Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Heroes as a Wargames Campaign

My planned Autumn campaign for 2025, a continuation of my Heroes game.

So Far

Prince Isperich, son of King Krum, ruler of Translavonia, has been captured in a battle with the Normans.  The city of Saczow has now been besieged and Odo de Farandole, the Norman Captain has threatened to execute the hostage Prince unless they surrender.

The new Voivode of Saczow (Odo having killed the last one in battle) is Trevel, another son of King Krum, and he's clearly not too concerned about his brother.  Instead he has gathered his Druzhina bodyguard, and the city militias, for an attempted night attack on the Norman encampment.




The original Heroes map, printed out from my pdf copy of the rules.
 
Saczow  15000
Zagreb  20090 Capital
Istria   5000
Mozyr 5000
Zada 5000
Kastav   1000
Zadar 5000



Random events, per turn
  1. Political - sub table
  2. Religious
  3. Dynastic
  4. Famine or feast
  5. Trade or piracy
  6. A new foe

Political
  1. Byzantium interference
  2. Triente intervenes
  3. The Empire's game
  4. Voivodes revolt
  5. The Magyar appear
  6. A Bulgari summer
  7. The Frankish enemy

Religious
  1. A Diet
  2. Bishop interferes
  3. Denounced
  4. Blessed
  5. A Heretical Preacher
  6. A man of Godde joins you 
Dynastic
A Byzantine Prince
Son of the Doge
New Local city Lord
Heiress
Prince of the Empire
Second son of the Voivovde

Famine or feast


Trade or Piracy


A new foe
  1. A new warband - dice
  2. Raiders - dice
  3. A charismatic Captain
  4. A small fleet lands
  5. Rebel within the Warband
  6. A Lombard Duke or  Bulgar, Serv, Croatia or Slav Chieftain

My master plan for 20mm Normans in the South was to use a mixture of metal figures and the HaT 1/72 El Cid range.  The plastics keep the price of the project low, but they are nice figures and versatile in terms of representing generic 11th Century warriors.


20mm Forces in Cyprus
2 groups of 6 Elite Cavalry, Norman Knights (6 more to add) Tumbling Dice Miniatures.
12 Light Horse, Mainly Italeri and HaT Andalusian
12 Goth/Lombard Horse, Newline Designs. Using these for Slavs too.
12 Heavy Spear Tumbling Dice metals
12 Medium Spear HaT El Cid Spanish
12 Archers HaT as above
24 Goth or Lombard Spear from Newline
12 plastic Archers
6 Byzantine Cavalry Newline Late Romans
6 Light Byz Cavalry Newline Late Romans
12 Byzantine Varangians, Tumbling Dice Saxon Hussars.  Using these for Swabians too until I get a better answer 
96 mixed plastic "Spanish" HaT El Cid foot as unit builders
12 Arabic Cavalry
96 plastic HaT El Cid Andalusian Foot for unit building.
12 HaT Mounted Huns, a group of Heavy a group of horse archers to use as my Bulgars, possibly Slavs too 

Based singly, but I going to go to 3/2/1 basing.  I need a lot of singles for Pillage Games though.

Terrain already made
Norman Tower and Motte
Palisades
City gates
Dark Age buildings 

Terrain to do
Olive grove
Wagons
Slav Ring fort palisade gateway
The ship templates for a Dromon, Galley and dhow

Army Lists 24 points 

Army lists will use "character figure" rules, minor sacred standards, Holy characters.

Lombard City Force
• 3 Heavy Cavalry @ 12 points (+Leader)
• 1 Heavy Infantry Spearmen (the Popollo) @ 5 points mixed foot and crossbow.
• 1 Heavy Infantry @4 points
• 1 Lower Class Spearmen (the Commune) @ 3 points
Galleon

Byzantine Thema force
• 2 Heavy Cavalry with Bows* (+Leader)@ 10 points
• 2 Skoutatoi Heavy Spearmen @ 8 point
• 1 Light Cavalry bow @3
• 1 skirmishers Peltastoi @ 2 points
• 1 Sacred Standard @ 1 point
Dromond

Frankish (Ottonians)
• 2 Heavy Cavalry * @ 12 points * If Swabians use dismounted knights with two handed swords or axes.
• 1 Lower Class Spearmen @ 3 points
• 1 Skirmishers @ 2 points
• 1 Ottonian character figure.

Slavs, Croats, Servs
• 1 Heavy Cavalry @ 4 points
• 4 Light Spearmen @ 12 points
• 1 Archers @ 4 points
• 2 Skirmisher archers @ 4 points
Ringfort gateway

Bulgars
• 1 Elite Cavalry + bow (+Leader) @ 8 points
• 1 Heavy Cavalry @4
• 2 Light Cavalry bow @6
• 1 Archers @ 4 points
• 1 Skirmishers @ 2 points
Ringfort gateway

Norman Mercenaries
• Drilled trait @1 and Feigned flight @1
• Mounted character figure @1
• 3 Elite Cavalry @ 18 points (+Leader)
• 1 Light archers @ 3 points
Walked hill town or palisaded bandit camp

Arab Pirate fleet

1 Heavy Cavalry @4 (+Leader)
• 3 Spearmen @ 12 points
• 2 Archers @ 8 points
Dhows

 
Scenarios (the hooks)
The scenarios are listed and drawn randomly, being removed once played.  That makes them a narrative of my Norman's attempted Conquest of the Dalmatian Coast. 

Ambush on the forest road
The crossroads battle
The richest monastery
The charcoal burner's huts
Raiders and traders
The enemy fleet
The rival merchants
A plague on both your houses
The Merchant of Venetiza
Two gentlemen of Roma
The Devil's Family :The Bellême brothers
Hawking and hunting with my Lord the Bishop
A turbulent priest
Saracen pirates
Revolting peasants
The great Bulgar slave raid
Crossing the Sava river
The Sacred Item racket
A war band of Swabians
The Great Byzantine Bribe
Bandits in the forest
The Lombard Princess
Wreck of the Pantocrator's Fist
Band of pilgrims
The Pope's hostage
Bishop versus Duke
The Slav Warlord/Voivode and the ring fort
An exile of Saxony
Monasteries
Castle attack
Pillage the Village
Ship battle, the floating harbour
Fight in the Olive groves
The Ambush in the city streets.
Battle, the Vengeful Catepan
Battle, the Martial Pope 

Defeating a campaign earns reputation points and a d6 loot roll

Bonus Awards. 
Defeating some scenarios gives the characters certain bonus awards.  I'll treat these as random, granted on a 6 loot roll.

1.  The Warband leader falls ill for a month
2.  A minor character in the Warband is appointed as a Centenar
3.  A Master Archer is identified among your shooters 
4.  The enemy camp has a buried horde of silver. D6
5.  A hostage is taken
6.  The bonus d6
  1. Marry a Lombard or Slav Princess/ heiress for a title.
  2. Nearby town surrenders, gain title as count of ...
  3. An Alexandrian Scholar/ doctore joins the retinue for +1 
  4. "The Devils own luck," reroll one dice per turn cost @1
  5. Goddes Warrior +1 courage @1
  6. The benefits of family - Add a second character.

Names

EMPIRE

Domenico, Vitale, Ordelaffo, Sebastiano, Orie, Peter, Orso, Otto, Herman, Armulf, Grimoald, Conradin, Henry, Priedrik, Louis, Robert, Carl, Garloman, Roland, Renault , Therauld, Theodohat, Zwentibold, Theodoric ,

Adelchis, Thevdigisel, Chindaswinth, Albion, Wamba, Fulk, Droggo, Ebbo, Wala, Amalswintha, Sisnand.

TYRANTIA

Constantine, Alexius, The odosius, Justinian, Valentinian, Michael, Nicopherious,

Phillipicus, Anastasius, Lee, Stauracius , Androcius, Isaac, Romanus, John, Basil, Zeno

MAGYARY

Stephen, Janos, Rostislav, Bela, Ladislas, Louis, Botond, Bulcscu, Arpad, Termacs,, Gyula, Geza, Andrew, Saloman, Almos, Denes, Kalovan, Sigismund, Ulaszlo.

ASGARD

Guthräm, Eric, Einar, Ragnar, Harold, Thorgils, Swein, Cnut, Snorri,

TRANSLAVONIA

Krum, Isperich, Trevel, Sevar, Kormisos, Vinech, Telec, Sabin, Umar, Toktu, Pagan,, Teleric, Malamyr, Sabin, Asen, Kalojan, Ivajlo, Koloman, Symeon, Smilec, Ormotag.

ISPANIA

Manuel, Miguel, Peter, Carlos, Alfonso, Adielie.

RUSSLAND

Vlad, Borris, Igor, Ivan, Alexander, Vladimir , Matislav, Yaroslav, Vagrad, Vaxtang, 0leg, Petes, Svjateslav.

HERZLAVAKIA

Ottokar, Stephan, Nemanja, Ures, Mututin, Dragutin, Vladislav , Jakov, Svetoslav, Sisman, Vukasin, Hrelja, Dragas, Uggljesa, Dejanovic, Lazar,; Balsic, Hvroje, Ostoja, Hrvatinic, Herceg.

POLDAVIA

Bolesslav, Roman, Stanislaws, Jagielto, Tadeusz, Jerzy, Jozet, Kazimeirz, Janusz, Adam, Mieczyslaw, Marian, Andrzej, Witold.

ANGONIA

Aelfrith, Aethelred, Aelfred, Penda, 0swy, Oswald, Edmund, Rae đwald, Worr, Hengist,

Caelwin, Theobald, Eorpwald, Siward, Hereward, Angelthe ow , Stuff, Bearwold, Cr orlwulf,

Eadwig, Peuthwine, Scromail, Spearhafoc, Yffe.

Orwan, Feargus, Cadwallon, Dai, Gryffyd, Malcolm, Coran, Dermot, Donal, Cydog, Rhys,

Coinmail, Dubhslain, Idwal, Maelslaihta, Rhidwallon, Liam.

igan (Order 45540625)

ORENTIA

Khalid, Mohamme d, Abâul, Walid, Maslama, Omar, Othman, Yezid, Tbrahim, Merwan,

Haroun, Muavia, Abde Ime lik, Soliman, Hisham, Masud, Kayqubad, Mustarshid, Quahir.



No comments:

Post a Comment