User:Chénier/Industrial BattleMaster

From the mid 1800s to late 1900s, the world has seen many important changes, mainly in how wars were made, politics were handled, and economies were driven. With minor adjustments, a game, very similar to BattleMaster, could be made.

Characters

Characters would come from families that have managed to keep a respectable living to this point. Having been fortuned in the past by luck or bloodline, they are now part of the bourgeoisie or petty bourgeoisie.

Attributes

Honour: Trust

The power one has and his ability to lead others is directly related to how much others trust him. Wether one can be trusted to be harsh or kind doesn't matter, it's the fact that people know what to expect that counts.

Prestige: Respect

While trust can gain your a good ammount of followers, you must be respected to have anyone with the least bit of common-sense follow you. Someone who has no manners cannot be expected to be respected, and therefore ascend in power.

Skills

Skills that might be used:

• Marksmanship - Can you use a rifle or not?
• Leadership - You don't expect someone of your class to be canon fodder, do you? Of course, you would have no lesser rank than that of an officer, and therefore your leadership abilities will determine the effictiveness of your platoon in combat.
• Infiltration - Elite soldiers pass into enemy lands un-detected to fufill their missions.
• Bureaucracy - The beauty of modern governments.
• Propaganda - Big brother is watching you.
• Trading - You have to know how the international economics work to start yourself a good buisness.
• Melee Combat - Can you fight with a knife or bare-hands?
• Mounted Combat - Cavalry is still of some use...

Classes

• Officer
• Merchant
• Preacher/Propagandist
• Infiltrator
• Bureaucrat
• Mentor
• Hero
• Special Weapons and Tactics Specialist (Tanks, artillery, heavy infantry weapons, etc.)

Nations and Regions

The same system that is currently used in BattleMaster would be used. It's quite practical and better than anything I could think of, so why change it?

Government Types

While some of the old governments remain, a few new types are beginning to emerge.

Anarchy

A revolution is underway. That or the nihilists just completed one, your pick.

Authoritarianism

Elections? I pity the fools.

Democracy

Some people, after doing certain things, can now be elected by the populace. PCs can directly influence the votes of the masses, who will in turn give them victories or defeats.

Monarchy

The royal family has ruled for centuries. Who in their right minds would want to change that?

Plutocracy

Money makes the world go round. In this form of government, only the wealthier classes (PCs) get to vote. The more wealth they accumulate, the more influence they have.

Diplomacy

Quite the same as in the current BattleMaster, but with perhaps an added political flavour. "Oh noes, poor citizens of Oceania! We must bring them universal suffrage!".

Regions

They remain the same, exept that a maire replaces the lord. In an anarchist nation, there are none, in democracies and plutocraries, maires are elected, and in monarchies and authoritarian nations, they are appointed.

Units

• Infantry - A rifle and bayonet.
• Cavalry - A rifle and/or sabre.
• Tanks - A heavy canon and/or machine guns.
• Heavy Infantry - Mortars, grenades, bazookas, machine guns, etc.
• Special Forces - Poison, explosives, exotic weapons: whatever gets the job done.
• Artillery Squad - Heavy mortars, long-range canons... Well, artillery.

Paraphernalia

Any irregular cargo could be placed here. Ammunition for heavy weapons (canons/explisives), healers, flag bearers, as well as jeeps, trucks, or whatever else you might want to get around.

Economy

Food, iron, lead, lumber, gems, coal, oil, silver, gold, etc. Why not add a wide variety? They are what fueled many conflicts and alliances.

Ideologies/Religion

What has driven the biggest wars of the century? Ideology! Capitalism, fascism, communism. They all have the same effect on their partisans that religions have on their followers. They would therefore be treated the same are religions are right now.