Author Topic: Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas  (Read 4000 times)

MadDrB

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Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas
« on: January 09, 2013, 12:32:41 pm »
All right, here's the thread for brainstorming a campaign for Uncharted Seas.

I'm referencing the historic state of affairs in the Caribbean during the 17th century for ideas.  I'm thinking the Iron Dwarves are comparable to the Spanish, maybe the IH to the British, and the Dragon Lords are something equivalent to the Mesoamericans with ships and mysterious magic.  Of course, the Bone Griffons are equivalent to undead pirates attacking everything afloat.

A big component I'm working on here is for land operations.  For a campaign I'm thinking in terms of friendly ports so players can have damaged ships repaired for free in friendly ports but need to pay for repairs in neutral or pirate ports.  Also, ports can be captured and forced to change alliances so that the objective of the campaign is not just to sink as many enemy fleets as possible but also to capture and convert ports.

When it comes to land operations, I'm thinking of infantry units rather than actual landships, aiming to capture the feeling of marine operations involving bands of pirates rather than massive war machines.  Maybe a "large" land unit can be an artillery battery--not much movement, and it can either move or shoot but not both.  A medium land unit could be a battalion of grenadiers or line infantry, capable of hardly affecting fortresses or ships but dealing serious damage against other infantry units.  And small land units could be the equivalent of light infantry, skirmishers, and landing parties--they might not be able to attack a medium or large land unit directly, but they might have special MARs which allow them to work as sapper units, blowing up fortress walls, etc.

MadDrB

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Re: Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2013, 05:10:59 pm »
Here are the Land Unit rules I modified from the DW Campaign Book, Storm of Steel:

LAND UNITS IN THE UNCHARTED SEAS

 

COMPANY STRENGTH

Land Units are organized into Companies.  A Company is not a model, it is a token.  All measurements to or from a Company uses the closest point of the token representing the Company.  The Strength of a Company is equivalent to Crew Points.  The current Strength of a Company is indicated by using a WHITE six-sided die to the port and aft of the token.  The Maximum Strength Points a Company may have is 6.  Land Units are NOT Fortifications.

 

COMPANY TYPE

Several different Company types can be deployed.  When any ship stops within 1
« Last Edit: January 10, 2013, 05:37:55 am by MadDrB »

Pendrake

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Re: Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2013, 12:20:45 am »
Not sure I understand the Crew Points conversion to Sailor Companies or Marines.

If a ship has 6 CP,... it can put all 6 CP ashore, choosing Marines and end up with a total Strength ashore of 12? If instead, it chose Sailors the strength ashore would be only 6? Why ever choose sailors?
___________________________

For larger Land Units think about Brigades. Brigades would consist of multiple companies.
___________________________

This sort of campaign will need scenarios such as:
Cutting Out Expeditions -- board, prize, and sail away vessels captured
Harbor Raids -- enter hostile harbor, sink and destroy targets, escape
Harbor Assaults -- enter hostile harbor, capture objectives ashore
Fortress Bombardments -- a tedious game, objective is to smash a large fortified area
Shore Raids -- attack objectives ashore and escape, at points other than harbors
Convoy Battles -- defend / attack supply or transport ships
1:1200 - One inch equals One Hundred feet...

MadDrB

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Re: Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2013, 05:35:24 am »
Not sure I understand the Crew Points conversion to Sailor Companies or Marines.

If a ship has 6 CP,... it can put all 6 CP ashore, choosing Marines and end up with a total Strength ashore of 12? If instead, it chose Sailors the strength ashore would be only 6? Why ever choose sailors?

Why take a Sailor Company over Marines?  Because a Sailor Company can move and still get the Fortified bonus to resist running away when shot at, and when they move into contact with a fort or obstacle they can directly attack the fort, etc.  Marines can only attack other Land Units but not forts.  I need to specify that restriction.  Thanks.

For larger Land Units think about Brigades. Brigades would consist of multiple companies.

Yes, indeed, and I suppose an HQ Land Unit could be included as well to restore lost Stamina points, as in the DW infantry rules.

This sort of campaign will need scenarios such as:
Cutting Out Expeditions -- board, prize, and sail away vessels captured
Harbor Raids -- enter hostile harbor, sink and destroy targets, escape
Harbor Assaults -- enter hostile harbor, capture objectives ashore
Fortress Bombardments -- a tedious game, objective is to smash a large fortified area
Shore Raids -- attack objectives ashore and escape, at points other than harbors
Convoy Battles -- defend / attack supply or transport ships

In the scenario I'm working on there is a harbor with ships at anchor and dockside--one player has an objective to put ashore Sailors and Marines in a Cutting Out to capture those anchored vessels.  The other allied player has a similar objective to destroy the fortress protecting the harbor.  A third player controls the fortress and Land Units while a forth player controls a naval force moving to secure the harbor and drive off the attacking force.  A 4-player scenario with 2 teams, but each player can "win" by achieving different objectives.

Ruckdog

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Re: Brainstorming Campaign for Uncharted Seas
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2013, 11:30:29 pm »
Sounds like an interesting scenario; I'd be interested in trying anyway.