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Kingdom Wars
Kingdom Wars is the system that Dark & Shattered Lands
uses to allow many things. Primarily, Kingdoms use this system to wage war
upon each other. They may take land, cities and even another entire
kingdom away from those they dislike. Players may also use this system to
purchase and then manage armies of their own in hopes to create their own
kingdom or take the throne from an existing one.
How to Play
The rule set for kingdom wars is very basic. You buy troops,
you move troops and you fight other troops. Defeat another ones army to
claim land, a city or even another kingdom. Be a hero, a tyrant or be that
weird guy who only shows up when there's a fight so you can add to your
collection of mortal ears, it really doesn't matter. What does matter
is that you either rule or serve your kingdom well.
To make any moves in the game, all you need do is simple use the
ORDERS interface and simple tell what unit to go where. Use the coordinates
on the grid-map to tell us where you want to move a unit. NOTE: If you
move into enemy territory, they WILL KNOW. If you want to take an
indirect route somewhere, all you need to do is to note scorn from inside of
the game. Be specific and clear, Scorn is a Texan and gets excited at
the prospect of battle.
Coordinates should be used by naming
the top-across coordinates followed by the side-down corrdinates. 850,
175 would put you at the top of Shokono.
All areas in gray are open to be
conquered, HOWEVER, you will likely find a hidden surprise, be it natives,
other armies or Chuck Norris. If you find Chuck Norris, sorry about
your army.
So move troops with the interface
and give all specific directions to scorn via a note on the game. Also
if you have players who wish to lead troops into battle and risk permanent
death, make sure they note scorn BEFORE the battle is to occur. Please have
them only note scorn around battle time as he can not possible track every
player in the game who is leading or sub-leading an army.
When you purchase troops, they all
START in your home city. If you control a territory, like Althainia
currently has Dolund'ir, you may start new troops there.
When war or scuffles occur, it is
VERY IMPORTANT that kingdom leaders make a written SPEECH to their kingdoms.
Do this for morale. If you don't and the moral drops on units, it will be
VERY difficult to win a battle. Be inspiring, it will help get you
points. Make sure that your note includes Scorn.
Kingdoms ships MAY be used as ship
unit for kingdom wars. However, it is not advisable due to the risk of
losing them for good is. You are welcome to use them at your own
peril.
Kingdom Types
There
are currently 6 types of kingdoms available.
All have good and bad aspects assigned to them.
Kingdoms types should be selected not by which you feel will be the most
successful (the kingdom type has no effect), but by which you feel suits your kingdoms role-play better.
Any of the types of kingdoms can succeed or fail depending on your
decisions, luck, or even the actions of others. Below is a description of
Kingdom types and how they affect citizens and troop morale.
Monarchy
Monarchies
are the most common kingdom type. Kings,
Queens, Princes and Princesses lead kingdoms.
Family and blood almost always determine leadership as it is generally
viewed that the gods themselves ordained a king by giving him his birth.
Monarchies typically have the most success in a kingdom and generally
have strong loyalties from their people. If
you wish to decisively rule your kingdom and have the successors of the kingdom
be your family, this is the kingdom type for you.
Dictatorship
A
dictatorship is a form of kingdom where the ruler rules by might and oppression
instead of other rightful means. Dictatorships
can demand the most out of their citizens obtaining high taxes and order but
generally lose the most in terms of loyalty and immigration.
Dictators generally have a tight reign on their kingdoms and seldom have
uprisings they cannot control or extinguish.
Religious
Kingdoms
based around religion generally have a devout and large following.
Citizens would be honored to fight and even die for that kingdom and are
at most times fanatical about it. Taxations
are high and the citizen's love giving every silver piece they own without
regret. Leadership is given to one person who acts as the high priest
and he or she alone rules. Upon
death or resignation, an order of priests or holy men generally elects the new
high priest. The down side is that
the leader is held to a very high standard and if even a small part of the
public opinion drops below the normal high standard, then a lot of bad things
start to occur. Also these types of
kingdoms have to keep their Gods or Goddesses very pleased with them and that
can sometimes be a curse in itself.
Democracy
Democratic
kingdoms often have a high happiness rate as well as some loyal citizens.
However, the leaders are constantly voted out when they do anything
unpleasing. Democratic kingdoms
allow their citizens to vote and voice their opinion on almost all issues.
These kingdoms have good migration but are susceptible to terrorist type
attacks and being spied on. Government
issues and the legal system are generally slower than other kingdoms as well.
Democratic kingdoms almost always have the best economies.
Tribal
Tribal
kingdoms are often run by a chief or a counsel of elders, both of which are
normally given their positions simply because they are viewed as the oldest and
wisest of the tribe. Tribes fight
with a fierce loyalty and most would always sacrifice anything for the other
members of their tribes. While tribal
kingdoms natural fight well, their leaders are susceptible to brutal fights to
the death for leadership.
Imperialism
Imperialism
is only obtained when a kingdom conquers and controls another.
Empires have high moral and a sense of supremacy.
Taxes and other goods often come at the expense of conquered kingdoms
which in turn reduces taxes from the Empires home kingdoms which in result makes
for some happy citizens. Empires
always have one top-level ruler and are normally the richest and most successful
kingdoms. However, ruling other
kingdoms isn't easy and it does require a lot of work and attention.
Morale
Morale
Citizen
and troop morale are beyond important. When the troops aren't happy, they
have a much less chance of obtaining a victory, especially when attacking
another kingdom instead of defending their own. Troops are made happy by simply
having the support they want from the home front. It's much easier to
fight well and obtain victory when you are certain that you will come home a
hero. That why its imperative that citizens of a kingdom are behind and
fully support a war. Kingdom leaders must address military action to their
citizens and convince them that sending their families and friends into war is
the right thing to do.
Diplomacy
Diplomatic Status
All kingdoms must publicly
display their diplomatic status between them and the other kingdoms. There
are several options which are listed and defined below.
Ally
Alliances are when two
kingdoms pledge to defend each other and assist in most battles. Alliances
are good because they show strength beyond one's Kingdom but they can be bad
since a kingdom may make enemies based on another's actions.
Enemy
If someone is your enemy, it doesn't mean that you are at
war. It simply means you dislike that Kingdom and do not trust them.
Diplomacy is still available when not at war.
Peace
Peace is when two kingdoms are not allies, enemies nor at war.
Sure peace is boring, but so is being dead.
War
Before any battle can begin,
there must be a declaration of war by one side to the other. Before any
war can end, there must be a cease-fire treaty signed or an official
surrender. If one side does not surrender, the winning side (if attacking
the kingdom) can begin to destroy the city and the kingdom once and for
all or just murder the powers that be who control the city. All surrenders are unconditional and must be accepted except when
there is no more soldiers left to fight.
Military
There are
many different types of military troops or equipment you can purchase.
Each one has their own good and bad qualities. The best advice a kingdom
will be given is to have a good solid base of infantry supported by other types
of soldiers. Many factors will come into play when a battle occurs.
Strategy, terrain, size of forces, types of forces and morale of your
kingdom. All battles will be played out slowly, most taking several days
to a few weeks.
Militias
Militias are
normal hard working men who have left their homes and jobs to serve their
kingdom when the call arises. You can not purchase militia. Militia
volunteer themselves out for their Kingdom. How many you get depends on
the morale status of your kingdom.
Infantry
The infantry are
the foundation of any army. Infantry are 50 men per unit and 99% of them
are armed with swords. Without the sheer numbers that infantry provides,
most armies competing without a solid core of infantry will find themselves
severely outnumbered and in deep trouble.
Macemen
Macemen
come in unit of 25 men. Wielders of the mace have one distinct advantage
to those infantrymen who carry swords. A good mace from a strong arm
injures a soldier no matter how much armor they tend to be wearing where swords
have to cut through armor to do damage. The only drawback is that maces do
not kill as quickly as a sword would, but in a battle one is likely to disable
his opponent easier, although the opponent may live to fight another day.
Axe Wielders
Axe Wielders come in units of 20
men. These soldiers have a powerful offense but seem to commit a lot of
errors in battle including harming their own members accidentally. Axe
Wielders are known for their fury and can tip the scales of a battle
quickly. The axes these soldiers carry vary from the smaller one sided axe
to large duel sided axes.
Pikemen
The Pikemen come in units of
15 men. Pikemen carry long 15 feet pikes and are great for two
reasons. No other unit has better defensive qualities than the pikemen do
nor are any anywhere near as effective against Calvary. However, a
pikemen's offence lacks a little to be desired.
Crossbowmen
Crossbowmen come in units of
15 men. Wielders of the crossbow are valuable due to the art of ranged
combat. When compared to archers, it is said that crossbow do not have
near the distance or accuracy from afar, but enjoy the benefits of a closer
version of ranged combat and are not as vulnerable when the battle comes up
close range.
Archers
Archers come in units of 10
men. Archers have the ability to quickly injure an army from a nice long
safe distance. Nothing evens the odds early like a good group of
archers. However, once the battle commences, archers are mostly worthless
and are normally kept behind to pick off any stray soldiers who may coming
behind the lines after your commanders.
Cavalry
Cavalry comes in units of 10
soldiers on horseback. Cavalry are the most feared force in a
battle. They have great defensive measures and an unequalled
offense. Cavalry can surely and quickly send an opposing force running in
fear. If an army can support a large Cavalry, then its chances of victory
are excellent. The only attack a cavalry is vulnerable to is pikemen who
tend to take out horses quickly and brutally.
Knights
Knights come sin units of 5
men. Knights bring leadership, training, and skill to a battle. All
troops seem to fight better when Knights are on their side. Knights are
mounted on horseback and able to successfully lead a charge like none
other. Knights are often the target of most opposing forces.
Wizards
Wizards come in units of 1 and
can make a good difference in a battle. However, wizards seem to be a favorite
target of opposing archers. Wizards can go into a battle casting one of
three styles, protective, offensive, and weather. The protection spells
give troops spells such as armor and shield, protecting each ones life.
The offensive spells such as lightning bolt, fireball, and acid blast help
defeat enemies by blasting enemy soldiers from a safe distance. The
weather spells include faerie fire, tornado, and call lightning all which help
injure or disable an opposing army.
Clerics
Clerics are bought in units
of 1. Clerics can enter a battle in one of 3 styles, defensive, maledicting,
or healing. Defensive allows them spells such as sanctuary, stone skin, or
protection alignment. The maledictions are plague, curse, or slow. The
healing option only comes with one spell, and it is heal. All options can
make a huge difference in battle, but like mages, clerics are a target for
archers.
Assassins
Assassins are used in two different ways. In battles,
they target high profile specific enemies such as Knights or another units
leadership. Outside of battle, they are sent on missions to kill
another kingdoms leadership. Assassins are expensive and they don't
always stay loyal to those who hire them. it is also very difficult to
assassinate another kingdoms leaders, although it has happened in the past.
Galley
A ship capable of combat, but
geared mostly towards the transportation of troops. A galley can carry as
much as 300 soldiers. A galley has 4 cannons mounted, 2 on each side of the
ship.
Light Cruiser
A light cruiser can carry up to
50 soldiers transport wise, but its main purpose is that of a warship.
Light Cruisers are faster than any other ship and has more than 10 cannons
mounted on both sides of the ship.
Great Galley
A great galley are the largest
ships on the sea. They can transport up to 500 soldiers and have 8 canons
mounted on their ship, 4 on each side.
Heavy Cruiser
A Heavy Cruiser is the best
Offensive ship in a fleet. They have over 20 cannons mounted on the ship and are
capable of carrying 100 soldiers.
Dragons
Dragons have the single most
impact on any battle. Nothing compares to the power of a dragon and the
bigger they are, the harder they are to stop. However, when in battle,
Dragons are targets, especially to heroic knights. Dragons
are not a unit to be purchased, but are player dragons who risk their lives to
fight in a kingdom wars battle.
Player Involvement in Battle
Kingdom leaders may assign players to become the
leaders or even the sub leaders of purchased military units. Doing
this grants the units some excellent bonuses in combat. The bonus a
unit receives is based on the characters level and rank in the kingdom.
While its great role-play to be in a battle, a player does risk permanent
death if his unit gets destroyed in a battle.
Only players within the units kingdom may lead it. If a player
owns his own units, only he may lead a unit. You must have an official
kingdom to assign anyone else to lead a unit.
Owning Your Own Troops
There is a minimum buy of 5 infantry units (that is 375 eggs) to START an
army. You must have written support from an existing kingdom in which
to recruit and store your army. If your army is defeated, you will be
forced to purchase the minimum buy again before you can purchase more
troops. Players who own their own armies must maintain 5 units of
infantry before they can purchase any other single unit.
Starting Your Own Kingdom
There are two ways to do this and both are extremely difficult, although one
method is cheaper. The cheaper way is to purchase an army and conquer
another kingdom, preferably one you may catch napping. The other way
is to move your army to a unit of land and conquer it. If you can hold on to
it non stop for more than 30 real life days, then you must come up with 5000
(yes, that's THOUSAND) eggs to fund the building of your kingdoms city.
The name and Role_play around your city must be approved by Scorn, but most
anything that falls into good taste and in the role-play setting of Algoron
will be allowed. (this means if you want to name your city something stupid,
like the Empire of Hugh Hefner, you will be turned down)
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