The Eastern Alliance - 2nd GG Campaign Rules

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

The
Second
Grenadier Guards
Historical/Fictional Campaign

[glow=red,2,300] The Eastern Alliance[/glow]
1816-1818 A.D.

A campaign for an Unlimited number of Players

France, The Confederation of the Rhine, and Saxony
Vs.
The Russian Empire and The Austrian Empire

Background

The European War of 1815 has raged across Western Europe. The pre-emptive invasion of France by England, Holland, and Prussia has left both sides weary and spent by war. And in the frozen wastes of Eastern Europe, a wolf stalks, sensing its weakened prey. In the late fall of 1816, the Russian and Austrian Empires form an alliance and strike at France’s weakened eastern border. Hundreds of thousands of Russian and Austrian troops pour from the snowy forests in an attempt to cut themselves a piece of France’s rich underbelly. Once again, the curtain of war falls over Europe.


How the Campaign Will Work

There will be two sides to this war. The first will be the French and their Allies, the Confederation of the Rhine and Saxony, which will both be represented by either their respective or nationally neutral troops. The second will be the Russians and the Austrians.

As many players as wish may register for the campaign. Please email us at [e-mail] Each player will be given the rank of General. One General must be selected for each side at the start of the campaign to be prompted to Field Marshall for their respective side of the campaign. As of now, [GG]ThinRedLine and HG|Lord Uxbridge will serve as Field Marshals for their respective side. For details on what the Field Marshall’s responsibilities are, see below.

The campaign will operate as follows. It will begin with a 4 v 4 Weekend Game (referred to as a WG) on a Sunday approximately February 7 that represents the Siege of Bon Chance, the first battle of the war. This game will be played on the Map Contest winner’s map; there is still a VERY limited time to submit your entry into the Contest, so please do!
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[[GG] Lord Ashram]

That Sunday evening, three Weekday Scenarios (referred to as WS) that reflect the current status of the war and smaller battles within the war will be posted on the Second Grenadier Guard Campaign Website. Each scenario would contain the following information:

A) The Name of the Scenario
B) The Participating Factions and Sides of the Scenario
C) The Background Story (within the overall story) of the Scenario
D) The Map to be used for the Scenario (non custom)
E) The Army Lists to be used for the Scenario
F) The Special Conditions for the Scenario
G) The Victory Conditions for the Scenario
H) The Rewards (Reinforcements) for the respective sides for winning the Scenario

Generals are then free to play ANY OF THESE SCENARIOS at any time they want during the week with any number of players from both their own side (as allies) and the enemies (as the other side) to represent the smaller battles inherent in any conflict. These games are meant to represent the smaller conflicts that make up any war; while not meant to be specific battles, they still effect the ebb and tide of the war.

For example, if ThinRedLine (French,) H|G Lord Shand (Austria,) and Irish_Brigadier (Russia) were all on-line, registered, and interested in playing a game of the Eastern Alliance Campaign, they would first have to pick one of that week’s three scenarios to play. They would select the pre-determined (but not customized; only the Weekend Games will have customized maps) map. They would then buy their specific forces. Army lists will be provided for any different permutation of player involvement. The players would then play the game, which would represent a battle in the war.

Scenarios can be played more than once by any player, and players can even play the same scenario more than once, as long as both participating sides agree. Winners of the scenarios get “reinforcements,” as discussed below.

At the end of each played scenario, the sides would report the scenario played and the winner on the main campaign Weekday Scenario Reporting Forum. A representative of the WINNERS of each scenario has to post the name of the scenario, the players who participated, and the winners. Afterwards, a representative from the LOSERS side would then reply immediately afterwards to the post to confirm the action.

Players could play these games all week at their convenience as opponents are available online. Players could set up games at their convenience ahead of time via email or the forums, or simply wait for opponents to be online to play. Hopefully, a large share of the current active players will enlist in the campaign, and most public games played will be played within the Campaign Structure.

On Saturday afternoon at a specified time the reporting of games will be closed off, and the Generals of each side would be ranked on a scale that accounts for the number of games played and the number of games won. In addition, by Sunday morning, Field Marshals must post in their respective forum how the Reinforcements won during the Weekday Scenarios (which can include extra valor points, weapon upgrades, units, deployment rules, etc) must be distributed for the Weekend Game.

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

On that Sunday another Weekend Game (Game #2 in the Campaign) would be played. WG are always played on a custom map, and are just like the campaign games that were played in the First Grenadier Guard Campaign: The European War, with specific stories, orders, and army lists. Of course, these games are limited to 4 on 4. The top four ranked Generals for each faction would get “first dibs” on playing that Sunday afternoon. However, if for some reason Generals cannot, or chose not, to play, the other Officers on their side would be allowed to step in and take their command, beginning with the 5th ranked Generals and moving down.

This system obviously allows many players to participate and influence the campaign, as the “reinforcements” that each sides’ Officers win during the Weekday Scenarios are distributed among the four Weekend Game Generals by the Field Marshall. (Reinforcements can be extra units of troops, weapon or valour upgrades, deployment advantages, and so on.) For example, if [GG]Irish_Brigadier is the Field Marshall for the French, he might choose to give an extra line unit to one of his Generals, an extra Chasseur unit to another General, and all four weapons upgrades won by French Generals that week to a third General.

Generals are also rewarded for both playing during the week and winning during the week, as the top Generals get the chance to increase their ranking within their side, and to represent their respective sides during the “main event;” the Weekend Game.

This rotation then occurs each week, with new Weekday Scenarios released at the start of each week that represent the outcomes of the Weekend Games. The Weekend Games influence the stories of the Weekday Scenarios, and the Weekday Scenarios in turn result in upgrades for each side during the next Weekend Game. Players who are only able to contribute on occasion will be able to play enjoyable, well planned, balanced, story-driven games whenever players are available during the week and still influence the overall campaign, while the players who are most active and involved will have their regular games transformed into ones that can affect the campaign AND play the custom map, Campaign influencing 4 v 4s on the weekend. Finally, these games will not only have a much better chance actually hitting the magical 4 v 4 number, but many different generals will get a chance to play in them, because if one of the Top Four Officers cannot participate, any Officer from the proper side may replace them (in ranking priority) by just showing up on that Sunday!

The side that wins the majority of the Weekend Games wins the campaign.

On buying units

Each side should be made a 4 v 4 by default and should be given 99,999 points in EVERY battle. Each person then buys the units listed in his or hers Army List, plus upgrades for the Weekend Games. Unless a General unit is specified, any unit except artillery may be chosen as the general.

Please note: on the army lists the first number with the parentheses is the total number of units that should be bought. V stands for valour and w. stands for weapon. Therefore, the following entry: (4) French Line Infantry v.2 w.1 would represent buying four French Line Infantry units, each with a valour of 2 and weapon of 1.

Deployment
All attackers must deploy in the rear third of their deployment zone unless otherwise specified in the scenario or game orders. Defenders may defend wherever they wish unless otherwise specified.

Vocabulary

Batteries: A battery consists of TWO units; one unit of long ranged artillery as specified in the list (4lb, 8lb, or 12lb) and one unit of canister. The units must, at all times, be grouped, and then the group must be put in group formation double line. Please make sure you understand this rule!

What Is Expected of You as a Participant

First, to register. Then, to play Napoleonic Total War with an additional sense of story and purpose, with more of a general strategic feel, on some beautiful new maps that will always be available for play upon, and generally to have fun!

In all seriousness: this campaign was crafted and will be maintained with the following objectives in mind. While it does not center on a traditional “strategy map,” w we feel it brings a lot of positives to the online world of Napoleonic Total War.

A) Strategy: It will be up to the factions to communicate on their own private and general forums about upcoming strategy, including: who will be available when so that players may make up advantageous teams for possible Weekday Scenario games; what Weekday Scenario Reinforcements are the most important ones to win; what Generals may or may not be available for the Weekend Games; what Generals should get what reinforcements for the Weekend Games; etc.

B) More Historical Accuracy: In that armies will not consist of only one type of troop that is over-represented. Rather, games will usually have a wide mix of more balanced troop types, and will include certain games that focus on skirmishing and certain games that focus more on cavalry, which in the heat of multi-player are often forgotten in favor of a more balanced approach. Of course, it will remain each General’s choice which scenarios to play. Feel like trying to take that enemy bridge? Great, give it a go. Feel the yearn to jump in the saddle and lead a cavalry brigade into combat? The choice is yours!

C) Flavor: An all encompassing term for combing storyline that will reflect the actual games played with personal touches and fictional flair.

D) Flexibility: A big element. With so many players of Napoleonic Total War coming from different parts of the globe, we wanted to make this campaign available to any player at any time. With players able to influence the campaign with personal Weekday Scenarios, it will make this goal a reality.

E) Dedication: While players who cannot contribute much time to the campaign will still have a hand in shaping history, the campaign format will also reward those players who can dedicate a certain amount of time to the campaign with Weekend Game commands. Obviously, the more dedicated you can be, the more reward you will find in the campaign.

F) Fun!: The last and most important! While simple Multiplayer games are fun, the addition of solid teams, individual responsibility, a storyline, new maps, and more realistic forces simply make the game more fun!


Each week, Generals can communicate with their own teammates on their faction board on the Grenadier Guards Forum, as well as plan games with the opposite side on the general Campaign Forum. Generals can, at any time there are opposing players available in any number, play Weekday Scenarios from the available Weekday Scenarios for that week. Players must then report the outcome to the Forum by each Saturday morning. Players should then try to be available on Sundays to play the serious Weekend Campaign Games. These are the 4 v 4 crown jewels that make multiplayer so much fun! These will be the games that are used to determine the eventual winner, and loser, of the campaign.

As Generals, please keep an eye on your respective forums for open challenges from Enemy Generals and strategy sessions with your teammates. Make sure the campaign organizers have your appropriate email address. Then, simply sit back and await the courier!

Many thanks to TRL, Von Doblen, and FlippyXtrem, as well as all the players from the European War Grenadier Guard Campaign for their contributions!

[[GG]AndrewKent]

Wow, Ash, you have really put a lot of work into this (with help from others?...Flippy, VD?).

It looks terrific.

Thanks so much for all you are contributing to this great game.

[GG]AndrewKent

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

Flip created the movie, TRL provided the Forum space, and Von created the special maps. The rest of this is all me:)

S!

Ashram

[[GG]ThinRedLine]

Okay, that's it!

You may not use any more of my MAPS!!!

S!

TRL

[flippyxtrem]

TRL NOOO!!!

I LOVE YOUR SIEGE MAP!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


I love you TRL

Cheers

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

*laugh* TRL, I hate to say it, but technically you have not contributed any maps for this one:) The only one I have from you is your GG Contest Map, upon which judging has not yet been rendered.

Sorry, not looking to leave you out or anything:)

Ash

[[GG]ThinRedLine]

Ash,

My sense of this is that you have decided that von is the best map maker and so, to my knowledge, no one else has even been asked to submit more than the 'Contest' Map.

I am very frutrated by this!

S!

TRL

[[GG] Lord Ashram]

Reply in the Guard Forums. But lemme say that is not at ALL the case; I love your maps, but I know you are INSANELY busy with the new business and everything else, and I am trying to bug you about as little as possible!

Of course, ANYONE is welcome to contribute to the campaign... I can use all the help I can get at this point! But please understand that the rules of the campaign are already established, and all contributions have to A) fit into those rules and B) improve the campaign. So, if anyone wants to contribute, please let me know, but please also make sure you have already thought your ideas through and made sure they work, and please don't be offended if I feel that your idea might not work:)

And now, if everyone doesn't mind, lets turn this thread back to the rules of the campaign please:)

Ash