"The end of the road. A lonely fort stands on the banks of a mighty river. It is here the hardy bands of adventurers gather to plan their conquests of The Hill, the hulking mass that looms over this tiny settlement."
"The Hill is filled with monsters, they say, and an evil witch makes her home there. Still, no visitor to The Hill has ever returned to prove the rumors true or false. The thrill of discovery is too great to pass up, and only the river stands in the way. The adventurers' boat is waiting!"
Converting B5: Horror on the Hill (Douglas Niles, 1983) into Adventurer Conqueror King System II (ACKS II) transforms a classic, somewhat linear "Basic" D&D module into a gritty, sandbox-style dark fantasy campaign.
While B5 was originally designed for a revolving door of low-level characters kicking down doors on "The Hill," ACKS II injects realistic logistics, a cutthroat regional economy, and a deeply tactical approach to dungeon crawling.
1. Setting the Stage: Guido’s Fort & Regional Economy
In the original module, Guido’s Fort is just a generic launching pad. In ACKS II, it becomes a crucial Borderlands Outpost (Market Class VI).
Because the mile-wide River Shrill separates the fort from The Hill, crossing it isn't just a flavor text moment—it requires a calculated expedition.
Supply Lines: Guido’s Fort has a limited supply of equipment. Plate armor or heavy crossbows might not be readily available without a 10–20% market markup, forcing low-level characters to rely on leather, chainmail, and spears.
The River Crossing: Hiring a local fisherman to ferry the party across requires a Mercantile Venture or simple hireling negotiation. If the river fluctuates due to weather (using ACKS II Wilderness Expedition rules), the PCs could find themselves stranded on The Hill with dwindling rations.
2. Surviving The Hill (Wilderness Play)
The surface of The Hill features dense woods, rolling hills, and a ghoulish graveyard. ACKS II replaces generic "overland movement" with strict exploration mechanics.
Foraging & Rations: Densely wooded slopes require characters with the Survival or Hunting proficiencies to keep the party fed without burning through iron rations.
The Steam Outlets: The module mentions mysterious gouts of steam rising from the hill.
In ACKS II, these can be treated as micro-terrains with environmental hazards, requiring saving throws against volcanic gases or scalding heat, shifting tactical positioning during random wilderness encounters. The "Kindly" Old Ladies: The two witches encountered on the surface shouldn't just be random monster encounters. In ACKS II, they are perfect patrons for Magical Research. A low-level Mage or Elven Spellsword might strike a dark bargain with them to learn a rare spell formula or exchange monster parts gathered on the hill for minor alchemy.
3. Rebalancing the Factions (The Ruined Monastery)
The heart of the module is a ruined monastery used as a base by a growing army of goblins and hobgoblins.
[ The Red Dragon ] (Vain & Greedy Overlord)
|
v
[ Hobgoblin Battalion ] (Tainted Mercenaries)
^
| (Uneasy Alliance / Cold War)
v
[ Goblin Rabble ] & [ Ogre Muscle ]
The Hobgoblin "Charred Meat" Battalion
Instead of generic humanoids, look at Douglas Niles' original subtext: these hobgoblins are a battered battalion of mercenaries suffering from a strange skin disease that makes their flesh look like charred meat.
ACKS II Treatment: They are a Mercenary Company experiencing a low morale baseline due to a magical plague/curse emanating from the dragon below. They are heavily dependent on cheap red wine to cope with the pain.
The Play: Clever players shouldn't just fight them. A PC with the Military Strategy or Leadership proficiency can exploit their fractured morale, intercept their wine shipments from Guido's Fort, or negotiate a truce to overthrow their cruel handlers.
4. The Dungeon Delve (Levels I - III)
The meat of the module is a three-level subterranean labyrinth.
Dungeon Movement & Time: Every 10-minute turn counts. Torches burn down, and the weight of found treasure explicitly slows down the party’s Encumbrance.
The Chute Trap & The Dragon: The module features a notorious one-way chute trap that slides characters directly into the deep lair of a young Red Dragon.
In Basic D&D, this often results in a quick total party kill (TPK). In ACKS II, the dragon is vain, greedy, and cautious. It won't instantly incinerate the party if they can negotiate. The dragon wants to build its own Domain.
If the PCs survive the initial drop, they can use the Mortal Wounds table for anyone broken by the fall, and then offer their services as high-value agents to help the dragon subjugate Guido's Fort in exchange for their lives.
5. Economy of the Crawl: Monster Parts & XP
ACKS II ties character progression strictly to Gold Pieces (GP) earned through adventuring and introduces a robust system for harvesting monsters.
| Encounter | ACKS II Gameplay Loop |
| Killer Bee Hive (Surface) | Harvesting royal jelly and bee venom using the Alchemical Science proficiency to craft potions or poisons back at Guido's Fort. |
| The Magical Fountain | Identifying the exact magical property of the water using Knowledge (History) or Magical Engineering to bottle and sell it as a commodity. |
| The Hobgoblin Hoard | The massive amounts of silver and copper found in the monastery must be hauled back across a mile-wide river. The logistics of moving 10,000 copper coins requires pack mules, hireling guards, and a secure boat—turning the extraction phase into its own tactical challenge. |
6. The Endgame: Building a Foothold
If the party successfully clears The Hill and defeats (or cuts a deal with) the dragon, ACKS II transitions perfectly into the Conqueror phase.
The ruined monastery on the hill is a prime piece of real estate. A mid-level Fighter or Cleric can spend gold to clear the remaining subterranean threats, repair the walls, and establish a Border Fort Stronghold. This secures the River Shrill, brings civilization to the wild shore, and shifts the campaign from a simple dungeon crawl into a compelling game of regional lordship.
To bring the Hobgoblin "Charred Meat" Battalion into the ACKS II Domain Rules & Mass Combat system, we translate their original low-level D&D profile (1+1 Hit Dice, high morale, chainmail and shields) into a specialized, hardened mercenary unit.
In ACKS II, a standard tactical unit is a Platoon (typically 30–60 humanoids depending on size, or a "Battle" in larger scales). Given the original module places roughly 40 active hobgoblins in the ruined monastery, they function as a single, under-strength Heavy Infantry Platoon.
Here is how to construct and stat them out using the ACKS II rules.
1. Unit Composition & Training Baseline
Hobgoblins in ACKS II are treated as large, disciplined humanoids born for war. Unlike chaotic goblins, they fight in tight phalanxes.
Troop Type: Heavy Infantry (Phalanx/Shield Wall)
Training Level: Veteran (They are hardened mercenaries, but their morale is currently brittle due to their skin afflictions and poor conditions).
Equipment: Chainmail, Large Shields, Spears, and Short Swords.
2. ACKS II Mass Combat Stat Block
The Charred Meat Battalion (Hobgoblin Heavy Infantry Platoon)
| Attribute | Value / Rating | Notes |
| Unit Size | 40 Soldiers | 1 Platoon |
| Move (Tactical) | 60 feet / turn | Pack/Encumbered by heavy armor |
| Armor Class (AC) | 5 | Chainmail (4) + Shield (+1) |
| Hit Dice / HP Value | 1+1 HD per individual | Platoon Integrity: Brittle |
| Attack Throw | 10+ | Veteran humanoids |
| Damage Rating | 1d6+1 (Spear/Sword) | Brutal combatants |
| Morale Score | +1 (Base +2, -1 for illness) | Disciplined but miserable |
| Supply Cost | 40 GP / month | Paid in cheap wine and raw meat |
Unit Special Ability: Shield Wall. If the platoon does not move during its activation, it can lock shields. This increases their AC to 6 against all frontal melee and ranged attacks for that round.
3. Integrating the Narrative: The "Charred Flesh" Flaw
The module specifies these hobgoblins suffer from a chronic skin disease. In ACKS II mass combat, this condition is mechanically represented by a Condition Modifier:
The Wine Dependency: The battalion’s commander uses cheap, fortified alcohol from Guido's Fort to numb his troops' pain.
The Combat Hook: If the player characters manage to intercept or poison the wine shipments heading to The Hill (using Thievery or Mercantile Venture subversion), the unit’s Morale Score instantly drops to -1 (Unreliable), and their Attack Throw worsens to 11+ due to severe withdrawal and systemic pain.
4. Strategic Maintenance (Domain Play)
If a player character (like a neutral/chaotic Fighter or a Blighter Cleric) clears out the monastery's leadership and decides to hire the surviving hobgoblins rather than slaughtering them, they fit directly into the ACKS II mercenary ledger:
Monthly Wages: A standard Heavy Infantry mercenary costs 12 GP/month. Because hobgoblins are humanoids with bad reputation but high physical discipline, they demand 15 GP/month per soldier (600 GP/month for the platoon), plus a steady supply of fresh meat.
The Cure Project: A PC Mage or Cleric can attempt to research a cure for the "charred meat" skin plague using Magical Research rules. Curing the platoon requires a capital investment of 1,000 GP in alchemical reagents. Doing so permanently raises the unit's Morale to +3 (Fearless), securing an incredibly loyal, elite vanguard for the player’s newly established border domain.
A direct, head-on assault against 40 disciplined, armored hobgoblins by a 2nd-level party is a swift ticket to the Mortal Wounds table. ACKS II heavily rewards asymmetrical warfare, infiltration, and economic subversion.
By leveraging specific Proficiencies and exploiting the dungeon's environment, a clever party can fracture, poison, or route the Charred Meat Battalion without ever fighting a fair phalanx battle.
1. Economic Subversion & Supply Lines
The hobgoblins are miserable, suffering from their skin plague, and entirely dependent on cheap, fortified red wine smuggled from Guido’s Fort to numb the pain.
The Strategy: Intercept their supply chain on the River Shrill.
Key Proficiencies:
Bribery: A character uses this to corrupt the smuggler or boatman out of Guido’s Fort, learning the exact delivery schedule and route.
Navigation / Seamanship: The party uses a small skiff to stage a midnight ambush on the river, capturing the supply raft.
Alchemical Science / Poisoning: Instead of destroying the wine, a character with these proficiencies spikes the barrels with a heavy sedative, local belladonna, or a virulent filth fever.
The Outcome: Within 48 hours of delivery, half the platoon is incapacitated with severe illness or knocked unconscious, dropping their tactical unit rating from an organized Platoon to a disorganized, panicked rabble.
2. Psychological Warfare & Commando Tactics
Hobgoblins are highly lawful and rely heavily on their chain of command. If you remove the head, the body panics.
The Strategy: Infiltrate the ruined monastery via the Upper Level caves and assassinate the sub-chiefs.
Key Proficiencies:
Contortionism & Stealth: Used to squeeze through the narrow, muddy fissures leading into the lower levels, bypassing the main fortified gatehouse where the phalanx is stationed.
Ambushing: Provides a massive +4 bonus to attack throws and doubles damage when striking from complete concealment. A Thief or Elven Spellsword can use this to instantly execute the hobgoblin sentries one by one.
Trapfinding / Engineering: The module contains a few architectural hazards (like unstable ceilings and pits). A character can intentionally rig these structures to collapse, sealing off the barracks doors and trapping the bulk of the platoon inside while the party deals with isolated targets.
3. Instigating a Civil War
The module establishes that the hobgoblins share the hill and the upper dungeon with a chaotic, unorganized rabble of goblins and a couple of easily manipulated ogres. The hobgoblins view the goblins as disposable trash; the goblins deeply resent their brutal handlers.
[ PC Party ] --(Intrigue & Deception)--> [ Goblin Tribal Elders ]
|
(Tricked into Uprising)
v
[ Hobgoblin Barracks ]
The Strategy: Fake a hate crime to trigger a bloody internal purge.
Key Proficiencies:
Deception / Pretending: A character uses captured hobgoblin gear and basic disguise to murder a prominent goblin scout or steal the tribal goblin totem, planting it directly in the hobgoblin commander’s private quarters.
Intrigue: Used to gather intelligence on the exact social friction points between the two tribes.
Seduction / Persuasion: The party approaches the goblin tribal elders, presenting "proof" that the hobgoblins plan to slaughter them as sacrifices to the dragon below.
The Outcome: The goblins launch a desperate, chaotic nighttime riot. While the hobgoblins are busy setting up a shield wall in the courtyard to massacre the goblins, the PC party can slip into the chaos, loot the main treasury, and pick off the surviving, heavily depleted victors.
4. The Nuclear Option: The Dragon's Greed
The young red dragon on Level 3 is the apex predator of The Hill, and the hobgoblins ultimately answer to it out of sheer terror.
The Strategy: Use the dragon to clean house.
Key Proficiencies:
Diplomacy / Bargaining: If the party can safely contact the dragon (perhaps by offering a tribute stolen from Guido's Fort or info on a wealthier merchant caravan), they can negotiate.
Lip Reading / Auditing: Used beforehand to discover that the hobgoblin commander has been secretly skimming gold and gems from the dragon's required tribute.
The Outcome: Armed with proof of the hobgoblins' embezzlement, the party presents this information to the dragon. The dragon, furious at being cheated, will gleefully slide up the tunnels or use its fiery breath down the ventilation shafts to incinerate its unfaithful mercenaries, doing 100% of the party's dirty work for them.
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