What ho chaps,
Looking at the use of intelligence in ancient and medieval times, or the complete lack of it (insert Oxymoron here)...
(For those of you who don't know, I spend a lot of time volunteering with The Military Intelligence Museum). I've been reading Christopher Andrew's 'The Secret World, A History of Intelligence'.
I was pondering the fact that in the west, apart from Scipio and Caesar, most armies did not bother with intelligence, but rather trusted Hauspexes. Quintus Varrus blatantly ignored his informants that he was about to be betrayed..
Greeks were as bad, as were Carthaginians.
Hannibal knew who he was fighting, but did not know where his brother was, until his head was thrown over the camp wall.
The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was known to use agents especially in causing disruption and gather intelligence, so much so the ISIS used his example in training manuals.
Moses sent 12 into the chosen lands to scope out the opposition, but ten were too negative, the people chose to beleive them, and God cursed the Hebrew people to keep wandering.
Joshua had agents in Jericho before the walls came down.
Jesus was betrayed by a counter intelligence agency (buying Judas off).
The Indians and Chinese both had works on using intelligence (The Art of War and Arthaśāstra) both of which talk about agents, counter agents, assasins and the like, while fighting campaigns.
Maybe we could have an extra card option for pbs, a one off payment, not associated with the professionalism of the general, for extra intelligence to reflect this?
purchase of PBS with points?
Possible pbs purchase
Based on what ?
Too difficult to do and what do we know of maya's intelligence ? What is intelligence gathering ? Carthaginians were bad ...but they knew the whereabouts of most of their opponents thanks to their cavalry ..
A very cogent argument in favor of a clever idea I think a poor fit with these rules. Of course, if you want to use such a rule for a home-built campaign, enjoy!
More inclined to put it in the campaign rules.
Spies = +1 PBS and +1 Scouting card.
S
interesting point !
could we also take the political part of the situation before the battle ?
PUNCH " tweaking or twearking that is the question!"
Tweeting?
Oh I don't know.. why does tournament gaming have to be so dry?
how about spies 500 points. +1 PBS, +1 scouts but roll a green die and you need a skull or wound else it has no effect?
Like that. 8)
Quote from: stuuk on August 20, 2019, 11:43:01 PM
Oh I don't know.. why does tournament gaming have to be so dry?
how about spies 500 points. +1 PBS, +1 scouts but roll a green die and you need a skull or wound else it has no effect?
It doesn't. By all means add a few bits like that to a comp you are doing. As I said in the book variety is good to try. Up to competition organisers if they want to invent little alternatives like this. I am not prudish about it at all.
S
variant rule
spies 500 points
roll a green die before doing anything.
SKULL=assassin wounds enemy CinC - enemy leader is reduced 1 quality level
WOUND or S = +1 PBS, +1 Scouting card
BLANK = spies are caught, have needles plunged into all kinds of unfortunate places and reveal your plans = +1 scouting OR pbs card to enemy
That's rather fun.
Prefer it in the campaign version through.
S