War of the Thorns Introduction

The DBA players at the club decided to play the campaign this year that's slightly "what-if" and have it story driven (so no map). After discussing some ideas for a setting/time period we settled on the War of the Roses for the backdrop. I would GM, and christened it the 'War of the Thorns'.

To add flavour, whoever was crowned as the current King would be allowed to add one extra element to their army (either x1 stiffened billmen (4Bd) or x1 archers (4Lb)). If 24 or 36 elements in a BBDBA game two extra elements to their army (either x0-2 stiffened billmen (4Bd) or x0-2 archers (4Lb)). This would represent the extra resources the King has access to.

A player becomes King when they defeat the player who is the current King in a game. For multi-player BBDBA games there's a C-in-C selected amongst the players if they don't have the King present. Otherwise the King is the C-in-C for that army. Alternatively, if a player personally kills the General element of the player that's currently King they become King.

Players can switch sides at any time (even during a battle).

Players are free to play their games as normal games of DBA or BBDBA (BBDBA games may have up to three people on a side) by mutual agreement. We did this as many hadn't played BBDBA before or (like myself), it had been a long time.

The campaign's starting date is 1471, after Edward IV (House of York) resumed the throne after being victorious at the Battle of Tewkesbury in early May of that year.

The two sides and cast of characters are:

House of York

Daniel (Carriage) - Edward IV of England (starts campaign as 'King of England') (IV/83a)

Karsten (von Lucky) - Diether von Isenburg, former Archbishop of Mainz with a German mercenary army (IV/13c)

Stephen (Stephen_C) - James III of Scotland (IV/16)

House of Lancaster

Peter (Spitzicles) - Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales (IV/83a)

Django (leadgend) - Francis II, Duke of Brittany (IV/82)

Lyle (LyleD) - John of Islay, Earl of Ross (III/78 )

The first meeting of the campaign I allowed players to play each other randomly to set the scene and drive the story.

A contemporary map of England to give an idea of who historically fought on which side and locations of actual battles: