Feedback or better alternatives sought for this custom move, which aims to expand upon the Hireling core rules (and also the ‘Order Follower’ or ‘Do Their Thing’ moves from the Perilous Wilds supplement).
Command a team or force
When you command a suitably skilled and equipped force or team to undertake a task, roll with modifiers:
-1 Difficult or unusual task for a group with these skills and training
+1 Notably easy task for a group with these skills and training
-1 Makeshift equipment or supplies
-1 / -2 Insufficient or inappropriate size or strength
(Note: for combat actions ‘sufficient force’ is usually at least twice the strength of the opposing force, after defensive arrangements have been taken into account. )
-1 Adverse conditions
-1 Insufficient or incorrect intelligence (gained either beforehand or during)
• Maximum of one character achieving a successful Parley result may provide +1. (Employment, military or other organisational rank counts as leverage.)
• Maximum of one Bolster move applies (+1 for a week of preparation, +3 for a month).
• PCs may Aid, max +1 per PC, and can use a suitable ability instead of +bonds, or +loyalty if Followers are being commanded (but usually this would mean the action should be covered in the normal course of play instead of using this move).
Roll:
10+: achieve a reasonably expected result with reasonable loss of strength and supplies.
(Note: for combat actions ‘reasonable loss’ is usually around half the strength of the opposing force, after defensive arrangements have been taken into account.)
7-9: You achieve at least partial success with reasonable losses and the GM chooses one or more, or offers a choice between one or more:
• No report, no return
• Takes time
• Severe losses or injuries
• Resources or equipment used up
• Instructions followed incorrectly
• Decrease in loyalty, mutiny and/or extra payment demanded
6-: Mark XP. You do not get the result you want and the GM makes a move that may include those above.
Two examples:
Cuthbert the cleric successfully Parleys (+1) with the villagers, explaining that if they do not fortify their village they will surely be overcome by the advancing orc horde. The villages have sufficient man, woman and child-power (+0), and sufficient tools and skills to perform minor earthworks and wood-working (+0). However, this is an usual task for them (-1). Forfar the Barbarian successfully aids (+1) using his Strength to lift and carry. Mathluz the Wizard successfully aids (+1) using Intelligence to design novel fortifications and tools. Unfortunately the PCs are expecting the orcs from a different direction, and so suffer a penalty for incorrect intelligence (-1). The weather conditions are rainy and wet (-1), but they have just over a week to Bolster (+1).
Net result: roll +2.
A 10+ would mean that the village is now defensible, having used up appropriate building materials, food and water, and with a few broken tools and minor injuries.
A 7-9 would mean at least part of the village is fortified, and the GM offers a choice that either a key NPC dies under a pile of falling logs, or Forfar saves him but injures his hand.
A 6- means that the villagers are still working on their ineffective defences when the horde arrives…
Sir Mattock commands his detachment of 10 men-at-arms to take a small, partially fortified hillock defended by 8 goblins, while he takes a well deserved rest.
This is a typical task for such a force (+0), and they are well armed (+0). The GM determines that a goblin is usually worth about 60% of a man-at-arms, but the defences of the hillock add +20% to the goblin force, making the goblin force’s effective strength equal to 5.76 men-at-arms. Unfortunately this means Sir Mattock’s force is not quite double that of the enemy, and so they take a -1 penalty. It’s a pleasant day for fighting (+0) and scouts have correctly determined the nature of the enemies weapons and defences (+0).
Net result: -1.
10+: The hillock is taken, resulting in loss of about 2.88 men-at-arms (e.g. 2 dead and 2 seriously injured).
9-7: the hillock is taken, but with heavier losses (perhaps 3 dead and 3 injured) and some goblins escape to raise the alarm.
6: the goblins retain the hillock with minor losses, at least 4 men-at-arms are killed and 4 injured, and their loyalty to Sir Mattock is sorely tested.
Note: if Sir Mattock had bothered to give a rousing speech to his troops (successful Parley) he would’ve provided a +1, and I’d he’d actually aided them in battle (successful Aid with +Str or +Loyalty) he could’ve added a further +1.
Tom, maybe talk a bit about your goals with this move.
Like, what are you trying to get with this that you don’t feel the Follower moves from Perilous Wilds would get you?
This looks like a move you put a lot of effort into, but as a player I seriously wouldn’t want to read that, just roll and ask the GM what horned. Being flexible is one of dungeon world’s greatest strengths. So, be less specific and roll your bonuses into several categories that they would fall into. Instead of adding and subtracting a million things in one roll, leave it up to the GM to decide what specific circumstance falls under which catagory of bonus or penalty. I really like this new structure, I never thought of having a long list of circumstances be directly tied to numbers, mostly because of how I create moves for dungeon world. However, if this move is entirely intended for GMs to make sense of a leading roll I completely support the original version but would put all the bonuses and penalties in seperate areas for easier reading. I’d also phrase it differently to make it sound like it’s intended for them.”
When one of your players leads a suitable team of men/hirelings, consult the following list of circumstances that would effect the result of the task or mission at hand and have that player or group of players roll+circumstance.” This way, the GM has a handy tool for all circumstances and the players don’t have to calculate it every time they want to lead some people. Jeremy Strandberg I’m not familiar with the leadership portion of the perilous wilds. Can you enlighten me?
Harrison s you can find an older version of the rules here. A few details/names have been changed, but the core remains the same.
https://plus.google.com/+JeremyStrandberg/posts/F7wTB25qgkq
I like the list of possible failure results!