Players - 1-50
Commands 10-99
Installations 100-999
Units 1000-9999
Hexes 10000+
Commander Ivan Mirsky surveyed the scene of desolation before him. To his left a burning farmhouse sent a coil of black smoke into the gathering gloom. Directly before him lay the objective, the city. Its buildings, scarred and ruined by 5 months of fighting, seemed somehow sullen and remote. He leant forward and tapped the shoulder of his driver with the sapling branch he held. The driver nodded and the engine of the T-62 growled back to life and the tank resumed its progress down the unpaved road. Behind him, Mirsky could hear the reassuring clatter of steel which indicated the rest of his tanks were not far distant.
Balkania is a game for 24 players, 4 per province. There are 6 provinces, each containing 24 towns and 1 provincial capital. The national capital consists of 14 hexes (5 x 2 workers, 4 x 3 middle,2 x 3 Poor, 3 x 2 Rich). Each province contains 1 major installation, 2 minor installations & 2 arms depots. The map is the size of two standard El Mythico Maps. Games can be run with 24, 30 or 36 players. This module is intended to encourage the use of armour, artillery and aircraft.
The following sections detail the options you can select from when completing your starting position questionaire. This must be completed and sent back with your first turn submittal. If it isn't your position will be assigned values determined completely randomly by the computer.
In Balkania you can customise the following; Faction Name, Leader's name, Political Alignment, Leader's vocation, your dossier. Please refer to the standard rules for information about Faction names, Leader names and your dossier. Player type is not used in this module.
Starting locations are allocated randomly by the computer.
At the start of the game each player must choose which political alignment his faction belongs to. Balkania offers a choice of Radical, Moderate or Hardliner.
The Radicals believe that rapid westernisation of the economy is required to save the country. They believe that massive amounts of western capital must be injected into Balkania. The Hardliners insist that too much change too fast will bring even greater chaos. They want to preserve some of the old ways and often have vested interests in the nation's long standing institutions and power groups. Under their guidance, Balkania will continue to look to Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States for support. The Moderates believe that cool heads and sensible dialogue are the ingredients needed to solve the country's woes, they wish to chart a middle course.
Political alignment effects influencing population groups and allying with other players.
It is not possible to change your political alignment after the game has begun. (Option to shift one position at a cost in VP?)
Vocation is the type of previous experience that a leader has had and plays a part in determining his future activities. The four vocations from which a player can choose are: Politician, Clergy, Military and Underworld.
Each vocation has a special ability or abilities.
Politician - The politician exerts a certain amount of charisma over his/her followers. Each turn they will gain a bonus to the control they exert over any one population centre on the map. At the start of the game this population centre will be their starting town. The location of the pop centre which is affected may be changed at any time by use of the CHARISMA miscellaneous order (55). The leader does not need to be present in the effected pop centre and does not need to currently control that pop centre, either militarily or economically. The amount of bonus is determined by the current vocation level and the total number of population centres under economic control, the higher number being better in both cases. The CHARISMA order (55) does not need to be used each turn for the effects of this ability to take affect. The initial value of this ability is 1 AP per turn, increasing by 1 for every 5 pop centres controlled at vocation level 1.
Clergy - The clergy leader has the ability to spiritually inspire the people in the population centre that they end the turn in. This ability gives two concrete results. Firstly, a bonus is added to the control the clergy leader exerts economically over that pop centre. This bonus is determined by the current vocation level and is normally less than that received by the politician leader. Secondly, people of fighting age congregate around the clergy leader. This means that if the pop centre does not already have its maximum available manpower and has not already used all of its manpower for the game then the manpower available has a percentage chance of being increased by 1 at the end of the turn. This is in addition to the normal chance of manpower points appearing and increases in effect with vocation levels. Note that the Clergy player must end the turn in the pop centre for these results to occur and that they are automatic, no orders need be issued. The initial value of these abilities is 2AP per turn for control and 25% chance for manpower.
Military - The military has two special abilities. Firstly, the military leader has a considerable advantage on the leadership table when determining which leader has the military advantage and thereby receives the military bonus during a battle at which they are present. Secondly, the military leader brings greater overall efficiency to his fighting forces resulting in savings in terms of maintenance costs. Initially, this saving is equal to 2 AP per turn.
Underworld - The underworld player has 2 abilities. Firstly, they are able to extort extra income from one population centre per turn. They do not have to have economic control of that pop centre but they must have at physical control. The leader does not have to be present. Initially, the pop centre effected is their starting town. This may be changed by use of the EXTORT miscellaneous order (57) at any time. The EXTORT order (57) does not need to be used each turn for the effects of this ability to take affect. Secondly, the player receives one 'free' Agent. (The first Agent that an Underworld figure creates will not cost any AP and no maintenance is paid for this agent. If all Agents die, then the first one to be recreated will be 'free'. The Move agent order still costs 2AP).
The higher a player's vocation level the more effective these special abilities are. The side with the best overall commander present at a battle also receives a bonus to the fighting power of their troops( and allies) in the same hex.
There can only be one level 6 player for each vocation in existence at any one time.
Each player is given six Ally Points with which to form alliances. Each ally costs 1 Ally point if of the same Political Alignment and from the same Province. For each level of difference in Political alignment an additional ally point will be used. If players are from different starting provinces then another ally point is used.
Example 1 For a Radical player to ally to a Moderate player would cost 2 ally points. The same Radical player allying with a Hardline player would use 3 ally points. If the Radical and the Hardliner were from different starting provinces the player would use 4 ally points. In the latter case the Radical player would now have used their 6 ally points and could not take on another ally without first denouncing one of their current allies.
Balkania will run for 30-40 turns as randomly determined by the computer unless a successful election is held earlier.
The election option is designed to allow an alternative method of ending a game, particularily where the outcome has already been determined to the remaining players' satisfaction.
On any turn during the game, players may cast a vote to call an election. They do this by ticking the box provided on their turn submittal for that purpose. If two-thirds of the players remaining in the game vote for an election to be held on the same turn then one final turn will be played and then the game is over. Players may cast a vote again and again if they wish.
There are 7 players remaining. If 5 vote to hold an election the game is over, if 4 vote the game continues.
The end of the game is via international intervention, a random turn between 30 and 40, determined at the start of the game (but not revealed to players). The turn before the game ends the players will be advised that Intervention is certain and they will have one more turn.
Players and events may delay or accelerate intervention. Players may invest money (bribes) and VP to try to change the end game, but again they will never know the actual end turn until it happens.
Actions by players may also change the end game turn, things like minefields, destruction of infra-structure etc will accelerate intervention.
At the end of the game, whether ended by election or international intervention, the following posts in the new government will be filled.
Minister of the Interior (Underworld )
Spiritual Head of the Nation ( Clergy )
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Military )
Prime Minister (Political )
All remaining players are eligible to be elected to these posts. Players will be presented with a ballot paper on which they indicate the player number of the person they are voting for in each post. Each player has 1 vote for each victory point they have in their base score at the start of the last turn (Victory points received on the last turn can not be used for voting). They must then allocate these votes amongst each of the possible posts.
Che Guava has 12000 votes he allocates 6000 to vote for himself(player 1) as Prime Minister, 2000 to vote for Shifty Freddy(player 4) as Minister for the Interior and 4000 to vote for Friar Tuck(player 5) as Spiritual leader of the Nation.
The votes for each player in each post are totalled and then modified for prefered vocation. The brackets beside the above list of ministerial posts indicate which vocation is prefered for which post. Players have their total vote count doubled in the post which coresponds to their vocation. However players do not necessarily need to be of the prefered vocation in order to win that post - they just need the most modified votes. A player can only hold one ministerial post, if they are elected to two they forfeit whichever one they received the lower vote for, this then passes to the player with the next highest vote.
Friar Tuck receives a total of 8000 votes for the post of Minister of the Interior. His rival, El Merto receives 12000. Fiar Tuck is a member of the clergy, while El Merto is not, therefore Friar Tuck's vote is doubled to 16000 and he is duly elected.
At the end of the game each player will have a victory point total - the victory points received for the last turn are added after voting but before the following adjustments. This is their base VP score. The following adjustments are made to these base scores to arrive at each players final victory point total. The player with the highest victory point total is the winner of the game and is termed the President.
i) Players belonging to the Alignment that has the greatest base victory point total receive plus 10% each to their base score
ii) Players who started in the Province whose starting players have the greatest base victory point total receive plus 10% each to their base score.
iii) Players belonging to the Alliance that has the largest base VP total receive plus 10% each to their base score
iv) Players who started with the vocation whose players have the largest base VP total receive plus 10% to their base score.
v) Each of the 4 Ministers gains plus 10% bonus to their base VP score.
vi) Each level 6 player receives a plus 20% bonus to their base VP score.
Players will receive a certificate at the end of the game showing that they successfully survived a game of Balkania, the game number, their overall rank and any posts they held. Attached to this will be a summary of the final forces and possessions of all players. Conceded players will receive only the latter. Drop-outs will receive nothing (Option: pay one turn cost to get it).
The game starts with 144 ground units and 48 aircraft in the existing Balkanian armed forces distributed equally, although randomly, among the 24 players - giving each player a starting force of 6 ground units and 2 aircraft. No attempt is made to balance the troops each player receives, the process is completely random. However, players who receive the more mundane troop types(ie infantry) can expect a slightly higher AP balance. Players receiving a high number of more costly units will need to budget well to meet high maintenance costs, or they will find their troops deserting them. (It only takes 1 turn for an aircraft unit of 1 plane to disappear).
Each player begins the game in control of 3 towns, one of which will be close to an international border to facilitate equipment delivery. Four ground units, your leader and both aircraft will begin in one of these towns with one ground unit starting in each of the other two urban centres.
Starting treasury consists of 20AP plus 2AP for each infantry unit (but not elite) and plus 1AP for each Armoured car, antitank gun, AA gun (but not SAM-6) or helicopter unit in their starting forces.
There also exist a number of ex-federal forces, which owe allegience to no player, guarding strategic locations including installations and parts of the city. These units will continue to carry out their final orders while desertion gradually weakens their ranks. When contacted by player forces these troops are almost certain to fight, although there have been reports of units joining the forces of the first player to contact them.
Players' starting forces consist of 6 ground units and 2 aircraft randomly allocated by the computer from the following force pool.
01 Arm T-72
02 Arm T-72
03 Arm T-72
04 Arm T-72
05 Arm T-54
06 Arm T-54
07 Arm T-54
08 Arm T-54
09 Arm T-54
10 Arm T-54
11 Arm T-54
12 Arm T-54
13 Ac BRDM-2
14 Ac BRDM-2
15 Apc M980
16 Apc M980
17 Apc M980
18 Apc M980
19 Apc M980
20 Apc M980
21 Apc M980
22 Apc M980
23 Apc M980
24 Apc M980
25 Apc BTR-50
26 Apc BTR-50
27 Apc BTR-50
28 Apc BTR-50
29 Apc M-60P
30 Apc M-60P
31 Apc M-60P
32 Apc M-60P
33 Apc M-60P
34 Apc M-60P
35 Art 122mm
36 Art 122mm
37 Art 122mm
38 Art 122mm
39 Art 122mm
40 Art 122mm
41 Art 122mm
42 Art 122mm
43 Art 122mm
44 Art 122mm
45 Art 130mm
46 Art 130mm
47 Art 130mm
48 Atk 75mm
49 Atk 75mm
50 Atk 75mm
51 Atk 75mm
52 Atk 75mm
53 Atk 90mm
54 Atk 90mm
55 Atk 100mm
56 Atk 100mm
57 Atk 100mm
58 AAA SAM-6
59 AAA SAM-6
60 AAA SAM-6
61 AAA SAM-6
62 AAA SAM-6
63 AAA SAM-6
64 AAA 20mm
65 AAA 20mm
66 AAA 20mm
67 AAA 20mm
68 AAA 57mm
69 AAA 57mm
70 Spe Rifle,HMG
71 Spe Rifle,HMG
72 Mtn Rifle,MOR
73 Mtn Rifle,MOR
74 Air Rifle,HMG
75 Air Rifle,HMG
76 Mar Rifl,Mg,Mr
77 Mar Rifl,Mg,Mr
78 Inf Rifle,HMG
79 Inf Rifle,HMG
80 Inf Rifle,HMG
81 Inf Rifle,HMG
82 Inf Rifle,HMG
83 Inf Rifle,HMG
84 Inf Rifle,HMG
85 Inf Rifle,HMG
86 Inf Rifle,HMG
87 Inf Rifle,HMG
88 Inf Rifle,HMG
89 Inf Rifle,HMG
90 Inf Rifle,HMG
91 Inf Rifle,HMG
92 Inf Rifle,HMG
93 Inf Rifle,HMG
94 Inf Rifle,HMG
95 Inf Rifle,HMG
96 Inf Rifle,HMG
97 Inf Rifle,HMG
98 Inf Rifle,HMG
99 Inf Rifle,HMG
100 Inf Rifle,HMG
101 Inf Rifle,HMG
102 Inf Rifle,HMG
103 Inf Rifle,HMG
104 Inf Rifle,HMG
105 Inf Rifle,HMG
106 Inf Rifle,HMG
107 Inf Rifle,HMG
108 Inf Rifle,HMG
109 Inf Rifle,HMG
110 Inf Rifle,HMG
101 Inf Rifle,HMG
102 Inf Rifle,HMG
103 Inf Rifle,HMG
104 Inf Rifle,HMG
105 Inf Rifle,HMG
106 Inf Rifle,HMG
107 Inf Rifle,HMG
108 Inf Rifle,HMG
109 Inf Rifle,HMG
110 Inf Rifle,HMG
111 Inf Rifle,HMG
112 Inf Rifle,HMG
113 Inf Rifle,HMG
114 Inf Rifle,HMG
115 Inf Rifle,HMG
116 Inf Rifle,HMG
117 Inf Rifle,HMG
118 Inf Rifle,HMG
119 Inf Rifle,HMG
120 Inf Rifle,HMG
121 Inf Rifle,HMG
122 Inf Rifle,HMG
123 Inf Rifle,HMG
124 Inf Rifle,HMG
125 Inf Rifle,HMG
126 Inf Rifle,HMG
127 Inf Rifle,HMG
128 Inf Rifle,HMG
129 Inf Rifle,HMG
130 Inf Rifle,HMG
131 Inf Rifle,HMG
132 Inf Rifle,HMG
133 Inf Rifle,HMG
134 Inf Rifle,HMG
135 Inf Rifle,HMG
136 Inf Rifle,HMG
137 Inf Rifle,HMG
138 Inf Rifle,HMG
139 Inf Rifle,HMG
140 Inf Rifle,HMG
141 Inf Rifle,HMG
142 Inf Rifle,HMG
143 Inf Rifle,HMG
144 Inf Rifle,HMG
Aircraft ( 1 plane each)
145 FGA Orao
146 FGA Orao
147 FGA Orao
148 FGA Orao
149 FGA Orao
150 FGA Orao
151 FGA Orao
152 FGA Orao
153 FGA Orao
154 FGA Orao
155 FGA Orao
156 FGA Orao
157 Fga Jastreb
158 Fga Jastreb
159 Fga Jastreb
160 Fga Jastreb
161 Fga Jastreb
162 Fga Sup Galeb
163 Fga Sup Galeb
164 Ftr Mig-21
165 Ftr Mig-21
166 Ftr Mig-21
167 Ftr Mig-21
168 Ftr Mig-21
169 Ftr Mig-21
170 Ftr Mig-21
171 Ftr Mig-21
172 Ftr Mig-21
173 Ftr Mig-21
174 Ftr Mig-29
175 Ftr Mig-29
176 Ftr Mig-29
177 Hel MI-8
178 Hel MI-8
179 Hel MI-8
180 Hel MI-8
181 Hel MI-8
182 Hel MI-8
183 Hel Gazelle
184 Hel Gazelle
185 Hel Gazelle
186 Hel Gazelle
187 Hel Gazelle
188 Hel Gazelle
189 Hel Gazelle
190 Hel Gazelle
191 Hel Gazelle
192 Hel Gazelle
In addition to the starting forces detailed above, there are also 14 depots containing stored weapons located throughout the country.
These defended military stockpiles are available to the first player to occuppy them. Their location is shown on the map.
Each depot contains one of the following items randomly determined for each game;
1. T34/85
2. T34/85
3. T34/85
4. T34/85
5. M-4 Sherman
6. M-4 Sherman
7. M-4 Sherman
8. M-4 Sherman
9. Orao (2 planes)
10. Gazelle (2 helos)
11. PBC (2 boats)
12. PBR (2 boats)
13. PBR (2 boats)
14. ATC (4 boats)
The tanks are one unit of 10 pieces, that is enough to raise one armoured unit.