B/X Campaign Development

Horses

Exciting stuff, eh?

I got thinking about horses. The B/X rules have four kinds of horses detailed: mule, draft horse, riding horse and warhorse. I'm expanding them a little and tweaking them a bit, to get more of a range, and appealing to later rulesets (and Pendragon) to do it. Historical terminology (charger, courser, rouncy etc.) is sometimes rather fluid; I've fixed the niches of the horses somewhat artificially as a result.

• Extra damage upon charging with a lance is only gained when mounted upon a warhorse (charger, destrier, courser).
• If attacked, draft horses, palfreys and pack horses will always seek to flee. Riding horses must make Morale checks. Rouncys must make Morale checks only if injured.
• Warhorses and war ponies make Morale checks if reduced to less than half of their hit points.

Destrier (700gp)
The heaviest warhorses, strong enough to both wear barding and carry an armored knight into battle. Destriers are usually stallions, and only the wealthiest of knights can afford them. Encumbrance limit is 4500 at full speed / 9000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 3+1; hp 15; Atk 2 hooves; Dmg 1d6/1d6; MV (50'); Save F2; ML 9

Charger (250gp)
Warhorses bred primarily for strength and aggression, typical of those ridden by knights and men-at-arms. Encumbrance limit is 4000 at full speed / 8000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 3; hp 14; Atk 2 hooves; Dmg 1d6/1d6; MV (50'); Save F2; ML 9

Courser (250gp)
Lighter warhorses bred for both strength and speed; coursers have good endurance, and are also favored when hunting. Encumbrance limit is 3500 at full speed / 7000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2+2; hp 11; Atk 2 hooves; Dmg 1d4/1d4; MV (70'); Save F2; ML 9

Palfrey (250gp)
Riding horses renowned for their smooth gait and easy temperament, palfreys are neither fast nor warlike. Although likely to be of limited benefit to an adventurer, palfreys are nonetheless valuable commodities. Encumbrance limit is 3000 at full speed / 6000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2; hp 9; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (60'); Save F1; ML 6

War Pony (150gp)
Small but aggressive breeds of horse trained for war and favored by nomadic or barbarian types. Encumbrance limit is 3000 at full speed / 6000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2+1; hp 10; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (60'); Save F1; ML 9

Rouncy (125gp)
The knight's all-purpose riding horse, solid and dependable, and unlikely to panic at the sounds and smells of battle. Although they can be ridden into combat, characters with lances do not gain gain the weapon's special charge benefit. Encumbrance limit is 3500 at full speed / 7000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2+1; hp 10; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (60'); Save F1; ML 8

Riding Horse (75gp)
The typical riding horse. Less hardy than a rouncy and more skittish, but faster. Encumbrance limit is 3000 at full speed / 6000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2; hp 9; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (80'); Save F1; ML 7

Draft Horse (40gp)
Workhorses such as Shires, bred to haul heavy loads. Strong and with great endurance. Encumbrance limit is 4500 at full speed / 9000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 3; hp 13; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (50'); Save F2; ML 6

Pack Horse (Sumpter) (20gp)
Ponies and other breeds used as beasts of burden. Those used to carry equipment for knights and men-at-arms are called sumpters. Generally, they prefer not to be ridden. Encumbrance limit is 2500 at full speed / 5000 at half speed.
AC 7; HD 2; hp 9; Atk - ; Dmg - ; MV (50'); Save NM; ML 6

Nice. But don't you think there should be some distinction among shields? Should cavalry shields, bucklers and tower shields all have the same statistics?

And will you use any kind of NWP/skill system? Which one?


I would, of course, love to join this PBEM, if you've got space. Unless it's by invitation only?

Mercenaries / Retainers

As in other cases, applying hard categories is artificial; overlap between some categories (e.g. knights and men-at-arms) is ignored. The list will expand as I have the inclination.

General Notes

• The minimum length of retention for mercenaries is generally one month; mercenaries hired for shorter periods require additional inducements.
• Certain troop types are marked with an asterisk (*). These mercenaries may also be encountered as elite troops. Elite troops add +1 Morale and cost double the listed price to retain.
• Retainers require no special hazard pay when routinely enforcing their employer's will: collecting taxes, intimidating farmers, administering beatings etc. If the retainers are required to engage in hazardous activities (such as warfare), double the cost. If they are repeatedly expected to place their lives in immediate danger, multiply the cost by x3, x4 or more.
• Most retainers are assumed to possess their own arms and equipment. If the employer is required to equip the troops, cost should be reduced accordingly. Typically, halve the monthly cost to retain the soldier until the value of his equipment has been paid off: this may amount to 2 years of hazardous duty. At the end of this time, the mercenary owns his equipment and enjoys full pay.
• Fanatic and berserk troops (who gain +2 Morale) are a special case. Fanatics are not generally available as mercenary troops, as their zeal is directed towards some specific religious or political goal or ideal. Berserkers' unpredictability make them a risky proposition at best.

Leaders

• At least one sergeant or corporal (a 2nd-level Fighter) is necessary for every 20 regular troops, unless they are Armigers. Units which lack sergeants incur a –1 Morale penalty.
• One captain or knight (a 3rd-level or higher Fighter) is necessary for every 50 regular troops (except Armigers). Units which lack captains incur a –1 Morale penalty; if the unit also lacks sergeants, these penalties stack.
• 2nd-level leaders (esquires, sergeants and corporals) cost triple the gold of the base troop type to retain.
• 3rd-level leaders (knights, lieutenants and captains) cost six times the amount of the base troop to retain.
• Leaders higher than 3rd-level generally cost 50gp x level per month to retain, or more.

Armiger*
Morale: 9
Cost to Equip: 410gp
Cost to Retain: 20gp/month
Equipment: Heavy mail (100), sword (20), lance (5), shield (10), charger or courser (250), saddle (25)
Note: Armored aristocrats on warhorses. Those who make themselves available for mercenary work may be otherwise destitute, feuding with their relatives, have had their estates confiscated etc. Aristocrats have expensive appetites, and are the most costly type of retainer.

Heavy Horseman*
Morale: 9
Cost to Equip: 350gp
Cost to Retain: 10gp/month
Equipment: Mail (40), sword (20), lance (5), shield (10), charger (250), saddle (25)
Note: Mounted men-at-arms who are not armigerous; generally the best professional soldiers.

Mounted Auxiliary
Morale: 8
Cost to Equip: 220gp
Cost to Retain: 6gp/month
Equipment: Mail (40), sword (20), shield (10), rouncy (125), saddle (25)
Note: Support troops who follow through after the main charge, or medium cavalry who act in independent formations. If armed with axes instead of swords, reduce the cost to equip to 204gp.

Horsed Archer*
Morale: 7
Cost to Equip: 134gp
Cost to Retain: 6gp/month
Equipment: Leather (10), shortbow (10), arrows (2), shortsword (12), riding horse (75), saddle (25)
Note: Typically scouting and skirmishing units. Usually provincial, they are not the most solid of troops.

Mounted Steppes Archer
Morale: 8
Cost to Equip: 209gp
Cost to Retain: 8gp/month
Equipment: Leather (10), shortbow (10), arrows (2), shortsword (12), war pony (150), saddle (25)
Note: Fierce regional irregulars.

Mounted Skirmisher
Morale: 7
Cost to Equip: 127gp
Cost to Retain: 4gp/month
Equipment: Leather (10), 3 javelins (3), axe (4), shield (10), riding horse (75), saddle (25)
Note: Regular or irregular skirmishers who resort to melee only at need.

Armored Axeman*
Morale: 8
Cost to Equip: 229gp
Cost to Retain: 10gp/month
Equipment: Heavy mail (100), battle-axe (7), shield (10), shortsword (12), riding horse (75), saddle (25)
Note: Hobilars who will switch to shortsword & shield if circumstances warrant. Huscarls would be elite units.

Simple House Rules I am Considering

• Pole-arms are the only weapons with which you automatically lose Initiative (battle-axes and two-handed swords are reprieved).
• Battle-axes receive an additional +1 "to hit" when charging. Overall, this makes them slightly more competitive vs. sword & shield, although still suboptimal.
• Maces are at -1 "to hit" against (faster) light or unarmored opponents, but +1 "to hit" against (slow) heavy-armored foes. Maces are unwieldy but have high penetration. My nod to weapons vs. armor.

It has always struck me as odd that if you take a dagger and tie it onto a long stick it takes longer to stab someone with it than when you started. I suppose, however, that you have to accomidate the fighter getting within the polearm's wielder's reach. And, we're talking about more than spears and pikes when we talk about polearms.

Any thoughts on hammers? Are those folded into the mace catagory or are you not worrying about them since there won't be an PC dwarves?

Erm, what is B/X? Does it refer to something like basic D&D/expert D&D? Or is it something else entirely.

Regardless of what B/X stands for, based on Sep's awesomness as a DM as evidenced by his Story Hour, I have little doubt the campaign will be great. Hence, count me in too as interested in participating if a space becomes available!

Sepulchrave II said:

For some economic guidelines I'm thinking of using A Magical Medieval Society, and for some flavor points I may look later to Pendragon and Birthright.

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Fief by Lisa J. Steele may be of interest for you as well. It duplicates some information from MMS; it highlights the rural point of view from the 9th to 13th centuries. A review is available. It has a couple of price lists for fines and priviledges.

Yes, B/X refers to the Moldvay Basic and Expanded rules for D&D. Alas, I only have the expanded rules and must pine for the basic book.

Baron Opal said:

Are leveled people a consequence of opportunity (you have been squired to a knight, you were accepted into the clergy) or inherent talent?
When Bruno picks up his threshing flail in disgust and convinces Abelard the scribe and Connor the villiage sneak that it is "high time we do something about this", is it that initiative that makes them leveled or is there something more required? Or, is this even a relevant question?

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I don't think that it's relevant. I don't know that pondering the hows and whys of character level and leveling outside of the PCs themselves is productive, as it lends an abstraction too much concreteness.

3e tended in the other direction, of course. There was a kind of implicit assumption that level had some objective reality. I'm not making a value judgment, btw - I love 3.x. But I've been hankering for freshness.

Asha'man said:

Nice. But don't you think there should be some distinction among shields? Should cavalry shields, bucklers and tower shields all have the same statistics?

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I'd rather develop complexity in areas away from combat, aside from a few choice tweaks. The B/X engine has a beautiful simplicity, which naturally makes the game far more strategic.

Asha'man said:

And will you use any kind of NWP/skill system? Which one?

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I'm still thinking about that one. Maybe something simple, with a d6. I'd base it on the Thief's "Hear Noise" ability by level; not my idea, btw. I stole it from someone at Dragonsfoot. I'll credit them properly when I find the link again. In the meantime, thank-you, whoever you are.

Roll d6. Skills would succeed on a 1-2 (at 1st and 2nd level), on a 1-3 (at 3rd thru 6th level) etc. I'm thinking very broad categories (Lore is one I keep coming back to; I can't think of any others, off the top of my head).

A big part of me would rather define skills during role-playing. You're a good armorer? You can counterfeit money? Expert falconer? Fine. I'll roll with that.

Witty Comeback said:

Aren't maces traditionally symbols of kingship and authority?

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Uhoh

Or perhaps is that further along in the psuedo-timeline?

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Good thinking!

Honestly, I have no idea when the association began. I had an idea that it might be Roman lictors who carried them, but apparently they had bundles of sticks instead. Maybe it's a Carolingian thing? Could Google, but I'm lazy.

I know that more than a few peasant uprisings involved maces.

Baron Opal said:

Any thoughts on hammers? Are those folded into the mace catagory...

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No picks/hammers, I'm thinking - no plate to penetrate. And big slecges are rather too fantastic.
Horse barding would be more cataphractoi-type than steel plates; or maybe just cuirboilli with a very heavy caparison.

Dunno about flails, tho.

Asha'man said:

And will you use any kind of NWP/skill system? Which one?

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Sepulchrave II said:

I'm still thinking about that one. Maybe something simple, with a d6. ... Roll d6. Skills would succeed on a 1-2 (at 1st and 2nd level), on a 1-3 (at 3rd thru 6th level) etc.

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I was thinking of something similar where all skills are 1d6 + Attribute bonus, target number 6. This maps fairly well to the open doors roll in AD&D with strength, for example. Elves would get +1 for searching for secret doors, &c.

I've been working on an AD&D campaign myself, and I have been slowly drifiting towards B/X or RC. I'm really annoyed by % Strength. If I want the complexities either I'll derive it myself or play 3 / 4 ed. (Which, likewise, I enjoy too. This is a second game for me.)

Map

Still under construction, and subject to much tweaking. England and Wales show scale.