GM Controlled Neutrals

To secure the use of neutral forces a diplomat must be present at their starting location. A referee will make a diplomacy roll of a D10 on their behalf. To persuade the neutral forces to join the forces of the human player the diplomacy roll must equal or exceed the diplomacy value of the neutral. A maximum of three attempts can be made until the diplomat is thrown out of the court. Remember the forces of good and evil can add +1 to their roll. However a natural roll of 1 always results in the diplomat being imprisoned or boiled in a big pot for supper or some similar fate. A new diplomat will immediately take over their duties starting at the controlling human players starting location. If two diplomats would succeed in recruiting the same neutral on the same turn the highest score wins. If scores are equal re-roll until one score is higher and that diplomat succeeds. Once recruited the neutral forces are placed on the strategic map as a new army under the control of the successful human player.

GM controlled neutrals consist of the following forces:

All neutrals except the barbarians have a recruitment value of 4 for their starting location. GM neutral recruitment centres can be destroyed but not captured.

The barbarian army will move in a random direction one to two hexes a season. It can be spotted but it will only enter combat when a human player has been eliminated and is free to command it, at which point it will move to attack the nearest human player. If necessary it will have an extra one hex retreat move to avoid combat when there is no free human player. If it captures a settlement or fortification it can recruit in winter as normal.

Barbarian Army:

Hero, 8 Warband, 2 Shooters.