PBEM RULES FOR KINGMAKER (based on AH 1st ed.) Version 2.0, May 1996 Alan Poulter **PBEM PROCEDURES FOR PLAYER-GM **General The game will be played in turns, each consisting of one or more phases requiring player orders. For the purpose of playing the game PBEM, one player will be known as the 'player-GM' and will responsible for working out the results of player orders as well as playing in the game. Orders from the player-GM (only) will be encrypted, and sent to all other players prior to receiving their orders. This stops the player-GM from knowing other player's orders before writing orders. The encryption stops other players knowing the player-GM's orders before they write orders. The player-GM will circulate the decrypt pass phrase for these encrypted orders when all the other player's orders have been received. All orders for a round will be published for all players to see, including the plain text of the player-GM's orders. It is up to the other players whether they decrypt and check the player-GM's encrypted orders against the plain text version. The encryption method used (either emailer-intrinsic, or the UNIX crypt command, or an encryption package) will be whatever one or more players can use most easily. Not all players will have to be able to decrypt the player-GM's orders (although at least one player should be able to, to keep the player-GM honest). As well as the orders for all players, the player-GM will also publish a detailed resolution of all orders, so that players can check the player-GM's resolution for mistakes. Mistakes must be noted and corrected before the next turn commences. Finally the player-GM will also publish a summary of player positions at the end of a turn. Therefore each PBEM turn will see publication of three reports, player orders, resolution of player orders and a position summary. It is the player-GM's prerogative to set deadlines for orders and for order resolution. It is recommended that, unless interrupted by public holidays, player orders for a PBEM turn will normally be due Fridays, at 18:00 GMT. Orders will be resolved by the next Monday, 12:00 GMT. The player-GM will publish orders on Thursday, in advance of the deadline for other players. Players unable to meet a deadline may use another player or an observer as a proxy to submit orders for them. The player-GM *must* be informed at least a turn in advance of any proxy arrangements. If a player submits no orders then no activities (other than automatic ones) will be carried out for that player that turn. If a player submits no orders for two consecutive turns then an observer or some other replacement player will be asked to take over the abandoned position. If no replacement can be found then the abandoned position will be left unplayed. Orders should be unambiguous and cover all the actions required in a PBEM turn. If a player is unsure of the clarity of part of an order they should check with the player-GM first. Ambiguous orders will be ignored by the player-GM. Unless an action is specified it will not be carried out (unless it is automatic). Orders to carry out terms of an agreement between players must be identically specified by each party to the agreement, otherwise the terms are void. The player-GM will use an email die roller (dice@danpost4.uni-c.dk) to generate die rolls to resolve orders. This removes the possibility of the player-GM unduly influencing die rolls. The die roller will also be used for the drawing of cards, if required. The player-GM will publish lists of cards to be used, against die roll numbers to draw them. Cards are not in decks but in lists, so that each undrawn card has the same probability of being drawn as any other. Note that drawing cards in this way does not permit cards drawn to be hidden. Also there is no 'discard' pile, only undrawn cards. **Rules All rules from the game will be used, unless modified as specified below. Modifications will be kept to a minimum and be purely for purposes of ensuring that the game is playable PBEM using the player-GM system, outlined above. Players should familiarise themselves with any PBEM rules modifications before play starts. Should any rules problems arise, they should be solved by consensus. Rules problems should be solved within the framework of the game system and not by use of historical analogies (or redesigning the game system). If no consensus can be found, the problem will be posted to online forums (e.g Consim-l and rec.games.board) and determined according to the nature of any non-player replies. **Player Introductions Before play commences, all players should introduce themselves by means of a short biography. This *must* include mention of any previous contact with any other player. This is simply to reveal outside factors that may affect alliances. **Ethics Players are free to behave as they wish within the normal limits of email etiquette. Personal abuse or technological trickery (eg forgery) are not allowed. Players indulging in either will be replaced. **Treaties/Agreements/Alliances Public treaties will be sent to the player-GM for publication. Identical copies of the treaty must be sent by each party for the treaty to have validity. Players are free to make secret treaties. Note that these *cannot* be publicly verified unless digital signatures are used. Special encryption software is required to create digital signatures. **BASIC GAME All rules are used except as noted below. **Prepare for Play 1. Advanced game Crown and Event cards will be used. See files crown.txt and event.txt for lists of cards. 2. See above for the mechanism for drawing cards. 3. Player order for the initial draw of cards will be determined by rolling for each player a number between 1 and 100. Any duplicates will cause a re-roll of all numbers. Order will be high numbers before low. 4. The player-GM will set a common deadline for all players to order allocation of cards to nobles. This deadline will also be the one for placing nobles (see Setting out counters below). **Chancery All crown cards in Chancery will be published for all players to see. **Faction Each player will get a faction name based on the identifying symbols for factions. Factions names are thus:- Boar, Gate, Leaf, Moon, Rope, Star, Tree Names will be awarded according to the initial player order determined above. **Setting out counters Advanced game royal counters will be used. 2. The player-GM will set a common deadline for each player to order the placement of their nobles. After setup is complete, a special Chance Phase (see below) will be run, prior to the game starting. **Sequence of Play See PBEM Sequence of play below. **Combat **Battle 3. A die roll is made on the list of results in the combat.txt file. it is not possible to draw a 'free move' or 'writ' card. **Siege 2. A die roll is made on the list of results in the combat.txt file. it is not possible to draw a 'free move' or 'writ' card. **OPTIONAL RULES **Initial Placement Used. See Setting up Counters above. **Commission Used. **Ambush Used. **Town Fighting Used. **Bishop Cards Used. **Optional Parliament Used. See Special Parliament turn below. 5. Bishop cards are allocated as other Chancery cards. 9. Refused cards are added to the Chancery cards. **Return from Parliament Used. **Alliance Used. Alliances may only be declared and ended in the Pre-Movement Phase. **Optional Trade Not used. **Optional Victory Conditions Used. **ADVANCED GAME **Advanced Battle Not used except for the Loyalty Table. **Revised Alliance Former allies may attack one another immediately after an alliance is dissolved. **PBEM SEQUENCE OF PLAY PBEM Kingmaker is played in turns consisting of phases. In each phase player orders are resolved in faction order. Player orders for a phase may be conditional on other player actions in earlier phases or earlier in that phase (e.g. Movement/Combat Phase, Faction Gate orders that all its nobles move to York if no Faction Boar nobles have moved there). The first Faction for each turn is decided according to the standard rules on turn 1. For following turns see the First Faction phase below. Factions follow in the initial order (e.g if Faction Star goes first then would come Faction Tree, Faction Boar etc). When Parliament is called, a special Parliament turn takes place. It is possible that Parliament may last more than one special Parliament turn. 1. Pre-Movement Phase The following actions may be ordered:- Held Event cards may be discarded. Held Crown cards may be played. Permission to enter a Faction's town, city or castle may be granted to another Faction or cancelled if previously granted. Permission to leave a Faction's port may be granted to another Faction or cancelled if previously granted. A captured royal heir may be executed. Nobles captured in the previous Combat Phase must be ransomed or executed or pardoned. Transferables may be transferred or traded. Writs may be played as commissions. Alliances may be declared or ended. If one or more special Parliament turn (see below) preceded this turn then recipients of Chancery cards may refuse them and nobles attending Parliament may be returned to a home castle. None of the above actions is the default. 2. Movement/Combat/Crown card draw Phase Movement of nobles may be ordered. All movement must be expressed using codes from the board.txt file. No movement is the default order. If you finish a move at sea, you should give a port in case of storms. Combats and sieges may be ordered. No combat is the default order. If you attack or siege, you should give a distribution for any captured Crown cards or Royal personages. A crown card is drawn for each faction after movement and combat. A player may order that a draw is deferred. Any number of draws may be deferred. A player may order that deferred draws will be made. The default is to order a draw. (NB since all drawn Crown cards are open to view, deferring a draw is the only way of 'hiding' Crown cards. Of course one does not know what one is hiding). 3. Parliament Phase The Faction controlling the King may order the presentation of writ cards to noble/s in other Faction/s. The Faction containing the Chancellor may order the playing of the 'Chancellor summons Parliament' card. If Parliament is called, a list of the recipient Nobles for each of the Crown cards in Chancery must be published. At least one special Parliament turn (see below) will then follow the end of this turn, after the First Faction Phase. 4. Coronation Phase Coronations may be ordered. 5. Chance Phase Event cards are drawn for each faction in faction order and resolved if necessary. Event cards which can be held (1-24) cannot be redrawn but other event cards can be (e.g it is possible that plague may occur in the same place more than once in the same Chance phase). If a 'Parliament must be summoned' card is drawn, then the faction drawing this card must call a Parliament in a following Parliament turn. Subsequent such cards are ignored in a Chance Phase. 6. First Faction Phase. The rules for moving first are followed only on the first turn. Thereafter, a roll (2xd6) is made on the following table is used to decide who goes first on a turn:- 2 Chancellor 3 Most troops 4 Lincoln 5 Durham 6 Canterbury 7 Chancellor 8 York 9 Carlisle 10 Norwich 11 Most troops 12 Chancellor If the office chosen by the above table is not in play then the Faction which moved first previously moves first again. SPECIAL PARLIAMENT TURN Special Parliament turns continue until all Chancery cards are distributed or all Faction have called and/or pass calling one Special Parliament turn. 1. Pre-Parliament Phase Crown cards may be played. Each player must order which of his nobles voluntarily attend this Special Parliament turn. Any resulting ship movement must also be ordered. Once at Parliament nobles cannot leave until Parliament finishes. Any player whose Faction has at least one noble attending a Parliament must either call another Special Parliament turn by publishing a list of the recipient Nobles for all Chancery cards or pass calling a further Special turn. This is in case this Faction is eligible (according to Optional Parliament 4) to distribute Chancery cards left after the current Special Parliament turn. The default is to pass calling a Special turn. Players may order the transfer of office cards. Each transfer must be approved by the Faction calling this Special Parliament turn. 2. Voting Phase If there is a sole King, the first vote of Parliament must decide on support. Each attending faction automatically votes against support unless ordered otherwise. Votes may not be conditional on other Factions votes. If a sole King obtains support then the Optional Victory conditions rule is fulfilled. If there are two Kings, the first vote of Parliament must decide the sole King. Each Faction may vote for one King. No vote is an abstention. Votes may not be conditional on other Factions votes. Each Chancery card is then voted for, in Chancery order, up to the number available according to attendance at Parliament. Each Faction will automatically vote for the award of a card to itself, and against the award of a card to any other Faction, unless orders specifically state otherwise. Votes in the Common and Lords are simultaneous. Factions vote the same way in each unless specifically ordered otherwise. Orders may be made conditional on earlier votes, but not on the current vote (e.g Faction Boar may order 'Vote for Faction Tree for the Admiral if they voted for this Faction in an earlier vote' but may not order 'In the vote for the Admiral, vote whichever way Faction Tree votes'. This is to prevent impasse positions in which two Factions vote depending on the other).