Magia: Unit Design

Infantry

Common Infantry

Peasants

In times of dire need, (or when they're rebelling) slaves, peasants, and criminals can be quickly arranged into something resembling a fighting unit. The process of "arming" and "drilling" them costs only a couple gold and unlike most other units, can be done practically anywhere that's inhabited. Unless magically controlled however, peasants tends to be poorly motivated, and always have to make do with the worst equipment and training. Their raw availability however, means they often make up the bulk of poor armies in times of war and if your cities and castles fall, these are all you'll have if that.

Training Cost: 0 Gold

Upkeep Cost: 1 Gold

• Note that every 1 Common Draft used generates 2 Peasants.

Militia

Formations of medium infantry are an excellent balance of low price, reliability, power, and mobility and inevitably form the backbone of most armies. If armed with spear and shield, they will defend well against cavalry, swords and shields allows them to efficiently kill at or under their weight, whilst arming them with heavier weapons makes them credible against more heavily armored opponents.

Training Cost: 0 Gold

Upkeep Cost: 3 Gold

Men-at-arms

Many local lords do not rely entirely upon levies of local peasants and burghers for defense, preferring to keep a number of trained soldiers on permanent retainer. These are colloquially known as Men-at-arms. Drawn from the laboring classes, men-at-arms are often former militiamen who have distinguished themselves in battle. Hardened veterans who have often fought in many battles, men-at-arms are both more skilled and more disciplined than regular militia, making them invaluable as the core of any expanding levied army.

Training Cost: 50 Gold

Upkeep Cost: 5 Gold

Noble Infantry

Knights

As much of a social class as a military roles, knights are trained since childhood to be warriors and soldiers and are always found at the center of an army or the vanguard of an attack. Trained to be deadly opponents on foot or on horseback they are accustomed to wearing heavy armor. Often in peacetime they will act as a King’s enforcers, in which capacity they tend to be even more lavishly equipped than the norm. Coming mostly from the minor nobility, knights cannot just be drafted by any king with gold in his coffers and take a lifetime to train. During peacetime knights will often act as tax collectors, halving their gold upkeep.

Training Cost: 200 Gold

Upkeep Cost: 16 Gold (8 when not mobilized)

Weapons

Melee Weapons

Pick a main weapon and an optional side weapon. A two-handed melee weapon cannot be used with a shield.

Spear

The concept of attaching a sharpened point to a wooden shaft is older than the written word. It is pure simplistic efficiency that has never been eclipsed.

Cost: 5

Mace

The earliest maces were simply stones bound to a handle with leather. The most common maces are a wooden, stone or metallic head with a wooden shaft and require little expertise to make. Even though arms and armour have become vastly more sophisticated, it remains surprisingly effective to simply bludgeon one’s enemies to death.

Cost: 10

Pike

Perhaps the simplest and most effective way to arm an army. Pike formations are equally able to ward off cavalry and opposing infantry with a forest of pikes. Against disciplined enemy infantry armed with pikes, engagements tend to become a contest of endurance in the "push of pike". They remain untested against Hesperian Legionaries however.

Cost: 12

Axe

While never a glamorous weapon, the axe is highly versatile and a potent armament.

Cost: 12

Sidesword

Popular with both soldiers and civilians, side-swords are adept at fighting both armored and unarmored opponents. They are commonly used with a buckler.

Cost: 15

Warhammer

Warhammers are an evolution of maces, meant to deliver a much more traumatic blow through armour. Often one side of a warhammer’s head tapers down into a wicked point meant to pierce through solid plate. More elaborate mace-type weapons such as flanged maces, flails and morningstars may also be included in this category as they tend to be manufactured in the same way.

Cost: 20

Maul

A weighty two-handed mace that can deliver a heavy blow, but being extremely unbalanced and unweildy tends to appeal only to those interested in brute force.

Cost: 20

Broadsword

Heavy one handed swords, often with an ornate hilt guard. Usually carried by cavalrymen and other soldiers who prefer its brute force over more elegant blades.

Cost: 25

Bearded Axe

A sophisticated, well-balanced axe with a broad, curved edge tapering to a hooked point on the underside of the head, making it vastly more effective in melee. Many of them also have a point built into the reverse-end so it can be used to pierce heavy armour.

Cost: 35

Halberd

An axe blade and spike mounted atop a long pole. Halberds are exellent for supporting the more cumbersome Pike, and are also carried by royal guards across the known world. Also by association includes polearms such as glaives and bills.

Cost: 35

Battleaxe

An immense, well-balanced and often elaborate two-handed great axe that carries with it a good measure of intimidation and a tremendously powerful blow.

Cost: 50

Long Swords

The quintessential knightly weapon, long swords encompass a family of expensive and superbly crafted blades.

Cost: 50

Great Swords

Imposing bladed weapons that typically consume weeks or even months of a craftman’s efforts to produce. Typically they find their way into the hands of elite soldiers, due to both their expense and the special skills needed to use them properly.

Cost: 75

Ranged

Javelin

Light spears primarily intended for throwing.

Cost: 3

Throwing Axe

A thrown axe of the sort used by Franks and Dwarves everywhere.

Cost: 5

Hand Bombs

Explosives packed into a clay or iron container with a fuse. Most effective against unarmoured targets and the man who lights the fuse if he doesn't throw it fast enough.

Cost: -

Upkeep: 10 Gold

Crossbow

While having a slower rate of fire than traditional bows, the crossbow's bolts are considerably more potent.

Cost: 10

Compound Bow

Weapon of choice for the sensible barbarian horse archer.

Cost: 10

Longbows

Standard longbows made of yew, or more favorable or less favorable but cheaper or more common woods.

Cost: 15

Arbalest

The more powerful metal cousin of the basic crossbow, an arbalest is one of the deadliest ranged weapons around.

Cost: 20

Elysian Longbow

The traditional weapons of Elysian archers were originally made from rare wood found only in Elvish groves, meticulously treated and shaped to form a superb bow. In the time since the decline of the empire authentic ones are hard to come by, but craftman have been successful in using the same techniques with less exotic materials.

Cost: 30

Enhancements & Enchantments

Weapons have a limit of 2 Enchancements or Enchantments by default.

Adamantium Weapon Enha

Impossibly sharp, extremely hard and nigh indestructible.

Cost: +Base Weapon Cost in Adamantium

Crystallium Core or Weapon Enha

Used as a core or weapon, it doubles the amount of enchantments on the weapon. As a weapon, it's blade will be sharp, tough and difficult to damage though to a lesser degree than Adamantium. As a core, the outer material is used for damage purposes.

Cost: +Base Weapon Cost in Crystallium as Weapon, Additional +50 gold to use as a core

Combination Weapons Enha

A sword that turns into a spear, a longbow that's also a great sword? Sounds unwieldy.

Cost: Cost of Base Weapon + Cost of Extra Weapon

Brute Force Ench

It is often more effective to enchant an existing weapon to affect its user and not the intended target. A mace, warhammer or sturdy axe doesn’t care if it hits harder by virtue of being magically forged or simply being swung with superhuman force.

Cost: + 50 Mana

Mesan Blades Ench

The Mesan craftsmen have honed the manufacture of swords and other edged weapons to an art. In the waning years of the Empire, the secrets of their forging began to proliferate through the outer provinces and places beyond. Also known as Imbued blades, they are infused with arcane energies during their creation. Depending on the recipient’s desire, they may glow with searing heat or crackle with electric charge.

Cost: 2x Base Weapon Cost + 50 Mana

Lightswords Ench

A sword (or other edged weapon) that has an ethereal edge that cannot be stopped by ordinary means.

Cost: + 100 Mana

Upkeep: +10 Mana

Sorcerorous Arms Ench

Some weapons are imbued with enough energy that they may allow any user to cast forms of low magic. Examples include javelins that become bolts of lightning when thrown, or spears that can issue a gout of flame.

Cost: + Doubled weapon cost in Mana

Upkeep: + 5 Mana

Explosive Projectile E

Made of explodium.

Cost: + Base Weapon Cost in Mana

Upkeep: +10 Mana

Smart Weapon

Some weapons are imbued with the knowledge of how to use them, giving less experianced users more of a edge in battle. Commonly used by mages as the enchantment is rather expensive to waste on a peasant draftee.

Cost: +Doubled weapon cost in Mana

Upkeep: +5 Mana

Personal Armor

Light

Padded Jacket

A simple reinforced jacket.

Cost: 3

Plated Coat

Essentially similar to a padded jacket, except with hard armor plates at the shoulders, elbows and other strategic locations.

Cost: 5

Skirmisher Armour

Typically made of rigid but lightweight materials like hardened leather with interior metal strips, and reinforcements. It provides more resistance against slashing and bludgeoning weapons than other forms of light armour without being as heavy as mail.

Cost: 10

Medium

Mail

While seen as somewhat dated in this era of heavy plate, older styles of mail armor are still commonly used by feudal foot soldiers and poorer knights alike.

Cost: 10

Lamellar

Armor consisting of small plates that have been laced together in overlapping rows.

Cost: 15

Plated Mail

Mail armor that has been reinforced by the addition of metal plates.

Cost: 25

Heavy

Partial Plate

While not providing the comprehensive protection of full plate armor, partial plate still offers better mobility and superior visibility over a suit of full plate, in addition to being cheaper to produce.

Cost: 35

Full Plate

The favored armor of nobility and knightly cavalry. Expensive, but is more than worth the price for the protection it offers.

Cost: 60

Superheavy Plate

Impossibly thick armor used by monstrous creatures or the super humanly strong.

Cost: 100

Shields

Buckler

Scottish targes, bucklers, and other small shields. They cannot cover much target area against a rain of missiles, but provide a significant advantage in close combat.

Cost: 2

Light Shield

Shields of fair size but simple and light construction. Light shields provide good protection and coverage against lighter weaponry, but are too flimsy to withstand heavy weaponry.

Cost: 4

Full Shield

Good defensive boosts against all forms of attack.

Cost: 10

Tower Shield

These are large, heavy shields that cover practically the entire body against attack. They are very solid against projectiles and formidable protection for ranks of spear. Tend to be a bit unwieldy in a general melee.

Cost: 20

Pavise

Useless in close combat but provides exceptional ranged protection, but difficult to move.

Cost: 10

Enchantments & Enhancements

Armour has a default limit of 2 Enchantments or Enhancements.

Elven Weave

Having done away with clumsy mail millenia ago, the Elysians outfitted their troops with comfortable (if somewhat heavy) soft armor made of adamantium fabric. Enchantments dispersed the impacts of blunt weapons and the adamantium weave could turn all but the best swords. Better still, elven weave can be worn even while travelling, making it popular with adventurers.

Cost: +Base Armour Cost in Adamantium + 50 Mana

Upkeep: +5 Mana

• Applies only to Light & Medium Armour

Adamantium Plates

A few lords or rich knights can afford special plate armor reinforced with adamantium, giving them almost unmatched protection.

Cost: +Base Armour Cost in Adamantium

• Applies only to heavy armour.

Crystallium Plate,

Some are able to afford to place the highly magical material, Crystallium on their armour. Either using it as a set of highly protection armour, second only to Adamantium, or using it in decorative patterns which can trap magical enchantments. Doubles the amount of allowed Enchantments.

Cost: +Base Armour Cost in Adamantium, As Inscriptions +50 Gold

Charged Shield

Particularly common during the Necromantic Wars amongst those who could not afford a set of fully enchanted armour, shields can be warded to resist the effects of magic and enchanted weapons.

Cost: +10 Mana

Barrier Jacket

Intended for light armour, barrier jackets have an inner weave of magical circuitry that reinforces and protects the wearer. It is usually reserved for those who cannot use heavier equipment and will pay a premium for the best protection feasible on light armour.

Cost: + 50 Mana

Upkeep: +5 Mana

• Applies only to Light Armour

Enchanted Armour

Robust if cheaply enchanted armour. Particularly common in poorer areas where lighter armour was easier to acquire than full plate, they turned towards enchantment to provide better protection.

Cost: +30 Mana

Upkeep: +3 Mana

Embodied Armor

Rife with enchantments, 'embodied' armor is the ultimate expression of heavyweight personal armor. Not only does it provide incredible resistance to attacks both physical and magical, it is surprisingly easy to move in and even augments the wearer's strength.

Cost: +100 Mana

Upkeep: +10 Mana

• Applies only to heavy armour.
• Required for normal humans with Superheavy plate.

Mounts

Pack Train

Teams of draft horses, oxen or other similar beasts of burden are ideal for pulling heavy loads at low speeds.

Cost: 20 gold

Upkeep: -

Rouncey

An ordinary horse suitable for a wide range of purposes, the expense of maintaining superior war horses means that many more common ones are used by cavalrymen and scouts in times of war.

Cost: 1 Horse/Beast or 15 Gold (Doubled if a special ability is taken)

Upkeep: -

Courser

A capable warhorse used by mounted men at arms and poorer knights. While not as expensive or prized as a Destrier, they are well suited for use by cavalrymen.

Cost: 4 Horses/Beasts (Doubled if a special ability is taken)

Upkeep: 4 Gold

Destrier

The finest warhorses available, Destriers are tough and fast. They are unquestionably the mount of choice for Knights in both battle and tournament.

Cost: 8 Horses/Beasts (Doubled if a special ability is taken)

Upkeep: 8 Gold

Beasts

Note: For simplicity only one domain in a given nation must meet the requirements in order to have access to certain tiers of beasts.

Cavalry

In the most basic sense, cavalry are simply creatures that are suitably sized to comfortably accomodate a rider into battle or over land, whether it be on hooves, wings or a bits of nightmares stitched together. Cavalry are bought in groups of 100, suitable for one unit of infantry.

Cavalry is always tied to an infantry unit, their riders. Equip both and add the cost together to get the final cost of the cavalry unit.

Domesticated

See Mounts under the Infantry section.

Domesticated Beasts may only select from the following list of special abilities.

Aquatic

Armour

Celerity

Crushing Strength

Level of Badass

Resistance

Resilience

Stealthy

Common

It's often said that no matter where you go, or how distant the truly wild places are, there's always something a stone's throw beyond the walls preying on herds of cattle or hapless travellers. In the harsher places of Arcana there may not be anything that isn't somehow dangerous to civilized folk. With blood, sweat and grit many peoples have managed to break them.

Requirements:

Domain: -

Sites in Domain: Stockades

Abilities: 1

Cost: 8 Beasts

Upkeep: 8 Gold

Exotic

Even in the lost ages before the Alfar rose to power, the peoples of Arcana have sought to turn the most powerful of beasts against their enemies. Difficult to capture and even harder to condition, they may open up worlds of new possibilities for those willing to pay the price.

Requirements:

Domain: Wilds, Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes, Underdark, Underdark Lightfield or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades

Abilities: 2

Cost: 16 Beasts

Upkeep: 16 Gold

Rare

The Emperor wouldn't feel as proud of his fire-snorting nightmare steed if it hadn't cost the lives of ten men just to catch it, now would he?

Requirements:

Domain: Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades and Keep

Abilites: 4

Cost: 40 Beasts

Upkeep: 20 Gold + 20 Mana

Giant Creatures

Embodying the mantra of bigger is better, scale often brings results that finesse alone cannot. The legend of Khamen-Asheed's "Terror Charge" at the Battle of Duine in the opening days of the Necromantic Wars has etched in living memory the awe and power of what a man can do if he has a mind to trifle with Arcana's most imposing monsters and repurpose them for war. Giant creatures come in groups of 10.

Common

One of the signature examples of raw size and strength, numerous races of Giants look down on the world of the 'littles'.

Requirements:

Domain: Wilds, Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes, Underdark, Underdark Lightfield or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades

Abilities: 1

Cost: 20

Upkeep: 20 Gold

Exotic

Dinosaurs!

Requirements:

Domain: Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades

Abilities: 2

Cost: 40

Upkeep: 40 Gold

Rare

It is said the desert Roc snatches elephants in its talons.

Requirements:

Domain: Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades and Keep

Abilities: 4

Cost: 100

Upkeep: 50 Gold + 50 Mana

Legendary Creatures

Legendary creatures are extremely rare and are bought as a single unit.

Giant Legendary Creature

No nation has ever managed to tame the most powerful of the world’s creatures, although many have found means to control them or otherwise bargain with them.

Requirements:

Domain: Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades and Node

Abilities: 10

Cost: 75

Upkeep: 75 Mana

Ancient Legendary Creature

Existing from the dawn of the world before the times of elves or men, or spawned in the terrible energies unleashed in the Necromatic Wars, immensely powerful creatures roam outside the dominion of nations. Sometimes, they can even be bargained with.

Requirements:

Domain: Chaotic Wilds, Marshy Wastes or Underhaven

Sites in Domain: Stockades, Keep and Node

Abilities: 10

Cost: 250

Upkeep: 250 Mana

Abilities

A creature's abilities define what it's capable of over and above what one might think is normal for something of its size and rarity. Most abilities simply reflect an enhanced trait that a creature already has, but not always. One can rightly expect that a war-rhino will be tough and be able to plow headlong into ranks of troops without having an armour shell, but most creatures don't normally shoot lightning from their eyes or turn the ground beneath them to ash.

Absurdly Lethal: Through some perversity of nature, a creature is vastly more dangerous than it has any right or need to be. Covered in poison spines, a shell with thousands of razor edges, it doesn't matter why it's as deadly as it is. All that matters is keeping out of its reach.

Aquatic: It can swim. Don't assume the riders can.

Armour: Fetch a culverin! The grapeshot's just bouncing off of it!

Burrowing: The best way to travel underground is to make your own hole.

Celerity: You can't escape what you can't outrun.

Conflagration: It breathes fire! Requires Etheric Metabolism.

Crushing Strength: If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough. It also increases the size of weapon a creature unit can handle. Note: This increase is limited to a maximum of Large weapons.

Etheric Metabolism: Subsiding entirely on the raw energies of the primordial forces, some of Arcana's most fantastic creatures manifest a host of powers only magic can emulate. Note: All Upkeep Becomes Mana Upkeep

Flight: Sewing chaos and war faster, further and higher than ever before. Counts as two abilities.

Intelligence: It's smarter than most people think, maybe smarter than you, and conducts itself accordingly. Maybe it even talks, how wacky is that? Intelligent creatures can also potentially wield magic as mages.

It Burns!: All it touches become cinders and ash. Requires Etheric Metabolism

It's Ginormous!: You never had any idea they could get that big, did you? In addition to just being huge, it also increases the size of weapon a creature unit can handle. Note: This increase is limited to a maximum of Large weapons.

Level of Badass: D:<

Nightmare Fuel: Even if you give in to the urge to flee, you'll remember it forever.

Power Tap: Lightning arcs from its claws, it can shatter rock with a touch. Some supernatural or magical power manifests and nobody can figure out why. Counts as two abilities. Requires Etheric Metabolism.

Regeneration: Hacking a few limbs off might drive it off for now, but it'll be back.

Resistance: It's more than being too stubborn to die to a desert, fetid swamp or barren wastes. It's being able to thrive where other things struggle just to live. Immune to Attrition Effects due to Domains and more adept at navigating and fighting in the places nobody wants to be.

Resilience: Survivability beyond ordinary toughness, there's some things that can shrug off sorcery and supernatural attack. Luckily for you, it's a problem one can solve with a pike. Unfortunately for you, sometimes it's a problem one can only solve with a pike.

Stealthy: Quiet and probably camouflaged. It's out there, somewhere, waiting for you to walk by.

Vitriolic Breath: It doesn't matter if it spews acid, poison or something worse - stay away from its mouth.

Why Won't You Die?! Covered in a carpet of arrows, impaled by a dozen spears, it just won't stop.

Equipment

Improvised Weapons

If it’s going to crash into ranks of soldiers, why not strap on some pointy bits? Also includes maces and mauls weilded by Giants.

Cost: 4 Gold (Cavalry), 40 Gold (Giant Creatures)

Artisan Melee Weapons

Someone's gone through a great deal of trouble to make a proper weapon for an enormous creature. This also includes artisan weapons forged by giants such as swords and battleaxes.

Cost: 8 Gold (Cavalry), 80 Gold (Giant Creatures)

Ranged Weapons

Some creatures are big enough to bear the weight of a cannon mount strapped to their backs, or can carry an artillery piece like a blunderbus. Toting around such a heavy item will undoubtedly slow them down, but in this case speed is usually not a big concern. By default Giant sized creatures can carry a Small sized artillery piece, however some abilities allow them to carry larger ones. See Machines.

Skirmish Plate

Thin iron armor, resistant to most infantry weapons but offers little protection against stronger attacks. However, the relative lack of weight allows for increased mobility, particularly in difficult terrain.

Cost: +25 Gold

Battle Plate

Solid plates of iron, offers a good balance of protection and weight.

Cost: +50 Gold

Siege Plate

Massive slabs of iron that can shed all but the truest or most powerful attack with nary more than a stagger.

Cost: +100 Gold

Buffer

For when durability is second to mobility but not to be ignored.

Cost: +50 Mana

War Howdah

Because a giant rampaging monster is one thing, it only gets worse when there's a bunch of troops riding along too.

Cost: +30 Gold (Giant Creatures)

Enchantments and Enhancements

Adamantium Armour

For those times when one’s riding into the valley of death with cannons to the left, cannons to the right and cannons in front.

Cost: +Base Armour Cost in Adamantium

Adamantium Weapons

Because sometimes those castle gates are laced with iron.

Cost: +Base Weapon Cost in Adamantium

Machines

Land Machines

Land machines and other technomagical contraptions come in units of 10.

Artillery Carriage (Light)

Lightweight artillery carriages can be pulled by a single horse or manpacked around by a squad of soldiers (or a particularly strong troll), giving them excellent mobility both on and off the battlefield.

Construction Cost: 10 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Small

Artillery Carriage (Medium)

A typical two- or four-wheeled artillery carriage, solid enough to mount more weighty weapons like Culverins but light enough to still have a modicum of battlefield mobility. They are sufficiently heavy however that they typically require at least one oxen or similar beast to pull them.

Construction Cost: 20 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Medium

Artillery Carriage (Large)

The biggest non-static artillery requires heavily-built carriages that must be laboriously moved into prepared positions, giving them little to no battlefield mobility. Entire teams of oxen must be lashed to these multi-ton affairs of wood and metal.

Construction Cost: 30 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Large

Scout Striders

By far the most common warstrider design, few nations are without at least a handful of these mechanical warriors piloted by their best warriors. Conventionally they are armed with immense swords, hammers and giant-sized bows, though many lesser lords will lavishly equip their most loyal squads with a variety of exotic and lethal weapons.

Requirement:

Domain: -

Site in Domain: Town, Keep, City or Underhold

Construction Cost: 100 Adamantium + 25 Gold + 75 Mana

Upkeep Cost: 10 Mana + 5 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Small

Knightstriders

A natural progression of the time-tested Warstrider concept, 'Knight' Warstriders are stronger, tougher and more responsive than conventional infantry warstriders. Unsurprisingly they require sophisticated construction techniques that few nations posess. Due to their relative cost and rarity, most Knight Warstriders are well-equipped with magical weapons, conventional swords and bludgeons being a waste of their superior abilities.

Requirement

Domain: -

Site in Domain: City or Underhold

Construction Cost: 200 Adamantium + 50 Gold + 250 Mana

Upkeep Cost: 25 Mana + 10 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Small

Siege Striders

Seen as sluggish and uncouth but nonetheless occasionally useful during the long centuries of the Alvar Empire, Siege Warstriders proved far more popular with the squabbling warlords of Arcana in the tumultuous Warring States period and see common use to this day. Their strength and armor, much greater in scope than basic infantry warstriders makes them perfect for wading into the very strongest enemy formation, battering down walls or carrying heavy artillery.

Requirement:

Domain: -

Site in Domain: City or Underhold and Keep

Construction Cost: 300 Adamantium + 100 Gold + 250 Mana

Upkeep Cost: 25 Mana + 10 Gold

Max Weapon Size: Medium

Golem

In simple terms, a golem is a warstrider that needs not a warrior to guide its actions. Few are those who possess the skill to enchant these impressive war machines to life. Fewer still are those who survive fighting them, as cold iron feels no pain, and knows no mercy.

Requirement:

Domain: -

Site in Domain: Keep or Wizard Tower

Construction Cost: 100 Adamantium + 350 Mana

Upkeep Cost: 20 Mana

Max Weapon Size: Small

Weapons

Giant Mauls

Simple clubs, hammers and related bashing weapons, appropriately sized-up for warstriders.

Cost: 40 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

• May only be used by Warstriders or Giants

Giant Swords/Axe

Warstrider-sized swords (or axes). Eminently capable of cleaving striders, knights, dragons and houses.

Cost: 80 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

• May only be used by Warstriders or Giants

Giant Bow

The magically-powered musculature of a Strider can use immense bows capable of firing a six-foot bolt through multiple layers of reinforced oak.

Cost: 75 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

• May only be used by Warstriders or Giants

Barrelbombs

So named due to their size and shape, 'barrelbombs' are essentially oversized handbombs, suited for warstriders. Full of firepowder and metal or ceramic shards, they are nasty weapons against infantry that get too close, though the slow arc of the bombs means a quick-witted mage can sometimes dispose of them harmlessly.

Cost: - (It's just a barrel full of kaboom)

Upkeep: 15 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

• May only be used by Warstriders or Giants

Ballista

Somewhat like a giant oversized crossbow, the Ballista is an ancient but still effective field weapon.

Cost: 75

Upkeep: 5 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

Falconet

The lightest cannon in common use, a Falconet is roughly similar in size and power to the oversized firearms used by warstriders. Highly mobile, Falconets serve as an excellent defense against oversized enemies and giant monsters.

Cost: 75 Gold

Upkeep: 8 Gold

Weapon Size: Small

Leadcasters

A typical strider's Leadcaster is roughly equal in size to a light artillery piece like a Falconet, though with added enchantments to make them more reliable and effective on the move.

Cost: 75 Gold + 25 Mana

Upkeep: 5 Gold + 5 Mana

Weapon Size: Small

Concussion Bow

A 'pure' magic weapon, concussion or blast bows fire a fast-moving ball of force across long distances. In appearance, they resemble a large open-ended telescope, sized to fit a warstrider's hands or a light field artillery mount.

Cost: 50 Gold + 100 Mana

Upkeep: 20 Mana

Weapon Size: Small

Demi-Culverin

An excellent all purpose gun, the Demi-Culverin is a popular choice for armies on the move, where it is easy to transport while still retaining considerable range and power.

Cost: 150 Gold

Upkeep: 15 Gold

Weapon Size: Medium

Culverin

One of the most common pieces of battlefield artillery, the first Culverins were used by great effect by the Alfar Legions against enemies who could at best field unwieldy full sized cannons.

Cost: 200 Gold

Upkeep: 20 Gold

Weapon Size: Medium

Bombard

A fairly simple large caliber gun or mortar used to batter down fortified walls.

Cost: 300 Gold

Upkeep: 30 Gold

Weapon Size: Large

Catapult

Using simple gears, pulleys and ropes catapults are still able to hurl projectiles over long distances. They’re still in common use by those who prefer their simple and cheap wooden construction.

Cost: 100

Upkeep: 7 Gold

Weapon Size: Large

Lightning Launcher

These crystaline contraptions fire bolts of powerful lightning against nearby targets. While it is limited to short ranges, the lightning is almost impossible to avoid.

Cost: 150 Gold + 150 Mana

Upkeep: 15 Gold + 15 Mana

Size: Large

Hammerer

An enlarged blast bow/cannon, sized to bash down walls with wave after wave of magical force.

Cost: 200 Gold + 200 Mana

Upkeep: 50 Mana

Weapon Size: Large

Trebuchet

There is no cannon that yet exists which can match the trebuchet in terms of the weight it can fling down the field. Huge and difficult to move, they are typically reserved only for sieges of large fortifications. The fact that any rock will do does make them particularly cheap to operate, however.

Cost: 200 Gold

Upkeep: 10 Gold

Weapon Size: Static

Stormcaller

These large siege engines - the size of a large house - must be erected on-site, whereapon they can be used to create short-lived storms that can pelt the enemy with magical lightning. The intrinsic difficulty of deploying such bulky weapons limits their use to sieges or fixed defenses.

Cost: 300 Gold + 450 Mana

Upkeep: 30 Gold + 45 Mana

Weapon Size: Static

Armor (Land)

Usually readily available and relatively inexpensive, iron is by far the most common metal used to armor mechanical units.

Skirmish Plate

Thin iron armor, resistant to most infantry weapons but offers little protection against stronger attacks. However, the relative lack of weight allows for increased mobility, particularly in difficult terrain.

Cost: +25 Gold

Battle Plate

Solid plates of iron, offers a good balance of protection and weight.

Cost: +50 Gold

Siege Plate

Massive slabs of iron that can shed all but the truest or most powerful attack with nary more than a stagger.

Cost: +100 Gold

Buffer

Used instead of iron to provide protection to the often-exposed inner works of the machine when durability is second to mobility.

Cost: +50 Mana

Armor (Ships)

Wood Cladding

Merchant ships are typically constructed out of a tough wooden hull over a frame, which provides little to no resistance against true weapon fire. It is thus common to armor ships expected to see fighting with thicker, denser wood, giving them effective immunity to hand-held missile weapons and increased resistance to medium-sized field weapons.

Cost: +5 Gold

Reinforced Wood Cladding

Actual warships will often have more substantial wooden armor, solidly braced and strategically reinforced with iron at critical locations.

Cost: +20 Gold

Upkeep: +1 Mana

Reduces Weapon Mounts by 1

Iron Cladding

A few unusual vessels have been fitted with iron armor; while providing superior protection against weapons it is fairly expensive and very heavy. As a result a ship so armored tends to be something of a pig in the water, albeit a very difficult one to disable.

Cost: +25 Gold

Upkeep: +1 Mana

Reduces Weapon Mounts by 1

Halves all carrying abilities

Adamantium Cladding

The occasional lord with more money than sense will commission a ship clad in Adamantium armor. While the amount of adamantium required is rather excessive, a ship so armored had none of the performance drawbacks of iron cladding.

Cost: +20 Gold and +100 Adamantium

Upkeep: +1 Mana

Reduces Weapon Mounts by 1

Buffer Cladding

Many ships recieve magical enhancements to augment their defenses. While less effective against things such as cannons, magical protection is significantly better against spells and spell-firing weapons.

Cost: +50 Mana

Upkeep: +2 Mana

Can be combined with any Wood Cladding.

Barrier Cladding

Some shipbuilders opt to forgo significant physical armor, instead relying on purely magical defenses to keep the vessels safe.

Cost: +100 Mana

Upkeep: +2 Mana

Enhancements & Enchantments

Adamantium Weapon

Cost: + Base Cost of Weapon in Adamantium

Adamantium Casing

Casting a cannon out of adamantium tends to vastly increase its strength, allowing much more powerful charges to be used.

Cost: +Base Weapon Cost in Adamantium

• Applies only to canons

Explosive Shot

Made of explodium.

Cost: +Base Cost in Mana

Upkeep: +20 Mana

Adamantium Armour

Cost: +Base Cost of Armour in Adamantium

Mystic Focus

A mystic focus is a common addition to large structure, allowing a mage to 'power up' their spells by tapping into a substantial source of power.

Cost: +100 Mana

Haze Field

More sneaky captains have their ships fitted with haze fields, magical wards that can hide a skyship against empty sky. While hardly perfect, they can help a ship to avoid 'unnecessary entanglements'. Many civilized ports consider any ship with a haze field as an outlaw vessel.

Cost: +30 Mana per Levistone used

Upkeep: +1 Mana per Levistone used

Manajets

Some skyships have especially powerful enchantments, throwing out raw mana as propulsive force, making them faster and more responsive.

Cost: +15 Mana per Levistone used

Upkeep: +2 Mana per Levistone used

Heavily Armed (Structural upgrade)

Almost all 'national' skyships are armed to deter pirates, wyverns and other riff-raff, but some are particularly well armed.

Cost: +30 Gold Gold/per, +1 Levistone for every 2 Structural upgrades (round down)

Upkeep: +5 Mana for every structural upgrade after the first

Adds +2 Weapon Space/per

Increased Cargo (Structural upgrade)

The skycraft was built with particularly large cargo spaces and more powerful enchantments, allowing it to carry more cargo.

Cost: +15 Gold/per, +1 Levistone for every 2 Structural upgrades (round down)

Upkeep: +5 Mana for every structural upgrade after the first

Adds +1 unit carrying capacity per upgrade

Misc Skyship Rules

Dismounting Weapons

It is not uncommon to dismount weapons from a warship to turn it into a servicable (if not perfect) merchantman; this is a simple task that can be done at any self-respecting port.

Every 1 Mount of weapon removed increases cargo capacity by +25 Men or 1/4 of a Warstrider Team.

Signature Items

Signature Items is equipment (or, concievably, training) that is very much out of the norm and limited to specific nations, organizations or even individuals. Every Signature Item costs 5 SP during nation creation and must have a short description and general effect written up; the GMs will assign a cost based upon that.

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