A short post, so that I can clear my head enough before bed. The way I think, if I do not get the stuff written down, I either forget it, all of it, or it bounces around so much that I cannot get to sleep. This bit has been bouncing around all day, so I needed to put it into Excel and post it.
Whenever a market is placed next to a population center, such as a town, city, capital, or fortress, at the start of the following campaign turns, another marker can be placed, if the opponent is legally able to do so. Thus, as long as the rule still applies, that a marker is to be placed adjacent to another marker, then additional markers can be added over time until the maximum of five is reached.
Main body markers can never be added to, only possible enemy markers. (I really do either need to change the name or just abbreviate them).
When a friendly force, whether scouting (cavalry) or main body, moves adjacent to a possible enemy marker, it immediately attempts to resolve the marker, into an enemy main body.
This represents one's scouts trying to locate the enemy force, by physically exploring the area, talking with the locals, questioning a friendly spy, interrogating deserters, etc.
To complete this resolution process, the player rolls 3d6 and locates the column with the searching entity, which can be one to three squadrons or different-sized population centers, and then the row that matches the number of possible enemy markers in that location. If the modified sum of the dice is equal to or less than the target number, the possible enemy marker is removed and replaced with an enemy main body marker. If the modified sum is higher than the target number, remove all possible enemy markers from that location.
If the main body is revealed, it will immediately attempt to attack the scouting force or assault/besiege the population center. This means it is a bad idea for a player to allow these markers to build up.
It is possible, although a bit rare, for a second (or more) main body to be found, after the first.
Except, that a friendly cavalry force, but not the main body, has to test first, to see if it has beaten back either the enemy screen or survived the various hazards they might have encountered, whether it be enemy scouts, unfriendly locals, obstacles and natural hazards, or even the weather. If the unmodified roll is a 17 or 18, the friendly force takes some SP losses to one or more of its squadrons (player's choice...or roll for it). Otherwise, if the modified result is greater than the target number, the scouting force takes 1SP loss from attrition or enemy action and does not attempt resolve the possible enemy marker that campaign turn.
Historically, screening and scouting forces were "used up" during a campaign due to exhaustion and attrition, in addition to any battlefield casualties they might have taken, and thus this table reflects that. A player can shepherd their cavalry, but still risks losses, at the same time they may allow more possible enemy markers to spread across the map.
Again, this is a 3d6 roll, with modifiers. A success means the enemy marker(s) can be resolved; failure means the friendly remains in its current location and the possible enemy force marker remains in place, possibly receiving an additional marker at the start of the next campaign turn. Reminder, or maybe an FYI, a friendly scouting force attempts to resolve adjacent enemy markers only; main bodies attempt to resolve any enemy markers they are adjacent to.
Instead of rolling for the skirmish result, a tabletop skirmish can be played instead. If the player wins, they can attempt to resolve the possible enemy marker. If they lose, then the force takes losses.
As with all of my tables, these are works in progress, so it is very possible I may adjust the numbers. However, these are working models of what I am in the process of designing now.
Also, things do change when it is the player's nation that invades another. More on that in the future.
Again, I really would appreciate some feedback on this process. Also, anyone should feel free to test this out for their own purposes and see how things go.
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