Navies Recruitment 18

Venice 22 Stability 8

Crete 4 Tax Income 48

Austria Venice

Diplomacy: Ireland is a Vassal, Royal Marriage with Spain

Diplomacy: Royal Marriage with Portugal,Defense Pact with Portugal

Diplomacy: Defense Pact with Scotland & Venice,Brittany is a Vassal, Royal Marriage with Savoy

Diplomacy: Royal Marriage with Spain,Defense Pact with Spain

Diplomacy: Holy Roman Emperor,Royal Marriage with Hungary

Diplomacy: Defense Pact with France,Royal Marriage with Genoa

��

Events

��

Event Design:The GM is responsible for providing events during the game. An event provides an opportunity to add interesting flavor to the game and take things in new directions if play stagnates.

Types:There are four types of events; Global, Technologies, Positive, and Negative.

Year:For most events, this is a recommendation for when to implement the event. For Global events, this is an exact year in which this event will occur.

Description:The GM must read this text aloud to the players when introducing the event.

Effects:Whoever receives the event (in the case of Global events, everyone) will experience the listed effects when the event occurs. The exact effects should NOT be read to the players before the bidding process.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE EVENTS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE PROVIDED AS EXAMPLES AND THE GAMEMASTER IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WRITE THEIR OWN EVENTS!

��

Example Technology Events:Heavy Cavalry:Type: TechnologyYear: ~ 100 B.C.Description: Armorers are developing heavy mail that can be used on horses as a form of barding. When combined with a heavily armorer rider, this allows you to field a new kind of soldier with unparalleled combat strength.Effects: You gain +5 to all Combat rolls. If you do not have a Position bonus, reduce your opponent’s bonus by 2 to represent the ability to charge through an arrow bombardment. This effect remains exclusively yours for 50 years.

Long Distance Sailing Ships:Type: TechnologyYear: ~ 1450 A.DDescription: Shipwrights are beginning to experiment with long-distance ocean-crossing ships capable of exploring previously inaccessible parts of the world. This has resulted in new designs such as the Caravel and Carrack.Effects: You can send explorers and colonists over considerable distances, such as from Europe to the Americas or around the tip of Africa. This effect remains exclusively yours for 40 years.

Gunpowder Weapons:Type: TechnologyYear: ~ 1500 A.DDescription: Inventors are beginning to experiment with using gunpowder to propel bullets over considerable distances. Although in an infant stage now, this technology will become a centerpiece in the future of warfare.Effects: You gain +5 to all Combat rolls. If you have a Position bonus, add +2 to that bonus to represent the shock effect of firing into incoming troops. This effect remains exclusively yours for 25 years.

Example Global Events:The Conquest of Mecca:Type: GlobalYear: 629 A.DDescription: Muhammed has conquered Mecca with the armies of Islam. This is the beginning of a new era of religious fervor.Effects: Any Sovereign can convert to Islam if they are willing to pay the price. Islamic religious events can also occur now.

The Great Schism:Type: GlobalYear: 1054 A.DDescription: Due to growing irreconcilable differences, the Eastern and Western churchs of Christianity have split into two distinctive groups.Effects: All Christian Sovereigns must choose between Catholicism and Orthodox. Catholic and Orthodox religious events can also occur now.

The Black Death:Type: GlobalYear: 1348 A.DDescription: The Black Plague has been unleashed on Europe. It will kill roughly half of Europe’s population and leave chaos in it’s wake.Effects: All European nations lose a quarter of their Tax Income and half of their Recruitment.

The Reformation:Type: GlobalYear: 1517 A.DDescription: Martin Luther has posted his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany. This has triggered an unraveling of Catholic intellectual authority.Effects: Any Sovereign can convert to Protestantism if they are willing to pay the price. Protestant religious events can also occur now.

��

Example Negative Events:Economic Contraction:Type: NegativeYear: Any timeDescription: Your land is suffering through hard times. Harvest yields are falling, the people are unhappy, and the value of coinage is falling. There is a palatable sense that something is wrong and the future outlook is poor.Effects: Increase Decay by 1d20.

Civil War:Type: NegativeYear: Any timeDescription: Your people are deeply divided over many issues. A prominent military leader has used this as an excuse to rebel against your authority. Effects: A General takes roughly half of the State’s military and declares himself the true heir to the throne. Give a random portion of Sovereign’s gold is transferred to this general. Use your judgement to pick a General that is a reasonable distance from the Capital, you don’t want to cripple the Sovereign instantly. If one doesn’t exist at the proper distance, feel free to create one and provide them with newly recruited forces.

Independent Title:Type: NegativeYear: Any timeDescription: One of your lesser land titles has unfortunately fallen to an individual with only partial fealty to your State. This individual has chosen to assert their independence from your rule.Effects: Take a modest portion of the State and give it to a new title holder. Roll up a new Sovereign for the new State, which enters play as a vassal of the Sovereign receiving the event. Alternatively, take an existing vassal and make them completely independent.

Example Positive Events:Rising Prosperity:Type: PositiveYear: Any timeDescription: Your land is prospering under your wise leadership. Harvest yields are increasing, the people are happy, and life is good. There is a palatable sense that things are going very well and the future outlook is good.Effects: Reduce Decay by 3d20.

Colonial Dynamism:Type: PositiveYear: Any time after 1450Description: Your people are yearning for colonial expansion. There is a strong desire to go out into the world and find new lands and peoples. Effects: Reduce all exploration costs by half. Gain a +5 bonus to all Discovery rolls and all Fortune rolls made in conjunction with colonial development.

Fortunate Inheritance:Type: PositiveYear: Any timeDescription: The Sovereign of a nearby State is near the end of their life. It has been recently discovered that you have a strong supportable claim on the title for yourself.Effects: Annexation of a nearby minor State of the GM’s choice without Stability loss.

Policy Shift:Type: PositiveYear: Any timeDescription: A stubborn local political figure who had been standing in your way has met an unfortunate end. This has made it possible for you to make some internal political changes without opposition.Effects: Gives the Sovereign their choice of one of the following; +1 Stability, +1 to Centralization, or shift Investment by 20% in either direction without Stability loss.

�0

AttributesAcumen

Authority

Fertility

Fortune

Grace

Guile

Strategy

Vigilance

MeasuresGold

Honor

Manpower

Prestige

Religion

Vitality

Sovereign: ____________ State: _______________

ConditionsCapital

Centralization

Decay

Investment

Readiness

Recruitment

Stability

Tax Income

Casus BelliState End Date

Public InformationCoalitions

Defense Pacts

Military Access

Non-Aggression Pacts

Protectorates

Royal Marriages

War

Excommunicated

Crusade Targets

Technology Bonuses

Player: ______________

Military ForcesCommander Type Units

Birth: __________ Death: __________