The Sun in Splendour

Each campaign year be of 4 turns, unimaginatively called spring, summer, autumn and winter. Turn 1 starts with Spring, 1456.

For the purposes of this game, "Wales" is all those places west of (and including) the line Rhuddlan, Denbigh, Chirk, Mid-Wales, Beacon, Usk, Cardiff, Ogmore. "England" is everything else shown on the map except Wales, Dublin, Douglas, Calais and Carisbrooke.

The map:

Initial set-up

Each leader starts with the following:

Office descriptions:

Notes:

1. In Calais only, gains an extra 600 retinue archers.
2. Gains an extra 200 retinue archers when on or north of the line Cockermouth, Appleby, Newcastle, and may raise militia from Chillingham, Appleby and the Cheviots as well as from Bamburgh.
3. May raise militia from Dartmouth, Weymouth, Chichester and Rye as well as Pevensey, and may arrest shipping when in these ports.
4. May raise militia from Bodmin, Penzance and Dartmouth.
5. May raise militia from Harlech, Rhuddlan, Mid-Wales and Cardiff as well as from Caernarvon.
6. Gains an extra 8 votes in parliament if there is no sole King.
7. May arrest shipping when in Carisbrooke or any port in England.
8. Gains 200 extra retinue archers in Dover, Canterbury or Rye.
9. May raise militia from Blackheath, Barnet, Windsor as well as from London; gains an extra 25 light guns, 500 militia archers and 250 militia billmen when in London, and an extra 250 militia billmen when in London, Barnet or Blackheath.
10. May raise militia from Denbigh and Caernarvon as well as from Conway.
11. May raise militia from Taunton.
12. May raise militia from Daventry.
13. May raise militia from Mid-Wales.
14. May raise militia from Beverley.
15. May raise militia from Bury.
16. May raise militia from Grantham.
17. May raise militia from Royston.
18. Gains an extra 250 militia archers in Beaumaris.
19. Gains an extra 250 militia archers in Carisbrooke.
20. Gains an extra 400 retinue archers in Dublin.

Turn Sequence:

1. Random events phase
2. Revenue phase
3. Leader's orders phase
4. Movement phase
5. Battle resolution phase
6. Siege resolution phase
7. Post-conflict resolution phase
8. Parliament phase
9. Victory determination phase

1. Random events phase

1.1 The umpire rolls once with 4d6 on the random events table on behalf of each leader, in a random order that is determined anew each turn. Any consequences are immediately applied, if applicable.

1.2 Random events table

Score	Event
4	Major windfall
5	Heir comes of age
6	Castle repairs
7	Estate mismanagement
8	Treachery
9	Loyalty
10	Estate blight
11	Escape!
12	New Estate
13	Secret contact
14	Change of Office
15	Sympathiser in the enemy camp
16	Mobilisation
17	Parliament
18	Minor windfall
19	Staff Change
20	Embassy
21	Raid
22	Change of allegiance
23	Irish uprising
24	Natural Disaster

4 - Major windfall. You receive 5000 pounds.
5 - Heir comes of age. Gain 3 legitimacy points.
6 - Castle repairs. Each castle you personally own (ie. not castles that come with an office, and not walled towns or cities) must throw a d6 and subtract 3. Any positive result is multiplied by 500 to see how many pounds are required to repair the castle. A castle that is in need of repair has its combat effectiveness reduced by half until repaired (in the random events phase). This will not be readily apparent to enemies however. A castle in need of repair that becomes in need of repair again will have its combat effectiveness reduced to zero, this will be apparent to all and sundry.
7 - Estate mismanagement. Each estate you have (castle, town, city) will have a 1 in 3 chance of failing to roll for revenue whenever called upon to do so, until the leader personally visits (passes through) the estate to set matters right.
8 - Treachery. You have gained a sympathiser in a key position in a castle, walled town or city belonging to another leader. Which is determined randomnly. If you besiege the place, the enemy fortifications will only count for half their usual effectiveness. If the chosen estate is Loyal (number 9 below) this will cancel the loyalty rather than gain a sympathiser.
9 - Loyalty. The castallan of one of your fortified estates (castle, walled town or city) is unusually loyal and competent. You chose which estate. The estate is then immune to the effects of Estate Mismanagement or Treachery. Note however that Treachery played on a Loyal estate will nullify the Loyalty so that it reverts to being normal in the future.
10 - Estate blight. One of your estates (castle, town, city, etc, of whatever origin) will not roll on the revenue table the next time it is called upon to do so. Which estate is determined randomly. In addition, it will not roll on the revenue table the subsequent time either, unless you personally visits the estate to set matters right before hand.
11 - Escape! If you are currently being besieged, you and your personal troop element (only) may escape the siege without fighting a battle, and with zero chance of interception by the besiging force this turn. The enemy will only notice after you have departed, after having written their own orders. You may still be intercepted by other forces belonging to the besiegers, if they are nearby, or any other hostile forces on your route. If you are not currently being besieged, then roll a d6. On a score of 5 or 6 you gain one random office from those currently unassigned.
12 - New Estate. You gain one random estate from those that are currently unassigned.
13 - Secret contact. You gain information as to current size of another leader's treasury, and what they have spent any money on last turn, and which, if any, of their estates currently have Loyalty in effect. You chose which leader.
14 - Change of Office. Throw a d6. On a 1, a random currently unassigned office is taken up by a minor noble, and is temporarily removed from play. On a 2, and random temporarily out of play office is vacated by a minor nobel, bringing it back into play. On a 3 or 4, a random currently unassigned estate is temporarily removed from play. On a 5 or 6 a random temporarily out of play estate is vacated, bringing it back into play.
15 - Sympathiser in the enemy camp. You gain information as to current size and whereabouts of all of another leader's armed forces. You chose which leader.
16 - Mobilisation. You may issue orders to any troops you have this turn even if they are in a different location to you.
17 - Parliament. If there is no sole King, and there is a Chancellor of England, he must summon a parliament; similarly, if there is a sole King, he must summon a parliament. The parliament must be in England, and in an city or unwalled town of the summoner's choosing. Any leader that wishes to attend may do so, along with any private retinue troops (not mercenaries, militia or office-derived retinue troops), the summoner must so attend, unless currently besieged, in which case no parliament may be summoned. Each attending leader (and their troops) are immediately moved to the parliament, unless currently beseiged, and must remain at parliament all this turn. They may not be attacked this turn. See section 8, the Parliament phase. If no parliament is summoned, a change of office occurs as for number 14 above.
18 - Minor Windfall. You receive 2000 pounds.
19 - Staff change. One of your fortified estates (castle, walled town or city) has its staff changed. This removes the effect of Treachery (or Loyalty). You chose which estate.
20 - Embassy. Throw d6. 1 = Scottish Embassy (Preston), 2 = French Embassy (Chicester), 3 = Burgundian Embassy (Caister), 4 = Imperial Embassy (Ravensea), 5 = Breton Embassy (Weymouth), 6 = Castillian Embassy (Dartmouth). An Embassy arrives at the bracketed town. A sole King must move to meet the embassy this turn, or, if a leader, lose 5 legitimacy points (Henry VI MUST attend). If there are two kings, a king, if a leader, that does not move to meet the embassy this turn loses 3 legitimacy ponts (Henry VI will not attend). If there are no kings, and there is a Chancellor, he must move to meet the embassy or lose 2 legitimacy points.
21 - Raid. If a French embassy has not yet been met, Calais is besieged by the French. The Captain of Calais must move to Calais, or lose a legitimacy point each turn he has not until the siege ends. The seige ends during a siege resolution phase when troops to the value of 1500 pounds maintenance are in the town in addition to its normal garrison/defences, in which case the siege is lifted, or if it is not lifted, if a modified score of 10 is scored on a d6, adding 1 to the roll every turn the seige drags on, in which case Calais falls, and it is removed permanently from the game. If Calais falls, every leader loses 2 legitimacy points; a crowned king loses 2 extra legitimacy points, and the Captain of Calais loses 5 extra legitimacy points. Any leaders in Calais at the time of its fall will be killed. If a French embassy has been met, and there is a sole King who is a Lancastrian, a minor Scottish raid crosses the border. The Warden of the Northern Marches must move to Bamburgh this turn with troops to the value of 1250 pounds maintenance or lose 3 legitimacy points. If there is a sole King who is a Lancastrian, a peasant uprising occurs. The Marshall of England must move to the spot of the uprising this turn with troops to the value of 1000 pounds maintenance, or lose 3 legitimacy points. Throw d6 for place: 1 = Taunton, 2 = Beacon, 3 = Rotherham, 4 = Thetford, 5 = Blackheath, 6 = Lichfield.
22 - Change of allegiance. The company of mercenaries that is closest to you that is neither in your employ, nor in the employ of one of your allies (ie showing allegiance to the same royal house), will desert their current employer unless he immediately pays them an extra season's wages. If more than one comapny is in the same spot, the least valuable company (in terms of DBM AP) will be the one that deserts. They will move to your position this turn and join with you; you will only have to pay them next turn, not this turn.
23 - Irish uprising. If there is a Lord Deputy currently in play, he loses 1 legitimacy point at the end of every turn until he moves to Dublin, or 5 legitimacy points have been lost.
24 - Natural Disaster. No militia will be able to be raised anywhere for the next 2 seasons.

2. Revenue phase.

2.1 Number of revenue rolls: The umpire rolls on behalf of each leader on the revenue table a number of times according to the season and type of holdings the leader possess to determine income that was collected over the last season. The number of rolls is detrmined as below:

Estate			Season
		Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
City		1	1	1	1
Walled Town		1		1
Private Castle			1		1
Unwalled Town				1	1

Note however, that a castle, walled town or city that is currently besieged will not get to roll, nor an unwalled town that has an enemy army currently in it. An enemy army in this case is one that is showing allegiance to a different royal house from you, and must consist of at least 500 pounds maintenace worth of troops. Certain random events will also deprive an estate of their revenue roll, see above. Royal castles, unlike private castles, never provide revenue rolls. Note that to roll on the revenue table, you must be legally in possession of the estate - holding it merely through right of conquest is not enough.

Some offices provide retinue-quality troops for their holder that are maintenance free. Once lost in battle, they are lost for good until the office changes hands to another leader.

2.2 Revenue rolls: resolve using a d6. 1 - collect 500 pounds. 2,3,4 - collect 1000 pounds. 5 - collect 1500 pounds. 6 - collect 500 pounds, and either (your choice) collect 500 more pounds, or raise a new retinue company: Throw d6 to determine what sorts of troops may be raised: 1 - 100 mounted Men-at-arms, plus their pages, valets and squires; 2 - 200 mounted Curours; 3 - 200 foot Billmen; 4 - 200 mounted Archers; 5 - 200 foot Archers, 6 - special - throw another d6: - 1,2,3 - 50 gunners, plus 25 light artillery pieces plus transport teams and servants; 4 - 50 gunners, plus 12 medium artillery pieces plus transport teams and servants; 5,6 - 50 gunners, plus 6 heavy bombards plus transport teams and servants. After 1460, the gunners numbers will read 1,2; 3,4; 5,6; after 1470, the numbers will read 1; 2,3,4; 5,6, reflecting the increasing sophistication of field artillery pieces. New retinue companies are raised in the place their die roll was derived from.

2.3 Pay retinue troops: Except the leader's own personal men-at-arms element, each company requires 500 pounds a season to maintain if mounted, 250 if not. Troops not paid are immediately disbanded.

2.4 Pay mercenary troops: Each mercenary company requires 500 pounds a season to maintain. Troops not paid are immediately disbanded. Heavy losses will reduce the payments required due to thinning of the ranks, but not an a 1 for 1 basis - officers are less likely to be lost than private sldiers, and they cost a lot more to maintain.

2.5 Raise mercenaries: mercenaries are available from the following sources: Britanny, Wales, Ireland, France, Burgundy, Scotland. To raise mercenaries, a leader must be in one the following places:

Bretons - Penzance, Dartmouth, Weymouth, Plymouth, or in Refuge in France
Welsh - Anywhere in Wales, plus Hereford, Ludlow, Shrewsbury
Irish - Dublin, Cardigan, Milford, Caernarvon, Beaumaris, Preston, Douglas, Bodmin
French - Calais, or in refuge in France
Burgundians - Calais, or in Refuge in Burgundy
Scotland - Carlisle, Berwick, Chillingham, Cheviots, Bamburgh

To initially raise a mercenary company costs 500 pounds. This also pays their wages for this coming season. Each mercenary company will comprise the following:

Bretons: 1000 Bidets with javelins and targets (2) Welsh: 750 Archers (6), 750 Spearmen and 250 light Archers (2), 1000 Spearmen (3) Irish: 1000 Bonnachts (3), 1500 assorted Kerns (4) French: 400 Crossbowmen plus 200 Handguners (2), 12 medium guns plus 200 Crossbowmen (1) Burgundians: 400 Pikemen and 200 Handgunners (3) Scots: A Scottish ally-general, 200 Men-at-Arms, 6 bombards, 500 Archers and 6000 Spearmen (1)

The number in brackets is the maximum number of such companies that may normally be in the game at an one time. Generally speaking, a leader may only raise one company a turn. However, a leader may dice to attempt to raise others. Each company of mercenaries the leader has currently employed from that source (including those hired previously this turn) subtracts 1 off the dice roll; each company of mercenaries the leader has already hired from that place this turn subtacts a further 1 from the roll. Every 100 pounds spent on recruiting agents adds 1 to the die roll. A score of 6 or more is required to hire a further company. Failure to hire a company means no more hiring can be attempted this turn by that leader, but does not stop others attempting to do so at the same place.

Scots may only be hired by a Lancastrian crowned king or Margaret of Anjou, and not in winter. They may only be used for the current season, and may not be hired again until next year. The hirer loses 2 legitimacy points each time they are raised.

Receivers of Burgundian Aid or French Aid (see later) each receive mercenary companies like those above, free of raising costs, to the maximum number allowed, which do not count towards the normal hiring limits (they may not augment these companies with other troops from the same source however). They must be paid normall in subsequent turns or disband in the usual manner. A leader may only recieve such aid once, so no leader may recieve both Burgundian and French aid.

2.7 Raise militia: a leader may attempt to raise militia from any estate that they currently legally control or are otherwise entitled to raise militia from. Militia are raised in 500-man companies and are predominantly of archers. Each attempt must be diced for: each company of militia the leader has currently raised from that estate (ie. those raised previously this turn) subtracts 1 from the dice roll; each company of militia the leader has previously raised from that estate this year subtacts a further 1 from the roll (ncluding those raised this turn). Every 200 pounds spent on press gangs adds 1 to the die roll. If a leader is currently in the estate concerned, 2 is added to the dice roll. A score of 4 or more is required to raise a company. Failure to raise a company means no more raising can be attempted this turn by that leader from that estate, but does not stop others attempting to do so at from same estate, or attempts at raising militia from anoter estate.

3. Leader's orders phase

3.1 Movement Orders. Leaders now send in their movement orders for this turn to the umpire. Except for militia, or when in reciept of a Mobilisation random event, a leader may only order troops to move if they are in the same place the leader is - however the leader need not accompany the troops when they do move, and troops may be ordered to more than one destination, and even have orders that take more than one turn to carry out. It is also possible to pick up troops on the route of march as part of an order (eg 'Move from London to St Albans, via Barnet, picking up all available troops at Barnet'). The form that orders are given is generally up to the leader, but simple orders are less likely to contain mistakes, and so are generally best. It is even possible to write conditional orders, such as 'Caernarvon garrison: if Shrewsbury is besieged, move with all available retinue troops to Chester via Conway, Rhuddlan'. Orders than can't be completed are likely to cause trouble, and orders that are ambiguous are even more likely to cause trouble...

3.2 Interception and Aggression. Except as noted under 3.3, all movement orders must be given an 'interception' rating and an 'aggression stance' rating, in each case a number from 1 (low) to 7 (high). Any orders received lacking this will default to 2 interception and 4 aggression. The interception rating is an indication of how much emphasis you intend to place on seeking out nearby enemy forces for battle in the field, and the aggression rating is an indication of what odds you consider acceptable when seeking out combat with enemy armies. When intercepting an enemy army, relative mobilities of the two forces and reputations of the highest ranking leader of each force if any) are considerations that alter the chances of a successful interception. When considering the 'best' sort of enemy force to engage, the closest in proportione to the ideal will be taken as best - ie a 5000 man army with agression 4 if offered the choice of attacking a 5000 man army and a 4000 man army will attempt attack the 4000-strong army; but given a choice between a 5000-strong army and a 400-strong army will attack the 5000 strong army.

Interception rating:

7 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is detected.
6 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is detected within 20 movement points of route.
5 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is detected within 12 movement points of route.
4 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is detected within 8 movement points of route.
3 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is detected within 4 movement points of route.
2 - Will attempt to move towards and engage 'best' enemy force that is on the route.
1 - Will not attempt to engage any enemy forces on the route, except those at the destination.

Aggression rating:

7 - Engage at up to 1:4 odds, best opponent is 4:5 odds.
6 - Engage at up to 1:2 odds, best opponent is 5:4 odds.
5 - Engage at up to 2:3 odds, best opponent is 3:2 odds.
4 - Engage at up to 1:1 odds, best opponent is 2:1 odds.
3 - Engage at up to 5:4 odds, best opponent is 5:2 odds.
2 - Engage at up to 3:2 odds, best opponent is 3:1 odds.
1 - Engage at up to 2:1 odds, best opponent is 4:1 odds.

Note that estimates of an opponents's force size may be unreliable, and will not take into account qualitative diferences - only numbers of men will be considered.

3.4 Militia orders and movement. As Militia companies disband at the end of the battle resolution phase in the same season they are raised, they are limited to fighting in the general area they are raised from, and cannot particiate in sieges. However, as they can be ordered without their raiser being present, it is possible to raise militia from a number of sources and have them muster together in one spot. Unlike other troops, militia that are moving solely by themselves as individual companies need not be given interception and aggression ratings. In this case, the men are assumed to travel as individuals, and only form up as a company at the destination point. They then cannot attack or be attacked en route. Such dispersed companies have a lower movement rate than normal however (in this case, it is better thought of as a lower 'range').

4. Movement phase

4.1 Movement distances and sequence. Movement is essentially simultaneous. The maximum distance able to be moved in a single turn by a body of men is determined by the slowest troop type in the body:

Leader and own element	150
Other mounted elements	70
Bombards	30
Dispersed militia	16
Other militia	30
Other foot	50

A body of troops that runs out of movement points will generally attempt to complete its orders next season if possible. Regardless of distance points, militia may not move more than 3 areas from the estate they are raised from if dispersed, or 4 if not dispersed.

4.2 Winter movement. In winter all distances on the map increase by one, and all distances with a random component increase by a further d6.

5. Battle resolution phase

Militoia disperse to their homes

6. Siege resolution phase

Note that militia or mercenaries raised or hired in an estate that is currently besieged will normally have to fight their way through the besieging army to join the beseiged. Cities are a general exception to this rule - upto 1 company may be raised from within the city a turn even when besieged.

7. Post-conflict resolution phase

8. Parliament phase.

9. Victory determination phase

9.1 The campaign will end if at the end of any turn any of the four following conditions has occured:

The Edward IV scenario: A crowned king has amassed at least 50 more legitimacy points than the head of the rival royal house. The nation will accept the (most) legitimate King as God's annointed, and fail to heed the pretender's pathetic protests, and who will no doubt be done away with in the dark at some future point. Note that the campaign winner for the leaders in this case may not be the King - another noble may have even more legitimacy, and will thus become the true power-behind-the-throne in the new regime.

The Henry Tudor scenario: The head of a royal house defeats the crowned head of the rival house in battle, and the King is killed in battle (not executed afterwards - that just leads to more vengeance) while he survives the battle with more legitimacy points (including those gained as a result of the battle) than any other leader. The victor will be acclaimed upon the field as the rightful King of England, and nobody will be left with enough power to stop him doing pretty well much as he pleases.

The Oliver Cromwell scenario: There is no sole crowned king, and one leader who is not a member of either the houses of York or Lancaster has at least 50 more legitimacy points than any other leader. Parliament, both Lords and Commons, will spontaneously declare him Protector of the Realm in Perpetuity, supported by popular acclimation of the masses, and boot out the rest of the poxy nobility from any positions of power. Long live the Commonwealth!

The Jack Cade scenario: There is no sole crowned king, and no leader has more than 20 legitimacy points, and it is currently 1466 or later. The country dissolves in anarchy while foreign powers invade taking adavantage of the civil strife, and many of the commons support them in hopes of more stable government: even foreign government must be better than what they have had to put up with recently...

9.2 If the campaign continues, the next turn will now begin.

Starting Positions: Queen Margaret of Anjou: Windsor, Kenilworth; Constable of the Tower of London; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset: Corfe, Earl of Pembroke, Warden of the Cinque Ports Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland: Alnwick, Cockermouth; Bishop of Carlisle Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham: Leeds, New-castle; Earl of Devon Richard of York: Stokestay, Sandal; Archbishop of York, Lord Deputy of Ireland Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick: Warwick, Raby, Richmond, Ogmore; Captaincy of Calais, Earl of Salisbury Richard Lord Herbert: Llanstephan; Chancellor of England, Constable of Dover Castle, Newark, Ipswich John Howard, Duke of Norfolk: Castle Rising, Framlingham, Usk, Wressle ; Bishop of Norwich Henry Lord Holland: Kimbolton, Compton; Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall Currently unassigned: Archbishopric of Canterbury, Bishopric of Durham Wardenship of the Northern Marches Marshallship of England Admiralty of England Count Palatinacy of Wales Dukedom of Exeter Earldom of Oxford Earldom of Shrewsbury Constabulary of Anglesey Constabulary of the Isle of Wight Bristol Colchester Northampton Hereford Coventry Leicester Nottingham Chester Kingston Lancaster Newcastle Berwick Cardiff Swansea Cardigan Currently out of play: Bishopric of Lincoln Treasureship of England Earldom of Wiltshire House of Lancaster - Beaufort... Margaret of Anjou, Edward of Wales Henry Beaufort, Edmund Beaufort, Henry Tudor Henry Percy, Henry Percy, Ralph Percy Humphrey Stafford, Humphrey Stafford, Richard of York, Edward of March, Richard of Gloucester Richard Neville, William Neville, John Neville Richard Herbert, William Herbert John Howard, Thomas Howard Henry Holland, Henry Holland, Leaders will have a rank which corresponds roughly to how much say 'their' general will get in fighting a battle. The highest ranking leader is qute likely to be the CinC for the battle - but certainly not always. A leader's reputation will roughly correspond to (my totally biased opinion of) how good a DBM player their 'general' is (!) modified by another (unrevealed) factor representing how good they will be in conducting non-table top military actions, such as sieges, ambushes etc. Reputations and ranks can change over time. Note that a reputable leader will have a harder time getting victory points for successful battles than a less reputable one. Thus a leader whose general has a high reputation will not find this as huge an advantage as might be imagined. They can be more certain of military success than a leader whose general isn't so hot, but such success won't get them same lustre - they will be epected to do well after all. A general gaining victories will however of course lead to 'his' leader gaining victory points, so in this way the two points tables will not be independent.

It will of course be possible for a leader's troops to be involved in a battle without the leader actually being present to command them as their general. In this case, their troops, if of a sufficient number, will still be controlled on-table by their general, but at some penalty, since 'they' won't actually be there to command them. The general in question will then probably represent another lesser member of the family (eg Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury stepping in for Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick). In this case, both leader and general will only receive half the victory point rewards (or penalties) normally associated with the battle - since they weren't there to take the credit/blame. In any case, the 'general' will be of considerably lower rank than what they would be if they were representing their 'leader', and thus have less say in directing the battle than normal. The penalty imposed on the general will depend upon the reputation of the general involved. It might involve using a d4 for PiPs instead of a d6 for instance to simulate their lesser authority and/or ability.

If the leader's troops aren't of sufficient number to qualify as a DBM command, then they will be subsumed into another general's command. They will not be represented by their general, and can not obtain (or lose) any victory points as a consequence. It will be totally up to the controlling general how such troops get used - an incentive to make sure you appear in person on the battlefield to make sure they aren't frittered away uselessly, or worse!

Occasionally the 'general' won't be able to make it to the table-top fight, and then a substitute player (probably Paul Reynolds) will take command. Just a random little complication to make things uncertain for all involved...

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