100 Years War Campaign? [Archive] - Wizards Community

100 Years War Campaign? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DrBaltar
03-18-07, 09:02 PM My PC's have expressed interest in a roleplaying the Hundreds Years War (a real-life conflict between France and England during the Middle Ages). They want to be as historically accurate as possible, so Magic and Supernatural abilities are out.

I need help.

Any ideas?
ewancummins
03-18-07, 09:21 PM GURPS.

Failing that, use D20 Modern. D&D isn't very useful for any sort of realistic historical simulation.
Balthanon
03-18-07, 09:30 PM You may want to try using the d20 Past book while eliminating some of the technological advances like firearms. Eliminating magic takes a lot of work with standard D&D, since there are very few classes that do not utilize it in one form or another.

That said, it might be possible to make some of the base classes from D&D into advanced classes in d20 Past. Fighter and rogue would be easy enough and ranger could probably be done with some modifications to take out anything supernatural about the class. Knight would certainly be appropriate, as well, and shouldn't need much alteration. If you wanted to eliminate certain maneuvers from the list, it would probably be possible to use Warblade and possibly Crusader (with a replacement for Devoted Spirit) as well.
TheLastEvilDrow
03-18-07, 11:33 PM I don't know of any d20 way to do it, because to be honest, the medieval period sucked, historically and all.

My suggestion would be to just play D&D with an analogue to the 100 years war. Barring that, try another system like what was suggested earlier, GURPS or something. I hear its pretty diverse and utilitarian for flexibility purposes.

Good luck.
DrBaltar
03-19-07, 04:20 PM Thanks guys.

You're right about how taking magic out eliminates about 95% of the game. We'll probably just have to swtich to GURPS to do the campaign in any reasonable way.
razorboy
03-19-07, 05:31 PM Wait! There's another alternative to GURPS - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Playing Game! It's really fantastic, it's low-magic to begin with, and since you probably won't have any supernatural monsters, taking out what few caster careers exist will have no impact on the game at all. It's quite realistic without getting too bogged down in rules, combat works almost exactly like in D&D (down to attacks of opportunity, charge, bull rush, etc), armor works like damage reduction, there's very easy parry rules, and tons of medieval and Rennaissance-era careers (think of them kinda like classes). Taking out primitive firearms is very easy as well and does not impact the balance at all.
PoorHobo
03-19-07, 08:00 PM Iron heroes
GoriceXII
03-19-07, 08:17 PM I vote for Warhammer Fantasy as well. Also you CAN put supernatural elements in but it would have to be done subtly or in 'odd places'.

There is also Pendragon, which is fun if the players are mostly going to be knights or warriors. However it also has a number of rules supplements that are excellent material for governing use of lands, castles and so on.
DrBaltar
03-20-07, 04:40 PM Warhammer Fantasy is actually a very good rule system. I like the emphasis of commoner type characters (peasants and rat catchers) over the powerful sorcerers,wizards, and clerics of Dnd. However, two of my players (which is half my group) used to play the Warhammer tabletop game. It wasn't a very good experience for them (the models and books are WAY overpriced) and have decided that they hate anything that comes out of GW.

Whats Iron Heros like? I've seen the book and some advertisements, but have never spoken to anyone who has played it.
DrBaltar
03-20-07, 04:50 PM Warhammer Roleplay is actually a very good system. The mechanics are sound, and I like how they emphasize commoner type characters (Rat Catchers and peasants) over powerful sorcerers, wizards, and clerics. And when a PC get seriously hurt, he usually ends up losing a limb.
Downtym
03-20-07, 06:32 PM GURPS.

GURPS.
razorboy
03-21-07, 10:41 AM Iron Heroes is a Malhavoc Press product published by Monte Cook. It's a variant D20 system that puts the emphasis on fighting characters and skills, and almost zero magic. It uses very interesting combo rules, stunts, accumulating tokens through fulfilling class roles(that can be spent on various benefits during the fight), upgradable feats, and a ton of other neat stuff. It's very well written and illustrated book (although the two companions to it - Mastering Iron Heroes, and Iron Heroes adversaries - are less stellar), but the system is ultimately a lot more complex than standard D20. Also, it's meant to be completely unrealistic and over the top, so I don't think it would work well for a historically accurate campaign.

And still on the subjects of Warhammer Fantasy, I wonder when they're going to release Bretonnian supplement, because that would SO work for a 100 Years War!!! :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DrBaltar 03-18-07, 09:02 PM	My PC's have expressed interest in a roleplaying the Hundreds Years War (a real-life conflict between France and England during the Middle Ages). They want to be as historically accurate as possible, so Magic and Supernatural abilities are out. I need help. Any ideas?
ewancummins 03-18-07, 09:21 PM	GURPS. Failing that, use D20 Modern. D&D isn't very useful for any sort of realistic historical simulation.
Balthanon 03-18-07, 09:30 PM	You may want to try using the d20 Past book while eliminating some of the technological advances like firearms. Eliminating magic takes a lot of work with standard D&D, since there are very few classes that do not utilize it in one form or another. That said, it might be possible to make some of the base classes from D&D into advanced classes in d20 Past. Fighter and rogue would be easy enough and ranger could probably be done with some modifications to take out anything supernatural about the class. Knight would certainly be appropriate, as well, and shouldn't need much alteration. If you wanted to eliminate certain maneuvers from the list, it would probably be possible to use Warblade and possibly Crusader (with a replacement for Devoted Spirit) as well.
TheLastEvilDrow 03-18-07, 11:33 PM	I don't know of any d20 way to do it, because to be honest, the medieval period sucked, historically and all. My suggestion would be to just play D&D with an analogue to the 100 years war. Barring that, try another system like what was suggested earlier, GURPS or something. I hear its pretty diverse and utilitarian for flexibility purposes. Good luck.
DrBaltar 03-19-07, 04:20 PM	Thanks guys. You're right about how taking magic out eliminates about 95% of the game. We'll probably just have to swtich to GURPS to do the campaign in any reasonable way.
razorboy 03-19-07, 05:31 PM	Wait! There's another alternative to GURPS - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Playing Game! It's really fantastic, it's low-magic to begin with, and since you probably won't have any supernatural monsters, taking out what few caster careers exist will have no impact on the game at all. It's quite realistic without getting too bogged down in rules, combat works almost exactly like in D&D (down to attacks of opportunity, charge, bull rush, etc), armor works like damage reduction, there's very easy parry rules, and tons of medieval and Rennaissance-era careers (think of them kinda like classes). Taking out primitive firearms is very easy as well and does not impact the balance at all.
PoorHobo 03-19-07, 08:00 PM	Iron heroes
GoriceXII 03-19-07, 08:17 PM	I vote for Warhammer Fantasy as well. Also you CAN put supernatural elements in but it would have to be done subtly or in 'odd places'. There is also Pendragon, which is fun if the players are mostly going to be knights or warriors. However it also has a number of rules supplements that are excellent material for governing use of lands, castles and so on.
DrBaltar 03-20-07, 04:40 PM	Warhammer Fantasy is actually a very good rule system. I like the emphasis of commoner type characters (peasants and rat catchers) over the powerful sorcerers,wizards, and clerics of Dnd. However, two of my players (which is half my group) used to play the Warhammer tabletop game. It wasn't a very good experience for them (the models and books are WAY overpriced) and have decided that they hate anything that comes out of GW. Whats Iron Heros like? I've seen the book and some advertisements, but have never spoken to anyone who has played it.
DrBaltar 03-20-07, 04:50 PM	Warhammer Roleplay is actually a very good system. The mechanics are sound, and I like how they emphasize commoner type characters (Rat Catchers and peasants) over powerful sorcerers, wizards, and clerics. And when a PC get seriously hurt, he usually ends up losing a limb.
Downtym 03-20-07, 06:32 PM	GURPS. GURPS.
razorboy 03-21-07, 10:41 AM	Iron Heroes is a Malhavoc Press product published by Monte Cook. It's a variant D20 system that puts the emphasis on fighting characters and skills, and almost zero magic. It uses very interesting combo rules, stunts, accumulating tokens through fulfilling class roles(that can be spent on various benefits during the fight), upgradable feats, and a ton of other neat stuff. It's very well written and illustrated book (although the two companions to it - Mastering Iron Heroes, and Iron Heroes adversaries - are less stellar), but the system is ultimately a lot more complex than standard D20. Also, it's meant to be completely unrealistic and over the top, so I don't think it would work well for a historically accurate campaign. And still on the subjects of Warhammer Fantasy, I wonder when they're going to release Bretonnian supplement, because that would SO work for a 100 Years War!!! :)