The Siege of Sunbridge
Hello Wargamers!
This video is part one of another series of wargame campaign videos based on events in my RPG campaign. It uses elements of a traditional map campaign, specifically, movement and siege battles. In this video, I’ll walk thru the steps to convert the movements of troops on the regional campaign map to the forces that are on the battlefield. All of the resources and tools used in this exercise will be linked in the description and further information, including this entire script, can be found on the Design Journal Substack.
And now, welcome to the World of Weirth.
Introduction
On 14 Sacha the cracked moon turned red as blood. Just days later an Undead horde attacked the fortified town of Gaztelu Mugatik, 25 miles west of Greywatch and Sunbridge Town. This siege was played out in the Blood Red Moon series of videos you can see on the channel. After the fall of Gaztelu Mugatik, the horde marched on the nearby dogtown of Nulub’s Quarry, and the Headman of Nulub’s Quarry sent a Scroll Dragon (flying messenger lizard) to the Count of Laralla in Laralasbol.
Resources Used for the Campaign
The FRP campaign is run using a core of RPG rules from Low Fantasy Gaming, by Stephen Grodzicki. The basic rules can be downloaded for free at https://lowfantasygaming.com/freepdf/.
I have created homebrew systems for magic and task resolution (or “Proficiencies”, if you prefer), and the campaign is essentially a playtest of these systems.
For Strategic-level Campaign operations I use both Setting Up a Wargames Campaign, by Tony Bath (Amazon Aff link https://amzn.to/3m8vDel ), and The Solo Wargaming Guide, by William Silvester (Amazon Aff link https://amzn.to/3IQ9qe5 ). I will refer to these volumes when using any particular mechanics.
(I would appreciate your using the Affiliate links in the description if you order these books, it costs nothing extra, and puts a few cents in my fund for creating this content. Thank you for your support!)
Low Fantasy Gaming does have a Massed Combat system included in the rules, but it is much more narrative-style than I like. I want to play a wargame! I have also created a set of system-agnostic Basic Massed Combat rules for these kinds of in-game situations that are still WIP. I have chosen to use Commands & Colors: Ancients (Aff link https://amzn.to/41x9cQg)for the actual execution of this situation on the table for several reasons:
1. I need to play this scenario solo. My FRP game is online via discord so there is no way to gather IRL and play the wargame.
2. The Basic Massed Combat System is not yet developed enough for solo play.
3. GMT Games has a wonderful set of rules for managing card-driven games, like Commands & Colors: Ancients, in solo mode. Free Print & Play download at https://www.gmtgames.com/p-908-cdg-solo-system.aspx
4. I need to use the game tiles to represent the units, as I don’t have enough actual minis (at any scale) to do so properly.
The complete text of the video and the photos are available on the Wargame Culture Design Journal Substack. I invite you to become a subscriber for full access to the expanded content and free downloads available each month. Paid subscriptions allow me to continue producing these long-form presentations and rule supplements like the Basic Massed Combat System. Thank you for your support!
The Scenario Setup
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