Hexplorations: Frontier Fort
A frontier fort is the subject of the latest in our series of Hexplorations! These charts help detail many locations you may encounter in a hex crawl or while developing your world. To use this chart simply roll for each column, look at the options for inspiration, or use a combination of the two approaches.

Here is an example based on 3-3-5-3-4-6: We have a fort that is in good condition despite being a few decades old which was built as a place to train soldiers. The walls and most buildings are wooden. It has 40 soldiers and 10 officers. There is a medium sized barracks for every 20 soldiers (so there will be 2 or maybe three because the officers staying with their troops), a commander’s office, and a smith. The commander there has taken some improper liberties that the captains are using to gain advantage.
From all of that, some questions arise such as:
- Why are there so few troops? Is it a small outpost? Has there been a recent battle so the numbers are low? Perhaps many troops are on their way to a battle? If either of the last two ideas is true, the fort may have many more buildings.
- What has the captain been doing? Is it something that puts the fort at risk?
Those answers depend on your campaign setting and what inspires you!
d6 | Age | Materials | Purpose | Forces | Buildings | Secret |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Under construction | No wall, built on a small butte or similarly defensible spot, most buildings are wooden | Defend against rival nation | Abandoned or soldiers were recently slain… what is here instead? | Soldiers in Tents for 5-6 men, 1 Smith/100 soldiers, Mess Tent | Enemies are digging a tunnel to the fort’s main well in attempt to poison it. |
2 | Newly built | Earthen mounds surround the camp with a handful of wooden towers, all buildings are wooden | Defend against bandits | d6x10 soldiers & d6 officers | Soldiers in large Tents for 25 men each, buildings for Mess Hall, Officers Quarters, Commander’s Office, 1 Smith /100 soldiers | An officer is being blackmailed. He is set to let a group of mercenaries into the camp at night soon. |
3 | A few decades old, but well maintained | Wooden walls, towers, and most buildings | Defend a pass or critical road | 6d6x10 soldiers & d6x5 officers | Half of soldiers in Barracks (1/20 soldiers), half in Tents, 1 Smith/100 soldiers, Mess Hall | A new building has gone up quickly–they are building something unique or found something they are excavating. |
4 | Several decades old, neglected | Wooden outer walls, except stone towers, most buildings are wooden | Exploratory Base | d6x100 soldiers & d6x10 officers | 1 Small Barracks/20 soldiers, Commander’s Office, 1 Smith/50 soldiers | A fringe religion has taken root among one unit of soldiers. |
5 | Many years old but well maintained | Mortared stone outer walls, most buildings are wooden | Soldier training | 6d6x100 soldiers & d6x10 officers | 1 Medium Barracks/25 soldiers, Commander’s Office, Mess Hall, 1 Smith/50 soldiers | A group transporting a priceless & powerful artifact just stayed at the fort overnight a few days ago. |
6 | Many years old and in poor condition | Mortared stone outer walls, towers and most buildings | Original purpose no longer applies, roll again to determine what it was | d6x1000 soldiers & d6x100 officers | 1 Large Barracks/50 soldiers, Commander’s Office, Mess Hall, 1 Smith/100 soldiers, Training Hall | The commander has taken several improper liberties. Some captains are taking advantage of him. |