Mark is planning an ancients campaign for us to go at soon, based on the Mediterranean with Rome, Carthage, Macedonia, Ptolemaic Egypt and Gaul battling each other and the barbarians in-between.
Rick Priestly did an excellent article in Wargames Illustrated (March 2011) about running a wargames campaign and Mark said he'd be using this as a reference point. The important elements including how does someone actually win a campaign and what role each person taking part actually plays. We'll have to wait until Part 2 to find out more but he's provided some good advice.
We discussed some of the elements last Thursday, including victory conditions. These could include taking control of specific territories, eliminating a rival, taking the most territoriesor obtaining the largest army (by winning territory to gain troop types and not losing too much in battle). Mark's going to let us know what he decides.
This will include the barbarians expanding their own territory - either into each other or into players' territories or other barbarians (Mark will need to work out which and what the outcomes will be). This will be done on a random basis but will ensure we all keep on our toes. With other players trying to pinch each others territories, barbarians, plagues, shipwrecks and religious uprisings (Judea, anyone) its going to be a free-for-all like no other.
This makes it a lot more interesting - players can't just sit back and let others get stuck into each other as the 'winners' will gain extra troop types and territory (making them more powerful) so the 'tortoise' player may find themselves too weak if they don't expand. So there is always an incentive to push into other areas - but the risk of bumping into much tougher forces.
Looking forward to this. I have no idea what rule set we'll be using but it doesn't matter - as long as we enjoy it!