Yora
2021-02-26, 11:13 AM
I got an idea for a campaign set in a region that is being settled by newly arrived foreigners, in which the players can build their own base or become the protectors of one of the many small new settlements.
The role of the PCs is to be explorers, defenders, and leaders for their base. The system I want to create is meant to leave all the accounting of funds and keeping stock of resources out of the rules and in the capable hands of an NPC. Instead, the system is based on the following components:
Danger: The system uses a hex map for the area. By default, each hex has a danger level of [wild]. A hex that has a monster lair or a base of a hostile group in it is [hostile]. A hex that has no enemy lairs and a watchtower manned by the party's settlers is [secured].
Resources: In this system, resources does not refer to building materials, but rather on locations that can provide these. All forest hexes have [lumber] as a resource, but some can also have [coal], [iron], [copper], [tin], [stone], [clay] and [silver] (and maybe more I have not thought of yet).
Worksites: To actually make a resource available to the base, the hex needs to first be [secured] and then a worksite needs to be build in it. Worksites that produce goods instead of extracting resources can be build in the base.
Labor: To build a watchtower in a [wild] hex, and to construct a worksite in a [secured] hex, the players have to send their settlers to do the work. By default, constructions require [1 labor]. Labor is only for building new constructions. Once a structure is completed it will have its own full time workers.
Seasons: By default, the settlers of the players' base can provide [1 labor] in spring and fall, [2 labor] in summer, and no labor in winter.
All buildings require [labor] and [resources] to be build, and many also require a permanent [supply] of material to be active. For example, the players want to add a potter to their settlement, which costs [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct. The construction will take an entire season, during which it will use up all the labor their small settlement can provide, and all the lumber that comes from one logging camp. This system ignores stockpiling of construction materials. If you have a labor camp and don't construct anything in a season, all the lumber it could provide simply goes to waste.
Once the potter is completed, it will consume all the [clay] that comes from one clay pit. It does not require any [labor] once it is complete, but if the clay pit somehow sends its clay to a different worksite or is taken out of order, the settlement can't get any benefit from the potter.
Also very important is what the settlement does not have:
No Workers: Unless some special events cuts off the players' settlement, it's assumed that there's always a stream of new settlers arriving to fill required positions. Similarly, they will leave for other settlements if the players' base shrinks.
No Farms: Given the context of the campaign, most settlers are assume to be subsistence farmers. The players don't have to worry about the food supply in normal times. (Of course, the are not normal times as well.)
No Food: Since the amount of farms and farmers is handwaved, the exact amount of food that the settlement provides and consumed is not specified. It only comes up when there's a shortage.
The Resources
Lumber: Provided by a [logging camp].
Stone: "Stone" is provided by a [quarry] or a [clay pit].
Coal: Provided by a [coal mine] or a [charcoal maker].
Iron: Provided by an [iron mine].
Silver: Provided in a [silver mine], completely interchangeable with gold.
Surplus: Everything that is produced from resources is gathered in the category of surplus.
Defenses
Watchtower: Turns one [wild] hex into a [secured] hex. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Fort: Like a watchtower, but less likely to get taken by enemies. Requires [2 labor], [1 lumber], and [1 stone] to construct.
Palisade: Protects the settlement against attacks. Requires [2 labor] and [2 lumber] to construct.
Walls: Better protection than a palisade: Requires [8 labor] and [8 stone] to construct.
Resources Sites
Logging camp: Provides [1 lumber] every season. Requires [1 labor] to construct.
Clay pit: Each season it can provide either [1 clay] or [1 stone]. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Quarry: Provides [1 stone] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Coal mine: Provides [1 coal] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Charcoal maker: Provides [1 coal] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Iron mine: Provides [1 iron] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Silver mine: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Production Sites
Fishing boats: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Mill: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Potter: Turns [1 clay] into [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Smith: Turns [1 iron] and [1 coal] into [2 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor], [1 lumber], and [1 stone] to construct.
Grain store: Turns [1 surplus] into [1 labor] every season.
Trade post: Turns [1 surplus] into money for the PCs.
This is what I got so far. The goal is to have a system to track the progress the players make and provide some structure to have a somewhat plausible economy. It's not meant to be a minigame in itself. The bulk of the campaign is intended to be about discovering new resources in the wilderness and securing them for use for the settlers.
I'm personally not sure if this is maybe too vague or too complex for my purpose, even at this early half-finished stage. So I though I just put it here to see if anyone has any thoughts on this.
The role of the PCs is to be explorers, defenders, and leaders for their base. The system I want to create is meant to leave all the accounting of funds and keeping stock of resources out of the rules and in the capable hands of an NPC. Instead, the system is based on the following components:
Danger: The system uses a hex map for the area. By default, each hex has a danger level of [wild]. A hex that has a monster lair or a base of a hostile group in it is [hostile]. A hex that has no enemy lairs and a watchtower manned by the party's settlers is [secured].
Resources: In this system, resources does not refer to building materials, but rather on locations that can provide these. All forest hexes have [lumber] as a resource, but some can also have [coal], [iron], [copper], [tin], [stone], [clay] and [silver] (and maybe more I have not thought of yet).
Worksites: To actually make a resource available to the base, the hex needs to first be [secured] and then a worksite needs to be build in it. Worksites that produce goods instead of extracting resources can be build in the base.
Labor: To build a watchtower in a [wild] hex, and to construct a worksite in a [secured] hex, the players have to send their settlers to do the work. By default, constructions require [1 labor]. Labor is only for building new constructions. Once a structure is completed it will have its own full time workers.
Seasons: By default, the settlers of the players' base can provide [1 labor] in spring and fall, [2 labor] in summer, and no labor in winter.
All buildings require [labor] and [resources] to be build, and many also require a permanent [supply] of material to be active. For example, the players want to add a potter to their settlement, which costs [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct. The construction will take an entire season, during which it will use up all the labor their small settlement can provide, and all the lumber that comes from one logging camp. This system ignores stockpiling of construction materials. If you have a labor camp and don't construct anything in a season, all the lumber it could provide simply goes to waste.
Once the potter is completed, it will consume all the [clay] that comes from one clay pit. It does not require any [labor] once it is complete, but if the clay pit somehow sends its clay to a different worksite or is taken out of order, the settlement can't get any benefit from the potter.
Also very important is what the settlement does not have:
No Workers: Unless some special events cuts off the players' settlement, it's assumed that there's always a stream of new settlers arriving to fill required positions. Similarly, they will leave for other settlements if the players' base shrinks.
No Farms: Given the context of the campaign, most settlers are assume to be subsistence farmers. The players don't have to worry about the food supply in normal times. (Of course, the are not normal times as well.)
No Food: Since the amount of farms and farmers is handwaved, the exact amount of food that the settlement provides and consumed is not specified. It only comes up when there's a shortage.
The Resources
Lumber: Provided by a [logging camp].
Stone: "Stone" is provided by a [quarry] or a [clay pit].
Coal: Provided by a [coal mine] or a [charcoal maker].
Iron: Provided by an [iron mine].
Silver: Provided in a [silver mine], completely interchangeable with gold.
Surplus: Everything that is produced from resources is gathered in the category of surplus.
Defenses
Watchtower: Turns one [wild] hex into a [secured] hex. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Fort: Like a watchtower, but less likely to get taken by enemies. Requires [2 labor], [1 lumber], and [1 stone] to construct.
Palisade: Protects the settlement against attacks. Requires [2 labor] and [2 lumber] to construct.
Walls: Better protection than a palisade: Requires [8 labor] and [8 stone] to construct.
Resources Sites
Logging camp: Provides [1 lumber] every season. Requires [1 labor] to construct.
Clay pit: Each season it can provide either [1 clay] or [1 stone]. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Quarry: Provides [1 stone] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Coal mine: Provides [1 coal] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Charcoal maker: Provides [1 coal] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Iron mine: Provides [1 iron] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Silver mine: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Production Sites
Fishing boats: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Mill: Provides [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Potter: Turns [1 clay] into [1 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor] and [1 lumber] to construct.
Smith: Turns [1 iron] and [1 coal] into [2 surplus] every season. Requires [1 labor], [1 lumber], and [1 stone] to construct.
Grain store: Turns [1 surplus] into [1 labor] every season.
Trade post: Turns [1 surplus] into money for the PCs.
This is what I got so far. The goal is to have a system to track the progress the players make and provide some structure to have a somewhat plausible economy. It's not meant to be a minigame in itself. The bulk of the campaign is intended to be about discovering new resources in the wilderness and securing them for use for the settlers.
I'm personally not sure if this is maybe too vague or too complex for my purpose, even at this early half-finished stage. So I though I just put it here to see if anyone has any thoughts on this.