Unofficial Rules

Missumdalikoi

Rules, charts, and scenarios for a boardgame based on Tékumel (for playtesting purposes - as of 21st May 2001.) This game, with appropriate investment, icould be developed further.

Download the full Word files to the right. The Table of Contents and Components section are reproduced below as a sample. If you wish to become a playtester for this game, email Carl Brodt.

	Pages		Rules Section Name and Sub-Headings
	2-3		A) Game Components: 1) Rules; 2) Scenarios; 3) The Map; 4) Quick Reference Sheets/CRT; 5) City Garrison Counters; 6) Sakbe Road Garrison Counters; 7) Army Counters 8) Combat Unit Cards; 9) Fate Cards; 10) Irregular Cards; 11) Card Organization Sheets. 12) Disrupted and Step-loss Cards
	3		B) Preparation for Play: 1) Reading the Rules; 2) Setting up a Scenario
	3-4		C) Weather and the Turn Record: 1) Local Tékumel Climate; 2) The Turn Record and Weather Chart
	5-7		D) Turn Sequence: 1) Activation Phase (Movement, Combat and Attrition); 2) New Turn Preparation Phase; 3) Inter-phase (Campaign Game)
	7-8		E) Unit Attributes and Capabilities: 1) Unit Size; 2) Troop Types; 3) Tactical Rating; 4) Movement Points; 5) Melee Combat Factor; 6) Missile Combat Factor; 7) Notes
	8-9		F) Reconnaissance: 1) General Rules for Reconnaissance; 2) Raids; 3) Fate Cards; 4) Irregular Cards
	9-11		G) Movement: 1) General Movement Rules; 2) Movement Rates of Land Units; 3) Combat During Movement; 4) Sakbe Roads; 5) Forced Marches; 6) Armies in the Same Hex (Stacking); 7) Transferring Units from Army to Army; 8) Ending Movement; 9) Retreat
	11-19		H) Combat: 1) Types of Combat; 2) Combat Factors; 3) Combat Parameters; 4) Combat Resolution; 5) Raids; 6) Delaying Actions; 7) Pursuit; 8) Minor Battles; 9) Major Battles; 10) Tsolyani Conscripts; 11) Terrain Modifiers; 12) Battle Formations; 13) Tactical Modifiers; 14) Tactical Advantage; 15) Tactical Superiority; 16) Totaling Tactical Modifiers; 17) Shock Troops (optional); 18) Battle Magic (optional); 19) The CRT; 20) Combat Losses; 21) Victory; 22) Automatic Victory; 23) Retreat; 24) Pursuit; 25) Sieges
	19-20		I) Attrition: 1) General Rules for Attrition; 2) Attrition Factors; 3) Foraging; 4) Supply Sources; 5) Attrition Losses
	20-23		J) Naval Rules: 1) Naval Movement; 2) Ports; 3) Naval Transport; 4) Amphibious Landings; 5) Fleets in Land Combat; 6) Naval Attrition.
	23-24		K) Campaign Game Rules: 1) The Inter-phase; 2) Revenue; 3) Replacing Step-Losses; 4) Re-building Units; 5) Buying Extra Supplies; 6) Inducements for Irregular Support; 7) Building/Re-building Fleets; 8) Diplomacy; 9) Alliances

Game Components

Word files:

Scenarios

The Ebon Axe: Salarvyáni Invasion of Tsolyánu, 2,367 A.S.

In the Footsteps of Nayari: Tsolyani Invasion of Salarvyá 2,368 A.S.

The game is played on a map of the Empire of Tsolyánu and surrounding portions of M.A.R. Barker’s fantasy world of Tékumel. Players of this game represent commanders of the forces of the Empire of Tsolyánu and the Kingdom of Salarvyá. Both scenarios, and the campaign game, cover portions of the war between those two powers that began in 2,368 A.S. The Tsolyéni invasion of Salarvyá depicted in the game is ‘hypothetical’, and did not occur, as described for the purposes of this game, in the ‘official’ campaign.

In play, some of the game pieces are placed on the map, while most combat units are described on Unit Cards and kept off-board. This provides some fog-of-war, and lowers counter density to 3 counters, or less, per hex.

The following components are used in the game.

1) Rules. The rules are organized alpha-numerically by Section and Sub-Heading. Sections are lettered and Sub-Headings are numbered. For example this rule is in Section A, and numbered as "1," or simply: "A1."

2) Scenarios: There are two scenarios in this game: The Ebon Axe and In the Footsteps of Nayari. The first is a short, two player game. The latter takes at least a full evening, and can work for two to four players.

3) The Map: The map represents the Eastern portion of Empire of Tsolyanu, the Western part of the Kingdom of Salarvya’, and adjoining areas. Each hex is about 80 miles (130 km) across.

4) Quick Reference Sheets/Combat Results Table (or CRT): These are separate from the rule-book for convenience. They show almost all of the information needed to play.

5) City Garrison Counters: These are marked with the hex number of the city in which they are placed. The left-hand factor on the bottom of the counter is the unit’s Missile Combat Factor. The middle number is the unit’s Melee Combat Factor. The Movement Factor is on the right and is always zero. The Tsolyani player may also conscript local peasants for combat in city hexes, but not in a city itself. [See H10]

6) Sakbe Road Garrison Counters: These are all marked as 1-1-0 [One Missile Factor, one Melee Factor, Zero Movement] Garrison Counters. They exist in every Sakbe Road hex, except City hexes, unless mentioned otherwise in the scenario rules. They are only placed on the board if an enemy Army occupies, attacks, or besieges a given Sakbe Road hex, or to mark the capture of the hex for victory point purposes. Their presence is already included in City Garrison units.

7) Army Counters: These represent the presence of at least one combat unit on the map. When the player controlling an Army finishes an Activation, they replace that Army marker with the "Moved" version of the same counter.

8) Combat Unit Cards (or simply "Unit Cards"): All such cards list the name and nationality of the unit, the unit’s Tactical Rating, Missile and Melee Combat Factors and any other notable information about it. During the game, Unit Cards are kept off-board on a the player’s Card Display Sheet. That Army’s presence is in turn marked on the board by an Army Counter. Each unit "Step" represents about 4,000 human soldiers or 2,000 to 5,000 non-humans.

9) Fate Cards: These cards represent luck, divine intervention, and other factors not included in "regular," or even "irregular," combat units. Players may use them at various times during the turn. Each scenario allots a number of Fate Cards to each player, per turn. They must be played, or discarded at the end of the turn. New Fate Cards are dealt for each new turn.

10) Irregular Cards: These represent support from certain organizations, regions, non-human enclaves, and Hlaka flying mercenary scouts. They are kept on the player’s Card Organization Sheet. Each card explains its own uses, and chance of becoming unavailable, until the following turn after each use.

11) Card Display Sheets: Each player uses both of these sheets in order to separate their Unit Cards, Irregular Cards, and Fate Cards. They are kept off of the map, and out of easy view by any opponents. They also have spaces for the Battle Formation adopted by one of that player’s Armies before a Major Battle. [See H12.]

12) "Disrupted" and "Step-loss" Cards: These mark the status of the combat unit cards piled beneath them. Disrupted units recover at the end of each turn. Remove the card when they do so.

Credits

Based on the Science Fiction/Fantasy World of Tékumel, created by Professor M.A.R. Barker

High Priestess of Shiringgayi and "She Who Did Not Sacrifice Me": Maureen Pisani

Play-Testers (in the order of their devotions):
Dr. Stephen Wilson (Author of Wilson’s Axiom: No matter what one’s interest, there is always someone so obsessed with that subject that it makes one embarrassed to be associated with it.")
Ed Metheny ("He Who Inspires with Opprobrium")
Paul von Fisher ("He Who Advocates Computer Games that Eat My Life")
Maureen Pisani (see above)
Eric Bruer ("Son of the N’luss")
Matthew David ("Dojako of Haida Pakala")
James Johnson ("He Who Formerly Slept on My Couch")
Carl Brodt ("He Who Helped A Lot")
Tom Bauman (last heard from in Asheville)
John C. Adams (his real name)
Steve Lopez (a.k.a. "Pulgao")
Your Name Here (Play-Tester for Scenarios Two and Three)

Design, Development, Hypergraphia and Obsession: Hejjeka
Game Name: Carl Brodt
Project Coordinator: Origob
Security: The Omnipotent Azure Legion
System Management Consultant: Pavar
"Business Advisers": Maureen Pisani, and Pygmy Folk Inc.

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