Habilments of War: A Wars of the Roses Campaign Framework

The table lists Forced march, Interception, Petition of grievances, Proclaim right, Coordinate forces, Royal authority, Tactical innovation, Recruit soldiers, Recruit mercenaries and Victuals and coin, each tagged by who may use it (any, royal, or a specific claimant type). The claimant's type (petitioner, dynastic rival, usurper/pretender) determines which options are open, giving each a different route to the crown.

As you can see from the ‘Actions and Alarums’ table, some of the stages are only suitable for specific claimant players:

Each player starts with a household retinue chosen from the battle rules' core troops, then selects six Actions and Alarums covering the campaign from 'the cold season of the year' to the battle. The results are compared and modify the engagement fought on the tabletop.

The campaign framework sets out six stages between the commencement of the campaign – “in the cold season of the year” – and a significant battle on the tabletop.

Interception must be played together with a Forced march; together they let the claimant player fight the battle as an ambush or with two flank marches, reflecting attempts to catch enemy leaders before they could gather.

Allows the claimant player to fight the battle as an ambush, or with two flank marches.

A petitioner claimant may use Petition of grievances and a dynastic rival Proclaim right, each giving the claimant a morale advantage in the battle; the royal player's Royal authority (attainder) gives the royal side a morale advantage. Each claim is cancelled if the opponent has played the opposing claim.

Gives a morale advantage to the claimant in battle, unless countered by “Royal authority” below.

Each Victuals and coin action gives 2d6 points. Household retinue and other soldiers consume one point each for the battle; mercenaries and artillery consume three each. Any unit without an allocated point must take a loyalty test under the battle rules in use.

Household retinue troops and other soldiers consume one point for the battle; mercenary troops consume three points; any artillery unit consumes three points.

Choosing Coordinate forces gives additional command points or other benefits in the battle, or allows the player to field a reserve, depending on the battle rules in use.

Gives the player additional command points or benefits in the battle, or allows them to field a reserve.

Recruit soldiers, Recruit mercenaries and Tactical innovation each give one 2d6 roll on their column. Soldiers range from scourers and prickers (2-3) and loyal retainers (4-6) to inexperienced bill and bow (8-10) and allies of doubtful loyalty (11-12); mercenaries include Burgundian crossbows, Irish kerns, Scots, French and Flemish handgunners; innovations include German pikes, field fortifications, barricaded buildings, field artillery and mounted men-at-arms.

Allows the player to roll once (with two d6) on the ‘Recruit Soldiers’ table below.