Maerdwyn
First Post
Mass Combat 1st draft
I need to run a few large battles in my campaign, and I can't put them off until Fields of Blood Comes out, so this is a first draft of what I'm thinking of using - comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Before the battles, each unit will have its Unit Hit Points, as well as the damage it does with 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 members. Enech, mentioned in the morale section, is a measure of honor modified from the 2e Celts historical reference (my version is at http://www.gaiatec.com/maerdwyn/Enechset.htm),
1)Units, Companies and Armies
Each counter figure represents a unit of 5 individuals. Each mini respresents an individual leader/monster/PC. A company is all the units assigned to a particular leader. An army is all of the units and companies and leaders on one (of possibly many) sides of the battle.
Leaders, PC's, and Monsters (hereafter just called Leaders) may attack either other Leaders or Units. Units may attack and damage only other Units, though they may capture Leaders under certain circumstances.
2)UHPs (Unit Hit Points)
Units have UHP equal to the total hit dice (or level) of its individuals. Modify as follows:
+/- x per level (where x is the unit's average CON Bonus) * it's member's level or hit dice
+2 per level if the unit's members all use d12 for hit dice
+1 per level if they use d10 for Hit Dice
-1 per level if they use d6 for Hit Dice
-2 per level if they use d4 for Hit Dice
+3 if the entire unit has the Toughness feat
Record the bonus subtotal seperately.
Thus,
a 3rd level barbarian unit with 14 CON and the toughness feat would have 15(+15)UHP.
a 1st level wizard unit with 10 CON would have 5(-2)UHP
3)Initiative
Initiative is rolled once for each army, each round. Each company in the army modifies the roll based on its Leader's initiative modifier.
Companies may refocus their intiative as normal, though the bonus will apply only for the next round.
4)Movement
1 hex = 10 feet.
No 5' adjustments in mass combat.
Attacks of opportunity apply unless the unit that would make the attack is already engaged with a hostile unit. A unit with the Combat Reflexes Feat may make attacks of opportunity even if already engaged with another unit.
Units crossing a hex containing a steep grade must waste 10' of their base movement rate negotiating the change in elevation or suffer a -2AC penalty. The movement penalty is cumulative for crossing multiple steep graded hexes. When moving downhill, a unit may add an additional 10' of base movement a by accepting an additional -2 AC penalty (for a total of -4).
Movement through vegetation, mud, or other difficult terrain cost 2x or more of a unit's movement rate to cross, depending on its difficulty. Water up to knee depth costs 3x normal to cross, while water from kne depth to chest depth costs 5x normal to cross.
Units move according to normal rules in other cases.
5)Attacks
Roll d20 once for each attack of each unit, modified as follows:
+/- Average attack bonus of the unit
+1 If attackers are on higher ground
-2 Shaken Morale
-4 Broken Morale
Any other standard modifiers to attacks (bless, favored enemy, flanking, cover, concealment, etc.) apply if the entire unit qualifies for the bonus.
Entire units of rogues may sneak attack, but if hide or move silently rolls are required, checks must be made for all members of the unit. If one member of the unit fails, the entire unit is discovered. Sneak attacks allowed for flanking apply normally. Leader rogues may sneak attack against units or leaders.
Units may attack multiple times only if every individual in the unit has that capability.
Leaders attacking Units attack as above. If six Units isolate and surround a hostile leader for two consecutive rounds, without having to battle units other than the leader, then that leader is captured.
6) Inflicting Damage
To figure damage, start at 5UHP and modify as follows:
(This applies for spell damage, as well as melee and missile damage)
+2 for d12 damage dice
+1 for d10 damage dice
-1 for d6 damage dice
-2 for d4 damage dice
+/- average strength (if appropriate to the weapon) bonus of unit
+/- average magic bonus of the unit's weapons.
+3 for each 1d6 of a rogue units's average sneak attack damage
Multiply the total by the number of active individuals in the Unit, and divide by 5, rounding down. Units that hit do a minimum of 1UHP, regardless. (This calculation will be done in advance, and the result for each unit, at a strength of 1-5 members, listed on the Roster Sheet of each company
Modifiers are applied after subtotaling base damage.
A full strength unit of dwarven fighters with great axes and an average strength of 15 does 9 UHP of damage per attack (5 +2 for the axes' d12 damage dice, +2 for their strength = 9. 9*5/5=9)
A unit of halfling Archers(STR 8) that has lost 1 member and is forced to melee with daggers does only 2 UHP of damage per attack (5 -1 for STR -2 for the daggers=3. 3 * 4 members of the unit /5 = 2). Using their shortbows, the unit does 3 UHP of damage (5-1 for the arrows=4. 4*4/5=3)
Leaders successfully striking a unit inflict 1UHP per dice of damage rolled, and add all their normal bonuses, but divide the subtotal of bonuses by 5.
7) Suffering Damage
Damage is applied to UHPs the unit has gained from hit dice, CON, or other bonuses, first, and then consecutively to each individual in the unit until each is incapacitated. If, because of penalties, a Unit has fewer UHP than it has members (Such as a 1st level Wizard unit which has 5[-2] UHP) then, upon a successful hit by a hostile unit, the unit loses members until a ratio of 1 individual: 1UHP is achieved. Then, the damage from the attack is applied.
A Third level barbarian unit with the Toughness feat and a 14CON has 15(+15)UHP. 15UHP are from bonuses - Hit dice type, CON, and Toughness. A dragon does 19UHP Damage to the unit. All the bonus UHP are knocked out, leaving four UHPs to be applied. One barbarian takes 3UHP of damage and is incapacitated. Another is wounded with the remaining 1 UHP, and will have only 2UHP left to face the next attack.
A First level wizard unit with 5(-2) UHP is attacked by Archers that do 3 UHP of Damage. Upon the successful attack, two of the wizards are incapacitated. The 3UHP of damage incapacitates the remaining 3 wizards.
Incapacitated individuals are either moderately wounded (unable to fight, but will recover), gravely wounded (unable to fight, and permanently disabled), or killed.
30% Moderately Wounded
30% Gravely Wounded
40% Killed
8)Morale
New Feat:
Martial Discipline (General, Fighter)
Benefit: The character(unit) receives a +4 morale bonus to Will saves when forced to check morale in a mass combat situation.
Sample DC's
DC 30: Chracter's unit ordered on an obvious suicide mission
DC 20: Character's unit has been reduced to 1, 2, or 3 members.
DC 25: Character's leader is killed.
DC 20: Character's army runs out of food.
DC 20: Enemy unit has chariots, elephants, or other "shock"
equipment while character's unit is on foot.
DC 15: Enemy unit is mounted, while character's unit is not.
DC 15: Character's army is badly and visibly outnumbered
(checked only the first time this becomes apparent.)
Additional modifiers to the Will Save:
+1: For each four points of enech the unit's leader has, if the
leader is within sight of the unit.
+1: If the leader of the company has the leadership feat.
+4: Character's army is defending his homeland
+2: Character's army is a willing participant in a holy war.
+1: For each enemy unit eliminated or routed by the
character's unit.
-1: If the character has not slept on the night previous to the
battle.
-4: Cumulative for each night beyond one in which the character
has not slept.
-2: Cumulative for each day beyond one for which the character
has not eaten at all.
-2: Cumulative for each week for which the character received
only half rations.
-2: Character's unit is Shaken.
-4: Character's unit is Firghtened.
-6: Character's unit is Panicked.
-4: Character is last remaining member of his unit
-2: Cumulative for each friendly unit in the company which is
eliminated or routed.
************************************************************************
For each unit a player controls, there will be an entry on that player's roster sheet that looks something like this(but formatted better): (In this example, the player's PC is Caled Ap Rhodri)
Unit: 1st Owain Spearmen
Company Led By: Caled ap Rhodri (Enech 28)
Type: Fighter2
UHP: 10(+4) AC:16 (Chain Shirt +4, Dex +2) Initiative: +3 (+2 Dex, +1 Improved Init)
Scores: STR14 DEX14 CON14 INT10 WIS10 CHA10
Skills and Feats: Craft +3, Handle animal +5, Profession +2, craft +2, Hide +0, Listen +2, Move silently +0, Perform +1, Spot +0; Martial Discipline, Improved initiative, Power Attack.
UHPRemaining : Active Members : Attacks/Damage : (Special)
>8 UHP : 5 : Longspear/+4/7UHP or Shortsword/+4/6UHP
7-8 UHP : 4 : Longspear/+4/5UHP or Shortsword/+4/4UHP
5-6 UHP : 3 : Longspear/+4/4UHP or Shortsword/+4/3UHP : (MC DC20)
3-4 UHP : 2 : Longspear/+4/2UHP or Shortsword/+4/2UHP : (MC DC20)
1-2 UHP : 1 : Longspear/+4/1UHP or Shortsword/+4/1UHP : (MC DC20 at -4)
Current UHP: Morale Base: 7 Current Morale Modifier:
*****************
When Caled is present to lead his company into battle, this unit's total Morale bonus will be +15, because Caled's Enech/4 is 7, the unit has the Martial discipline feat (+4), and he has the Leadership feat for an additional +4
Edits: More revisions to Morale and Sample Unit.
I need to run a few large battles in my campaign, and I can't put them off until Fields of Blood Comes out, so this is a first draft of what I'm thinking of using - comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Before the battles, each unit will have its Unit Hit Points, as well as the damage it does with 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 members. Enech, mentioned in the morale section, is a measure of honor modified from the 2e Celts historical reference (my version is at http://www.gaiatec.com/maerdwyn/Enechset.htm),
1)Units, Companies and Armies
Each counter figure represents a unit of 5 individuals. Each mini respresents an individual leader/monster/PC. A company is all the units assigned to a particular leader. An army is all of the units and companies and leaders on one (of possibly many) sides of the battle.
Leaders, PC's, and Monsters (hereafter just called Leaders) may attack either other Leaders or Units. Units may attack and damage only other Units, though they may capture Leaders under certain circumstances.
2)UHPs (Unit Hit Points)
Units have UHP equal to the total hit dice (or level) of its individuals. Modify as follows:
+/- x per level (where x is the unit's average CON Bonus) * it's member's level or hit dice
+2 per level if the unit's members all use d12 for hit dice
+1 per level if they use d10 for Hit Dice
-1 per level if they use d6 for Hit Dice
-2 per level if they use d4 for Hit Dice
+3 if the entire unit has the Toughness feat
Record the bonus subtotal seperately.
Thus,
a 3rd level barbarian unit with 14 CON and the toughness feat would have 15(+15)UHP.
a 1st level wizard unit with 10 CON would have 5(-2)UHP
3)Initiative
Initiative is rolled once for each army, each round. Each company in the army modifies the roll based on its Leader's initiative modifier.
Companies may refocus their intiative as normal, though the bonus will apply only for the next round.
4)Movement
1 hex = 10 feet.
No 5' adjustments in mass combat.
Attacks of opportunity apply unless the unit that would make the attack is already engaged with a hostile unit. A unit with the Combat Reflexes Feat may make attacks of opportunity even if already engaged with another unit.
Units crossing a hex containing a steep grade must waste 10' of their base movement rate negotiating the change in elevation or suffer a -2AC penalty. The movement penalty is cumulative for crossing multiple steep graded hexes. When moving downhill, a unit may add an additional 10' of base movement a by accepting an additional -2 AC penalty (for a total of -4).
Movement through vegetation, mud, or other difficult terrain cost 2x or more of a unit's movement rate to cross, depending on its difficulty. Water up to knee depth costs 3x normal to cross, while water from kne depth to chest depth costs 5x normal to cross.
Units move according to normal rules in other cases.
5)Attacks
Roll d20 once for each attack of each unit, modified as follows:
+/- Average attack bonus of the unit
+1 If attackers are on higher ground
-2 Shaken Morale
-4 Broken Morale
Any other standard modifiers to attacks (bless, favored enemy, flanking, cover, concealment, etc.) apply if the entire unit qualifies for the bonus.
Entire units of rogues may sneak attack, but if hide or move silently rolls are required, checks must be made for all members of the unit. If one member of the unit fails, the entire unit is discovered. Sneak attacks allowed for flanking apply normally. Leader rogues may sneak attack against units or leaders.
Units may attack multiple times only if every individual in the unit has that capability.
Leaders attacking Units attack as above. If six Units isolate and surround a hostile leader for two consecutive rounds, without having to battle units other than the leader, then that leader is captured.
6) Inflicting Damage
To figure damage, start at 5UHP and modify as follows:
(This applies for spell damage, as well as melee and missile damage)
+2 for d12 damage dice
+1 for d10 damage dice
-1 for d6 damage dice
-2 for d4 damage dice
+/- average strength (if appropriate to the weapon) bonus of unit
+/- average magic bonus of the unit's weapons.
+3 for each 1d6 of a rogue units's average sneak attack damage
Multiply the total by the number of active individuals in the Unit, and divide by 5, rounding down. Units that hit do a minimum of 1UHP, regardless. (This calculation will be done in advance, and the result for each unit, at a strength of 1-5 members, listed on the Roster Sheet of each company
Modifiers are applied after subtotaling base damage.
A full strength unit of dwarven fighters with great axes and an average strength of 15 does 9 UHP of damage per attack (5 +2 for the axes' d12 damage dice, +2 for their strength = 9. 9*5/5=9)
A unit of halfling Archers(STR 8) that has lost 1 member and is forced to melee with daggers does only 2 UHP of damage per attack (5 -1 for STR -2 for the daggers=3. 3 * 4 members of the unit /5 = 2). Using their shortbows, the unit does 3 UHP of damage (5-1 for the arrows=4. 4*4/5=3)
Leaders successfully striking a unit inflict 1UHP per dice of damage rolled, and add all their normal bonuses, but divide the subtotal of bonuses by 5.
7) Suffering Damage
Damage is applied to UHPs the unit has gained from hit dice, CON, or other bonuses, first, and then consecutively to each individual in the unit until each is incapacitated. If, because of penalties, a Unit has fewer UHP than it has members (Such as a 1st level Wizard unit which has 5[-2] UHP) then, upon a successful hit by a hostile unit, the unit loses members until a ratio of 1 individual: 1UHP is achieved. Then, the damage from the attack is applied.
A Third level barbarian unit with the Toughness feat and a 14CON has 15(+15)UHP. 15UHP are from bonuses - Hit dice type, CON, and Toughness. A dragon does 19UHP Damage to the unit. All the bonus UHP are knocked out, leaving four UHPs to be applied. One barbarian takes 3UHP of damage and is incapacitated. Another is wounded with the remaining 1 UHP, and will have only 2UHP left to face the next attack.
A First level wizard unit with 5(-2) UHP is attacked by Archers that do 3 UHP of Damage. Upon the successful attack, two of the wizards are incapacitated. The 3UHP of damage incapacitates the remaining 3 wizards.
Incapacitated individuals are either moderately wounded (unable to fight, but will recover), gravely wounded (unable to fight, and permanently disabled), or killed.
30% Moderately Wounded
30% Gravely Wounded
40% Killed
8)Morale
New Feat:
Martial Discipline (General, Fighter)
Benefit: The character(unit) receives a +4 morale bonus to Will saves when forced to check morale in a mass combat situation.
Sample DC's
DC 30: Chracter's unit ordered on an obvious suicide mission
DC 20: Character's unit has been reduced to 1, 2, or 3 members.
DC 25: Character's leader is killed.
DC 20: Character's army runs out of food.
DC 20: Enemy unit has chariots, elephants, or other "shock"
equipment while character's unit is on foot.
DC 15: Enemy unit is mounted, while character's unit is not.
DC 15: Character's army is badly and visibly outnumbered
(checked only the first time this becomes apparent.)
Additional modifiers to the Will Save:
+1: For each four points of enech the unit's leader has, if the
leader is within sight of the unit.
+1: If the leader of the company has the leadership feat.
+4: Character's army is defending his homeland
+2: Character's army is a willing participant in a holy war.
+1: For each enemy unit eliminated or routed by the
character's unit.
-1: If the character has not slept on the night previous to the
battle.
-4: Cumulative for each night beyond one in which the character
has not slept.
-2: Cumulative for each day beyond one for which the character
has not eaten at all.
-2: Cumulative for each week for which the character received
only half rations.
-2: Character's unit is Shaken.
-4: Character's unit is Firghtened.
-6: Character's unit is Panicked.
-4: Character is last remaining member of his unit
-2: Cumulative for each friendly unit in the company which is
eliminated or routed.
************************************************************************
For each unit a player controls, there will be an entry on that player's roster sheet that looks something like this(but formatted better): (In this example, the player's PC is Caled Ap Rhodri)
Unit: 1st Owain Spearmen
Company Led By: Caled ap Rhodri (Enech 28)
Type: Fighter2
UHP: 10(+4) AC:16 (Chain Shirt +4, Dex +2) Initiative: +3 (+2 Dex, +1 Improved Init)
Scores: STR14 DEX14 CON14 INT10 WIS10 CHA10
Skills and Feats: Craft +3, Handle animal +5, Profession +2, craft +2, Hide +0, Listen +2, Move silently +0, Perform +1, Spot +0; Martial Discipline, Improved initiative, Power Attack.
UHPRemaining : Active Members : Attacks/Damage : (Special)
>8 UHP : 5 : Longspear/+4/7UHP or Shortsword/+4/6UHP
7-8 UHP : 4 : Longspear/+4/5UHP or Shortsword/+4/4UHP
5-6 UHP : 3 : Longspear/+4/4UHP or Shortsword/+4/3UHP : (MC DC20)
3-4 UHP : 2 : Longspear/+4/2UHP or Shortsword/+4/2UHP : (MC DC20)
1-2 UHP : 1 : Longspear/+4/1UHP or Shortsword/+4/1UHP : (MC DC20 at -4)
Current UHP: Morale Base: 7 Current Morale Modifier:
*****************
When Caled is present to lead his company into battle, this unit's total Morale bonus will be +15, because Caled's Enech/4 is 7, the unit has the Martial discipline feat (+4), and he has the Leadership feat for an additional +4
Edits: More revisions to Morale and Sample Unit.
Last edited:
