A few years ago, I wrote a Sword and Sorcery story titled Across the White River. You can find out more about it here if you’d like to read it.

In short, it is a tale from a world before time, where pygmy boar riders joust with pygmy ostrich riders over the fate of the Queen of Im. Im being the only city in the entire world. Without telling the story again, the story culminates with the forces of Im (boars) defending a river ford against an unexpected alliance of the desert (Haikka) and jungle (Zaffi) dwelling ostrich riders. During the battle the pregnant Queen Rabhana is in labor giving birth on the battlefield and must be protected. What follows here is a Chainmail scenario of this battle. Or, whatever mass battle system you feel like adapting it to.

The Battlefield

Scenario
All people are stone-aged pygmy-sized people with clubs, stone-tipped spears, arrows, and javelins. The people Im ride war boars. The desert and tree people ride war ostriches. Orkan of the Heikka (desert people, sandmen) has made a secret alliance with the Zafi (tree people, jungle dwellers) against the civilized city of Im. Im and the Heikka practice interbreeding between moieties to preserve genetic diversity. Queen Rabhana of Im has been impregnated by King Orkan of the Heikka (desert people) is due to give birth. Through a series of unfortunate events, a plot between the Heikka and the Zafi (Forest Folk) to attack Im has been discovered. This has led Rabhana and her guard to flee Orkan’s camp and return across the White River to Im. Unfortunately, Rabhana goes into labor at the White River ford and cannot travel further. A rump force of the Queen’s Guard, and Im infantry must hold the White River ford against the substantially larger combined force of Heikka and Zafi. There is a force of Im cavalry coming, but who knows when it will arrive. Queen Rabhana starts in labor. The Im forces are supported by a Crusading Knight lost out of time – he has mail and a sword.

Scenario Length: approximately 10 turns. Can go longer.

• Gotapa hates Langadi and will seek out single combat with Langadi if opportunity presents itself.
• Orkan and Malimo will initially hold back with reinforcements (the Heikka lancers and half the
  infantry). Both will enter combat if things get desperate.
• Langadi is torn between helping Rabhana’s birthing and supporting the front.
• Baldwin, Langadi and Anklo start with the Im infantry at the ford.
• Big Garishtha, Rabhana, and Pilipi start in the camp at the tent.

Special Rules

• The bluffs may not be passed except by Ostrich Riders. Ostrich treat the bluffs as a hill.
• With a successful morale roll, Ostriches may leap/fly over one rank of troops.
• Everyone is pygmy sized. Baldwin is a large normal Human Superhero. Treat as a giant except no throwing of stones
• The river is very wide. Instead of the halting for a turn and crossing next. Moving next to the river halts movement, next turn moves to the middle of the river, then the following turn can move to the other side.
• Troops onshore block movement out of the river.
• The ford is waist to chest high water. Each turn in the water adds 1 fatigue.
• The Im Scouts are javelin armed boys. They have two throws of their javelins and then are otherwise treated as peasants and will self-preserve (run away).
• If Malimo is defeated, then the Zafi pack up and go home on the next turn.
• Anklo is the Im commander but, green and uncertain. Roll a d10 each turn, a successful roll under the turn number makes him a Hero with the morale bonus.
• All the Kings, Heros, and Superheroes add commander morale bonus.
• Baldwin is alien. Roll a d10 each turn. A successful roll under the turn number gives Baldwin the commander morale bonus. If he has the bonus and is with a resting troop, he’ll say a prayer and doubles the morale effect for the next fighting turn.
• The river is wide enough the arrows may shoot across it but, at long range. Ostrich riders may not shoot while in the river.
• Each turn after turn 5, roll a d10. Rolling a 10 means Im cavalry arrives along the caravan track. If otherwise it hasn’t arrived, the cavalry arrives on turn 10. If the situation makes sense, the cavalry will ride to the top of the hill and then charge down it. But, who knows?

Super Special Rules – the birth

Note: everything here is of course subject to your assessment and may be changed based on your judgment. (And not just in this section). However, these are my first thoughts on this but, could be treated in a lot of ways.

Each turn, Rabhana earns three fatigue chips. At the end of each turn (starting at the second) roll greater than fatigue on a d10 to avoid death test. If a death test is required, flip a coin. Heads she lives, tails she dies. Starting on turn 6, roll a d10, if the roll is over the turn number then baby is being delivered. If the baby is delivered, roll a death test for Rabhana.
Big Garishtha, Langadi, and Pilipi may all fetch water and birthing supplies (cloths, etc.). To do so, they must move to the river and back. Or, return from the river. Each supply lasts one turn.

If Rabhana dies then Big Garishtha, Langadi, or Pili pi if present will attempt c-section (see below).

Big Garishtha – he starts with the Queen, but has no skill a birthing no babies. He’s there to protect her. If Queen must test for death and survives, he cracks and sends Pilipi to get Langadi for help.

Langadi – has some birth experience each turn he’s with Rabhana, remove one fatigue. If he’s supplied by Pilipi, then remove three.

Pilipi – slave to Langadi, is competent at all things except fighting. Can scrounge for supplies, plus travel to the river and back to fetch water. Each turn he spends with Rabhana remove two fatigue. If supplied with birthing supplies or water, then remove four fatigue. Note: being a slave, Pilipi may not attend birth unless no other character available. That is, if Big Garishtha and Langadi are unavailable.

If Rabhana dies, then the baby dies if no c-section. Any character may attempt c-section – if c-section carried out, then Rabhana dies and baby lives on a successful coin flip. Once born, the baby may be moved off the board by any available hero. Rabhana is not able to travel. If an enemy unit enters the camp, then Big Garishtha, Langadi, and Pilipi will fight to the death to defend the Queen and baby. If no defender, the Queen and/or baby are captured.

Victory Conditions

So, there it is. If you play it, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Who lived, who died. Did Rabhana survive? Did her baby?