Draft Campaign Cards for the Vulture’s Feast

So I’ve been Musing on the Vulture’s Feast, a Thirty Years War version of my Populous, Rich and Rebellious Campaign for Tilly’s Very Bad Day. Most of the flavour of the campaign comes from the Campaign Cards. I’m not sure which ones I’ll end up with but I thought I’d share the possibilities. Please comment if you have endorsements, tweaks and/or new suggestions.

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Campaign Cards

Campaign cards provide a bit of flavour and a random element for the order of battle used in a particular battle. The cards are one of four types: Beneficial for either faction, Detrimental for either faction, only beneficial for the Hapsburg faction or only beneficial for the Anti-Hapsburg Coalition. Most campaign cards are one use, i.e. use and discard. Unless they say otherwise, most campaign cards apply only to the one battle and get discarded even if they are unused. A few can be retained until a battle occurs where they can be used. A very few can be reused.

Before each battle both factions randomly select campaign cards. Campaign cards influence either the order of battle or events in the battle. You get one campaign card for each recruitment factor that applies:

Battle: +1 because you are fighting a battle
Regions: +1 for each nearby region under friendly control, either the contested region or adjacent
Capitals: +1 for if your faction capital is under friendly control and nearby, either the contested region or adjacent

Campaigns cards are generally used for a battle (or not) and then discarded. There are eight phrases that impact when a campaign card is used:

• Before the battle
• For the entire battle
• Once during the battle
• When generating terrain
• But only if
• But only if fighting in
• Retain until used
• Negate

“Before the battle” campaign cards MUST be used before the battle. Typically these add or remove units to the order of battle. The owning player always choose between options. Discard the card once it is used.

“For the entire battle” campaign cards MUST be used before the battle. Typically these affect one unit for the entire battle and you must choose the unit before the battle starts. Retain the card as a reminder for the entire battle and then discard.

“Once during the battle” campaign cards MAY be used at any time during the battle. Retain the card until it is used, then discard. If it is not used during the battle it is discarded at the end of the battle.

“When generating terrain” campaign cards MAY be used when generating terrain, after Step 3. Defender swaps terrain cards. If it is not used in the battle it is discarded.

“But only if” campaign cards MUST be used immediately the conditions apply and CANNOT be used at other times. If the conditions do not apply then ignore the card. Typically these cards also have “Retain until used”.

“But only if fighting in” campaign cards MUST be used in a battle within the specified regions and CANNOT be used outside. If the battle is not being fought in that location then ignore the card. Typically these cards also have “Retain until used”.

“Retain until used” campaign cards MUST be used if the specific conditions are met and CANNOT be used otherwise. They are retained until they can be used in a battle. Only discard once they are used.

“Negate” campaign cards MUST be used as soon the enemy has the card to negate.

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Beneficial Campaign Cards (Any Faction)

Beneficial Campaign cards are good for which ever faction draws them.

1. [Beneficial] Tilly’s Very Bad Day: Once during the battle one enemy commander is automatically killed if hit by shooting
2. [Beneficial] Army fully paid: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
3. [Beneficial] Army well supplied: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
4. [Beneficial] Foot abandon pikes for muskets: Before the battle add one Shot unit to the order of battle
5. [Beneficial] Armed peasants: Before the battle add one Rabble unit to the order of battle
6. [Beneficial] Every able bodied man and boy: Before the battle add one Rabble unit to the order of battle
7. [Beneficial] Army well supplied with fodder: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
8. [Beneficial] Dashing Horse: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
9. [Beneficial] Voluntary donations: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
10. [Beneficial] Every gentleman can ride: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
11. [Beneficial] Nearby fortress: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
12. [Beneficial] Experienced officer: For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
13. [Beneficial] Powder explosion: Once during the battle reduce resolve of one enemy unit by 2 Resolve
14. [Beneficial] Inspirational commander: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
15. [Beneficial] A rousing sermon: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
16. [Beneficial] Dashing Officer: For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
17. [Beneficial] Carlo Fantom – Impervious to bullets: Once during the battle one Horse or Light Horse unit ignores the result of shooting
18. [Beneficial] Carlo Fantom – ‘I fear neither God nor bullet’: Once during the battle one Horse or Light Horse unit ignores the result of shooting
19. [Beneficial] Artillery man: Double friendly bombardment dice
20. [Beneficial] Eye for terrain: After Defender has finished modifying terrain, the general can swap any two terrain cards/pieces
21. [Beneficial] Genius of Manoeuvre[+]: For the entire battle one chosen commander can move a single friendly unit at the end of the enemy movement step; requires the unit make a successful command check
22. [Beneficial] “A soldier’s life consists of nothing but marching and counter-marching” (Albrecht von Wallenstein): For the entire battle one chosen commander can move a single friendly unit at the end of the enemy movement step; requires the unit make a successful command check
23. [Beneficial] Spectacularly bad judgement: Once during the battle prevent all units in one enemy command from moving
24. [Beneficial] ‘Magdeburg Quarter’: Once during the battle reduce resolve of one enemy unit by 2 Resolve
25. [Beneficial] Merchant Support: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
26. [Beneficial] Skilled Quartermasters: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
27. [Beneficial] Foreign Volunteers: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Shot unit to the order of battle
28. [Beneficial] Superior Firearms: Before the battle add one Shot unit to the order of battle
29. [Beneficial] The War Feeds the War: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
30. [Beneficial] Forced March: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
31. [Beneficial] Local Nobles Join the Cause: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
32. [Beneficial] Captured Artillery: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
33. [Beneficial] Captured Supply Train: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
34. [Beneficial] Local Guides: Once during the battle ignore a single area of difficult terrain for movement of any friendly units
35. [Beneficial] Righteous Cause: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
36. [Beneficial] Divine Judgment: Once during a battle all friendly units attacking a single enemy hit on 4-6
37. [Beneficial] Spies in the Enemy Camp: Organise own army into commands after seeing how the enemy player organises their commands
38. [Beneficial] Captured Maps: Pass instead of deploying a particular command and deploy the command later in the command deployment sequence
39. [Beneficial] Reinforcements from the Capital: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle, but within 3 regions of the Capital and have unblocked route
40. [Beneficial] Reinforcements from the Capital: Before the battle add one Shot unit to the order of battle, but within 3 regions of the Capital and have unblocked route
41. [Beneficial] Reinforcements from the Capital: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle, but within 3 regions of the Capital and have unblocked route
42. [Beneficial] Reinforcements from the Capital: Before the battle add one Dragoon unit to the order of battle, but within 3 regions of the Capital and have unblocked route
43. [Beneficial] Reinforcements from the Capital: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle, but within 3 regions of the Capital and have unblocked route

The “Reinforcements from the Capital” Campaign cards are pretty bland. But they are useful given the Anti-Hapsburg capital floats around (Bohemia, Lower Palatinate, Denmark, Sweden, France). An “unblocked route” means every region between the Capital and the contested region is either controlled by the faction or neutral. An enemy controlled region blocks a route. Some of the capitals are countries (Denmark, Sweden, France) so cannot be captured, but what about the capitals that are regions (Lower Austria, Bohemia, Lower Palatinate)? I I guess that negates control so counts as blocked.

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Detrimental Campaign Cards (Any Faction)

Detrimental Campaign cards are a problem for which ever faction draws them.

1. [Detrimental] Army pay delayed: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
2. [Detrimental] Army poorly supplied: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
3. [Detrimental] Illness in camp: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
4. [Detrimental] Powder in short supply: Before the battle remove one Shot unit from the order of battle
5. [Detrimental] Cavalry absent on raid: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
6. [Detrimental] Cavalry despatched to repel enemy raid: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
7. [Detrimental] Fodder is scarce: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
8. [Detrimental] Dragoons away foraging: Before the battle remove one Dragoon unit from the order of battle
9. [Detrimental] Desertion is rampant: Before the battle remove one unit (Pike+Shot, Shot, Horse, or Dragoon) from the order of battle
10. [Detrimental] Jealousy in the command structure: For the entire battle one chosen commander must roll 4-6 on 1d6 in order to rally resolve
11. [Detrimental ]Insubordination: Once during the battle move a single enemy unit at the end of the friendly movement step
12. [Detrimental] Infirm: For the entire battle one chosen commander is so elderly or infirm that his movement is restricted to only 4 TUM
13. [Detrimental] Impetuous: For the entire battle one chosen commander is impetuous; if attached to a unit that can charge, then must declare a charge
14. [Detrimental] Plague Ravages the Camp: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
15. [Detrimental] Famine Sweeps the Land: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
16. [Detrimental] Mutiny in the Ranks: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
17. [Detrimental] Unreliable Allies: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
18. [Detrimental] Divert forces to put down rebellious city: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
19. [Detrimental] Winter Strikes Hard: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
20. [Detrimental] Enemy Raiders Burn Supplies: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
21. [Detrimental] Scorched Earth: Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
22. [Detrimental] Heavy Rains: Before the battle remove one Cannon unit from the order of battle
23. [Detrimental] Fortress Refuses to Surrender: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit or one Shot from the order of battle.
24. [Detrimental] ‘No king has ever entered into a war so ill-prepared as I have’ (Christian IV of Denmark): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
25. [Detrimental] ‘We have no need of an army, for the people love me!’ (Frederick V, the Winter King): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
26. [Detrimental] ‘We rule not by force, but by reason’ (Axel Oxenstierna of Sweden): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
27. [Detrimental] ‘A good treaty is worth more than a great battle’ (Maximilian I of Bavaria): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
28. [Detrimental] Cardinal Richelieu – Scheming political spider in a web of intrigue: Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
29. [Detrimental] ‘The Destroyer of Armies’ (Matthias Gallas): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
30. [Detrimental] ‘The road to destruction is wide enough for an army to march through’ (Matthias Gallas) : Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
31. [Detrimental] ‘A soldier’s loyalty lasts only as long as his purse is full’ (Bernard of Saxe-Weimar): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot or Horse unit from the order of battle
32. [Detrimental] ‘I know my Pappenheimers’ (Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim): For the entire battle one chosen commander is impetuous; an attached that can charge, must declare a charge
33. [Detrimental] Coward – Duke Charles IV of Lorraine: For the entire battle one chosen commander cannot declare charges; if attached unit declares a charge, then commander immediately detaches and is left behind
34. [Detrimental] “I’d rather fight the Emperor than sit around in peace and die of boredom” (Johann Banér): For the entire battle one chosen commander is impetuous; if attached to a unit that can charge, then must declare a charge
35. [Detrimental] ‘I fight for the Emperor. I fight for the Swedes. I fight for myself’ (Johann Georg I of Saxony): Before the battle remove one Pike+Shot unit from the order of battle
36. [Detrimental] ‘One must dance with the devil if one is to live in hell’ (Johann Georg I of Saxony): Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
37. [Detrimental] ‘The enemy of my enemy … is sometimes still my enemy’ (Duke Charles IV of Lorraine): Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
38. [Detrimental] ‘We must eat up the land like locusts’ (Ernst von Mansfeld): Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle
39. [Detrimental] ‘My father loved war too much. I have been cured of that sickness’ (Louis XIII of France): Before the battle remove one Horse unit from the order of battle

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Habsburg-Specific Campaign Cards

Hapsburg Campaign cards are all beneficial but only when a Hapsburg player draws them.

1. [Hapsburg] “For God and the Virgin Mary!”: Once during a battle all friendly units attacking a single enemy hit on 4-6
2. [Hapsburg] Wall of Faith: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
3. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein – “What the Emperor cannot achieve through treaties, I shall accomplish by force of arms”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
4. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein – “The soldier must make war support war”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
5. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein – “I do not need soldiers, I need money”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
6. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein – “With money, I will get as many soldiers as I want”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
7. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein – “No army can survive without order, and no war can be won without organisation”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
8. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein ‘created a machine of war unlike any before’: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
9. [Hapsburg] Albrecht von Wallenstein’s factory: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
10. [Hapsburg] ‘We will pray for peace, but prepare for war’ (Maximilian of Bavaria): Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
11. [Hapsburg] Bavarian Support: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
12. [Hapsburg] Papal Endorsement – ‘You have washed your victorious hands in the blood of sinners’: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
13. [Hapsburg] Tilly’s Tercios: Before the battle add two Pike+Shot units to the order of battle; any Hapsburg Pike+Shot can deploy at the start of the game in Big Pike+Shot units
14. [Hapsburg] The Spanish Road is Open: Before the battle add two Pike+Shot units to the order of battle. Retain until used
15. [Hapsburg] Croat Raiders: Before the battle add one Light Cavalry unit to the order of battle
16. [Hapsburg] Hussars from Hungary: Before the battle add one Light Horse unit to the order of battle
17. [Hapsburg] Imperial Reinforcements Arrive: Before the battle add one Shot or Light Horse unit to the order of battle
18. [Hapsburg] Spanish Gold Arrives: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot to the order of battle
19. [Hapsburg] Hapsburg Cousins: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot to the order of battle
20. [Hapsburg] Papal Support: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle
21. [Hapsburg] Edict of Restitution: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
22. [Hapsburg] Edict of Restitution: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
23. [Hapsburg] Spanish Veterans: Once during the battle all Pike+Shot in melee with the same enemy unit hit on 4-6
24. [Hapsburg] Forced Conscription: Before the battle add one Rabble unit to the order of battle
25. [Hapsburg] Ottavio Piccolomini – Imperial Cavalry Master: For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
26. [Hapsburg] ‘Better a desert than a land full of heretics’ (Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor): Negate any “Once during the battle …” card held by the Anti-Hapsburgs
27. [Hapsburg] Unreliable Mercenaries: Negate all Ernst von Mansfeld cards or all Bernard of Saxe-Weimar cards; Retain until used
28. [Hapsburg] Ferdinand’s Zeal: Gain morale for Catholic units
29. [Hapsburg] Wall of Pikes: Imperial tercios gain a defensive bonus
30. [Hapsburg] Christian IV of Denmark – incompetent in war: Once during the battle prevent all units in one enemy command from moving
31. [Hapsburg] “God himself cannot restrain a victorious army” (Count Tilly): Once during the battle two resolve are recovered via Unit Heroics (either same unit or two units)

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Anti-Habsburg Campaign Cards

Anti-Hapsburg Campaign cards are all beneficial but only when an Anti-Hapsburg player draws them. Thanks to Peter Godden for suggesting I include ‘the Mad Halberstadter’.

1. [Anti-Hapsburg] “God With Us!”: Once during a battle all friendly units attacking a single enemy hit on 4-6
2. [Anti-Hapsburg] “I’ve still got the other one!” – Christian of Brunswick (‘the Mad Halberstadter’): Once during the battle ignore a Commander Casualty result
3. [Anti-Hapsburg] ‘A danger to the Empire’ (Emperor’s Edict): Before the battle negate all [Hapsburg] cards mentioning Albrecht von Wallenstein; Retain until used
4. [Anti-Hapsburg] ‘Wallenstein must go’ (Ottavio Piccolomini): Before the battle negate all [Hapsburg] cards mentioning Albrecht von Wallenstein; Retain until used
5. [Anti-Hapsburg] Secret Negotiations with Sweden: Before the battle negate all [Hapsburg] cards mentioning Albrecht von Wallenstein; Retain until used
6. [Anti-Hapsburg] Jesuit Infamy – ‘murderers, preparers of poison, adulterers, bloodthirsty, and rapacious’: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
7. [Anti-Hapsburg] ‘The Last Argument of Kings’ (Louis XIV): Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
8. [Anti-Hapsburg] The Divine Right of Kings: Once during the battle restore the resolve of one unit to its original total during the rally phase
9. [Anti-Hapsburg] Lennart Torstensson – Artillery Master: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
10. [Anti-Hapsburg] Hakkapeliitta Charge – ‘Cut them down!’: Once during the battle all cavalry charging the same enemy unit in the open hit on 3+
11. [Anti-Hapsburg] Torstensson’s Thunder: Double friendly bombardment dice
12. [Anti-Hapsburg] The Spanish Road is Closed: Negate Hapsburg card ‘The Spanish Road is Open’. Retain until used
13. [Anti-Hapsburg] Secularisation of Monastic Properties: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
14. [Anti-Hapsburg] Secularisation of Monastic Properties: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
15. [Anti-Hapsburg] Banér’s Mad Assault: Once during the battle ignore a single area of difficult terrain for movement of any friendly units
16. [Anti-Hapsburg] Ernst von Mansfeld – “Until I have made my fortune”: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
17. [Anti-Hapsburg] Ernst von Mansfeld – “Until I have made my fortune”: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
18. [Anti-Hapsburg] Bernard of Saxe-Weimar – Mercenary Prince: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
19. [Anti-Hapsburg] Bernard of Saxe-Weimar – Mercenary Prince: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
20. [Anti-Hapsburg] Bernard of Saxe-Weimar – Always the high ground: When generating terrain, after Step 3. Defender swaps terrain cards, the player can swap any two terrain cards
21. [Anti-Hapsburg] Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé – “Hush! Here comes the enemy!”: When generating terrain, after Step 3. Defender swaps terrain cards, the player can swap any two terrain cards
22. [Anti-Hapsburg] Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Condé: For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
23. [Anti-Hapsburg] Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne: For the entire battle one chosen commander can move a single friendly unit at the end of the enemy movement step; requires the unit make a successful command check
24. [Anti-Hapsburg] Swedish Recruits: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Shot unit to the order of battle
25. [Anti-Hapsburg] French Gold Arrives: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
26. [Anti-Hapsburg] French Royal Army Mobilizes: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
27. [Anti-Hapsburg] French Direct Intervention: Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle
28. [Anti-Hapsburg] Danish Direct Intervention: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot unit to the order of battle
29. [Anti-Hapsburg] Frederick V, Elector Palatine – The Winter King: Before the battle add one Rabble unit to the order of battle
30. [Anti-Hapsburg] Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden – The Lion of the North: For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
31. [Anti-Hapsburg] ‘I am the King of Sweden! I fear nothing!’ (Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden): For the entire battle increase one chosen commander’s to hit in melee from 4-6 to 3-6
32. [Anti-Hapsburg] Winter Queen (Elizabeth Stuart) raises funds: Before the battle add one Cannon unit to the order of battle
33. [Anti-Hapsburg] Swedish Logistics – ‘He who comes first, eats first’ (Gustavus Adolphus): Before the battle add one Horse unit to the order of battle

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Observations and conclusions

Lots of ideas above. More than I need. Populous, Rich and Rebellious has 60 Campaign Cards, more or less evenly divided into the four types (Beneficial, Detrimental, Royalist, Parliament). There are over 120 possible cards above. So I either have to cut out a lot of options or increase the size of the deck. Tricky. What to do?

Culling won’t be too difficult as there are a lot of duplicates. I could retain the more colourful cards, e.g. those with quotes, and discard the mundane ones. Here are a couple of examples.

Boring: [Hapsburg] Bavarian Support: Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle

Flavourful: [Hapsburg] ‘We will pray for peace, but prepare for war’ (Maximilian of Bavaria): Before the battle add one Pike+Shot or Horse unit to the order of battle

Boring: [Beneficial] Genius of Manoeuvre[+]: For the entire battle one chosen commander can move a single friendly unit at the end of the enemy movement step; requires the unit make a successful command check

Flavourful: [Beneficial] “A soldier’s life consists of nothing but marching and counter-marching” (Albrecht von Wallenstein): For the entire battle one chosen commander can move a single friendly unit at the end of the enemy movement step; requires the unit make a successful command check

I’m not sure that will be enough, but it is a start.

With 60 cards there would roughly 15 each of Beneficial, Detrimental, Hapsburg, and Anti-Hapsburg. With 72 cards there would be about 18 each. Maybe that is my target: 72 cards.