Dragon Rampant Campaign Rules: Empires of the Dragon King

Uses maps from the Wizard Kings board games.

BACKGROUND

Spilldam, the last Dragon King, has died and left no heir. With him passes the Empire of the Dragon King.
With the collapse of the Empire, vassal states around the world are breathing free for the first time in
generations. With the Dragon Kings consigned to history, old grudges can be settled, new lands
conquered. It is time for War!

GENERAL NOTES

The game will have up to 4 kingdoms attempting to conquer as much of the world as possible. The game
will last 15+ strategic turns. Each turn kingdoms will generate gold. Cities held generate their number
value in gold every turn. Gold can be used to buy troops, armies and fleets or saved for victory points.
After raising and spending gold, kingdoms will move their armies on the strategic map. Once units have
been raised they remain on the map. So armies are “fixed.” Major combats will be fought using the
Dragon Rampant rules. Minor combats will be resolved by the GM using the combat rules from the
Wizard Kings game, suitably modified.

The GM will handle the paperwork and records. EXCEPTION: During a battle, players will need to track
unit strengths. How many figures were left in a unit when it broke? How many at the end of the battle.
This will be important for recovering stragglers.

After each battle, armies and units will recover stragglers and gain back strength. They will not go back
to full strength. If you do not rest or reinforce your army it will wither away (die on the vine is the
expression I believe).

Kingdoms will be played in teams. As long as one player from a team is present, that player may make all
necessary decisions for the game. If you cannot attend, you may call or email the GM with your orders
for the strategic game.

Strategic moves will be made at the end of the night so that battles can be planned for the following
week. If a move results in no battles, a second strategic turn will be played.

The terrain on the table will be determined by a card draw, based on the terrain on the strategic map. If
you fight in a forest square expect lots of trees. In a desert, expect a few dunes and no water. In a
marsh, expect your officers to ask why the hell we’re fighting in the muck?

After 15+ turns, victory points will be calculated. The kingdom with the most points is the winner. There
may or may not be a prize involved. The game may be extended or curtailed at the GM and players’
discretion.

PAPERWORK
At the end of the night the GM will collect all rosters etc. to perform straggler recovery etc. in the week
between game nights. Players are encouraged to take photos of the game map, or record positions on
paper maps (GM to provide a good supply).

STARTING FORCES

Each kingdom starts with two armies, one fleet, and 60 points of units. Before play begins they must
“spend” their 60 points and allocate units to armies as desired. Units may be left “loose” on the map if
desired.

TURN SEQUENCE

1. Random Events
2. Build Phase: Raise gold, buy units, fleets, etc.
3. Movement. Draw cards for movement order. One card for each army, one card for each
Kingdom’s other troops
4. Battle Phase
a. Choose Table
b. Defender Chooses Edge
c. Deploy Armies
d. Recon
e. Battle Starts
f. Record Final Unit Strengths

ARMY ORGANIZATION

Units will be organized in armies. Each army will have a single counter on the strategic map. Army
composition is fixed from turn to turn. Each kingdom will start 2 “empty” armies. As armies fight battles
they will be reduced in strength. Kingdoms will spend gold to either build new units in cities, or pay
more and reinforce units in the army directly. It will cost gold to build an empty army which then can be
populated (this represents the supply wagons, infrastructure, recruiting costs etc.).

Units in armies may be rebuilt. You may build a unit back up to half strength for half points + 1 gold. You
may go from half to full for half points plus one gold. You may only build a unit one “step” in one turn.

Units may be deployed on the map by themselves and not part of an army. But besides being vulnerable
because they are small, without an army leader they also have more brittle morale. They are also not
able to be rebuilt in the field.

Garrisons are immobile. Each kingdom will be given a number of garrisons to start the game. A garrison
contains the equivalent of two units of heavy foot. Garrisons of friendly/conquered cities are friendly to
the owning player and allies.

ARMIES, UNITS AND FIGURES:

It is possible a player or kingdom may have more units in total on the strategic map than they can field
in miniatures. This is perfectly fine. However, you must have enough miniatures to field any army you
have on the strategic map. However, figures are not limited to representing one army. For example, if
your Red Army has a unit of Elite Riders, those miniatures may also be used when your Blue army, also
fielding elite riders, fights a battle. BUT if Red & Blue army fight in the same square, you will need 2 such
units!

Leaders: at the time of your first battle, roll for your leader trait. If you don’t like the result, you are
allowed one re-roll but must live with the reroll. Like army composition, leader traits are permanent
from turn to turn. If your leader stinks you can always have him lead the next charge but remember,
losing a leader costs victory points!

BUILD PHASE

In the build phase each kingdom collects 1 Gold for each city point controlled at the start of the turn.
Gold is spent to build armies, fleets, and units. An “empty” army costs 5. A single fleet costs 5. Units cost
their “points” cost per the Dragon Rampant rule book. Newly built units appear in any city in the
“homeland.” Units may appear in conquered cities for 1 extra GP. Fleets may be built in any port city
you control, not just in your “homeland.”

New units may be added to an army for an extra 2 gold. Units may also be “rebuilt” on the same
prorated basis as follows: units below full strength but above half pay ½ point cost, plus 1, to return to
full strength. Units below half pay the normal cost of the unit plus 2 to return to full strength.

Combining Units: At present, units of the exact same type may not be combined, but this is likely to
change. If this rule is adopted, two units of the exact same type may be combined to form a full(er)
strength unit. Not sure what cost/penalty this might involve. It might have a one worse morale
(battalion of detachments – lower cohesion) or other adjustment. Final ruling TBD as play progresses.

MOVEMENT

Turn Sequence: Kingdoms will have one playing card for each army, plus one card for all other forces.
Cards will be shuffled and drawn in random order for movement. Loaded fleets move as per the troops.

Movement Rates:

3 Hexes for foot troops, hordes

4 Hexes for mounted troops, flyers

5 Hexes for scouts

7 Hexes for fleets

Forced March:
Gain a possible bonus move, but risk losing troops to stragglers and attrition. You may attempt to gain 1
or 2 movement points for a unit, group of units, or army. Fleets may not force march. Roll a d6 on the
Force March Table:

Die Roll +1 MP +2MP

1 0 0
2 0* 1
3 1 1*
4 1 2
5 1* 2*
6 1* 2 **
For each resulting * each unit in the hex takes a potential loss (1 SP). Roll 1d6. If you equal or exceed
unit’s courage, unit takes no loss. Otherwise, unit loses 1SP. Add 1 to the straggler check if using road
movement (i.e. start and end on a road moving along it).

Terrain Costs:

TERRAIN TYPE MOVEMENT COSTS / NOTES

Clear 1
Woods 2
Rough 2
Swamp Stop on entry, 2 thereafter
Road +1 hex for all road movement, ignore other terrain in hex.
River Unless at bridge, one full turn to cross
Mountain 2 for foot, 3 for mounted

All non-clear hex side terrain is crossed with no penalty.

You may “by pass” a neutral, unconquered city by paying the normal terrain costs of the hex. However,
you may not use the roads in or trace supply through that hex. In essence the garrison stays inside as
you march past.

Stacking Limits: 30 points or one army. Armies may contain up to 48 points.

Sea Movement & Supply: Fleets may transport up to 24 points of troops or one army of any size. Each
kingdom starts with 1 fleet. Neutral port cities do not have fleets. Ports are any city where the map dot
is intersected by the dark coast line (see example below).

Fleets move 7 hexes per turn. It costs one full move to load troops on to a fleet. Troops may only load in
cities. You may “invade” any coastal hex that is clear or rough. You may not invade forest , swamp or
mountain hexes. (Ask the GM if there is a question). Fleets may move and disembark troops. Troops
that land may not move but may fight. If landing in an enemy occupied hex, up to 12 points of troops
may land in the first wave. Subsequent waves are diced for to see when they arrive.

You may not retreat on to ships.

Ports are cities lying directly on the coast line, like so:

Cities that are not directly on the coastline are not ports, no matter how close to the coast they are. Not
even if they are this close:

BATTLES

All games to be played on a 4x6 table. For each hex type there will be a corresponding deck of battlefield
layouts. Defender draws the card and players lay out the terrain. Defender chooses which side to
defend, and deploys first.

Reconnaissance: Units will be given a Reconnaissance value. Each side totals up their value. Higher side
gets an advantage. Small advantage (0-3), add or remove one piece of terrain 6” square. Moderate
advantage (4-6) add, remove or relocate up to 24” one piece of terrain 12” square, OR relocate one unit
(friendly or enemy) up to one full move laterally or to the rear. Large advantage (7+), one unit AND one
piece of terrain.

Recon Values (0 Unless noted below):

 Recon Value of 4: Scouts, Flying Units

  Recon Value of 3: Light Rider, Hex Side Bonus (see below)
 Recon Value of 2: Heavy Rider, Light Missiles
 Recon Value of 1: Elite Riders

Home Ground: Each army type will have a “home” terrain type. When fighting in a hex of their “home”
type, they may add 1 terrain pieces of that type (up to approx 6x6”) anywhere on the map so long as it is
not in a square that is on the board edge. (All boards are 4x6 divided into 12” squares). In addition, their
armor is one higher when *defending* in that terrain type. They do not get the bonus on the attack.

Terrain Hex Sides: If an enemy attacked through a non-clear terrain hex side, the defending army is
given a 3 point recon bonus.

The GM will provide army rosters. These will show beginning strengths for each army in a battle. When a
unit routs record its strength at the moment it routed on the roster. Both sides turn in their rosters after
the battle. The GM will calculate straggler recovery and update the rosters with their new starting
strengths for the next game.

SUPPLY LINES:

Armies must be able to trace a supply line in order to recover stragglers or be reinforced. A supply line
can be 1 hex leading to a friendly city, or to a road that leads to a friendly city. The path may not pass
through a hex containing an enemy unit, army or town.

A fleet may be designated to supply an army by sea. It may supply up to 24 points this way. The fleet
connects any two hexes up to 5 hexes apart. It must be at sea to do so. It may not transport any troops,
it spends the entire turn ferrying supplies.

Armies that are out of supply may not be reinforced in the build phase. Armies that are out of supply
retreat 2 hexes after a battle and are -1 on straggler recovery checks. Armies out of supply subtract 3
from their Recon Value prior to a battle.

FORTIFICATIONS:

All cities are assumed to have a city wall. Each controlled city starts the game with a garrison of 4 points
(players must nominate one unit type that all of their garrisons are).

If an army fights in a city hex the garrison fights unless the army is at max stacking (48 points). If they so
choose the defender may place a city wall along their map edge. These are moderate works (not Minas
Tirith). As such they add 1 to armor for defenders in combat, 2 against shooting.

SKIRMISHES:

Combats between non-army forces will be resolved using a modification to the Wizard Kings combat
rules. Each unit type in Dragon Rampant will be given a corresponding value in Wizard Kings. Each side
will “fight” the other in the order determined by the Wizard Kings system. Basically, Type A shoots first,
then Type B, then Type C. Combat is not simultaneous. A hit reduces the target by 1/6 (i.e. one mounted
SP or 2 foot SP). The side taking more hits loses and must retreat one hex. In the case of a tie, fight a
second round of combat.

Garrisons fight using this method, except they fight as many rounds of combat as needed until they are
eliminated. If they should somehow miraculously survive and repel the invaders, the garrison is
immediately restored to full strength.

Dragon Rampant Unit Type and Wizard Kings Equivalent: See table at end of the rules.

HOW BATTLES END:

When one side has been reduced to 50% of their starting point total (count units as if at full strength
regardless of how they started the battle), roll a die every turn. If the number of units on the table is
equal to or less than the die roll, the battle ends.

BATTLE RESULTS:

Winners gain victory points, and get a bonus in straggler recovery (everyone loves a winner). Losers
retreat one hex away from the hex side they were attacked through (GM may make common sense
changes to this – ask if you think your retreat requires an exception).

LOOTING CITIES:

If a battle took place in a city hex, the winner may loot the city. Roll a d6 and claim the city’s value in
gold:

1,2, or 3: Double Printed Value

4,5: Triple printed value

6: 4 times printed value

STRAGGLER RECOVERY:

After the battle, take the army roster. Winner: for every 2 full figures lost, roll a courage check on one
die. If successful, recover 2 figures and roll again. You may recover up to one less than your strength at
the start of the battle. Loser does the same but can only recover up to two less for each unit.

If an army is completely wiped out, check as above but at -1 on the die.

Example: Winning foot unit started with 9 figures. After the battle it is down to 3 and has a courage of
4+. First roll is a 5 – add 2 to the unit, 5SPs. Roll again: a six! Add two more, 7 SPs. Roll again – a 2. That’s
it for this unit proceed to the next.

RANDOM EVENTS

Each turn the GM will dice for random events on each of the 8 maps. Random events may be peasant
revolts, sickness, storms, etc.
  Rebellion: One randomly selected conquered city rebels. It goes back to “neutral” status but has
a new garrison equivalent to four heavy foot units.
 Storm: Fleets at sea are moved 3 hexes in a random direction. No fleets in harbor may leave
harbor. Possibility of losses (ships go down, taking units with them).
 Plague: Plague breaks out in a randomly selected city. This city generates no gold this turn, may
not be used to build units, and no supply lines may be traced through this hex this turn.
 Raid: Non player entity raids your kingdom. One border city is sacked – raises no gold this turn,
may not be used for building units or supply.

BATTLE VICTORY POINTS:

For each battle add up the following, and award to the winner:

Per 12 full points in the larger army: 3

Opponent had 0-8 more points: 3

Opponent had 9-12 more points: 5

Opponent had 13+ more points: 7

Enemy leader killed: 5

Complete Wipe Out: Enemy had no units remaining on table: 10

GAME VICTORY POINTS:

After 15 turns add up each Kingdom’s victory points from battles. Add to this:

1VP for every unspent Gold in the treasury

1VP for every city value

3 VP for every Magical “Henge”

15VP for capturing an enemy capital

TROOP EQUIVALENTS

Elite Rider: 3+ Heavy Rider: 4+ Light Riders: 5+ Gr Warbeast: 3+ Lesser Beast: 4+

Elite Foot: 3+ Heavy Foot: 5+ Lt Foot: 5+ Bellicose Foot: 3+ Hvy Missiles: 4+
Lt Missiles: 5+ Hordes: 6 Spellcaster: 5+ Wizardling: 5+

IDEAS TO INCLUDE IN FUTURE CAMPAIGNS:

1. Spies. Can be used to sabotage enemy armies, kill enemy leaders, raise rebellions
 2. Engineering: Destroy/build bridges, build roads, build/destroy forts etc.
3. Entrench: In lieu of moving an army may entrench and build field works. Allows 3 pieces of
trench 6” long. For single units confers bonus in non-map combat.
4. Hidden movement?
5. You can only buy certain unit types if you control at least X hexes of their “home” terrain.
Example: Greater Warbeasts require you to control 3 mountain hexes. Spellcaster requires
StoneHenge, etc.

ERRATA

Are there four capitals or eight?? Well, three, one per kingdom, now so indicated on the map.

Can you destroy or burn bridges?? No.

Can you. Burn or destroy towns?? No, but you can sack them if you take them.

Is Nikos wall there?? Go have a look-see and report back. The magic 8 ball says “Yes”

You can only build wizards or magic in one of the four magic places?? Correct?? No, they rebuild like
normal units. I am thinking about uses for the “magic henges.” At the moment they are simply cool
places that will be worth VP.

Also there are no anchors marked on any city!! Your directions says there are existing navies: Yes, one to
start. Ports lie ON the coastlines.
PLAYER CONTACT INFO

Players are encouraged to communicate via phone, text, Slack private message or
e-mail as works for your team (not everyone has Slack etc.).

Name Email Cell

Mark Severin (GM) [email protected] 513.728.9808