Friday, April 22, 2011

"Rebellion Index" Clarification

Having done a bit of thinking lately, I have decided to move my Afristan Campaign even farther from the Jarania Campaign that inspired it . . . because of a different map and mix of forces.

(note: click on map for better view; click twice for best view.)

Each player has four different types of Districts among his nine Districts in terms of "content":
  • one Home District containing a port and a fort
  • one Missionary District containing a a mission
  • two Trader Districts each containing a trading post
  • five Normal Districts only containing natives
Because I've decided to eliminate the "British" garrisons in the "Home Districts" so that they will also be susceptible to going into Rebellion, I've decided that the die rolls for each type of district will be as follows:
  • Home Districts will roll 1d6 and subtract four
  • Missionary Districts will roll 1d6 and subtract two
  • Trader Districts will roll 1d8 and subtract four
  • Normal Districts will roll 1d6 and subtract three
Only positive results will affect the Rebellion Index by adding to the current Index Value (negative results will be ignored). At the start of the Campaign, all Districts will have a Rebellion Index value of "2". If a Normal District were to roll a 4, its Index would go up one (4-3=1) to 3; if a Home District rolled the 4, it would stay at 2 (4-4=0); but if a Missionary District rolled the 4, it would go up to 4 (4-2=2).

Thus it should be obvious that the Missionary and Trader Districts have the potential to be more volatile than Normal Districts, potentially increasing by as much as 4 points; while Home Districts will only go up if a 5 or 6 is rolled and thus are much more stable.

By the way, while I said that the British garrisons had been deleted from the Home Districts (and replaced with Pasha Omar Mustapha's Egyptian troops), there will remain a "Headquarters Squad" plus any Reinforcements that accumulate. While the player's Captain or Senior Lt. may be left in charge of this HQ, the "extra" Lt. (until he eventually commands a Cavalry unit) should be there in addition to the command's doctor and commissary.

When a "Field Force" exits a District without losing a battle, that District's Rebellion Index will return to 2 . . . the same value at which all Districts will start in January, 1876 when the Campaign begins.

I should note how the "Rebellion Index" works. When a player's "Field Force" enters a District, I will roll 1d20. If the number rolled is lower than the Rebellion Index, there will be fighting . . . with the difference between the Rebellion Index and the d20 roll being the number of units that the Field Force will be facing. Thus a high Rebellion Index can be quite dangerous.

-- Jeff

1 comment:

  1. Sound reasoning, Jeff. The aim is to produce games on the tabletop, and making things too safe would spoil things.

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