:: BattleLore | Castle

This project was directly inspired from the Beith Caradan site (a french BattleLore campaign, now closed down :-/). Although I think the one hex castle is an interesting idea, I wanted to make a version that doesn't split up the troops (like in the towers). I wasn't too crazy about the scale either. So I decided to occupy several hexes in stead. I started by imagining a complete troop occupying one tower and then build around that.

Although I wanted a bigger castle than the Beith Caradan one, I still wanted it as small as possible so that its impact on game play would be minimal (well...more on that later). I also wanted the troops to be able to enter or leave the castle and move from the court yard to the towers. After that came the idea for a draw bridge but for practicality sake, I built an iron gate (printed design) that I could remove completely once the entrance was breached.

Above is the castle (with a bit more chrome than the top view below). I've painted the outside walls with a beigish color, mixed with sand for some texture. Then washed the edges and windows with black to give it that weathered look. Finally, I painted the tower roofs brown. Not sure if I'm going to ad more details as I want to keep the castle generic and let the troops in the castle add the color with their flags.

Here's the castle on Boardgamegeek.com.

:: BattleLore Castle Rules V1.0

For the basis of this example, the troops storming the castle will be referred to as the "enemy" and the troops defending the castle will be referred to as the "defenders".

:: Movement

Troops that enter the castle must stop and cannot attack in the same turn. Further movement within the courtyard (the inner 4 hexes) is normal. Troops that move between tower and courtyard cannot attack in the same turn. Cavalry can enter the castle but cannot occupy a tower.

:: Attack

Defender troops located in towers are bold by default (ignore one flag) due to partial protection of the castle wall. A second flag (by an outside ranged or magical attack) pushes a defender tower troop to the courtyard. If that is not possible due to occupied hexes in the courtyard (defender or enemy troop), the defender troop stays in position, but looses a fig for each additional flag (and corresponding helmet) rolled against it. The attacking enemy troop cannot pursue since it is outside the castle.

The only way for an enemy troop to get to a tower position (other than using a latter or siege tower) is going through the front door, through the courtyard and up the stairs to one of the 4 towers. Defending troops located in a tower can only attack with range weapons if enemy is outside the castle. As for an enemy trying to take control of a tower from within the courtyard, the defending troop occupying the tower is subject to a normal melee attack, but still benefits from partial protection from the inner tower wall (ignores first flag).

Troops in courtyard (potentially 4) cannot attack (or be attacked by) outside enemy troops unless door/drawbridge is open/lowered. Basic melee rules apply within the castle except that any retreat (flag rolls) are made in the opposite direction of the troop that rolled the flag(s). If retreat is not possible due to a castle wall or another troop, loose one fig per flag. All attacks are at 2D max within the castle.

Here's the top view of the castle on Boardgamegeek.com.