Creating a Campaign Setting, need opinions on some Rules

Hi all,
I am currently working on a Campaign Setting for a campaign I hope to run soon (once I get a couple of warbands finished - so probably a while yet ). It is set in the Corsair City, Lashiek, on the coast of Araby.
I have been reading the Relics ruleset and have decided to use some of their special rules in my campaign, just tweaked a bit to make them what I consider a bit more realistic and playable. As such I would appreciate your opinions on them.
Here they are, the bits in red are what I have changed:

Crowded: Masses of people pass through the streets and so fighting is much harder in these conditions. All movement on ground level is counted as difficult terrain. Also, every warrior on ground level is counted as being in cover from any other warrior on ground level while the crowd remains. Line of sight is reduced to 2D6" between warriors on ground level, roll at the beginning of each game turn. After the first attack of the battle by or against a target on ground level, the crowd will try to escape from the inevitable carnage. For D3 1 turns the crowd stampedes through the streets. At the beginning of the turns during which the crowd is stampeding, each warrior on ground level must make a Strength test or be Knocked Down. After the stampede the crowd disperses and it has no further effect on the scenario



Guards!: Most reputable towns in Araby have some sort of watchmen to keep the peace. As such, any major disturbance will draw their attention. In D6 turns after a Stampede (see Crowded rule) starts, D3 1 Town Guards will arrive from a random table edge and run as fast as they can to the nearest close combat, attacking both parties when they arrive. On each turn after the Town Guards arrive, roll a D6, on a 4 an additional D3 1 Town Guards will arrive from a random table edge and move as quickly as possible towards the nearest close combat, attacking both parties when they arrive. Should the Town Guard arrive while the crowd is still Stampeding they are treated as normal warriors (i.e. subject to the movement penalties and required to take a Strength test.)


Darkness: When it's dark there are many factors that effect how far a warrior can see, like the strength of the moon or the thickness of the clouds. At the beginning of a Turn (Game turn, not player turn) determine the visibility limit for that turn by rolling 3D6". Also, every warrior suffers a further -1 to hit at range and also a –1 to hit in close combat, unless they are targeting an illuminated model. Various items can help a warrior when affected by darkness. A model equipped with a torch is not affected by the penalty during close combat, however they have their visibility limited to 12” regardless of the visibility result. A warrior bearing a lantern can illuminate one model within line of sight and at up to 24" at the end of his movement. Any model equipped with a torch or lantern, or who is on fire, count as being illuminated. Elves, Skaven, Orcs, Goblins, Dwarves and Undead warriors all add 6" to the visibility limit for themselves.

Personally, to make things less confusing, I use the term "Turn" for the sake of a game turn and 'Round' when referring to after all player's have played a turn. Makes things neater.

Crowds: Changes looks fine to me.

Guards: Look okay. Personally, I know the original "Relics" rules had the guards show up in 1D6 turns, but if you're changing them anyway, I always thought that a D6 roll of 6+, 5+, or 9+ on 2D6 seemed better, so you're never sure exactly when they're going to arrive.

Night: I'm going to have to disagree with you on the roll for darkness every turn, personally. I guess it could be based on "clouds blocking the moon", but to me, it makes more sense to have it constant (also contrasts it with the Crowd rules you're using.) Also, it seems odd to have the lantern have a limited range of 12", but can illuminate someone at 24". I'd pick one of the two distances, just to make things cleaner.

Good luck with the campaign! I'm sorry to toot my own horn so often, but for a Corsair city, you might want to try some of the Sartosa Rules that I've had a hand in.

http://sites.google.com/site/styroheim/

For you, I especially recommend some of the scenarios (King of the Hull, Wrecking, Press Gang). Also the Araby Smuggler warband might be helpful (it's my attempts to merge the Arabyan Tomb Raider Warband with the Witch Hunters, plus a piratey twist.)

Well I'll agree on the need for some RotC rules to be made more playable! We've been fairly content for the last 8 weels or so. At the end of the 2nd week I thought I'd lose all the players.

Crowds. I like rolling for range of vision at the beginning of each player turn. One, its more unpredictable.
The crowd can suddenly part an reveal your arch enemy 5 inches away or whatever. Two, it seems realistic... Crowds do thin and thicken randomly.
D3 1--I have no quibble with moving that crowd away from the battle.
Strength or Toughness--6 of one. half dozen of the other.

Guards. Our Guards are the laziest, slowest to respond Guards in Araby, So far none have shown up before the game ends.

Darkness. When I first read the post I saw RotC and skilpped to the rules without realizing you were offering changes. I was convinced we'd been playing the darkness rule wrong. "I knew it should affect shooting as well as melee!" It is really odd to have shooting unaffected except by range of vision.
I like the idea of rolling every player turn for range of vision. We usually do nightfighting scenarios that way so its been hard to get used to rolling only once.
Styrofaomking--its 12" for the torch, 24" for the lantern. The lantern rule is odd, we haven't played with it but a hand held search light seems too much for the general level of technology of the Warhammer world...

For more thoughts on RotC check out this thread--
https://boringmordheimforum.forumieren.com/rules-and-gameplay-f1/supplement-relics-of-the-crusades-t140.htm

Good luck with the project!

Thanks for the thoughts guys, appreciate it.
Von Krust - interesting to hear that you are currently in a campaign, let me know how it works out.
As for the strength vs toughness - usually it doesn't matter, but it does make it easier for models that are stronger than they are tougher. My thought was that it represented their ability to push their way through a crowd.

Guards - I am thinking of changing this to D3+2 - give a bit of 'free time' but not too long. Although I think i'll stick with the D6 for now, give it a bit of a go.

Darkness - it didn't make sense to me not to have a penalty for shooting, so I added that. I'm happy with rolling every turn - i am used to playing night fight scenarios where each unit had to roll, so this is relatively streamlined!
As for the lantern, I am not happy with the 24" either, am thinking of moving it down to 18".

As I said, I appreciate the feedback. Keep it coming. And Styro - I will check that site out shortly.