While I get the "big kahuna" campaigns tested and up and working, @chiquichops and I are playing a quick 5-turn mini campaign in FOG: Ancients set during the Caesar vs Pompey Civil Wars. The whole thing will consist of 10 battles maximum.
Below are the quite simple rules:
CAESAR vs POMPEY MINI CAMPAIGN - Rules
The campaign is set right after Julius Caesar takes control of Rome and Pompey and his fellow Republican generals leave Italy to lead the fight from the provinces.
At start, the Caesarean side control ITALIA, CISALPINA and GALLIA provinces.
The Pompeian side control SPAIN, NORTH AFRICA, GREECE, ASIA & SYRIA and have Ptolemaic EGYPT allied to them.
The Pompeian control more territory, but the Caesareans hold the initiative.
INITIATIVE POINTS
Each turn there are available TWO Initiative Points (IP’s) which allow the owning player to launch an attack by land or by sea (see: SEABORNE ATTACKS)
IP’s are won by capturing provinces or by winning defensive battles.
The Caesarean side have the initiative at start and have THREE guaranteed IP’s in the first two turns.
ATTACKS, BATTLES & CAPTURING PROVINCES
Players can attack any adjacent province connected by dark dotted lines.
All FOG battles are Medium Open Battles on Pot Luck maps or maps agreed to be the players.
Any % margin of Victory wins a battle – either capturing a province or repelling the attacker.
The winner of the battle is awarded the IP.
ARMIES
The following armies are use in the FOG battles:
Roman (105-25 BC)
Available Allies:
In NORTH AFRICA, the faction which has the Numidian Kingdom allied to it, can select:
Numidian or Moorish (55 BC - 6 AD)
If a faction controls EGYPT (not just allied), it can select for battles in EGYPT and SYRIA:
Ptolemaic (166-56 BC)
If a faction attacks EGYPT, the opposing player will command the Ptolemaic armies in battle:
Ptolemaic (166-56 bC)
Elephants: Only the Pompeian forces in NORTH AFRICA can use elephants in a FOG battle.
GENERALS
Each side has a roster of THREE generals:
Caesarean: Caesar, Antonius (Mark Antony) and Curio
Pompeian: Pompey, Scipio and Varus
If available, a general MUST be assigned to every battle – a faction cannot launch an ATTACK if there is no general available to command it. (That IP is forfeit to the other side)
A faction can defend without a general, but their FOG army is selected by AUTOFILL.
If available, Caesar and Pompey MUST be assigned to a battle every turn.
Losing Generals
The assigned General is represented by the CiC in the FOG battle. If that CiC is killed in the FOG battle, then he is removed from the campaign map.
When either Pompey or Caesar are killed in battle, their faction immediately forfeits both IP’s to the enemy faction for the next Turn. If both Caesar and Pompey are killed in the same turn, then IP’s are split one each.
PRESTIGE
PRESTIGE POINTS represents A faction’s political standing and reputation in the eyes of the senate and people of Rome. They also determine the order of play.
A faction can hold a maximum of FOUR Prestige Points.
ONE Prestige Point is earned for Capturing a Province.
ONE Prestige Point is LOST from their respective faction if Caesar or Pompey are killed.
SPENDING PRESTIGE POINTS:
- As many Prestige Points as a player wishes, can be spent for Diplomacy Actions at the end of each turn, to sway the Egyptians or Numidians in favour your faction. (see Diplomacy Table on map)
- ONE Prestige Point may be spent to launch a Seaborne Attack (see: SEABORNE ATTACKS)
SEABORNE ATTACKS
Each side has ONE Fleet available for use in the Eastern Mediterranean. This Fleet can be USED ONCE to launch a Seaborne Attack from a friendly province against an enemy province across the sea.
The faction spends ONE Prestige Point and uses ONE IP to launch the attack. Their Fleet is placed in the sea square. There are no sea battles, the player who uses the Fleet option first in a turn, gets control of the sea square.
The land battle is fought as per normal. After the battle is resolved, the Fleet is removed from the map.
CONTROLLING ROME
ROME is considered under political control of the faction that both:
- Controls ITALIA
- Has a higher Prestige Points score
If these conditions are not fulfilled, then ROME is considered NEUTRAL. NO battles can be fought in the ROME space.
DIPLOMACY
The Diplomacy Phase is played after all battles have been resolved. The order of play of the current turn applies.
A faction can spend ONE or more Prestige Points to sway either EGYPT or NUMIDIA to their cause.
Their level of allegiance is adjusted by one step for every successful Diplomacy die roll on the Diplomacy table. (Caesarean – Neutral – Pompeian)
ORDER OF PLAY
Order of play is determined in following way if both sides have ONE IP each:
- Turns 1 and 2 the Caesarean faction goes first
- Faction with higher Prestige Points goes first
- If Prestige Points equal, then faction with higher points score goes first
- If still equal, then side who has either lost Caesar or Pompey goes second
- If still equal, side with more available generals goes first
If all else fails, use die roll.
SCORING
Points are awarded for:
- TWO points per province under control (ROME is not counted as province)
- ONE point for EGYPT if allied to a faction
- TWO points for EGYPT if under direct Roman control
VICTORY LEVELS
Total Victory: Control ALL provinces and ROME (or EGYPT as allies)
Major Victory: Control Rome and have a higher points score
Minor Victory: No faction controls Rome, but one faction has higher points score
Draw: One faction controls ROME but has a lower score – OR: No faction controls ROME and points are equal
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
We have kicked off Turn 1 with me playing the Caesarean faction and @chiquichops playing the Pompeian side.
I have the initiative and have Caesar attacking SICILY and Curio attacking GREECE. (Mark Antony is in reserve, inspecting the brothels of Rome. 
)
For the Pompeian side, Pompey is defending in SICILY and Varus in GREECE. (Scipio is kept in reserve)
The GOG battles have commenced -- nice to be playing with old-school Roman armies again.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Let's see if the Pompeian faction can get an early win and take the wind out of the Caesarian sails. I'm going to have to get creative.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
Let's see if the Pompeian faction can get an early win and take the wind out of the Caesarian sails. I'm going to have to get creative.
Yep, a few battlefield mishaps and this could be a very short war for Caesar's side...lol
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
No generals fell but the battle for Sicily ran to 24 turns and involved some action for both Caesar and Pompey.
Two pretty good results for Pompey, nothing conclusive but a welcome early pair of minors. That first battle was a really bloody affair, a lot of good Romans fell on both sides.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
Not a good start for Caesar's side... two defeats in SICILY and GREECE at the hands of the Pompeian armies. Well played, @chiquichops .
TURN 2
We move right along to Turn 2. Score remains unchanged from Turn 1.
As per rules, Caesarean faction goes first in Turns 1 & 2 and get ONE automatic Inititative Point (Pempey faction gets one IP for one of their victories in Turn 1)
So, Caesar will command a second attack into GREECE.
@chiquichops -- your turn to declare your attack and assign generals.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Sorry for the slow reply and pickup. I'll let Pompey defend Greece this time.
The yet to be tested Scipio will command an attack into Gallia.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
No prob -- I'll have Mark Antony defend Gallia -- busy day and evening my side, so I'll pick up tomorrow morning.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
TURN 2 shaping up with renewed battle in GREECE as Caesar and Pompey face off a second time.
Meanwhile the Pompeian general Scipio attacks GALLIA -- Mark Anthony steps up to defend.
@chiquichops -- I have posted the challenge for the GALLIA battle.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
I'll get round to posting my challenge this afternoon.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
Challenge posted. Good luck!
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
Turn 2 ended with one victory each.
Scipio defeated Mark Antony in GALLIA, while Caesar defeated Pompey in a brutal attritional fight in GREECE.
Neither side used their Prestige Points, so Turn 3 starts with the Caesareans retaining the initiative.
Both sides have one Initiative Point -- so one attack each... and so far no generals have bitten the dust, despite sometimes being in the thick of some desperate fighting.
Mark Antony is back in the Roman brothels nursing his wounded pride... so Curio is sent down to make a second attempt at capturing SICILY from Pompey to try and keep a buffer between the Republicans and Rome.
Meanwhile, Pompeian general Varus counter-attacks into GREECE, facing Caesar who has remained there to consolidate his gains.
Battle ensues!
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
A crushing victory for the Caesarean cause, as General Gaius Scribonius Curio defeats Pompey to capture SICILY.
Pompey narrowly escapes to fight another day... fighting in GREECE continues in a close, whirlwind battle with heavy casualties on both sides. (those Roman vs Roman battles seem to be extra intense with very little quarter given)
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
The battle for GREECE ended in a dramatic fashion -- two single shots from depleted light units broke an allied and a legion unit that weren't even that badly damaged and the Pompeian side won 61% - 56% --- @chiquichops must've sacrificed herds of sheep and goats and dozens of virgins to Dice Gods again 🤣
Without that roll, I had pretty even chance to win a really close fight... but's it's a fickle game. 😜 -- one step forward, one step back.
All generals survive -- both Pompeian generals had close escapes and routed off the field.
I decide to use a Prestige Point and manage to turn EGYPT neutral and removing one point from the Pompeian score.
@chiquichops -- do you want to use any Prestige Points?
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Wow! That was a great round. I really thought I'd lost a general and the battle but we squeezed victory from the jaws of defeat. These Roman-on-Roman wars are stressful!
I need until tomorrow morning to organise my next moves.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
I'll roll to ally Numidia. Varus can defend GREECE and Scipio will lead an attack from GALLIA into CISALPINA
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
I'll roll to ally Numidia. Varus can defend GREECE and Scipio will lead an attack from GALLIA into CISALPINA
Pompey needs to command one of the battles, I've placed him into GREECE, if that's ok.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Yes, of course. GREECE is the best option, thanks.
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
What a bizarre turn of events this turn delivers up. I'll update later -- hectic busy day at work today.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
So, Turn 4 was a doozy with some strange outcomes.
In CISALPINA, Mark Antony defeated Scipio's attack with some aggressive defense and some excellent work by the Caesarean light cavalry flanking around and destroy the Pompeian artillery.
In the GREECE battle, the Pompeian army set up right on the back edge of the map in a near impregnable position -- Caesareans had to waste about 10 turns just to even get close enough to make main line contact in decent formation integrity -- with zero room to maneuver and artificially no enemy flanks, it was just heads on brawl.
I could have sat back and possibly pick off his light troops to try and gain a points advantage and then wait for the enemy to counter (remember, any % difference wins the battle) ... but against my better judgement, I decided to make a fight of it after all.
Bad decision as it turned out, in the resulting battle my main general CAESAR was killed ... although, in the end I somehow won the battle as it timed out 59 - 58 = +1%.
So, Caesareans win GREECE, but forfeit all IP's for the last round due to loss of Caesar, so no chance for them to win the campaign.
TURN 5
As Turn 5 starts, the Victory Conditions stand at a DRAW (Caesareans still hold Rome with 2 Prestige Points to the Pompeian 1)
Pompeians have 2 attacks ... they need to win one battle to earn enough Prestige Points to turn ROME neutral and win a Minor Victory by virtue of a higher points total.
After losing GREECE, they no longer have a chance of actually capturing ITALIA, which could've given them a Major Victory.
With no attacks this turn, Caesareans can only hold on for a Draw as they can't gain any more points by capturing provinces.
I won't use any Diplomacy Actions -- so it's over to @chiquichops to declare his attacks.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia