The Narnian Wars
by Brian Hogan with ideas borrowed from Downfall of the
Lord of the Rings VII, with thanks and kudos to Hartley Patterson, John Norris,
and Glover Rogerson. 
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(GIF) (192 Kb) 1. Introduction The standard rules of Diplomacy apply, except where noted
below. This variant is based on the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. In an
attempt to simulate the books, this variant introduces a number of variations to
the standard Diplomacy rules. These are explained below. 2.Initial Placement Narnia: A/F Cair Paravel, A Reepicheep, ABeaversdam,
High-King random location in Narnia (GM determined) Archenland: A Anvard, A Corin, Cor in Anvard. Dwarfs: A Chippingford, A Shuddering Wood, (see special
rules on Dwarfs alignment and personality units). Giants: 2A Harfang, A Ettinsmoor Telmar: Miraz Castle Miraz, A Castle Miraz, A Telmar, A
Argoz, Lone Islands: A/F Doom, A/FGalma, F Brehn. Calormen: 2A Azim Balda, A Ilkeen, A/F Tashbaan. Queen (If Jadis
the White) Witch Castle; (If Green Queen) Queen anywhere North of Great River, A
Ancient Tombs, A Aslan’s How, A City Ruinous, A Lantern Waste 3. Personality Units There are four personality units: Cor, Nikabrik, Trumpkin
and Miraz. High-King and Queens are treated as special units (see 4) Personality units move as a normal unit. They have a combat
strength of zero, but add one to the strength of any of their own units they
move with. Other than by moving with their units, they may not give or receive
support. Miraz’s moves are always reported. Cor and the dwarf
leader are only reported when moving with another unit; if they share an area
with another player’s unit, that player is informed. Cor may move with any good unit. Dwarfs: The Dwarf player starts the game with no alignment
or personality unit. He has three options which he may take: 1. He may take an evil supply center, thereby declaring
himself GOOD and receiving Trumpkin as a unit in that center.
2. He may declare in the press the phrase “The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs!”,
thereby stating his neutrality and receiving an Army at Dancing Lawn.
3. He may take a good home center, thereby becoming EVIL and receiving Nikabrik
in that center. All three options are irrevocable. A GOOD Dwarf does not
effect ownership of GOOD centers he moves into, and vice-versa for EVIL aligned
Dwarf. Neutral Dwarf may take any supply center. Personality units do not-effect ownership of supply
centers. Any unit which shares an area with a personality unit after moves may
attempt to destroy that unit. This must be ordered (provisionally) with moves.
The personality unit may retreat if attacked in this manner-. A normal unit that
retreats into an area occupied by a personality unit may not attempt to destroy
the PU. Personality units are destroyed -if the unit they are
travelling with is forced to disband through inability to retreat. 4. Special Units a) Actually there- were several “Friends of Narnia”
from Our World in the books, but for game purposes the four kings and queens and
their compatriots are condensed into a single special unit; the- High-King. The
High-King’s(HK) initial placement is determined by Aslan, in other words, the
GM randomly places him somewhere North of Archenland, West of the coast, and
South of the. River Shribble. HK move as a normal unit. His whereabouts are unreported
unless he exercises his powers or he shares an area with a unit when only that
player is informed. HK’s powers are as follows: i) he may support as a normal unit.
ii) he makes any good or neutral unit he moves with equivalent to a 2A. No
affect on real 2A units.
iii) he cannot be killed. If destroyed, he is considered “whisked away” to his own world by Aslan and will reappear as at
gamestart in 1-6 moves.
iv) At two times during the game he may call on Aslan. This rescues HK and any
accompanying unit from whatever dire circumstance they find themselves in. The
GM determines how this works in each instance. The call & its results are
published in the zine.
v) he has the aid of Fledge, the pegasus, and can fly across the central
mountain range that is the Narnia / Archenland border and the Great River
without using a pass or a ford. He may also take one personality unit as a
passenger. b) The Queen player must choose at gamestart whether to
play Jadis or the Green Queen. Choice is irrevocable. Jadis, the White Queen: Starts game in her castle. Her
powers: i) Any unit with which she shares an area can, at her
command, be immobilized for 2 moves. Armies so immobilized are immune from harm
while they are statues. Such armies cannot give or receive support while they
are statues.
ii) she may support as a normal unit.
iii) she makes any evil or neutral unit she moves with equivalent to a 2A. No
affect on real 2A units. The Green Queen Starts game north of Great River,
player’s choice. i) Can command any unit unaccompanied by a personality unit
for the move immediately following her sharing space with that unit. She must
move off in a different direction from the controlled unit.
ii) powers ii and iii above as for Jadis. Whereabouts are reported under
situations listed for HK. In all other respects HK& Qu units are identical to
personality units. c) Multiple Units The term Multiple Unit includes the Giant and Calormen 2As,
and any personality, HK, or Witch augmented unit. Multiple units may not split
their strength into multiple supports or attacks. A single attack- on a multiple
unit cuts all its support. When retreating, 2As have the strength of-a single
unit. Once lost, 2As may not be rebuilt. They-attack and support at double
strength. d) Army/Fleet Unit Only Lone Islands can build A/F units. They may-always hold
two A/F as long as they have the necessary supply centers. They may choose to
build others at the rate of one for every four additional supply centers owned. A/F units are amphibious and may cross from land to water
with no penalty. They may retreat from sea to land and vice-versa. They may
convoy as normal fleets. They may cross the Great River at any point. A/F units
may travel up or down the Great River to any point in one move. A/F is a single
unit. 5. Special Areas a) Fortresses/Garrisons Augmented defensive supply centers. Fortresses add one to
the strength of anyone who occupies them. A fortress cannot support a unit
moving out. Some fortresses have garrisons which give- the area an intrinsic
defensive strength of one against certain units, regardless of occupation. i) Fortresses without garrisons: Anvard, Stone Table, Doorn,
Castle of the White Witch, Azim Balda, and Hermit’s Retreat ii) Fortresses with garrisons that are destroyed if taken:
Cair Paravel, Harfang, Castle Miraz. iii) Tower of Owls acts as fortress for good units only. iv) Tashbaan is permanently garrisoned regardless of
ownership. b) Mountains & the Great River The lines of mountains marked on the map are impassable to
all units. Units may move through pass areas. The Great River is impassable from
Beaversdam to the sea, except at the Fords. c) Doorn If Doom is taken from the Lone Islands player, the new
owner may build a fleet there. This fleet is-in addition to the allocations
below (see 7a). Limit: One fleet per new owner only! d) Islands (province includes surrounding sea within broken
line) Islands are accessible only by fleet or A/-F units. An Army
unit on an island cannot leave unless convoyed. Treat as coastal province. 6. Alignment Players are defined as Good, Neutral, or Evil. A Good
player may not support or convoy an Evil player, and vice-versa. Good - Narnia, Archenland Neutral = Giants, Telmar, Lone Islands Evil = Calormen, Witch Dwarf alignment is determined by that player as per rule 3.
They are treated as neutral until they declare. 7. Miscellaneous a) Fleets All players, with the exception of the Giants and Telmar,
may build fleets provided they have a build(s) coming and own a coastline or
island supply center in which to put it. Does not have to be a home supply
center (special rule for fleet builds only). Giants and Telmar must possess at
least two coastal centers to build a fleet. (Giants are too large for easy
navigation and Telmarines are afraid of the sea.) b) Shared Areas Certain units may move into the same province. Personality
and Special Units-may all coexist with each other and with any normal unit.
Exception: High-King may not share with a witch. If both attempt to move into
same space unaided, HK prevails. c) The Turns Narnian Wars is played in Narnian years. Years are divided
into seasons as in regular Diplomacy. Play begins in the year 1000 (the year
1940 in our world), and proceeds in yearly intervals. 8. Victory There are a number-of possible Victory conditions: i) A player controlling 2/3 -of all supply centers. (27
S.C. ‘s-) There are a total of 41 supply-centers. ii) A group of players may agree to a draw which excludes
any player in a beseiged position, without that player’s agreement. Otherwise,
all draws must be unanimously agreed upon by all surviving players. iii) A good- player may win by the complete destruction of
all evil units and control of all Narnia and Archenland for three consecutive
moves. An evil player may win with same conditions and the destruction of all
good, rather than evil units. Single winner only. In the conditions above,
besieged refers to any small locked-up position which cannot be broken into or
out of. About Narnia The Chronicles of Narnia are a series of seven books about
the adventures of several children from England who are unexpectedly whisked out
of our world, and into the wonderful land of Narnia, where mythology lives and
animals talk. They deliver Narnia from a witch and are made kings and queens
there. The real lord of Narnia is the great Lion Aslan, the creator of Narnia. I highly recommend reading the books, but to facilitate
play for those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure, I will flesh out some
of the personalities and cultures. Archenland: allies of Narnia to the south. Cor is a prince
who grew up in Calormen and was known as Shasta. He saved Narnia and Archenland
from a Calormen invasion and regained his royal birthright. Dwarfs: a race of small workers in metal. Can be formidible
in battle. Their loyalties shifted depending on their leaders and their
self-serving natures. There are Black and Red Dwarfs. Nikabrik is an evil Black
Dwarf. Trumpkin is a good Red Dwarf. Giants: The northern giants were an ever present threat on
the border of Narnia. They have a taste for human (and Marsh Wiggle) flesh. Telmar: The Telmarines were desended from a group of
pirates who blundered into Narnia thru a South Sea Island cave. They conquered
and ruled Narnia for a time, silencing the beasts, trees, and fountains. They
killed or drove away the dwarfs and fauns. Miraz was a cruel King of Telmar. The Lone Islands: A group of islands in the eastern sea who
were under nominal Narnian control. Actually two groups: Lone Islands and Seven
Islands. Calormen: A harsh desert land with harsh, cruel, haughty,
arablike people. Calormenes are known for their dark faces, long beards. Were
flowing robes, orange turbans, are wise, courteous, cruel. Worship the god Tash
and have rigid- hierarchy. Traditional: enemies of Narnia and Archenland. Their
ruler is the Tisroc. Queens: At various times in the history of Narnia it was
ruled by wicked queens or witches. Jadis the White Queen came from Charn, a
world she destroyed. Pulled into Narnia, unwillingly, at its creation, she
received eternal life and set about conquering her new home. She ruled for about
100 years in which it was “always winter and never Christmas” until being-
overthrown by Asian and the Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.
The Green Witch/Queen was able to appear as a green serpent or as the lovely.
“lady of the green kirtle”. She planned to take over Narnia with the aid of
the bewitched Prince Rilian and the people of Bism, the underworld. Aslan: The real king of Narnia (and the whole world), Aslan
is described as the son of the Great Emperor Over Sea, .Creator of Narnia, and
as having a different name in our world. He sacrificed his life to pay the blood
debt of the traitor, Edmund, and later rose from the dead. He can be anywhere at
anytime, and-as Narnians are fond of saying, “He is not a tame lion.” Friends of- Narnia: Are the children from our world that
Asian has on occasion brought to Narnia to help deliver and rule it. Peter,
High-King of Narnia and oldest of the Pevensie siblings. Susan, queen of Narnia
and next oldest; very beautiful and great archer; Susan fell from grace due to
vanity and “growing -up” and lost her belief and rights in Narnia. Edmund,
king of Narnia and 3rd Pevensie; he betrayed Aslan when bribed by the White
Queen, but was later redeemed; great warrior. Lucy, youngest Pevensie and queen
of Narnia; renouned for healing arts and as first Pevensie to discover Narnia.
Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer were present at the creation of Narnia and
responsible for Jadis’ entry into the new land. Eustace Scrubb, spoiled cousin
to the Pevensies who is changed by his visits to Narnia. Jill Pole, schoolmate
to Eustace, who with him helps free captive Prince Rilian and destroy the Green
Witch. Frank and Helen, a London Cabby and his wife who are chosen by Aslan to
be Narnia’s first King an Queen. Only a human can rule over Narnia, a son of
Adam or daughter of Eve. Cair Paravel is the capital of Narnia. | 
