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Civilized DBA Campaigns

By Jason Ehlers

These Rules for "Civilized DBA Campaigns" are based heavily on Sid Meier's Civilization 2 computer game. In addition to their armies, players now will control more aspects of their tribe, kingdom, or republic. There are civic improvements that show the real power behind successful armies. Players can also control the level of taxation, and risk civil disorder.

At start, players can decide to choose equal numbers of civic improvements, or only ones that are historically accurate.

Population

Capitals have a population of eight, other cities have a population of four, but the population of each city increases if there are certain civic improvements. Civic Improvements that increase city population:

  • A Granary in the city allows its population to increase 50%, cumulative with an Aqueduct.

  • An Aqueduct in the city allows its population to increase 50%, cumulative with a Granary.

Examples: A non-capital city (base population four), with a granary would have a population of six (4 x 1.5 = 6). A Capital city with both a Granary and an Aqueduct would have a population of eighteen (8 x 1.5 = 12. 12 x 1.5 = 18).

Production

All cities production equals their population, unless certain civic improvements are made that will increase production. Civic Improvements that increase city production:

  • A Marketplace in the city increases the production 50%, cumulative with a Library.

  • A Library in the city increases the production 50%, cumulative with a Marketplace.

Examples: A non-capital city with population 6 has a Library, its production would be nine. A Capital city with population 18 has a Library and a Marketplace, its production would be 40 (18 x 1.5 = 27. 27 x 1.5 = 40.5). Eliminate the final fraction after figuring production, it is considered bureaucratic waste.

Other Civic Improvements

There are other civic improvements a player can make. Each has a different effect:

  • A City Wall aids the defense of a city during siege. The besieging player must subtract one (1) from his dice roll if the defending player has a City Wall.

  • A Barracks aid in the replacement of lost foot elements. If the player has a barracks in one of his cities, this allows the number of foot elements that can be replaced each winter to be limited only by the player's treasury.

  • A Stable is similar to a Barracks, except that its benefits apply only to mounted elements.

  • A Temple in the city is a positive modifier (+1) to civil order.

  • A Public Spectacle in the city is a positive modifier (+1) to civil order.

  • A Government Center in the city allows the player to set a different tax rate in that city, otherwise the city must have the same tax rate as his Capital city.

Decreeing Tax Rates (Beginning of Spring Turn)

If the players set tax rates set too low, this action may result in lack of funds. If the players set tax rates too high, this action may result in civil disorder.

Each year, at the beginning of the Spring Turn before any movements of armies, players decree the tax rate for each of their cities. Tax Rates must be set at multiples or increments of 10%. The lowest possible tax rate is 0%. The highest possible tax rate is 100%.

Players may set different tax rates in cities with government centers. Without a Government Center, a city must have the same tax rate as the capital city.

Civil Disorder (End of Summer Turn)

Each year, at the end of the Summer Turn, after all players have finished their movement, players determine if any of their tax rates have resulted in Civil Disorder. One roll on a ten-sided dice (zero lowest, nine highest) is made for each city. The basic determinant is the tax rate times ten. Thus if the player set a tax rate of 30%, the city falls into civil disorder on a modified roll of three or less. If the player set a tax rate of 90% or 100%, the city will certainly fall into civil disorder unless there are modifiers.

There are several modifiers to the Civil Disorder roll. The presence of a Temple in the city modifies the roll by one, thus decreasing the chance for civil disorder. A Public Spectacle has the same effect.

If the player's field army is in the city's region, or besieged within the city, this situation modifies the roll by two, thus greatly decreasing the chance for civil disorder.

If the player's capital is besieged or there is an enemy field army in the capital region, all cities except the capital region suffer a minus one modifier to their civil order roll, thus this situation increases the chance for civil disorder.

If the player is presently at war with MORE than half the players in the game, this results in a minus one modifier in the players' capital city, this situation increases the chance for civil disorder.

If the player is presently allied with MORE than half the players in the game, this results in a plus one modifier in the players' capital city, this situation decreases the chance for civil disorder.

Results of Civil Disorder

When a city falls into civil disorder, make a note of it or mark it on the strategic map.

No revenue may be collected from a city under civil disorder.

A city under civil disorder cannot create or contribute to creation of replacement elements.

A city under civil disorder is weaker in sieges, attackers get a plus one modifier to their besieging die roll.

A city remains under civil disorder unless it passes its civil order roll in the following year(s). If the city passes the roll, then civil order is restored.

Revenue Collection (End of Fall Turn)

At the end of the Fall turn, players sum up the new revenue they collect from their cities. No revenue can be collected from cities in civil disorder. To determine revenue, players multiply city production times the tax rate. Thus, if a city had a population of four, has a marketplace (thus a production of 6), but no Government center, the Kingdom's tax rate is 20%, then the revenue is (6 x 0.2 = 1.2) one. Drop fractions unless the city has a government center, in which case round to the nearest number.

Element Replacement (Winter Turn)

At the end of the winter turn, players can replace lost elements.

If the player has no barracks or stable, the maximum number of elements he may replace in a year is equal to the number of cities under his control.

If the player has at least one barracks, the maximum number of foot elements he may replace in a year in limited only by his treasury. If the player has at least one stable, the maximum number of mounted units he may replace in a year is limited only by his treasury.

ELEMENT TYPE / Suggested Cost to Replace per Element

  • It costs 5 to replace Elephants, Knights, Blades, or War Wagons.
  • It costs 4 to replace Pikes, Cavalry, Camelry, or Artillery.
  • It costs 3 to replace Spears, Bows, War Bands, or Light Horse.
  • It costs 2 to replace Psiloi, or Auxilia.

Note: Players are free to change these suggested points costs, but all players should agree to changes before the campaign begins!

Summary and Design Notes

I hope these rules for "Civilized DBA Campaign" at least provide amusement for players. But since they were FREE don't expect the world of them! I tried to make the concepts simple and base them on proven games: Sid Meier's Civilization II, Age of Empires 2, and of course the existing DBA campaign. Players can either agree on a certain level of civic improvements for each player, or they can make their own costs for building and maintaining new civic improvements.

I hope players can find aspects of these rules they can adapt for their own campaigns, personally I will be building Aqueducts out of two-by-sixes and adding them to my 4x8 game board.

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Last Updated: May 9, 1999

Questions, comments, and feedback are welcome. Sent them to my attention at brant@erols.com.