Hello everyone - Thanks for your feedback in my “level of detail” and “hexes v. inches” threads. After many hours of design work and some playtesting, here’s the refined approach we’re going to take.
Domains at War will be split into 2 books: DAW: Campaigns and DAW: Battles. Using the rules in DAW: Campaigns, fantasy RPG characters will be able to raise armies, campaign against enemy forces, and conquer domains. The Campaigns book will also include a streamlined system for resolving the outcome of pitched battles between army-sized forces. This system is ideal for resolving battles between NPC commanders, where the adventurers are bystanders or low-level participants. When the campaign’s characters attain the heights of power and begin to lead armies into pitched battles, then it’s time to consult the Domains at War: Battles (DAWB) book. DAW: Battles will provide comprehensive rules for playing out the results of epic battles on the tabletop.
DAW: Battles will use hexes and counters. The book will include counters and terrain suitable for use with 2" hex mapsheets, such as those found in the “Battle Lore” / “Battles of Westeros” series of games by Fantasy Flight. It will also include sample mapsheets. However, it will be playable with any size hex grid. For example, you will be able to draw the battlefield on printable 1" hex paper and play with 25mm miniatures, if desired. You could also play it without hexes and simply use a ruler.
While DAW: Battles can be enjoyed as a stand-alone wargame, it will be designed primarily for battles where the player characters are in command, so it will make the deeds and decisions of those characters the focus of its gameplay. Each character will be in command of a certain number of units, and the units will move and fight on the character’s initiative. This creates an exciting ebb-and-flow on the battlefield and allows for everyone to participate in the epic fight.
DAW: Campaigns will be a free download. DAW Deluxe, including DAW: Campaigns, DAW: Battles, and mapsheets and counters, will be a premium PDF product. ACKS kickstarter backers will get DAW deluxe (it was their bonus goal). We may do a later kickstarter to do DAW: Deluxe as a boxed set.
Yes, the premium PDF will be available for sale on DriveThruRPG. We may later make it into a print book and boxed set, but that’s TBD.
As a further update, my revised approach to having a separate Campaigns book has let me add some very fun detail. I’ve now got rules for inserting spies into the enemy camp and conducting hijinks (stealing banners, spreading rumors, assassinating commanders), rules for scouting and reconnaissance, and more.
Alex this sounds great! Now if I may suggest, and prolly you guys are already thinking along these lines, total war, ala Sun Tzu, is a natural fit for ACKS, given the detailed economics. A clever general should be able to win a campaign with hardly ever fighting a pitched battle. Starvation, assassination and economic destruction are almost never well modeled in wargames. I’m sure there are some historical examples you are aware of but Sullivan’s campaign (New York, Rev war) may be particularly relevant as a “borderlands” setting, and a very successful campaign at that.
On the tactical side of things, I personally would like to see a system where formation and small unit manuevers were relevant, but that may be getting more granular than you want, I dunno.
Let me second that… looks like a great addition to the system and seems like it involves the different class archetypes in a meaningful way. Thieves and assassins mucking up all the well-planned strategies of the opposing side… awesome.
Thought of one more thing to add to my wish list. Entrenchment rules for units. In a world where wizards and dragons are slinging fireballs at my troops, I’d really want them to be able to dig in.
I’m rather new to ACKS, but I look forward to seeing what you come up with for integrating wargaming with the rules. I’ve alternated between rpg’s and miniature wargaming (primarily of the historical sort) since my teens, and yet have only managed to combine the two during our time playing Pendragon.
1. Everyone will get a 10-page DAW Free Starter Edition.
2. All ACKS Kickstarter backers will get a PDF of the complete DAW Digital Boxed set, with DAW Battles, DAW Campaigns, and some cut-outs for minis, etc.
3. Later this year we will host a Kickstarter to fund production of a hardcover and boxed set version of DAW.
Alex, when do you plan to release playtest versions of the Campaign / Battle Rules? Our campaign is right on the verge of some domain level play (we have a 7th level guy in the lead) and some people have a keep and hired mercs to garrison it.
How do you plan to spread the word on the kickstarter? I missed the one for the Player’s Companion, and I definitely want to back a hex-based D&D wargame thing. It’s right in my wheelhouse.
I don’t have a wheelhouse, but I definitely want to be informed about the DaW Kickstarter. I’m kicking myself for missing the Players Companion Kickstarter as it is.
