Blood on the Sands **NEW** Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears...

[Eithriall]

Sorry  for the long post... if i only have read the rules once you should have avoid half of my questions at least ! But i promise not to force you writing all the rules here because of me....  

"I'd just like to explain, Eithriall, to ease your thoughts a little, that I have done my utmost to take information from historical sources and tried to implement it into Blood on the Sands in some way, to best capture the flavour of actual gladiatorial combat".

Reading your answers, i've no doubt about your knowledge and, perhaps, you may think i'm testing it but actually i'm not...i'm just so interested and enthusiastic about this game !

"I was very disappointed by other gladiator games, when obvious elements of gladiatorial combat did not feature in their rules"

So am i ! But it seems not so easy to combinate good, balanced and easy playable simulation rules (i just hate playing with rules booklet on my knees), preserving fun and historical accuracy.

"The levels of experience, from highest to lowest are: Primus Palus - Secundus Palus - Tertius Palus - Quartus Palus - Tiro. A brand new slave, yet to be trained as a gladiator, I have labelled a Novicius, while a Tiro becomes a gladiator, yet to have fight in the arena".

You just don't know how i'm glad to read this...  

I do actually enforce a classic pairing when possible.

All weapons (including unarmed, nets and shields) have a "Length" stat.

Scaeva enjoy a healthy bonus (re-rolling all "1"s) when fighting a right-handed opponent.

You just don't know how i'm glad to read this...again and again.  

"Hit location has been one of the most contentious elements of the game for me. [...] I opted for a generic table that distributes hits on mostly "covered" locations more often. So a gladiator's presented "shield arm" and leading leg will be struck, statistically more often than other parts of his body [...]."You may influence this random location by use of the "Aimed Blow" attack".

It's good, it really make sense as we have the possibilty to do some "aimed attack".
 

"This all features in the campaign game [...]"

As the fighting rules sounds very good to me, i become very intersted by the campaign ones. You don't have speak so much of 'em in this thread do you ?

"[...]In game terms, paying a player to lose a gladiator can come across as rewarding him for losing, and feels a little odd at times".

It depends how complex and/or realistic you want the rules. At the moment it seems to be a rewarding but the gladiator is an investment the lanista has already paid (and the purpose is to make some profits). The buy of a slave or the paiement of the pretium for free men (auctorati), the training, the travels, the weapons, the staff, the wages, etc...

And lanistae don't just recruit gladiators, they could sell some of them to greater ludi when they've got some fame.

To be accurate, sure you know gladiators made no more than 4 or 5 fights with real sharpen weapons a year (perhaps less if wounded). But nobody really knows how much fights could do a gladiator in a year including fights with blunt weapons.
Through epigraphy and iconography there's very few informations about combats with blunt weapons but they're attested. The gladiators epitaphs on funerary stelea mention most of the time only the fighting records gain with real weapons (blunt ones were surely less glorious to mention).

"So far, Furt's effort hits the sweet spot on almost all of what I had read (and I've found no major conflicting issues).  It's a game which will appeal to gamers and to historical nuts".

I've not playtested the game but all that i've seen and read right now let me think the same as you Mr. Elbows.  

"I hope I am convincing you Eithriall, that Blood on the Sands is a game about "actual" gladiatorial combat".

I think i'm already convinced mr. Furt, and i'm sure Blood on the Sands could be (will be) "la tuerie du siècle" (as we said in France) among gladiatorial combat game.

[Furt]

Eithriall, I'm very happy you approve about some of the details included in the rules. You are obviously a gladiator fan and "aficionado" too!

I haven't revealed much about the campaign rules, but in truth it is in place to simply tie all the combats in and hopefully see some of your gladiators rise to stardom.

The campaign is played over a game year consisting of 1d6+6 turns, representing the months in which a munus takes place. The winner of the campaign game is the lanista who has accumulated the most Influence at the end of this period.

This is a quick look at the phases that make up a campaign turn:

Event Phase
   Events
Auction Phase
   Sell gladiators
   Buy gladiators
   Buy slaves
Libellus Gladiatorum Phase
   Libellus gladiatorum
Munus Phase
   Wagers
   Fight match
   Post match
   The Rudis
   Recording the Outcome
   Settle Wagers
   Record Injuries
   Earn Fame
   Earn Training Points
   Earn Influence
   Earn Wealth
Interim Phase
   Recuperating
   Training
   Rank advancement
   Collect bonus influence
   Collect bonus wealth
   Buy asset

[Eithriall]

Once again, thank you for your time and your kindness mr. Furt.

You are obviously a gladiator fan and "aficionado" too!

It seems you and me share some identical readings & sphere of interest.  

I haven't revealed much about the campaign rules, but in truth it is in place to simply tie all the combats in (...)

Wow...simply tie the combats...? It seems you'd rather have tried to re-create and simulate "the real life" of a ludus in a season of munera !
  
I just don't know about the details, but according to my knowledge, you've tried to take care of a lot of informations concerning the munera and the way lanistae rule their business. I'am very impressed.

You're fighting rules seems to be very excellent, but this overview of your system campaign just made me more curious and impatient. You're taking the all thing so far...
 

[Dr Mathias]

Blood on the Sands really does have the best one-on-one combat mechanics I've seen. I've not had time to run a campaign but my friend and I gearing up for it.

[Furt]

I just don't know about the details, but according to my knowledge, you've tried to take care of a lot of informations concerning the munera and the way lanistae rule their business. I'am very impressed.

You're fighting rules seems to be very excellent, but this overview of your system campaign just made me more curious and impatient. You're taking the all thing so far...
 

Thanks Eithriall. The campaign side of things has been hardest to playtest as well, considering it takes considerable more effort and time than fighting the combats.

There is a lot of evidence though about how the business of running a ludus was conducted. To simplify things although I have omitted some things as upkeep costs and buying equipment etc. My goal is not to eliminate any players (lanistae) from the campaign through trivialities like this.

The events mentioned bring into the game some oddities that I have read through my research, along with some "Hollywood-esque" things to spice up the campaign.

I am a real sucker for random events. Here is a taste of some of the events:

Lady Admirer: A noblewoman seeks a secret affair with one of your gladiators. She chooses a Handsome lover firstly and if unavailable, or spoilt for choice, the gladiator with the highest Stamina. The chosen gladiator earns his ludus 1 Influence, 1d6x100 Wealth and he gains +1 Fame.

Sine Missione: An upcoming match will be fought to the death. After the libellus gladiatorum has been determined, you must select the matched pair that will fight to the death. A gladiator that is forced to surrender during the match will not be spared and is automatically put to the sword. The victor earns his ludus 2 Influence and twice the usual Wealth.

Poisoner: You gain the opportunity to have a gladiator removed from a rival ludus. You may choose a victim and roll 4d6 in an opposed Stamina test with the gladiator. If you succeed, the gladiator dies a horrible death; if you fail he falls ill and is forced to miss the upcoming munus. If you fail to roll a single success in the test, the poisoning attempt fails utterly and you are implicated in the skulduggery; lose 2d6 Influence.

Gladiatrix:You are presented with the opportunity to purchase a female slave that exhibits the potential to be schooled as a gladiatrix. If you purchase a slave during the Auction Phase, you may designate one as a female. She will begin each bout with +2 Favour, but her Strength may never exceed 5. A gladiatrix earns +200 Wealth each victory.

Blood on the Sands really does have the best one-on-one combat mechanics I've seen. I've not had time to run a campaign but my friend and I gearing up for it.

Thanks for your continued support Dr. Mathias - it means a lot. 

[Eithriall]

To simplify things although I have omitted some things as upkeep costs and buying equipment etc. My goal is not to eliminate any players (lanistae) from the campaign through trivialities like this.

I agree with you as you've already integrated a lot of things. The campaign turn makes really sense and seems ok to me.

I am a real sucker for random events.

Your ideas sound good to me, no need to stay stuck in a strictly historical way...I particularly like the poisoner event. 

I dont' know exactly the mechanics you've chosen but here are some ideas (i write 'em as they come to my mind) :

Plague or disease : hardest way : all the lanistea suffer 1 (random) gladiator loss. Smoothest way, all the lanistea have 1 or x sick gladiators forced to miss the upcoming munus.

Riot : There was a fight in the arena between rival supporter factions in the last munus and soldiers had to step in to prevent an extensive riot... Emperor is angry, he's decided to cancel the next munus in this arena. All lanistea lose x sesterces for expenses already engaged and the munus phase is cancelled.

Theft : Some weapons and armors have been stolen during the travel to the arena, gladiators using the x armatura can't fight in the upcoming munus.

Bodyguard : one fo your renowned gladiators had been hired as a bodyguard for some time. He can't fight to the upcoming munus but you gain x sesterces or x influence.

Market economy : a victorious roman military campaign has brought thousands of war prisoners and slaves, so the market price of slaves has collapsed. You can bought new slaves for 50%.

Auctoratio : a free man who was previously primus palus and has gained his rudis wants to re-engage. You gain x influence but have to pay x sesterces for his pretium. (And the gladiator may already be skilled - as a primus palus).

Sure some guys here could bring you some nice new ideas.

[rumacara]

Hello all

Nice ideas.
Here are some others (without the latim flavour you both gave it).

Rival assassination - An atempt of getting rid of a rival lanista with 2 bodyguards (or more). An ambush in an alley ends with both rivals bodyguards fighting eachother and the lanistas trying to kill each other.

Noxi - Some noxi where given the chance to fight on the arena with lightly armed gladiators. One or more of the noxi are veteran fighters with (maybe) some good characteristics in fight so their chance improves and if they win they will become gladiators. The lanista wins another gladiator with some experience.

Cheers

Rui

[Eithriall]

As BotS uses custom dices and D6, here are some D6 with the latin flavor...

[Furt]

Thanks for the event suggestions guys.  

The table actually uses a d66 to determine the random event, giving me only 36 events, which were all filled quite easily.

Some are quite similar to your suggestions already:

Civil unrest   Local rioting and unrest causes the next munus to be cancelled outright. Skip the entire Munus Phase this turn.

Good stock An excess of slaves flood the market with ample, able bodied candidates for the gladiator schools. Lanistae buying slaves during the Auction Phase check their slaves for exceptional attributes by rolling 2d6 against each attribute, instead of the normal 3d6. If both dice roll greater than 2, the attribute increases to the lowest die result.

Illness A sickness sweeps through your ludus. Each of your gladiators must make a Stamina test, requiring two successes, or takes seriously ill and will be unavailable to participate in the upcoming munus. A Skilled or Expert Medicus will add +1 or +2 to his Stamina, respectively.

As BotS uses custom dices and D6, here are some D6 with the latin flavor...

I do have some of these dice, but find that I actually prefer "normal" dice, because my small brain takes a second or more to calculate my rolls.  

But they certainly add flavour.

[OSHIROmodels]

Poisoner:

Yeah, I got that 'imposed' upon me by Mark 

I haven't forgotten and when the new season starts I'll be after him 

cheers

James

[Malamute]

Yeah, I got that 'imposed' upon me by Mark  

I haven't forgotten and when the new season starts I'll be after him  

cheers

James

 

Yes I remember that incident, looking forward to the next fight. My Ludus needs to shape up and start chalking up some victories.

[Elbows]

My ludus was...rather unfortunate in my campaign (and we're only on turn 5/12).

1) My ludus had illness sweep through it...
2) My ludus was the subject of a scandal and my influence dropped...
3) My ludus was so depressing at this point that one of my slaves committed suicide...

Meanwhile my buddy's lead Retiarius (one fight from becoming the champion) suffered a scandal.  We both agreed a horse was involved.  Then his newest recruit was bedded by some high fallutin' Roman lady. 

He's been pretty damn lucky while my ludus has been shattered consistently and all of my gladiators killed.

[Eithriall]

Sorry Mr. Furt, my mistake....I was thinking you had some difficulties with your event list but i was wrong.   

So Mr. Elbows should we understand between the arena fights and the events you have lost all your gladiators ?

[Too Bo Coo]

Still having fun with BoTS!

[Furt]

Yeah, I got that 'imposed' upon me by Mark 

I haven't forgotten and when the new season starts I'll be after him 

cheers

James

I actually rolled this last game and used it on my mate's up and coming champion. He had Stamina 4, but failed his rolled and I'm still giving him shit about it. 

Sorry Mr. Furt, my mistake....I was thinking you had some difficulties with your event list but i was wrong.   

Not at all Eithrall, I've tried to cover a lot of little things I have read about in the Event Table.

Still having fun with BoTS!

Have you played lately TBC?