War Rules

How is PvP determined?

PvP can only occur if a non-biased PVP DM is available to resolve it. If not, the interaction is RP locked until it can be. The PVP DM makes a combat map, starts a server and resolves the encounter, unless those involved wish for it or require it to be resolved in text. The PVP DM has the final word on what medium is used.
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PvP Interference.

Depending on where the PvP takes place, the PVP DM presiding may cause creatures to interfere, such as, guards of towns, members of faction (especially if players are present), creatures of the area that would be attracted to battle or any other creature the PVP DM presiding sees as relevant. (The PVP DM also has final say on the battlefield and it’s obstacles, but the general setting shall consider the RP element).
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PvP Sneaky Shit

If a player wishes to perform offensive actions against another in secret, such as, pickpocketing (perception VS. sleight of hand skill checks), spells (roll VS ability/spell saving throws), grifting/scamming/BSing (deception VS insight skill checks), the PVP DM presiding will oversee the rolls and apply DC modifiers if he/she deem those are required.
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Faction PVP Rules

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAR

War is initiated by a faction CM by declaring a War on another Faction in the War Discord Chat and pinging the @War tag.
World PVP will not determine the result of a war due to the fact that we use fluid time and where a player is in the world is not reliable enough to stake the fate of a faction.
Morale is lost when Skirmishes are lost, or by failed war actions. The minimal amount of morale a faction can lose is 1. War is resolved once ALL factions on one side are reduced to zero Morale.
The amount of skirmishes that can be scheduled is limited by amount of DMs that are able to run skirmishes, if the limit is reached, the additional skirmishes will be rolled for by a Political DM. The roll to determine the outcome of the skirmishes is done by an additional munitions VS fortifications roll.
War is sequenced as such: CM declare Actions for their turn. Espionage is rolled and information will be provided depending on the threshold. If they get a normal success they become aware of current actions and can modify the resources their action takes accordingly. If they get a Greater Success they will become aware of the category of the Faction’s next action before they set their own for next turn. If they get a crit success they know the specific next action. Actions order is resolved according to the Supply rolls. Skirmishes are scheduled according to the order of war action resolution. Every skirmish is run using Improved Tactician 5 minutes, with the option for the presiding DM to shorten it if the time allotted is 2 hours or less. Improved Tactician, Ruthless, and Villains Cunning are not factored into martial checks.
The threshold is determined by looking at the difference between attacker and defender. Only the initiator is affected by these thresholds.

There are many types of war that have different stakes.

-Trade War

A trade war is a war made over material wealth, whether they be a magic item, a trove of treasure or a treasure map (Or anything else for that matter). On the war resolution, the victor receives the spoils.

-Moral War

A moral war is made over a practice or action performed by a faction against a group, entity or anything else not listed. On the war resolution, the loser must cease the practice which was the subject of the war, or have their alliances nullified and they are unable to make any new ones until the subject practice is ceased.

-Alliance War

An Alliance war is a war entered due to an alliance. You are there to support your allies with whatever the base war is. If you lose the war, you reduce your morale attribute by the amount of participant factions in the war. You can also surrender in a war of alliance at any time at no penalty unless specified so in the alliance agreement.

-Annihilation

A war of Annihilation is a frightening ordeal, in a war of Annihilation each time morale is reduced, the morale attribute is reduced by that amount. . This is true for anyone involved, including alliances. The war continues until either the attacking faction is destroyed or the defending faction is destroyed. You cannot surrender on either side in a war of annihilation.
When a Faction reaches 0 Morale in a War of Annihilation the Faction is disbanded and the current members are considered factionless.

-Expansion

A war of conquest is a war over a specific faction controlled site/place/location. On the war resolution, the victor gains control of the subject of the war.

Faction Attributes

The attributes below represent the abstract representation of the power levels in those areas a faction possesses. This includes martial, magic and all other forms of power. Some statistics involve specific calls to these concepts but they can include all or one of them. The rolls to resolve each action are detailed in the actions. The modifiers are on a 1-20 scale, similar to 5e, with a bonus getting added to the rolls.
1-2= +0
3-4=+1 And So On

Munitions

This attribute governs commands that are direct attacks, using any sort of weapons available to the faction, including magical and martial attacks. This can produce skirmish missions that involve heavy open field combat and is directly opposed by the opponents fortification attribute.

Fortifications

This attribute governs commands that are directly defending the faction from enemy commands of either munitions or espionage. This uses all defending abilities in an abstract manner, whether they be martial or magical. This is used to make skirmish missions of attacking factions harder to complete.

Morale

This attribute governs how much health the faction has for the war effort. A faction’s morale is reduced by an amount determined whenever they lose a skirmish, are sabotaged, or various other effects. They also lose one morale for each failed action. To be clear, rolling for supply and espionage each round are not considered actions. If a faction loses a war, their total morale is reduced by 1. If they began the war, the amount lost is increased to 3. If a factions morale is reduced to 0, the faction loses that war. A faction may choose to surrender a war, if they do, the total morale they lose is reduced by 1. If a faction’s total morale is ever reduced to 0, the faction is dissolved. The death of critical members of your faction CAN cause additional morale loss.

Supply

This represents a factions ability to get supplies and produce care packages for participants in skirmishes, starting war funds and various other bonuses. This attribute also governs initiative of action resolution. Whenever a faction uses ones of its special abilities, its supply attribute is reduced by an amount details on the ability.
While at 0 Supply, Factions lose 1 morale per week.

Influence

This represents an abstract calculation of how many alliances the faction has and how much help it can call upon. This represents the total amount of player character levels from other allied factions that you may call for assistance. I.e. : with 10 influence you may recruit two level 5 players or 1 level 10 character. .

Espionage

This attribute governs the ability of a faction to detect what other action types other factions are taking, this also governs acts of sabotage, theft or other indirect actions. These actions can also occur in other mission types.

NPC's

VINPC

These entities always have the following traits; Villain’s Cunning - This trait implies that the creature is intelligent or cunning to the point that it can act with ruthless efficiency in combat. Creatures with this trait can act with the DM’s direct intelligence (in terms of tactics).

Units

Units need to be scaled for each tier of combat, the ideal scenario being that there are as few and as powerful as need be for the sake of time and sanity.

Action Types

While at war a faction gains use of special actions they can choose to take. These are called Commands. They may submit one of these actions to the political DMs once a week by Sunday 5pm CST. Once these commands have been given, the political DMs will determine outcomes by Monday 5pm CST. Political DMs will determine these rolls and taking into account all factors and make the rolls needed to determine outcomes. Everyone will get to see the rolls, but only the DMs will make them, that way scheduling won't be a factor in the determination. Once these rolls have been resolved, skirmish missions will be determined and assigned where needed and announcements will be made informing people of the results. Unless these actions are secret in which case, they shall be resolved as such. Any DC/Bonus that is not given a static number is fluid on purpose.

Offensive Commands

Taking an offensive action in war time, requires that you declare the unit you wish to use, make an opposed roll of 1d20 + Munitions vs 1d20 + Fortifications from the attacker and the defender respectively. If the attacker wins a skirmish is set up to resolve the action. Faction Units are detailed in the faction sheet. To be clear, When you make an offensive command, combat will ensue in one way or another.

- (Assault) -

An assault is an offensive action that targets a specific place chosen by the attacker, in which to take control of, destroy or liberate. If the skirmish is won by the attacker the defender loses 2 morale.
If a Forward Base is taken then the magic item that was stored in it would be unavailable to the Faction that lost it and players will be unable to RP there. The Invaders do not automatically have access to said magic item (See Pillaging.)
If the HQ is taken the Faction still exists but will be unable to RP in their HQ and they lose access to their bank and lose access to their forges. The invaders won’t have automatic access to the Bank. (see Pillaging) They do have access to their forges; but will need to submit fresh crafting requests in order to use them. Invaders also do not bypass special requirements from the forges like the Dragon Forge of the Steel Saints.
Faction Locations are detailed in the faction sheet.

- (Skirmish) -

A skirmish, is an offensive action that focuses on attacking a force or group (or unit in military terms), with the intention to route, destroy or capture. If the skirmish is won by the attacker the defender loses 2 morale.
This action triggers a skirmish regardless of the Threshold.
Crit success for the attacker gives them a huge boost, and a crit failure sets them for failure which could easily result in a TPK.
Faction Units are detailed in the faction sheet.

- (Assassinate) -

An assassination is an offensive that focuses on attacking a specific individual, such as a VIPNPC or faction officer, or even a PC, with the intention to kill or capture. If the skirmish is won by the attacker the defender loses 3 morale. The failure of an assassination can be catastrophic, and should not be undertaken lightly, as those dedicated to the assassination may all be lost.
All Critical targets which includes VINPC and officers will be guarded. How well guarded they are depends on the threshold reached by the assassins.

Defensive Commands

Taking a defensive action in war time, requires that you declare the action you wish to take and you must make an opposed roll of 1d20 + your Fortification vs 1d20+ the Supply of each other factions. If the fortifying faction succeeds, an effect is enabled that lasts for a set duration. Failure can lose morale.

- (Fortify) -

This action focuses on reinforcing a position, troop or the security of a person. If this action succeeds then the skirmish mission that is made has advantages given to the defenders in the skirmish. This effect is cumulative and lasts the duration of the war. You may not Fortify a target more than once per a war.

- (Raze) -

This action focuses on destroying a place and razing it completely, as to deny the advancing enemy any reward. If this action is successful, the place is destroyed and the faction that destroyed it is considered to have taken a loss, but lose 1 morale and all other factions may not use the Pillage action against this location and gain no other bonuses from victory. A faction may only use the Raze action once per war. As Judged by the DM, this can become an evil or chaotic action and should never be taken lightly. Faction Locations are details in the faction sheet.

- (Entrap) -

This action focuses on countering an attack on a unit. If it is successful, the attacking force begins the skirmish as normal, except the defending faction decides where the position of its enemies are on the board and automatically gains initiative and advantage on the first round. This lasts until the next time the unit selected to receive the benefit uses it or if that unit performs an offensive action. Faction Units are detailed in the faction sheet.

- (Counter Espionage) -

This action focuses on countering an act of espionage. If it is successful, the faction may use its fortification attribute in addition to its espionage attribute on the next espionage check. This bonus fades if the faction uses it or if they perform another act of espionage.

Supply Commands

Taking a resupply action, attempts to reinvigorate and reinforce your forces. These actions can restore morale and provide other benefits. The faction using one of these actions, rolls a Supply check against 1d20 + the action difficulty rating , if successful the following actions are augmented. No matter how much is restored you cannot gain more morale than your base. You can lose morale if you fail these actions.

- (Pillage) -

This action is only useable whenever you successfully complete an assault or skirmish the previous week. On a successful roll over 10 , your faction restores 2 morale and increases its supply attribute by 2. This increase lasts until the war is over. Pillaging a forward base gives you its benefits.
You need a successful pillage of the Faction’s HQ in order to access the Faction’s bank and forge.
Any additional magic item slots granted by a Forward base or HQ are lost to the enemy, as well as the magic items that were held there.

- (Resupply) -

This action can be used to attempt to restore up to 3 lost morale. On a successful roll of 1d20 resulting in +6/+4/+2 over your own faction Supply restores 3/2/1 supply.

- (Carouse) -

This action can be used only whenever an attacking force fails their skirmish, assault or assassination attempt on your faction. You celebrate your victory and restore 1 morale to your faction as well increasing your munitions attribute by 1. This lasts until the war is over.

Espionage Commands

An act of espionage is used as an indirect method of attack. Its success is determined by opposed Espionage Checks. If the attacker wins the action effect is enabled. A critical failure for any of these actions may trigger a skirmish.

- (Sabotage) -

If this action is successful, the targeted faction has disadvantage on the next two war actions they initiate.

- (Infiltrate) -

If this action is successful, the attacker declares a single defensive action that the defender has disadvantage on performing. This lasts until the attacker performs another espionage action or if the defender successfully performs an espionage action against the attacker of any kind.

- (Siphon) -

If this action is successful, the targeted faction can only gain 1 supply with the resupply action.

Special Commands

(Faction Ability)

Which are detailed on the faction sheet.

(Leader Ability, if any)

Which are detailed on the faction sheet, under Leader abilities.

(VIP NPC Ability)

Which are detailed on the faction sheet, under VIP NPC abilities.

(Story Mechanic)

Which are detailed on the faction sheet, under Story Mechanics.

(Deploy)

Using a Deploy command, means that you wish to use one of the units you have available to participate in another parent action. You must choose if you are going to deploy when you select your action, choosing the unit you wish to augment it. Units have different effects and abilities and some will not function properly with certain actions. You can only augment a single action at a time unless stated otherwise.
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