Whither "Fields of Blood"?

[dagger]

Im not getting it for the combat rules, I'm getting it for the kingdom management rules.

 

[Olive]

As for it being good, that remains to be seen. But if it is two years in the making then they're not rushing their product out in the market like most I've seen. (You know? Those printed products that have blatant errors in grammer, rules content, and layouts, not too mentioned poor arts?)

Ho ho ho. Two years in the making doesn't mean error free in any industry. It means poorly organised.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Those printed products that have blatant errors in grammer...

Grammar

 

[Arnwyn]

Kingdom Management in d20 is covered in
Empire by AEG/Mike Mearls

Haven't seen any reviews of this, and I certainly haven't heard that it's "highly rated". (Though I'm curious about how it works.)

A closely forthcoming book Strongholds and Dynasties by Mongoose

In other words, not out yet. "Highly rated"? Hmm...

Birthright 3e rules

Neither "highly rated" nor comprehensive.

Perhaps not numerous,

Indeed.

Mass Combat rules now covered by at least 4 books I can name off-hand (Cry Havoc, MH, Testament, Empire), and several I'm sure I can't

Now, numerous books on mass combat I can agree with. I remember jokes made early in 2003 about this year being the year of mass combat (while 2002 or 2001 was the year of seafaring). Heh.

 

[Vaxalon]

I have "Empire" by AEG and I like it a lot. The kingdom rules are nice and simple and entirely scalable.

I will probably get "FoB" because I can't pass up this kind of thing, but I'll wager it won't be as usable.

 

[Ranger REG]

Ho ho ho. Two years in the making doesn't mean error free in any industry. It means poorly organised.

Of which they have two years to correct it, as opposed to taking the error-filled material as is and rush it to the printer.

I've seen way too many rushed job to even wonder if they're worth my money or my time to sift through them.

Granted, I have avoided the one-word d20 fantasy supplements from AEG. I was disappointed with their WAR book, although fortunate NOT to buy it (thank you, Borders and their reading tables). If they have improved, then perhaps I will look into the EMPIRE book. The only confidence I have of AEG is their L5R (as long they have stats for their in-house d10 Roll-n-Keep system) and their Spycraft lines.

 

[Raesene Andu]

Kingdom Management in d20 is covered in

Empire by AEG/Mike Mearls
A closely forthcoming book Strongholds and Dynasties by Mongoose
Birthright 3e rules

From what I have seen so far (the very short description and previews at http://edenstudios.net/odyssey/7005.html) Fields of Blood appears to be a copy of the Birthright domain rules, even to the point of calling rulers Regents and kingdoms Realms, and having RP (although it is now Resource Pounts instead of Regency Points as it is in Birthright). Fields of Blood also uses provinces as a basis of a realm (and gives each province a terrain type, just like in Birthright). I imagine the rules have been expanded and changed considerably for Fields of Blood, but the similarities to Birthright are quite extensive IMO.

And Arnwyn, you may consider the 3E Birthright rules neither highly rated nor compreshensive, but remember they are free. The BRCS was put together by a very small group of BR fans in their spare time, without a resources of a company behind them. It was mainly put together for the Birthright community though, not for other settings, although I'm considering an updated version that can be used with any setting.

If anyone is interested you can download the current BRCS from http://www.birthright.net/download/brcs-playtest.pdf

 

[Arnwyn]

And Arnwyn, you may consider the 3E Birthright rules neither highly rated nor compreshensive, but remember they are free. The BRCS was put together by a very small group of BR fans in their spare time, without a resources of a company behind them. It was mainly put together for the Birthright community though, not for other settings, although I'm considering an updated version that can be used with any setting.

Oh, I realize that - and to be honest, I didn't mean to rag on the 3E Birthright rules. Believe me, 3E Birthright would definitely be (and still is) a consideration, depending on the quality of the other kingdom-management rules out there. I've certainly skimmed them, and they're actually not bad for what they propose to do - and in the process of trying to determine what kingdom management rules to use, I would consider using them and even adapting them for use in my long-running Forgotten Realms campaign.

It's just not *quite* what I'm looking for (I'm hoping for something that starts with the PCs building a fort on a small tract of land, then seeing what springs up - blacksmith, resources, village, infrastructure, and so on), and - as you mention - they don't have the resources of a company behind them. (Really, I was just noting that there *is* a reason why Fields of Blood is highly anticipated, to try to quell some of the confusion that johnsemlak seems to be under; and to quickly dismiss the idea that there are "numerous and highly rated" systems out there, which of course there are not.)

 

[La Bete]

to quickly dismiss the idea that there are "numerous and highly rated" systems out there, which of course there are not.)

errr. MMS:WE? Ennies anyone?

Since what you seem to be looking for in kingdom management rules is fairly specific, I think this comment is a little unfair.

(As it happens your description of what you're after is very similar to what I want in a set of rules - unfortunately, speaking as a person who has picked up pretty much every supplement on this subject, it appears to be the Holy Grail)

 

[Raesene Andu]

It's just not *quite* what I'm looking for (I'm hoping for something that starts with the PCs building a fort on a small tract of land, then seeing what springs up - blacksmith, resources, village, infrastructure, and so on), and - as you mention - they don't have the resources of a company behind them. (Really, I was just noting that there *is* a reason why Fields of Blood is highly anticipated, to try to quell some of the confusion that johnsemlak seems to be under; and to quickly dismiss the idea that there are "numerous and highly rated" systems out there, which of course there are not.)

There certainly aren't a lot of of kingdom-management systems out there. In fact, until I starting taking a look around I thought Birthright was the only one.

Birthright is unlikely ever to look at things on the small scale (such as an individual village or fort) but rather the rules focus on province level politics. Birthright is more about rules governing already established kingdoms too, not developing new ones. It is also very setting specific, or rather it used to be, hopefully the revised domain rules will be usable with any campaign. A lot of work to do before that is possible though.