Christian Walker
First Post
There was a TPK in our 3.5 Greyhawk campaign last night. It was a real bummer, but one that might have been avoided. I'm talking with my players about basic combat tactics, and I'd like to share three points with this august body.
In the early-mid 80's an article appeared in Dragon mag that suggested combat tactics PCs could easily employ. The suggestions were sound, and characters who consistently utilized them had impressive results. The three most important tactics are listed and discussed below.
Three Simple Tactics
1) Missile Weapons
2) Fire Team Support
3) Concentration of Fire
Missile Weapons
Every character should employ a missile weapon, be it a sling, crossbow, hand axe, or javelin. Obviously, missile weapons allow one to damage, and or kill, foes at a distance. Inflicting damage early on means less capable foes once the bad guys do close to melee. Often, damaged foes never close to melee, choosing to fall back. If fighters worry about a missile weapon that will preclude them from quickly donning sword and shield, perhaps a hand axe or javelin would be useful.
Fire Team Support
Every character should fight with at least one other PC. The advantages to this are numerous. Characters can fight back to back or maneuver in such a way as to avoid flank attacks. Conversely, a team of warriors can move to flank opponents. They can share weapons and other resources. If a pair of PCs is fighting a single foe, that foe might have to divide his attacks. Fire team members can also concentrate their fire.
Concentration of Fire
Never split attacks. Concentrate all attacks on a single foe until that foe is driven off, or dead. A foe with 1 hit point is just as lethal as a foe with 10, so it makes little sense to spread out the damage a party can inflict.
Used together, the three tactics above ensure more combat capable PCs. A cohesive fire team will employ missile weapons to reduce the combat capability of foes, they will be able to support one another in melee, and they can concentrate their fire to quickly overcome foes.
This sound okay?
In the early-mid 80's an article appeared in Dragon mag that suggested combat tactics PCs could easily employ. The suggestions were sound, and characters who consistently utilized them had impressive results. The three most important tactics are listed and discussed below.
Three Simple Tactics
1) Missile Weapons
2) Fire Team Support
3) Concentration of Fire
Missile Weapons
Every character should employ a missile weapon, be it a sling, crossbow, hand axe, or javelin. Obviously, missile weapons allow one to damage, and or kill, foes at a distance. Inflicting damage early on means less capable foes once the bad guys do close to melee. Often, damaged foes never close to melee, choosing to fall back. If fighters worry about a missile weapon that will preclude them from quickly donning sword and shield, perhaps a hand axe or javelin would be useful.
Fire Team Support
Every character should fight with at least one other PC. The advantages to this are numerous. Characters can fight back to back or maneuver in such a way as to avoid flank attacks. Conversely, a team of warriors can move to flank opponents. They can share weapons and other resources. If a pair of PCs is fighting a single foe, that foe might have to divide his attacks. Fire team members can also concentrate their fire.
Concentration of Fire
Never split attacks. Concentrate all attacks on a single foe until that foe is driven off, or dead. A foe with 1 hit point is just as lethal as a foe with 10, so it makes little sense to spread out the damage a party can inflict.
Used together, the three tactics above ensure more combat capable PCs. A cohesive fire team will employ missile weapons to reduce the combat capability of foes, they will be able to support one another in melee, and they can concentrate their fire to quickly overcome foes.
This sound okay?
