Tag name：EnGarde!

Fourier Transformée

First published 16th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

Second Son of a Peasant.

Attribute Currently Notes
Player John Taylor
Strength 14 Started at 14
Rapier Expertise 11 Started at 11
Sabre Expertise 11 Started at 11
Cutlass Expertise 11 Started at 11. 3 weeks of practice
Constitution 8 Started at 8
Endurance 112 of 112 Started at 112
Military Ability 1 Started at 1
Cash 1067 Started at 10
Allowance and/or Pension 0 Started at 0
Social Level 3 Started at 2
Location In Paris
Regiment & Rank Royal Marines, Subaltern member of D company
Club Red Phillips

Order Template


juillet 1624
Helen Transformée rescued from gaol, now in a safe house
juin 1624
Mentioned in dispatches (6SP) for actions during the assault of Phillipeville with the Royal North Highland Regiment
avril 1624
Rejoins the frontier regiments (Royal North Highland Regiment)
mars 1624
Mentioned in dispatches (6SP) for actions during the assault of Mariambourg with the Royal North Highland Regiment
janvier 1624
Joins the frontier regiments (Royal North Highland Regiment)
décembre 1623
Arrives in Paris for the first time.
Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:36 pm

Sir Alex Kuzbidon

First published 16th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

Orphaned son of Sir Kuzbidon, a wealthy knight.

Attribute Currently Notes
Player Neil Leach
Strength 7 Started at 7
Rapier Expertise 12 Started at 11. 2 weeks of practice
Sabre Expertise 11 Started at 11
Cutlass Expertise 11 Started at 11
Constitution 8 Started at 8
Endurance 56 of 56 Started at 56
Military Ability 5 Started at 5
Cash 2888 Started at 4000
Allowance and/or Pension 0 Started at 0
Social Level 10 Started at 10
Regiment & Rank Royal Marines, Captain C company
Club Hunter's
Favours One Level 2 favour
Female Companion Aurélie Pueyrredón Social Level 9, Wealthy
Stable 1 horse

Order Template


octobre 1624
Promoted to Captain
mai 1624
Successfully courts Aurélie Pueyrredón
janvier 1624
Accepted by Royal Marines and joins as a subaltern.
décembre 1623
Arrives in Paris for the first time.
Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:36 pm

En Garde! Plugin Details

First published 13th October 2017 (Last Modified 12th January 2023)

Description

This plugin adds support for my En Garde! game by:
  • adding a shortcode, enGardeCharacter, to allow a character table to be generated. Examples of use: [enGardeCharacter id="C"] [str is="9" initial="9"] [rapier is="12" initial="12"] [sabre is="12" initial="12"] [cutlass is="12" initial="12"] [con is="15" initial="15"] [end is="135 of 135" initial="135"] [ma is="1" initial="1"] [cash is="32" initial="44"] [allowance is="12" initial="0"] [regiment is="Royal Foot Guards, Private"] [club is="Hunter's"] [mentions is="1"] [stable has="1 horse"] [appointment is="Trooper, King's Escort"] [mistress is="Catherine de Borgonne"] [level is="11" initial="12"] [location is="In Paris"] [/enGardeCharacter]
  • adding a shortcode to display a form to allow the submission of orders for a character. Examples of use: [enGardeOrderTemplate id="C"]

    The id used must match one of those from a character on the same page (the javascript used for validation needs to look up information from the table).

Change Log

3.226.0 - 12 January 2023

Remove exception from typeof check for unit testing. Remove a line break from the form template

3.168.0 - 04 January 2022

Update to add '!' to En Garde! where possible

3.167.0 - 03 January 2022

Add a break before the horizontal rule after the order template

3.161.0 - 09 September 2021

Fix update detection logic!

3.157.0 - 21 July 2021

Fix updating logic!

3.153.0 - 21 July 2021

Common up updating logic

3.108.0 - 29 March 2021

Update URL of the details page

3.90.0 - 07 February 2021

  • Don't provide a target url for order form if orders aren't being accepted

3.80.0 - 28 January 2021

  • Restore the insertion of the game month in the order form

3.76.0 - 28 January 2021

  • Add support for self-hosted update notification

3.36.0 - 22 December 2018

  • Disable the submit button if submissions are disabled

3.26.0 - 01 January 2018

  • Save last order submit details

3.24.0 - 20 December 2017

  • Fix leaving/joining club

3.13.0 - 05 December 2017

  • Fix investments

3.12.0 - 05 December 2017

  • Add support for investments

3.11.0 - 05 December 2017

  • Fix location @charset directive in stylesheets

3.10.0

  • Remove migration code (for weapon expertise)

3.9.0 - 25 November 2017

  • Add support for automatically updating expertise

3.6.0 - 21 November 2017

  • Fix wealthy companions

3.5.0 - 21 November 2017

  • Version number scheme changes
  • Add support for battle outcomes

20171115-1410 - 15 November 2017

  • email address fixes

20171114-1440 - 14 November 2017

  • Bug fixes

2.0.0.20171111-1313 - 11 November 2017

  • Better admin

2.0.0.20171105-1511 - 05 November 2017

  • Bug fixes

2.0.0.20171105-1148 - 05 November 2017

  • Improved hints and checks

2.0.0.20171105-0917 - 05 November 2017

  • Sort out last_orders (move into own db table)

2.0.0.20171104-1050 - 04 November 2017

  • Add playhouses and admin support

2.0.0.20171030-1717 - 30 October 2017

  • Refactoring of the javascript

2.0.0.20171024-1626 - 24 October 2017

  • Various bug fixes

2.0.0.20171013-1012 - 13 October 2017

  • Initial Version

The information on this page was retrieved by Plugin Information Version 3.263.0.

Gambling

First published 9th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

Between Players

Players are free to make any bets or wagers between themselves as they see fit. However the GM will only know about them if the bets are specified in your orders and the player's funds will be adjusted as a result of the outcome of the bet if both players specify the wager in their wagers (and the GM can determine the outcome of the wager of course!). Status points will be awarded and deducted based on the size of the wager, the relative status level of the bettors and the visibility of the wager as described by the players.

At your club or the bawdyhouse

All clubs and the bawdyhouse provide the same (abstracted) mechanism for gambling against the house. On each round of gambling:

  1. The player declares (in his orders) how much he is going to bet
  2. The house rolls a d6.
  3. If the player's order declare a cut value and the house's score equals or exceeds the cut value, the player loses half of his bet, but gets to keep the other half. He also loses a status point.
  4. If the player is still in the round (i.e., didn't cut), he rolls a d6
  5. The player has the higher score he wins both his original stake and the same again as winnings. He also gains a status point.
  6. If the player has the lower score or has only tied with the house, he loses his bet and a status point.

A player may make up to nine bets in the week. Each club (but not the bawdyhouse) has a house limit on the size of each bet (If you're gambling at Bothwell's it has a minimum bet size of 100 crowns). If you're gambling at a club, your bets for the week are totalled (with any bets that you chose to cut counting as half). This total is then divided by the club's gambling divisor and the result rounded down. You then gain this amount in additional status points.

Duelling - Cutlass

First published 6th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

The damage table for duelling with a cutlass is:

Attack roll - Defence roll Combat Result Comments
14 or more Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage and in every subsequent round the defender loses the attacker's strength in additional bleeding damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a crippling wound on the defender.
9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a serious wound on the defender.
6, 7 or 8 Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage. The attacker has made deep, but non-crippling, would in the defender.
4 or 5 Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. A definite hit by the attacker that left the defender off balance
3 No damage The attacker came close but the defender was able to avoid the cutlass
2 No damage but the attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker came close but the defender was able to avoid the cutlass
1 None The attacker came close but the defender was able to avoid the cutlass.
0 None Stand-off; Both duellists manoeuvre for position but neither gains an advantage
-1 Attacker takes defender's strength as damage. Defender riposted the attacker lunge.
-2 Defender's attack rating boosted by one in the next round. Defender blocked the attack.
-3 Defender's attack rating boosted by 2 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position
-4 or less Defender's attack rating boosted by 3 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position
Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:36 pm

Duelling - Sabre

First published 6th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

The damage table for the sabre is:

Attack roll - Defence roll Combat Result Comments
14 or more Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage and in every subsequent round the defender loses the attacker's strength in additional bleeding damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a crippling wound on the defender.
9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a serious wound on the defender.
6, 7 or 8 Defender takes four times the attacker's strength score as damage. The attacker has made deep, but non-crippling, would in the defender.
4 or 5 Defender takes three times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. A definite hit by the attacker that left the defender off balance
3 Defender takes two times the attacker's strength score as damage. A definite hit by the attacker
2 Defender takes half of the attacker's strength score as damage (rounded up). Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. A hit by the attacker which left the defender off balance
1 Defender takes half of the attacker's strength score as damage (rounded up) A hit by the attacker
0 None Stand-off; Both duellists manoeuvre for position but neither gains an advantage
-1 Attacker takes defender's strength as damage. Defender riposted the attacker lunge.
-2 Defender's attack rating boosted by one in the next round. Defender blocked the attack.
-3 Defender's attack rating boosted by 2 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position
-4 or less Defender's attack rating boosted by 3 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position
Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:36 pm

Duelling

First published 5th October 2017 (Last Modified 21st December 2021)

Dueling

A fencing match (Thomas Rowlandson, Metropolitan Museum of Art,)

On many occasions you may be required to defend your honour by offering and/or accepting a challenge to a duel.

The sequencing of the events leading up to a duel are:

Month 0
Offence is taken.
Month 1
If there is a valid reason for the offence the offended party must either issue a challenge or lose status points equal to half his status level. Imagined insults can still allow a Challenge to be issued, but the Challenger will lose two status points. The Challenger specifies the place and time for the duel. Normally this will be a specific week in Month 2, but can be a week in Month 1 if both the Challenger and the Challenged agree to the earlier date.
Month 2
The Challenged may refuse the challenge. If the Challenger has a valid reason for the Challenge the Challenged loses status points equal to half of his own status level when refusing the challenge. If the excuse is merely an imagined insult the Challenged may refuse the Challenge without penalty.
Month 2 Week x
If the Challenger chooses to fight the duel, it is fought at the beginning of a week - it does not, of itself, prevent either the Challenger or the Challenged from performing other actions in the same week. If you have to fight multiple duels in the same week, you get to choose the order in which you wish to fight1.

Challenges can be made and received even while you are out of Paris for any reason. If you're out of Paris when a duel is scheduled it will be held over until your return. Note that duels scheduled for Week 1 occur before you leave Paris if you choose to do so. Duels scheduled for later weeks can be dodged by leaving the city, but will need to be fought on your return.

If you are scheduled to If so your order will need to include instructions on how you wish to fight the duel. An injured duellist2 may refuse to duel without penalty and his refusal satisfies the challenge.

A duellist needs to specify how he is planning to divide his expertise between attack and defence during the duel, with which weapon he is planning to fight and under what circumstances he will offer and/or accept surrender. If you surrender without being hit it will be treated as if you refused the challenge.

The duel proceeds in a sequence of rounds. In each round one of the duellists will be the attacker, the other the defender. The odds of a duellist being the attacker is determined by comparing the attack ratings of each duellist.

In each round the attacker rolls a die of the size of his attack rating, while the defender rolls a die of the size of his defence rating. The defender's score is subtracted from the attacker and the following table is consulted:

Attack roll - Defence roll Combat Result Comments
14 or more Defender takes three times the attacker's strength score as damage and in every subsequent round the defender loses the attacker's strength in additional bleeding damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a crippling wound on the defender.
9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 Defender takes three times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. The attacker has made a serious wound on the defender.
6, 7 or 8 Defender takes three times the attacker's strength score as damage. The attacker has made deep, but non-crippling, would in the defender.
4 or 5 Defender takes two times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. A definite hit by the attacker that left the defender off balance
3 Defender takes two times the attacker's strength score as damage. A definite hit by the attacker
2 Defender takes the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. A hit by the attacker which left the defender off balance
1 Defender takes the attacker's strength score as damage. A hit by the attacker
0 None Stand-off; Both duellists manoeuvre for position but neither gains an advantage
-1 Attacker takes defender's strength as damage. Defender riposted the attacker lunge.
-2 Defender's attack rating boosted by one in the next round. Defender blocked the attack.
-3 Defender's attack rating boosted by 2 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position
-4 or less Defender's attack rating boosted by 3 in the next round. Defender blocked the attack and placed the attacker in a disadvantageous position

The above table assumes that the attacker is using a rapier. There are similar tables for using a sabre (the regimental weapon of the Cuirassers and Dragoon Regiments) and for the cutlass (the regimental weapon of the Royal Marines).

Example

Isaac Iverson and Jack Antequtil meet on the duelling field (with seconds of course to ensure fair play). Isaac has an expertise of 11 and chooses to divide this as an attack of 8 and a defence of 3, while Jack goes for a simple split of 5 for each of attack and defence. Issac has a strength of 11 and an endurance of 176 while Jack has a strength of 10 and an endurance of 100.

Round 1

Isaac has a 8 in 13 chance of being the attacker (Jack has the other 5 in 13). A d13 is rolled and comes up with a 2 so Issac is the attacker. Issac rolls a d8 and scores a 3, while Jack rolls a d5 and scores a 1. The difference is +2 for a combat result of Defender takes the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round.. Jack loses 11 points of endurance (leaving him with 89).

Round 2

Isaac is automatically the attacker in this round. Issac rolls a 4 on his attack dice of a d8. Jack rolls a 2 on his d5, so the combat result is again Defender takes the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round.. Jack loses another 11 points of endurance leaving him on 78.

Round 3

Isaac is again automatically the attacker this round. Isaac rolls a 7 for the attacker while Jack rolls a 2 for the defence. With a difference of +5, the combat result is Defender takes two times the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round.. Jack takes another 22 points of damage to his endurance leaving him with 56 (still more than half his maximum endurance, if only just).

Round 4

Isaac continues to press the attack, rolling a 2, while Jack's defence is a 3. With a difference of -1, the combat result is Attacker takes defender's strength as damage. as Jack ripostes Isaac's attack. Isaac takes 10 points of damage leaving him with 166.

Round 5

As there is no automatic attacker this round, the d13 is rolled coming up with a 9 allowing Jack to attack. Jack rolls a d5 for his attack, scoring a 4. Isaac only put 3 points into his defence, so rolls a d3 for a roll of 2. The difference is +2 for a combat result of Defender takes the attacker's strength score as damage. Attacker will automatically be the attacker in the next round. so Isaac takes another 10 points of damage leaving his endurance on 156.

Round 6

Jack gets to press his attack. He rolls a 1 though. Isaac's defence of 3 manages to take advantage of the slip. The combat result is -2 or Defender's attack rating boosted by one in the next round..

Round 7

As Isaac's attack rating is temporarily increased to 9, he has a 9 in 14 chance of being the attacker. The d14 rolls a 10 however, so Jack is able to attack rather than defend. His attack roll (on the d5) is again a 1 while Isaac rolls a 2. The difference is -1, so Attacker takes defender's strength as damage. and Isaac's riposte scores 11 points of damage on Jack taking Jack to an endurance of 45. He is now under half health so he can (and does) surrender leaving the field.

Outcome of the example duel

Isaac won duel with only a minor scratch (which will take only a month to heal). The King's Musketeers and the 53rd Infantry are neutral to each other, so Isaac gains 2 status points for winning a duel. In addition his expertise increases to 12. Jack, on the other hand, has taken 55 points of damage. This will take 3 months to heal3. In addition he loses two status points for the lost duel. His expertise does not change.

Last updated: December 21, 2021 at 19:36 pm
8 January 2018
Add closing bracket
9 November 2017
Clarify sequencing of the challenge and the duel
31 December 2017
Fix typo's and missing words

Footnotes

  1. Unless there are so many duels to be fought that it just gets too confusing to sort out the order, in which the order of the duels will be randomised. ↩
  2. One whose current endurance is less than half of his maximum ↩
  3. You heal half the damage in the first month and then your constitution in the subsequent months ↩

En Garde! History

First published 3rd October 2017 (Last Modified 4th January 2022)
Jdécembre 1623
First newspaper
Janvier 1624
Game start
Last updated: January 4, 2022 at 18:02 pm

En Garde! Rules Summary

First published 3rd October 2017 (Last Modified 12th January 2023)

Angelo Domenico Malevolti Fencing Print from 1763

Background

I will be hosting a play-by-email version of En Garde!. I will be using GDW's 1977 rule set as my basis as modified by a set of postal rules and further modified to allow a more abstract set of rules for the resolution of duelling. As always though the GM decisions are final. There is a more up-to-date version of the rules available to buy from current copyright owner which has no rule changes that I am aware of.

The important tables which you'll want to consult if you wish to play is available in a four page PDF from the En Garde! website. I do recommend that you download and use the tables as an initial reference!

As with my existing Liftoff! game there's a newspaper to record the events in the game, and there's also a list of characters in the game.

Each turn a player needs to submit a set of orders for their character. To help with that the character sheet page for each character includes an order template. Simply open the twistie on the character sheet page, fill in the details and then use the button to send the orders as an email to me./p>

Game Background

En Garde! is based on the swashbuckling era of the Three Musketeers, the Count of Monte Cristo, Cyrano de Bergerac and the Flashman novels. You will play a young gentleman newly arrived in Paris whose aim is to get to, and stay on, the top of the greasy pole.

I will attempt to guide novice players (which will be most players I expect) though their initial turns as required. Don't be surprised if, during the initial turns you seem to be sliding down the greasy pole, keeping up your status can be expensive!

Each turn there'll be a newspaper detailing the events of the month and showing the current status of the greasy pole. The links to the characters in the example newspaper's greasy pole are active and show the kind of detail I'll attempt to maintain for each character. I intend to avoid secret records as much as possible. I also intend to maintain a cadence of two real life weeks per game month - but that might need to change based on actual experience!

Players are encouraged to talk to each other before submitting their orders. However only what is written in their orders will be acted upon the GM - in particular note that if the GM doesn't know about it, it doesn't happen!

Character Attributes

Edward Teach, originally from an engraving by Benjamin Cole in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorius Pirates (1724).

Your character's attributes will be generated by the GM and include:

Strength Rolled on 3d6 - used if/when you get involved in a duel and reflects how hard you hit
Expertise Rolled on 3d6 - used if/when you get involved in a duel and reflects how easy it is for you to hit your opponent
Constitution Rolled on 3d6 - used if/when you get involved in a duel and reflects your general health
Endurance Initially Strength multiplied by Constitution - used if/when you get involved in a duel and reflects your ability to take damage
Military Ability Rolled on 1d6 - used when you go on campaign and reflects your leadership ability
Cash How much money you have. The currency unit is the crown. You could start with as little as 9 or as much as 5000
Social Level A measure of where you are on the greasy pole. The higher the better. You could start with a social level of 1 or as high as 14

Note: I recommend gauging your initial progress by how much your social level has changed rather than where you are on the greasy pole since the random variations of the starting positions can vary quite widely.

So how do I gain (or lose) Status Levels

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (illustration of the Appleton edition)

Every game turn you need to provide the GM with orders covering your actions for the month. There will be a page for each character on this site and that page will allow you to generate a template for your orders. Each month you're in Paris1 you accumulate status points. If you achieve enough status points to equal or exceed three times your next status level your status level goes up by one2. On the other hand if your accumulated status points for the month are less than your current status level your status level will drop by one. You start each month with zero status points and each month is broken into four weeks.

Luckily there are various ways to gain status points:

  • By conspicuously spending crowns equal to three times your current status level you gain one status point. If you decide not to conspicuously consume you must still spend crowns equal to twice your current status level to maintain your lifestyle3.
  • If you are a member of a club you will gain between two and eight status points for the month depending on the club. You can only be a member of one club at a time and each club has different requirements as shown in the Clubs Table. Note that if you fail to pay the membership dues of the club for the month you will lose membership of the club.
  • You spend the week at your club (or the Bawdyhouse) and go Carousing. Spend your current social level in crowns and gain a status point.
  • You can be seen with another character (known as toadying) for a week - this requires mutual agreement and must be specified in both characters' orders. Can be combined with visiting a club and, if necessary, non-members can be guests of a club member. If you're a guest at a club you can't normally join you will gain status points. If you're toadying to someone close to your social level or above you will gain a status point (if you're toadying to someone of much lower social rank you will lose status points - presumably they will be repaying the favour in some other coin).
  • You can gamble at your club or the bawdyhouse for the week - you can make up to nine bets in a week - each bet you win you gain a status point (otherwise you lose a point). You will also gain status points based on the total amount you gamble.
  • Having a mistress will gain you a status point or more - see later for more details.
  • Being a member of a regiment will gain status points. The regiments are ranked in prestige from the Royal Foot Guards (in charge of the King's personal bodyguards) to the lowly Gascon Regiment. You will gain between 2 and 11 status points depends on your regiment and your rank. See later for more details on these.
  • Fighting a duel. Depending on your opponent and whether you have good cause for the duel, you could gain as many as seven status points (or lose up to four points). Note that you will lose status points if you refuse to issue a challenge when one would be expected (e.g. Someone else is discovered courting your mistress or is courting the same mistress; meeting a member of an unfriendly regiment to your own; a noble meets a non-noble of more than four social levels above him) and if you refuse to duel when a valid challenge is made.
  • Having a title will gain you between ten and twenty status points a month (starting the game with a title is possible but rare)
  • Being a military hero (i.e., having gone on campaign and been mentioned in dispatches or better) will gain you status points every month
  • Providing useful information for the newspaper will gain you a status point at the whim and discretion of the GM.

Money

You can borrow money from other characters (only by agreement obviously) or from local moneylenders. Gentlemen do not charge other gentlemen any interest (but can demand payment at any time after three months). Moneylenders charge 10% interest every six months and if unable to repay at the endof the six months must join the frontier regiments

Female Companionship

Margot Grahame as Milady de Winter in The Three Musketeers - publicity still

Every month you must have a female companion of some sort or lose status points4. You could go to the bawdyhouse (which will satisfy the female companionship requirement at a cost of your status level in crowns), but ideally you would have a mistress. To do so she will need courting. To do so will cost crowns equal to three times her social level and is not certain. In fact even if you are of a higher social level than your (would-be) companion there is still a good chance of failure. If your social level is more than six levels lower than the good lady's you will automatically fail.

If two gentleman court the same lady on the same week, both will spend their money, both will fail and both will have cause for a duel.

If you court a lady who is already the companion of another gentleman you are less likely to succeed and, if discovered that will be cause for a duel (if you succeed you become the lady's companion replacing the other gentleman who will, obviously, have cause for a duel).

You may take your companion with you on a visit to your club for the week as long as you buy her drinks (at a cost of her social level in crowns).

Some ladies have exceptional beauty. You gain an additional status point if you are her companion. Some ladies are exceptionally wealthy. If you are her companion she will give small gifts if her social level is higher than yours. If not you will need to support her lifestyle at a cost of three times her social level. Some ladies are exceptionally influential. These will help you when you try to influence NPC officials in various actions. A given lady may have all or none of these exceptional attributes.

The military

Depiction of the Cardinal's musketeers, the great rivals of the King's musketeers.

The military is an excellent means to literally promote yourself. There are seventeen regiments ranging in status from the Royal Foot Guards to the lowly Gascon Regiment. Each regiment has an panoply of officers. You can apply to any regiment but obviously can only be a member of one regiment at a time (if you wish to change regiments you must resign from your existing regiment first). If your application is accepted (which will depend on your social level and your luck) you can buy a commission in the regiment rather than have to stay as a private. Note that the position must be available (i.e., not occupied by another character or by a named NPC). Note that the costs on the regiment chart is cumulative, i.e., to become a major you first need to buy a sub-alternship then a captaincy and then finally the major's position.

Some of the regiments are cavalry regiments. If you join a cavalry regiment you will to have a horse (Majors and above need three horses) and hire a groom to look after the horse(s).

Privates must spend two weeks in the month on duty with his regiments. Sub-alterns must spend one week a month. Captains and above need not spend any time being on duty (rank hath its privileges). Privates and sub-alterns may apply to their major to be excused from one week of duty per month.

Each regiment has another regiment with which it is friends and a second with which it regards as enemies. This affects when or if challenges to duels can be validly issued.

Each summer a portion of the army is sent on campaign. If your regiment is one of those sent to the front you will join the campaign and leave Paris for the duration. While out of Paris you gain your pay and allowances, but don't have to spend any money or maintain status points (their status level remains unchanged while out of Paris). At the end of the campaign the results of the campaign will be resolved. You could be a hero and be mentioned in dispatches, gain loot or even a promotion. Alternatively you could die (I will describe the options when the summer turns arrive). Your military ability will affect your personal outcome and could influence the overall result of the campaign if you hold a senior rank.

The frontier regiments

As the frontiers of France need guarding and patrolling all the year round, you are always permitted to join the frontier regiments for a non-regular season (autumn, winter, spring) of campaigning. Again the character will be out of Paris for the duration of the season.

Last updated: January 12, 2023 at 11:54 am
21st November 2017
You need three times the next level in status points to go up a social level
22nd February 2020
Fix typos and faulty markup
10th January 2023
Fix another typo

Footnotes

  1. Characters can be absent from Paris for a variety of reasons, if so their status level does not change while away from Paris ↩
  2. So to go from Social Level 4 to Social Level 5 you need 15 status points ↩
  3. If you don't you will lose one status level. ↩
  4. Which steadily increase the more months you go without female companionship. ↩