Campaign Story

[Dave Fancella <davidfancella@davefancella.com>]

Ok, I'm thinking the TV plot of five acts is best (not the shakespearean five 
acts).  Basically like this:

1.  Story starts, Heroes suffer first setback, most subplots start
2.  Heroes suffer second setback, all remaining subplots start
3.  Heroes get major victory, some subplots resolve (usually to setbacks of 
some sort)
4.  Heroes suffer setback, some more subplots resolve, about half to setbacks 
and half to advances
5.  All remaining subplots resolves, then the heroes win

I'm thinking the first map requires FNA to win, so the first act should have 
at least two maps in it.  ;)  So, the story so far (based on browsing the 
archives,with some added stuff):

Background story:
Kand has ruled Nexus for awhile, yadayada.  Nexians are discontent, want their 
independence.  Kand has never fully conquered the whole planet, and in an 
area where their influence is weakest the rebellion begins.  We'll follow the 
FNA, more or less an arbitrary choice of the factions that are there 
(possibly have campaigns covering several different major factions, and then 
at some turning point they ally together against Kand).  It is an area that 
is poor in resources, hence the reason Kand hasn't focused on it too much.  
FNA has established secret supply routes that are smuggled in from a richer 
area (smuggled by sea, I was thinking, which allows the campaign to have some 
sea maps, if anybody wants them, for the sake of protecting the supply lines, 
this would be a good time to introduce the continent of primitives off to the 
west that hasn't made it into the main story yet ;)   ).

Act one:
Uprising - Introduction of the campaign, FNA gets their first win and a 
physical command.  Before this, they existed in secret.  They don't even have 
uniforms.  The outpost is fairly isolated and there's a lot of area to cross 
that's just plain empty, making supply lines run thin.  But there's this 
"fertile corridor" that they can march up, but it's also the most heavily 
defended part of the region.

Another map - FNA goes for the obvious route, possibly up a river or whatever.  
Kand has unexpected troops there for some made-up reason, Kand should win 
this map.  Major setback - FNA can't advance through the "fertile corridor" 
and must try something different.  The "fertile corridor" is established as a 
front and should get some regular attention.

Act two:
FNA should make an attempt to outflank Kand in the "fertile corridor".  Maps 
could go on either side of this corridor, but FNA should never get more than 
a marginal victory in this act.  The last map should have FNA starting a 
movement across a desert area, more or less untouched by Kand.  Somewhere in 
this act, a rumor should be somehow introduced about some city that "if FNA 
takes it, they'll get <some huge weapon that kills Kandelians by the score 
and doesn't hurt Nexians>".  FNA ignores the rumor, of course.

Act three:
FNA should continue moving across the desert area, moving towards some pivotal 
objective.  Two plots should be running here, the main movement across the 
desert, and a smaller, faster movement trying to obtain important depots 
ahead of the main movement.  The smaller faster group should only face Kand 
garrisons, while the main movement should be harassed.  The front in the 
"fertile corridor" should get some attention here as well.  Act three should 
culminate in a fairly large, pitched battle that FNA wins decisively.

Act four:
Some setbacks, and FNA decides to send a movement after the city in the rumor.  
But it's a trap!  Kand descends, wipes out FNA's little force, and cuts off 
the main troops from HQ.  FNA should receive a marginal victory in the 
"fertile corridor" to conclude this act.

Act five:
The act should start with a marginal FNA victory, lead right into a flanking 
maneuver that reunites their isolated units, then lead into a decisive 
victory in the "fertile corridor", a quick march to the city of Ultha, and 
the climax, of course, is the battle for Ultha.  I'd be interested in seeing 
Ultha as two maps, one to take the surrounding countryside, and then one to 
take the city.

Ok, so if this outline is fine (not saying it is), then what it needs now are 
some milestone markers, units available in each act according to the progress 
of the campaign, and so forth.  Also, how many maps do you guys want in this 
thing?  I've written for 3+ maps per act, making 15+ maps total.  There 
aren't even that many maps in the game right now!  ;)

Dave

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