Fan Faction: Principate of Leon

[Hannibal]

I got bored and decided to create a faction that played different than anything I'd done so far.  Basically, its an army built around wacky da Vinci-esque creations.  If people want to offer some feedback, I'd appreciate it.

Faction Overview:  The Principate of Leon is a tiny kingdom squeezed between many great powers.  Barely more than the city of Leon and the surrounding areas, only its strategic location as a port city on the banks of a great river prevent it from being swallowed up.  The Doge of Leon invested his wealth in sponsoring an eccentric inventor.  In exchange, the Workshop produces wondrous machines of war used by the Doge to balance out the Principate's severe manpower shortage.

Arquebusers
A (3) 5/5  D 1/2   R 7"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 4/3/2
Engaged: A (+2), D +1/+0
Core
Equipment:  Arquebus, hand weapon, shield, chainmail
Special:  Uses Javelin rule, Unnerving.

Crossbowmen
A (4) 5/6  D 1/2   R 14"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 4/3/2
Engaged: A (+0)-2/-3
Core
Equipment:  Arbalests, Chainmail
Special:  Direct Fire, no Move & Shoot.

Musketmen
A (4) 5/5  D 1/1   R 14"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 4/3/2
Engaged: A (+0)-2/-2
Core
Equipment:  Wheellock Muskets, Leather
Special:  Direct Fire, no Move & Shoot, Unnerving

Clockwork Soldiers
A (5) 5/6  D 1/3   R --  M2.5"  C--  Dmg 4/4/4
Core
Equipment:  Hand weapons
Special:  Immune to Fear & Terror.

Mercenary Archers
A (4) 5/5  D 1/1   R 14"  M3.5"  C11  Dmg 3/3/2
Standard
Equipment:  Bows, leather armor

Mercenary Swordsmen
A (5) 5/5  D 2/1   R--  M3.5"  C11  Dmg 4/3/2
Standard
Equipment:  Hand weapons, Shields, leather armor

Mercenary Spearmen
A (6) 5/5  D 2/1   R--  M3.5"  C11  Dmg 4/3/2
Standard
Equipment:  Spears, Shields, leather armor
(usual spearmen modifiers:  charging, vs Large & Cavalry, etc)

Grenadiers
A (3) 5/7  D 1/1   R7"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 4/3/2
Standard
Equipment:  Sling-Bombs, Leather armor
Special:  No Move & Shoot penalty, Unnerving.

Steam Chariots
A (3) 5/5  D 2/2   R14"  M5"  C12  Dmg 5/2/2
Engaged:  A (-0) -2/-2
Standard
Equipment:  Misc weapons, Wheellock Muskets
Special:  Wheeled, Direct Fire, Unnerving, Breakdown, Intricate

Cannon
A (3) 7/7  D 1/1   R17.5"  M2.5"  C12  Dmg 3/2/2
Engaged:  A (-0) -4/-4
Standard
Equipment:  Misc weapons, Leather
Special:  Wheeled, Direct Fire, No Move & Shoot, Unnerving

Trebuchet
A (4) 5/7  D 1/1   R21"  M2.5"  C12  Dmg 3/2/2
Engaged:  A (-1) -2/-4
Standard
Equipment:  Misc weapons, Leather
Special:  Wheeled, No Move & Shoot

Ribauldequin
(aka an organ gun)
A (*) 5/5  D 1/1   R14"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 3/2/2
Engaged:  A (3) -2/-2
Standard
Equipment:  Misc weapons, Leather
Special:  Wheeled, No Move & Shoot, Direct Fire, Unnerving.  To determine # of hits, roll 2d6.  On doubles, the shot goes off but the unit suffers a Breakdown.

Clockwork Colossus
A (5) 5/8  D 0/4   R--"  M3.5"  C--  Dmg 8/2/2
Elite
Equipment:  Giant Hammer
Special:  Immune to Fear & Terror.  Large, Fearsome.

Flying Machine
A (4) 5/7  D 2/4   R7"  M 0"  C12  Dmg 3/3/3
Engaged:  A (+0) -2/-4  D: -1/-3
Flying Move:  7"
Elite
Equipment:  Sling-Bombs, Leather
Special:  Large, Unnerving, Intricate, Breakdown.

Steam Wagon
A (3) 7/7  D 1/3   R17.5"  M3.5"  C12  Dmg 6/3/3
Engaged:  A (-0) -4/-4
Standard
Equipment:  Misc weapons, Cannon
Special:  Wheeled, Direct Fire, Unnerving, Breakdown, Intricate

Unnerving:  If a unit took damage from one or more Shooting Attacks with this trait, the unit must make a Courage Check during the Post-Combat Courage Check Phase.  If the unit fails, its Order is changed to a Hold, without any objectives.  This check is taken after any Rout checks and only if the unit is not fleeing.  A unit only makes one Unnerving Courage Check, regardless of how many Unnerving units fired at it or how many points of damage were done.

Breakdown:  This unit does not Rout if it fails a Rout Check.  Instead, the unit's Order is erased and replaced with a "B" for Breakdown.  A Breakdown is treated as a Hold Standing Order except that the unit may not make any ranged attacks.  Flying units that Breakdown are considered to land immediately.  To remove a Breakdown order, the controlling player must spend a Command Action to change the unit's Standing Order.

Intricate:  This unit suffers a -1 MC if it is in the Yellow and a -2 MC if it is in the Red.  These are not cumulative and they are in addition to any other penalties for being in the Yellow/Red.


Army Ability:
Calibrate:  For one Command Action, a payer may mark a unit's Calibrate Box.  Each box grants one of the following benefits for the current turn only:

• +1 MC
• (+1) +0/+0
• (+0) +1/+1
• Ignore a Breakdown result

A unit may not have the same effect twice, but may have multiple effects.  This does not count as playing a Command Card on the unit.  Calibrate boxes are erased at the end of the turn.

Units with One Calibrate Box:
Clockwork Soldiers
Clockwork Colossus
Steam Wagon
Trebuchet
Cannon

Units with Two Calibrate Boxes:
Steam Chariots
Flying Machine
Ribauldequin


Professionalism:  Mark the unit's box for one Command Action. The unit gains +1 Courage.  The unit may erase this mark during the Movement & Command Phase to change, erase, or add a modifier to its Standing Order. Erase the Professionalism mark if the unit routs.

Units with Professionalism Box:
Mercenary Archers
Arquebusers
Crossbowmen
Grenadiers
Musketmen
Merc. Swordsmen
Merc. Spearmen


Cards:  2 of each of these.
Tinker:  Choose one:

• Play before making a Courage check.  The unit gains +2 Courage.  Only units with the Breakdown trait.
• Play before unit makes a ranged attack.  Unit gains (+0) +2/+0

Volley Fire:  Play before an enemy unit makes an Unnerve Courage Check.  Unit suffers a -2 Courage.
Repair:  Play during any Command and Movement phase.  Erase 2 points of damage.  Units with Calibrate only.
Rapid Shot:  Play before a unit makes a ranged attack.  Unit doubles number of attacks.  After attack is resolved, erase the unit's order.  The unit can take no action, except be forced to rout or attack if engaged, until it is given an order.  Units with Unnerve only.
Paymaster:  Play during any Command and Movement phase. Gain Four Pay Counters, which can be assigned to Principate units.  Each Pay Counter confers +1 Courage to the unit until the start of the Principate player's next Movement & Command Phase.  May not be used on units with Breakdown ability.

[lazyj]

Very cool! 

Quick question - when you check a calibrate box, are the boxes pre-defined on the card as a certain bonus? Or do you get to choose?

[Hannibal]

I was thinking you get to choose. 

Does it seem like the artillery would dominate?  I mean they're the only faction I can think of that gets artillery as a Standard choice.  Being honest, when I thought it up I was thinking more of what would be cool and thematic.  But now I wonder if the list could be broken very easily.

[Quelmotz]

Cool! 

Though I usually don't like "modern" factions, this is very interesting.

The clockwork colossus is very scary...10 green boxes and immunity to fear/terror?  and Hill Giant standard offense and a not-so-lousy 0/4 defense.

[boltana]

Very interesting idea for an army.  Reminds me of the series they were running on the discovery channel where they attempted to build his inventions and see if they would work. 

Looking over the units it looks to be focused on stand and shoot principles with 3 long ranged units (greater than 14 inch range).  You also have all but 4 units with a ranged attack option.  It will be interesting to see if such a focus would limit amry construction.

Did you mean to have the Clockwork Colossus not have the breakdown and intricate keywords?  I would think a giant walking machine would be incredible complex machine and face several issues as it take damage.

The only other thing that jumps out at me is the non standard crossbow men.  In the other factions (orc, dwarves) these units do not suffer the traditional range unit penalty for close comabt or the limitation no move and shoot. 

On the calibrate army ability I think you might be limiting yourself too much by forcing the use of the bonus be immediate.  All other army abilities (with the exception of the Undead and Orc) allow the player to in essence bank a command action for later use.   I think if you change the wording to allow a player to erase a mark to gain one of the listed effect you end up with a more bang for you buck.  The only bonus that I can see this causing problems with is the (0) +1/+1.  That one might need to have the further limit of counting as a command card.

[RushAss]

This has got to be the most oddball faction I've seen.  I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do with them.  I think the breakdown and unnerving  rules are hilarious, especially on the Flying Machine. 

[Hannibal]

Quote Quelmotz:

The clockwork colossus is very scary...10 green boxes and immunity to fear/terror?  Shocked and Hill Giant standard offense and a not-so-lousy 0/4 defense.

Should he be reduced?  8 Green boxes?  10/1/1?  8/2/2?


Quote boltana

Looking over the units it looks to be focused on stand and shoot principles with 3 long ranged units (greater than 14 inch range).  You also have all but 4 units with a ranged attack option.  It will be interesting to see if such a focus would limit amry construction.

And several of the units have Unnerving.  I was a bit worried about that at first but once I started handing it out to some gunpowder units, it seemed strange to not hand it out to all of them.  I'm hoping its not too overpowered, but it's a good representation of early gunpowder weapons I think:  more a psychological weapon than a lethality upgrade.

But yeah, it's amazing what happens when you start with the idea of "lets make the usual infantry guys Standard instead of Core."

Did you mean to have the Clockwork Colossus not have the breakdown and intricate keywords?  I would think a giant walking machine would be incredible complex machine and face several issues as it take damage.

Yeah, I did.  I was thinking that the clockwork units are early inventions and thus more refined.  They're less of prototypes-rushed-into-the-field.  The Clockwork Colossus is just more intensive to create, even if the engineering is understood.

The only other thing that jumps out at me is the non standard crossbow men.  In the other factions (orc, dwarves) these units do not suffer the traditional range unit penalty for close comabt or the limitation no move and shoot.

I gave these crossbowmen arbalests, which are heavy crossbows.  Partially to make them a little different and also partially to give the army the feel of a siege army in the field.  Fighting in the open just isn't their specialty.

On the calibrate army ability I think you might be limiting yourself too much by forcing the use of the bonus be immediate.  All other army abilities (with the exception of the Undead and Orc) allow the player to in essence bank a command action for later use.   I think if you change the wording to allow a player to erase a mark to gain one of the listed effect you end up with a more bang for you buck.  The only bonus that I can see this causing problems with is the (0) +1/+1.  That one might need to have the further limit of counting as a command card.

If I did that I'd want to take away the 'ignoring a breakdown' option, because otherwise it'd let people "bank" their Breakdown protection.  I limited it to use during that turn intentionally to represent the jury-rigging nature.  But I tried to balance it by not having the ability count as playing a Command Card.

So I guess I'm asking if it's balanced that you could Calibrate to have, say, (+0) +1/+1 and then play Might or Accuracy on top of it?

[Niko White]

Nice.  What a lot of cool ideas.  I have a few notes, though, as always!

Mercenary Archers and Mercenary Swordsmen seem very marginal.  They are a lot like the Wildmen Sword and Wildmen Archers, who you can (presumably) field in the faction.  The only advantage is that you can play faction unique command cards on them; they don't even seem to have a faction ability, since you can't Calibrate the humans.  I think it'd be kinda cool if you ended up hiring Wildmen and Half Orcs pretty often.

On a similar note, a lot of guys don't have a faction ability.  It would make them cheaper, but also makes them kinda unexciting.  I'd be tempted to make a second faction ability that the human units could have, though I'm at a loss for what it would be.  Of course, a lot of them have pretty nice stats, so saving a few points has some appeal as well.

I like Unnerving a lot, but it kinda makes me sad that the gunpowder units are otherwise so similar to archery units.  I'd be tempted to make them (3) 5/6 but that could be lame, I dunno.  I do feel like guns being generally slower to shoot but more capable of penetrating armor is something you could model.  Perhaps the best way to do it is in fact make them something like (6) 5/6 with a "reload" box you have to check when they fire and erase when they don't?  Then you could model volleys and stuff without having the issue where a 3 die attack is so likely to just totally whiff and is barely worth playing command cards on...

I want to see unique command cards so I can play with these guys

[Hannibal]

Mercenary Archers and Mercenary Swordsmen seem very marginal.  They are a lot like the Wildmen Sword and Wildmen Archers, who you can (presumably) field in the faction.  The only advantage is that you can play faction unique command cards on them; they don't even seem to have a faction ability, since you can't Calibrate the humans.  I think it'd be kinda cool if you ended up hiring Wildmen and Half Orcs pretty often.

Very good points.  The infantry are very much designed to be second-rate, as they're effectively mercenary companies hired by the Doge.  I dunno what to do with them that wouldn't end up like a paymaster/spoils ability.

Maybe up the Toughness on the guys, bring them in line with 'baseline' 2/2 like Hawkshold?  Or if you have an army ability, that'd work too.

On a similar note, a lot of guys don't have a faction ability.  It would make them cheaper, but also makes them kinda unexciting.  I'd be tempted to make a second faction ability that the human units could have, though I'm at a loss for what it would be.  Of course, a lot of them have pretty nice stats, so saving a few points has some appeal as well.

Again, very good point.  I was sort of going with this 'siege army' in the field sort of thing.  Maybe something about letting them "dig in?"  Essentially for a Command Action they get a +1 Def if they don't move from their current spot?

Or what if I took the Pavises away from the crossbowmen and made that the army ability.  Spend a Command Action and so long as the Order is Hold they get +1 Def.  This'd let them move with an objective, but not be able to final rush.

I like Unnerving a lot, but it kinda makes me sad that the gunpowder units are otherwise so similar to archery units.  I'd be tempted to make them (3) 5/6 but that could be lame, I dunno.  I do feel like guns being generally slower to shoot but more capable of penetrating armor is something you could model.

Actually, early gunpowder weapons penetrating armor is a bit of a misnomer.  It's one of those things that D&D and GW started doing with early firearms and it kinda stuck in people's minds.  In truth, until almost the 18th century guns had less range than most longbows and less penetration than crossbows (which could pierce full plate).

The two reasons firearms were so widely used were:  1)  it was easy to train someone to use them (especially with how inaccurate they were, didn't even have to train people to aim!) and 2) the psychological aspect.  Gunpowder weapons were essentially "shock & Awe" weapons.  We're used to firecrackers and loud music today, but when guns were first widely used the enemy would half as often panic from the sound and the smoke.  I mean, we know the smell of saltpeter and phosphorus isn't toxic, but they didn't.   

Anyway, so that's why I gave them the Unnerving rule.  Gunpowder isn't much better than archery, but it can force your opponent to burn command actions or else have gaps in his line open up.  Mind you, I've still got a few high Str attacks with gunpowder weapons, namely the grenadiers.  These guys are literally throwing bombs at the enemy.

As for the slow rate of fire, yeah I wrestled with that one too.  I ended up deciding to represent that by not allowing a move & fire with the muskets.  Firing every other turn, or having to burn a command action to reload just seemed like way too limiting to me. 

I want to see unique command cards so I can play with these guys

Any suggestions?  Right now I've only got:

Paymaster:  +2 Courage, can't be used on units with the Breakdown trait.

Tinker:  +2 Courage, only for units with the Breakdown trait.

Volley Fire:  -2 Courage for enemy unit making an Unnerving Courage Check.

[RushAss]

I think all of those command cards are extremely situational.

[Hannibal]

Really?  I mean Paymaster is +2 to Courage, which seems like it'll come up a lot.  The reason I'm not letting it be used on units with Breakdown is because it's a morale thing and not a 'keep things running' card.  Tinker is the card designed to allow players keep the gadgets from being on Hold. 

As for Volley Fire, there's 8 units with Unnerving.  Giving your enemy a negative to that check could be huge I would think.

[lazyj]

I remember some of what Chad was telling me when I was making a faction, and he wanted to be *very* careful about negatives on your opponent's Courage. The game is really built on Courage - the damage dealing is just a way to force Courage checks. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was essentially along the lines that they're too hard to get right.

I mean, Dragons and Hydras only give a -1 to a Fear check. You'd think there if anywhere you'd see a -2, and the Fear check isn't even that critical!

I do love a lot about this faction. I think the Pavise +1 Defense on Hold is a good idea - and it has good flavor for your "siege in the field' theme.

Bullets not as powerful as longbows?  I don't know about that. I mean, I saw this huge documentary on how longbow arrows at Agincourt probably couldn't penetrate the French armor. Since none of us were really there, I think it's all up for grabs. So if you want them to be better at piercing armor or worse you just do it. After all, this is a fantasy setting! 

I kind of like the "loading" box that Niko suggested so you can have more dice. I'm just picturing your cannon shooting at Umenzi: hex + faith armor = nada mas. Or even a Longbow that shoots it into the red from range. Maybe then one of your command cards could let you fire without checking the box, essentially a speed loader. Maybe it's a battery of cannons so it has 6 dice at 7/7 - but it has two or three reloading boxes!

Ok, last suggestion: what about having very poor mercenary troops to offset the mechanical dudes. Like regular Hawk stats but with terrible Courage, or far fewer green hit boxes.

Great ideas though.

[Hannibal]

I remember some of what Chad was telling me when I was making a faction, and he wanted to be *very* careful about negatives on your opponent's Courage. The game is really built on Courage - the damage dealing is just a way to force Courage checks.

That's something to keep in mind.  I thought it wouldn't be too bad because its only for Unnerve check, which wouldn't cause a rout.  It'd just cause the unit to be on Hold.  Still brutal, but not the same as a rout.

Bullets not as powerful as longbows?

I think they were about on par with longbows.  They were definitely much shorter ranged.  Or, more accurately, they had such a drop-off in penetrating power over range that their effectiveness decreased.

Seriously, google it.  Armorers used to make breastplates and literally shoot them with guns.  The dent was proof to any potential buyer that the armor could stop a bullet.  Of course, this wasn't at point blank range, but at "combat range" where you expected to be shot from.

And yeah, I know I don't need to be 100% accurate, but this is one of those things that always bugged me.  Plus its the opportunity for a unique play style.

I kind of like the "loading" box that Niko suggested so you can have more dice. I'm just picturing your cannon shooting at Umenzi: hex + faith armor = nada mas.

Huh, that's a good point.  I didn't see it as much of a problem because I cribbed the cannon from the M&M elementalist.  But I guess it'd be different because the elementalist would have the fireball.  I'll just up the attacks from 2 to 3.

Ok, last suggestion: what about having very poor mercenary troops to offset the mechanical dudes. Like regular Hawk stats but with terrible Courage, or far fewer green hit boxes.

Um...that was the effect I was going for.  Did I not make it?  Leon spearmen vs Hawk spearmen have -1 Toughness, -1 Courage, and -1 damage boxes (4/3/2 vs 5/2/3).  Swordsmen have the same and bowmen have -1 Courage.

[Niko White]

Agreed that heavy crossbows and longbows were about as strong as early gunpowder weapons.  But, uh, your in-faction heavy crossbows are strength 6, as are longbowmen, so I'm thinking...  

For the foot units: I'd keep the Mercenary Spearmen and just remove the other two.  You can replace them with a few more variants of automaton foot units, but you also have 15 units in the faction currently, which is more than most have.  Meanwhile, if the general wants human light or heavy infantry, they can just bring actual mercenaries, which seems to make them fit well with the world to me, and as you say, you aren't going to give them much more than the spoils anyway.

Other than that, the human foot are all ranged attackers, so how about an ability that works with ranged attacks?  You could even combine it with the "reloading" thing.  First draft:

Ranked Volley: You can spend a command action to mark the ranked volley box on one of your units.  While the box is marked, the unit cannot make ranged attacks.  You can erase the box at the beginning of your combat phase, but not on the same turn you marked it.  If you do, that unit's ranged attack gets (+3) +0/+0 and is unnerving this turn.  If the attack was already unnerving, the enemy unit must check even if no damage was dealt, and gets -1 courage for the purposes of the check.

I'd bring the gunpowder guys to (3) 5/6 at the same time.  That way the flavor is that normally they do the thing where one row fires and then the later one fires while they reload, etc.  The command action variant would be to have everyone load at once so they can unleash a larger than usual volley at the appropriate time.  (This is probably not exactly historical, but it is pretty cool and this is still a fantasy faction, after all.)

Note: I don't think you need to do anything like that, it just seemed like a potential solution to two issues at once (no CA ability for the human troops, and the guns being a bit similar to bows.)  Some sort of "dig in" ability is also potentially interesting, but I don't like it as much because this is already a faction that would clearly like to stand and shoot in a lot of cases; a dig in would just exacerbate that.  Meanwhile being able to mass for a big volley makes maneuvering with the gun troops less annoying; you can mark it while they advance (and would thus not be shooting anyway since they can't move and shoot) and then get a massive blast one they get into position.

[Hannibal]

Okay, so I've made some changes based on the feedback.  Namely I've created the pavise rule, upped the number of attacks on the cannon, steam wagon, and steam chariot.  I've also added some cards for feedback.

Edit:  oh I just saw your response Niko.  I must've been posting/editing when you did it.  Neat idea.