💥 Conflict -

The battlefield table looks similar to the Map Rooms but is used for the resolution of more complex conflicts that require initiative and simultaneous action. Even so, this is for tracking purposes only and the Battle Map will be populated conflict by conflict, with no persistent game state. (aka; Not a War Map in the traditional sense.)

In Babayaga, conflict is abstracted away from the specifics of battle into a result based upon the orders given by each side. Battle Orders can be submitted much like Gambits, with one order form declaring each intended conflict. An attack can be declared by any house that fills out a ‘Battle Order’ and submits it to Control before the High Noon phase in the current round. Per Player, these must be submitted after Travel Papers but can occur before, or instead of declaring Gambits.

A Battle Order must be filled out in the name of the House with the most influence within their alliance, out of those committing to the battle. That House does not have to be the overall Lead House in their alliance, but must be the most influential of those intending to participate in a conflict action, as determined by their position of influence in their alliance. This House leader will fill out a battle order dispatch and give it to Control. A proper Battle Order will list; The targeted region, their base region (from which they are attacking), the attacker’s House name, as well as all the Houses that they believe are supporting them in the overall action. The number of banners committed from each House does not have to be listed but keep in mind that one banner can only be committed to one conflict each round.

Only adjacent regions can be in direct conflict.

Each banner can only count towards one battle per round but Houses can commit to multiple battles if they have the banners to do so. These are the banner’s levied from the regions which they control, so more regions will mean more banners and the ability to contest more regions. If a Player is over-committed, meaning that they have committed to more conflicts than their House has banners to support, that House must determine which battles to fight in that turn and which to abandon before each are resolved.

Note; Player characters do not have to travel to the Battle Order conflicted regions to commit their banner forces into a Battle Order. Each banner is considered an army under that Player’s control, separate to the Player character themselves. However, for an army, having their Banner Lord present, in person, will affect morale and sometimes affect the outcome of a conflict.

Usually the Governor player of a House will be the one conducting the realpolitik for their House but all Players have discretion over their own banners. This means that each Player can independently agree to support conflicts using their banners (loyal troops) without the ‘permission’ of their House leader, just as the Governor may feel empowered to declare those banners on the Player’s behalf. Communication is important in this regard, as well as clear lines of hierarchy and established domains within a Player's House.