Neighbours ECW Campaign
Neighbours!
AN ENGLISH CIVIL WAR CAMPAIGN SET SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND IN 1642
This campaign is set in the fictional county of Chillingshire in England. It is the struggle between two local landowners to take control of the county for their chosen side.
Characters
Sir Richard Gascoyne of Bamber Hall. (Royalist)
Sir Richard is a very wealthy Landowner. His money has come from his estates. He inherited a fortune from his Father who made his money from overseas trade and by acting the privateer. He is a full supporter of King Charles. He happily pays Ship Money. He also willingly accepted a Knighthood as his income was in excess of £40 per annum. It is rumoured his religious beliefs lean towards Rome. He has raised a Battalia of Pike and Shot and two units of Horse (Swedish) and intends to use them to secure the county for the King.
Sir Nathaniel West of Frogmoor Grange.(Parliament)
Nathanial is the Member of Parliament for Chillingshire. He owns a large estate and has made a fortune from Wool. He is a Puritan and although he wishes no harm to the monarchy, he believes the King has been badly advised and has let his people and parliament down. He very concerned about the religious guidance the country receives from Arch Bishop Laud. He refuses to pay ship money and also has failed to take up a Knighthood. He considered leaving for the New World like his friend and fellow MP Oliver Cromwell. he has raised two battalia of Pike and Shot and unit of horse (Dutch) to assist him in holding the county for Parliament.
Oliver Gerrard of Holesworth Manor (Undecided)
Oliver Gerrard is a moderate man of moderate means. His greatest desire is to be left to farm his land, see to the welfare of his tenants and hunt in the winter. He pays ship money but resents it. However he fears events will over take him. He is undecided who in the event of war he will support. Should the need arise he can raise a Battalia of musket armed foot (Commanded Shot).
Sir Thomas Sharpe of Deerpark Hall (undecided)
Like Oliver, Thomas is very much on the fence. He wants to see which way the wind will blow. His family history is demonstration of the dangers of civil war as this once proud family lost lands, titles and lives during the War of the Roses by consistently backing the wrong king! As Thomas’s aged father never tires of reminding him. The last two hundred years have seen the Sharpe family star start to rise again and Thomas has no wish to put that in jeopardy. He can raise two unitst of horse (Dutch) and also has stored at Deerpark Hall a Minion Gun (Light Gun).
Colonel James Steele of Slate House (undecided)
Colonel Steele (As he likes to be called) saw some limited action in the continental wars. He was in fact a Captain in a Foot Regiment. His money is inherited and diminishing fast due to having a low income but high living standards. Dogged by bad luck at the gaming tables he has had to borrow from Sir Richard Gascoyne to clear certain debts. He has given little thought as to where his support will go. Although it will most probably break him he will raise a Battalia regiment of Pike and Shot and a unit of Dragoons, calls himself a Kings man.
Bartholomew Bassett of Danemoor(Undecided)
Bartholomew is a quiet man. He runs a small but profitable estate. He is a puritan by faith but a Kings man by inclination. And, like his King he is weak and always influenced by the last person he spoke to. He is friend of Nathanial West and seeks his advice in most matters. Like Colonel Steele he also saw action overseas. But rarely mentions it. He dislikes the idea of rule by Royal prerogative.
He will raise a regiment of Dragoons if needed an two units of Horse (Swedish).
Captain George Mainwaring Commander of the Trained Bands at Chillingford(Undecided)
Captain Mainwaring has commanded the Trained Bands for as long as anyone cares to remember. They are a Pike and Shot Battalia equipped with somewhat outdated equipment. They exercise every month on Chillingford Common. At least they exercise until the local ale house opens, and then adjourn in there. Pikes, Breast plates and even muskets and their accompanying rests can often be seen leaning against the wall of the “Dog and Duck”. The only action the bands have ever seen was a year previous when they had to police a disturbance by the town apprentices. Result one apprentice arrested (Released instantly when he was found to be the son of the landlord of the “Dog and Duck”), a broken finger for Frank Pike (Pike man) after Sergeant Wilson accidently hit him with his halberd.
Besides being the home of the Trained Bands Chillingford is also has a small arsenal of powder and shot and also a Saker Gun. The care of which falls to Pratt.
Mainwaring is by trade a successful cobbler who owns two shops in Chillingshire and employs men to run them both for him. His main interest in life is beer. He is best friends with Al Murray landlord of the “Dog and Duck”. He avoids thinking of what will happen to him and his Band if civil war erupts.
CHILLINGSHIRE
Chillingshire is a county set in the middle of England. It’s main industry is agricultural and wool.
The County town is Chillingford set in the geographical centre of the county on the river Chilling.
FIGHTING THE CAMPAIGN
The object of the game is to take control of the county for your faction. This is done by persuading your neighbours to support your cause and raise troops to swell your army. You will need to defeat the opposing army .Rules are worked around for “For King and Parliament” I use the rules system for setting up terrain.
Equipment needed. Figures of any scale to represent the forces indicated above. Two decks of playing cards arranged as described in FK&P.
Some sort of chart to track which local dignitary is supporting who and the state of their forces.
No map of the county is needed.
Persuading your neighbours
The only characters already committed are the Royalist Commander Sir Richard Gascoyne and the Parliamentarian Sir Nathaniel West. Both of these gentlemen start with the forces detailed above.
At the start of the game give each local Land owner and Captain Pratt a face down card from the pack, this is their persuasion card . The unknown number on the card represents the amount of persuasion it will take to get them to join your cause.
Now give each commander 6 cards face down. They must not look at them.
First player selects a neighbour. Turn his card over. Each player states whether they are going to play one or two off their cards. The cards are laid down and turned over. To persuade the neighbour a card played must be higher than the neighbours. The commander with the highest card wins if both players have a higher card. 10,s are always wins and aces always fail. If players fail to beat the neighbours card or they draw, the neighbour is still undecided and stays uncommitted until after the first battle when they can be persuaded again. If he has Parliamentary leanings the Roundhead player can +1 to his card score, if Royalist the Cavalier player has +1
If the neighbour has no feelings either way nobody gets any bonus.
Look at the personnel profile of the neighbour to be recruited
Then your opponent picks a neighbour and does the same procedure. This continues until a players run out of cards or all neighbours are persuaded.
When cards are expended or every neighbour accounted for a battle is fought. Neighbours not recruited by either side remain dormant, they can be persuaded again after the battle.
COMMANDERS
Each player is the General of their forces. If they wish they can appoint recruited neighbours as brigade commanders. Any neighbours not given a command position are deemed to be with their regiements and oe of their units must be shown to be the one they are with.
If a commander is killed or captured his duties fall upon his second in command. If they should be then killed or Captured the unit or units they commanded are passed to another commander of the players choice on his side. If there are no further commanders available the unit disbands and is removed from the game.
If the faction commander is killed the faction is commanded by his second. If they fall faction command is given to any commander on the players side. If there are no other commanders the campaign is lost.
Second in commands are as follows
Sir Richard Gascoyne = Bamber Gascoyne (Son)
Sir Nathaniel West = Arthur West (Brother)
Oliver Gerrard = Tristan Palmer (Estate Steward)
Col James Steele = Charles Fairbrother (Brother in Law}
Bartholomew Bassett = Bertie Bassett {Son)
Captain Mainwaring = Sergeant Arthur Wilson (Trained Band Member. Baker by profession)
SIEGES
There are no sieges in the campaign for two main reasons. Not enough artillery and none of the landowner houses are fortified except in a superficial or decorative way. If a suitable building is used in the terrain set up it could be designated the home of one of the participating landowners and garrisoned by their forces if the player so wishes. However the house must be garrisoned by the troops belonging to it’s owner.
RECRUITMENT
After a battle any units with disorder markers keep them! These can be removed if the commander draws a 5+ card. Otherwise they go into any subsequent battle with their disorder markers.
Destroyed units can be recruited again. But it’s founder (neighbour) first becomes available for persuasion again. Once persuaded he will raise the same forces again. However the side that he fought for gets a -1 on their card draw.
The card pack is shuffled and undecided neighbours are given another persuasion card and each commander a fresh 6 cards.
SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Pick neighbours
Fight Battle
Recruitment
Pick Neighbours
Winning the Campaign
The county is won if one side has no loyal landowners left and there are no more to persuade, or no forces can be raised.
CONCLUSION
There will be many errors and omissions in this game. Players may like to add or take away elements to suit their own view of how the campaign should be played.
I believe this could be adapted to cover the War of the Roses.
