Southlands Setting

Turquoise Dwarf wrote:

I have been working on some southlands stuff. however I have gone more for setting it mostly in sudenheim for after battle, which is on the world map in the warhammer rule book and i am guestimating that it is an imperial colony, and the actual battles happening in the savana and jungle.

We follow a similar path when in Araby, Khemri or Lustria, although we use the Relics idea of different towns to trade and have urban adventures in. We have the wilderness/lost city area for the meat of the campaign and re-supply, duel, assassinate and drink in the nearby town.

I also split the warbands into Natives and Outsiders in Lustria and Khemri. In Lustria Natives resupply away from the Outsiders colonies and Outsiders have to return to their colony to find rare items. Eventually I want to create different lists so that Outsider goods are rare in Native supply centers and Native goods are rare or non-existent in Outsider supply centers.

Like Turquoise Dwarf our campaigns always include our ships and boats especially since we started our Sartosa addiction.

Kadzik also mentions his group is running a Southlands campaign in his Painting thread.

looking at the map in the rulebook the area between sudenburg (not heim like I thought before), the moutains and the rainforest is about the size of the empire! so definitly big enough for a mordheim campaign. this area would also include ka-sabar and bhagar although ka-sabar seems to have moved a long way since the previous edition.
something that I was unsure about was whether the "tuskers" on the plain of tuskers were boars or elephants or something completely different.

Tuskers--GW leaves that open. The folks who run the Animosity Campaigns have always come down on the side of elephants, but that's in no way official or even GW sanctioned.

http://animositycampaigns.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=346&Itemid=81

See Bretonnians and Araby for a War Elephant entry.

What if they are solitary elephant beastmen? Would make for a great "monster hunt" scenario, or a great Big Guy for one of the evil warbands.

Like this guy from Dreng Tromm's thread?

I have looked through everything I have on the southlands and most warbands should be able to fit in fluff wise including cathayans (specificaly mentioned in the previous lizardman rulebook).
in the current warhammer rulebook there was a mention of something that sounded like a carniverous brontosaurus which could be a good random encounter (it was only briefly mentioned though).
the lizardmen are described as having few saurus and the saurus training the skinks so maybe a warband of skinks led by a saurus would be a good one to include.
and this is a map of the plain of tuskers and the surrounging area:

it shows a good variety of places without being too big for a mordheim setting.

Any chance of the map getting a bit bigger?

this one is from the full world map so I cant make it any bigger without it going fuzzy. I found this map, it has some scribblings on it but still shows the area. ka sabar has moved south and sudenburg, bhagar and the elven ruins have all been added since the previous edition.

with all these elephants and dinosaurs wandering around we would probably need to make some rules so it will actualy be possible for a warband to take them down. perhaps something like "really large target: the model always counts as the closest model for the purposes of shooting and all shooting atacks against the creature have +1 to hit and ignore negative range modifiers".

Turquoise Dwarf wrote:

this one is from the full world map so I cant make it any bigger without it going fuzzy.

Gotcha. Thanks for posting the bigger map.

Turquoise Dwarf wrote:

with all these elephants and dinosaurs wandering around we would probably need to make some rules so it will actualy be possible for a warband to take them down. perhaps something like "really large target: the model always counts as the closest model for the purposes of shooting and all shooting atacks against the creature have +1 to hit and ignore negative range modifiers".

We use the rules from Monster Hunt (I think you gain +1 experience per wounding hit). It seems to work. If by chance we roll a big nasty like a Stegadon or Carnasaur early, we run away as soon as we can.

So looks like we got the Tusker Plains, southern Araby, and the northern jungles, Plus a good area of coast all within a feasible range.

I like Von Kursts ideas for multiple resupply lists, but each team has such unique equipment it may be hard at first.

Potential for three native human groups (Dark Ones, which I have ideas for already and will post later this week, one for PLains, one for Jungle, one for coast, I mentioned these above).

I am seeing the following Warbands based on our discussions:
Dark Ones Tribes
Human Mercenaries
Araby Warbands
Merchants
High Elves
Dark Elves
Clan Pestilens
Da Mob Roolz
Savage Orcs (I like the one you guys mentioned!)
Witch Hunters (Evil is everywhere!)
Beastmen Raiders
A Beastmen varient made of various specialist animals (lion, elephant, etc.)
Khemri
Khornate Cultists (maybe use the Khornate Pirates warband from Sartosa?)
Norse Explorers
Restless Dead
Southlands Lizardmen

If we go with Khornate Cultist I think we should change the Khornate Pirate warband slightly, not for balance reaasons but to make it feel less piratey. IIRC we gave the Khornate Pirates access to pistols which wouldn't really fit his pirates, also their toughened leathers ability might be too good when everyone else doesn't have the Swabbie recruitment stuff.

I think we should at max include 6 new warbands. And then just make a list of warbands suggested for the Southlands setting, those could include Araby Slavers from Sartosa, Da Mob Rools, High Elves, and Mercenaries of various kinds. But I don't think we should make 10 new warbands, both because balancing and testing them would be too much work, but also because it will seem like a lot to a group that is used to just the rulebook warbands.

We also need to work on an exploration table, and probably something to make the treasures special. What if we are collecting exotic eggs? Or some sort of lost artifacts?

Perhaps there should also be some random happenings happening to the warbands as the arrive for the jungle fights. Perhaps one of the warriors has caught a dreaded Southlands Fever, or stumbled into the nest of a huge constrictor snake. Or some such that might delay and annoy the warbands so the game feels different.

What about having several types of 'locations' with each having a different treasure type. I like the idea of finding old ruins and looting stuff that you can sell as treasure OR open like the Sartosa (i think) setting does it. I would like to see random exploration and basic treasure being less important than scenarios and such for money making and gear finding. That could add more randomness and less 'uber-build' feeling to the game.

Potential settings could be big game hunting and trophies from the Plains, looting Old Ones ruins in the jungle, exploring old dwarfen ruins in the mountains, and then salvage / raiding along the coast. I like the idea of looting a shipwreck with the undead crew haunting it!

BalrogTheBuff wrote:

What about having several types of 'locations' with each having a different treasure type. I like the idea of finding old ruins and looting stuff that you can sell as treasure OR open like the Sartosa (i think) setting does it. I would like to see random exploration and basic treasure being less important than scenarios and such for money making and gear finding. That could add more randomness and less 'uber-build' feeling to the game.

Opening cargo after a game is one of the more popular things about the Sartosa setting with our players.

As for locations, the way I have organized it in the past is you play Journey scenarios on your way to the lost city or whatever, then you find the lost city by winning an objective scenario or by winning a set number of journey scenarios. Thus just by playing random games a narrative structure is established.

BalrogTheBuff wrote:

Potential settings could be big game hunting and trophies from the Plains, looting Old Ones ruins in the jungle, exploring old dwarfen ruins in the mountains, and then salvage / raiding along the coast. I like the idea of looting a shipwreck with the undead crew haunting it!

Shameless plug for the scenario "The Haunted Wreck" currently available from Specialist Games with a revised version coming soon with the Sartosa update.

as there are so many lootable ruins perhaps a indiana jones style tomb raiding warband would work. Also for some warbands like the beastmen which already have a list we might be able to write suggested changes for the existing list rather than an entire new warband.
cathay and forest goblins should probably also go on the suggested warbands list.
perhaps if on the various locations trading lists we only make the equipment the suggested warbands use available and say if using warbands beyond the suggested lists people will have to make sure they add in that warbands special equipment themselves. This would mean we would not have to make every peice of equipment ever written available.

I am working on a hired sword list now. Does anyone have recommendations for good hired swords that fit the setting well? I want to encourage the themed HS some.

In addition currently I have 4 warbands made for the Southlands, Ubuntu, Zamula, Mu'au'ri, and Safari. I am looking to make a Southlands Lizardmen warband still (unless there already is one?) and would appreciate any advice. So far all I can gather from fluff is: saurus rarity (maybe just 1 hero, maybe), skinks much better trained for war, few bigger creatures (so maybe no Kroxigor) and intense hatred of skaven. Also i always imagined the southlands as much more using snakes and swarms. So thinking it would have more elite Skinks, no saurus and some options for taking snakes or lizards as units.

I now have all 8 warbands I wanted for my core set for the Southlands setting, six of them new to Southlands!
Ubuntu
Mu'au'ri
Zamula
Circle of the Loa
Safari Expeditionary Entourage
Southlands Lizardman
Clan Pestilens (TC 29 I think?, that seems to be the one people like best)
Savage Orcs (From the Sartosa setting rules)

So far a few games have been played with Ubuntu, Mu'au'ri, Zamula and one as the Safari. Much more playtesting is required obviously, and the individual settings still need a lot of work. In my small, irregular, group we have currently a Mu'au'ri, a Safari, a Zamula and a Reiklander Warband. I will be starting up either a Lizardman or Circle of the Loa warband myself.

I just saw the Sslyth (Dark Eldar) figure from 40k... man, does he need to be converted for the Southland setting. Making a whole warband would be impossible, but maybe a HS, DP, or the target of a special scenario.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440161a&prodId=prod1340010a

List of the Houserules and minor changes I am considering for the Southlands setting:

Will Use
- Southlands General Skills

- Beastmastery Skills

- Southlands Warbands (Currently: Ubuntu, Mu'au'ri, Zamula, Safari, Circle of The Loa, Southlands Lizardmen)

- Savage Orcs (can be found in the Pirate Orc file from Sartosa

- Southlands Hired Swords and Dramatis Personae

- Southland Locales which include Specific Exploration Charts, Weather Charts, Scenarios, and Environmental Hazards. The Hazards are what I am calling the various dangers that will be on the board. Bushes and holes may conceal a wild animal, quicksand, dangerous currents, crazed Orc Hermits etc.



Most Likely Will Use
- Random Event charts for each locale (Currently: Coastal Region, Tusker Plains, and Southlands Jungle) these would be a chart of random events that happen in each game. Probably will be the hardest thing to deal with balancing the flavor while keeping it fun. I like Master's suggestions above and will gladly listen to any other suggestions people have!

- Special 2Handed Weapons see thread: Here Still working out details

- Shields and Bucklers grant an additional +1 armor save.

Maybe
- Armor (Light and Heavy) cost half but are a Rare: Auto item after initial creation. So they are a rare item, but you always find them. OR another alternative is armor takes D3-1 battles after being paid for to arive due to the time it takes to make or ship to the warband. Still would be lower cost.

- Animals are 5 warband rating, plus 1 for every 10 full gold cost to recruit.

- Modifications to clubs by splitting them into Clubs, Mace/Hammer, and Staves (Lord 0 suggested a good concept for it over on This Thread

This is my first draft of a modified version of the Chart from Sartosa. Does this have enough of a Southlands Coastal Region feel to it? The Coast I intend to be the region around the Gulf of Medes south of Araby. It is sort of the focal point for the Southlands Campaign as it is the only major Imperial presence in the region. Other than the players' warbands of course!

Coastal Salvage Chart
11-15 Food, worth 1D6 gc. Also, roll another 1D6, to see what else it contains:
1-3 Hardtack and Jerky – Warband counts as one size smaller for selling treasure this phase
4-5 Spices and Herbs. Can be sold for 5 gc or used to reduce the upkeep cost of a Hired Sword by 10 gc. They are already getting old though and must be used or sold immediately or else become worthless.
6 –Stashed Item! Roll 1D6 below:
1 Dark Venom (1 dose)
2 Black Lotus (1 dose)
3 Crimson Shade (1 dose)
4 Jungle Juice (1 dose) One Use Only, for battle drinker uses Drunken rules as per the Beastman Centigor
5 Madcap Mushrooms (1 dose)
6 No drugs here… just a Halfling Cookbook!
16 Alcohol Worth 2D6 gc. Roll an additional D6: on a roll of a 4 or 5, it contains a case of Grog, and on a 6 there is one dose of Bugman's Ale or Elven Wine (your pick).
21-26 Raw Metals Worth 2D6 gc and the thankful blacksmith lowers his prices on Weapons and Armor as if your heroes each had Haggle for this post-battle phase!
31-36 Domestic Goods, Stove, Pots etc. Worth 2D6gc per crate, on a 4+ an extra 25 gc worth of goods is salvaged!
41 Equipment. Roll 2D3 times on a D6 and find:
1 – Buckler
2 – Shield
3 – Mace
4 – Axe
5 – Spear
6 - Sword
42 Jewelry. Includes 1D3 Lucky Charms and a Whalebone Charm.
43 Clothing. Worth 3D6gc per crate. Also includes:
1-3 1D3 Toughened Leathers
4-5 1D3 Raincoats
6 1D3 Pith Helms! (Count as Misc. Equipment, See Safari Warband for details)
44 Black Powder. Worth 5D6gc per crate, contains one pack of Superior Blackpowder.
45 Foreign Wares. Roll 1D6:
1- 1D3 Khufa Beans (Relics of the Crusade) Sell price 10gc each
2- Dimashquine Sword and Robe of Honor (see Relics of the Crusade) Sell price: 8gc and 25gc.
3- Perfume (Relics) Sell Price: 10gc
4- 1 Katana and 1D3 Smokebombs (see Border Town Burning or “King of the Hull” Scenario for rules”) Sell Price: 10gc & 30gc each.
5- Ithilmar Armour
6- Elven Cloak.
46 Arabyian Merchant’s Chest. Inside you find 2D6 gc, 1 use of Khufa beans and on 4+ a supply of Perfume
51-53 Coastal Goods. Worth 3D6 and Roll 1D6:
1 Box of Mu’au’ri Artifacts (Counts as a basic treasure)
2 D3 Throwing Clubs and
3 D3 Stingray Spears
4 1 Taiaha
5-6 Choose one of the above.
54-56 Exotic Goods. Worth 3D6 and Roll 1D6:
1 1 Jungle Claws
2 1 Beastlash
3 1 Spear Thrower and D3 sets of Javelins
4 D6 Ikwlas and D6 Shields
5 D3+1 Knobkerries (May be used by any hero who can use clubs and throwing knives/clubs)
6 Tribal Mask: May be sold as if it is D3 treasures OR kept and worn in place of a helmet. The hero wearing the Mask causes Fear. May be destroyed in the same way as Cathayan Silks.
61 Medicine Chest! Can be used as D6 doses of Healing Herbs or as a one off to allow a re-roll on the Hero serious injury table (unless the result was Pit fight, Captured, etc). Also gain 1D3 Smelling Salts and 1D3 Antidotes
62 1D3 Pistols, each with a Powder Horn and a supply of Superior Gunpowder.
63 Exotic Animals! Worth 6D6gc. Also may hire one animal usable by your warband for half cost immediately! (Have to pay to train/feed the critter after all)
64 Dwarfen Artifact! Can be sold for 40gc. Instead of selling any warband may pay 5 gc to have the artifact appraised. Roll once on the Jungle Artifact Chart to see what you find.
65 A Hunting Rifle
66 A Tusker Gun and Powder Horn As long as you own it, you may purchase shot for it like a Safari Warband.

Jungle Artifact Chart
1 – Cursed Treasure! The Artifact is worthless (lose 1 artifact) and a random non-animal model in the warband suffers Stupidity for the next battle. If the model already suffers from Stupidity the model instead misses the next battle. Cursed models may not search this post-battle sequence.
2 – Junk… The Artifact is junk (lose 1 Artifact). However it still sells for D6 gold (2D6 if a model able to search this post battle sequence has Haggle).
3-4 – Shiny! The Artifact is shiny, but nothing special. It is treated as a normal Artifact (ie counts as a normal treasure but grants an additional D6 gc when sold)
5 – Dwarf Relic! A dwarf warband must count this as a Holy Relic and gains 1 exp to any single hero of the player’s choice. Greenskin warbands may defile the Relic to gain 1 exp to any single hero of their heroes and gain a free ‘Holy Relic’; if they do not choose to defile it then it counts as a standard Artifact. Any other warband sells this as a normal Artifact.
6 – Magical Artifact! The artifact has magical properties and may be useful to the team roll on the Minor Magical Artifact Chart once, but remove the Artifact from your Treasure Pool otherwise.

Looking good. I'd change the artefact to "Sell for 40" and ignore the "worth 100gc", as it's just a slap in the face how much they lose.

I took that from Sartosa haha. I guess Pirates expect to be ripped off. Done.

Hey, just because I wrote it doesn't mean it's any GOOD.

Since when?

I guess a good way to describe the mechanics i am hoping to work towards is a combination of sartosa (mostly for the coastal region) and then The Crusades for jungle and plains.

Actually, I think Nemesis Crown would be a good basis too.

Ideally, you have 3 areas-

1 Coast - Much like Sartosa, full of sand, debris, and ramshackle trading ports. Kind of tight, thieving, and devoid of morals.

2. The Plains - The wild areas of the Southlands, with seldom a tree in sight. Very little terrain, and favorable to mounted riders- assuming the mounts don't die from the heat. Would almost resemble Warhammer games in their simplicity. Border Town Burning, and their use of moving NPCs, would help keep the plains interesting. Rivers would also work too (maybe the Ferry scenario from the Moot pdf.)

3. The deep jungle- The wild, unexplored regions. Using the Forest tiles from Nemesis crown would be perfect. Or maybe some of the Lustria rules. During the day, it's full of life. At night, it's full of nightmares.

I had forgotten about the BTB stuff for the Plains. That would work well. Also funny enough the avalanche scenario could work well for a stampede if tweaked a little.

The big theme I am trying for in Southlands is the terrain itself being deadly and interactive. So I have a lot of work to do for the Plains and Jungle. I appreciate all the help you guys have been giving!