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General Tabletop Discussion
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[OD&D] Questions on BECMI/RC mass battle rules
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<blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 5984969" data-attributes="member: 1465"><p><strong>Next bunch of questions: how to adapt to D&D 3e or 5e (and possibly other editions)</strong></p><p></p><p>Overall I think the mass battle rules of BECMI are fine as-is and can be practically dropped into any edition of D&D. This is because they are not dependent on the mechanics representing individual characters (they <em>are </em> dependent on their abilities, but only in generic rules-neutral terms, such as on whether they can cast spells or move fast).</p><p></p><p>There is <strong>one</strong> exception however, and that is in the rules for manually calculating the Basic Force Rating (Dark Dungeons doesn't have these rules! and also calls it Troop Rating).</p><p></p><p>I guess this part can actually be skipped if considered too detailed, and use Dark Dungeons approach, which is basically that of just assessing the general experience of each force/army, give it a troop class and take the middle score.</p><p></p><p>Here is a list of things that IMHO are edition-dependent in the calculation of Troop Rating / Basic Force Rating and therefore may need adjustments:</p><p></p><p>1. <u>Leadership factor</u></p><p></p><p>- level in OD&D goes up to 36, in 3ed up to 20</p><p>- ability bonuses in OD&D up to +3, in 3ed up to +4 and easily more</p><p>(<em>my suggestion is to just use these numbers normally since they cancel out a bit and the final difference is small</em>)</p><p></p><p>- OD&D name levels don't exist in 3ed</p><p>(<em>my suggestion is to replace the % of warriors with name levels with % of those who have a significant role or charge in the world, such as feudal lords or bishops or archmages, because that's what name levels represented more than just combat power - and also because actual level of the troops is already factored in the Experience factor</em>)</p><p></p><p></p><p>2. <u>Experience factor</u></p><p></p><p>- again there is same problem with conversion of average level as in 1.</p><p></p><p></p><p>3. <u>Training factor</u></p><p></p><p>(no problem here)</p><p></p><p></p><p>4. <u>Equipment factor</u></p><p></p><p>- base bonus depends on whether the equipment is average/good/excellent, how to fit 3ed concept of masterwork?</p><p>(<em>this could be more an issue of setting than of edition, since average/good/excellent could be replaced with normal/masterwork/magic BUT how much magic is available in such large amount as to equip an army is very campaign setting dependent</em>)</p><p></p><p>- AC better than 5 in OD&D is equivalent to AC better than 15 in 3ed?</p><p>(<em>my suggestion is to replace the flat bonus with the average armor bonus of the troop</em>)</p><p></p><p></p><p>5. <u>Special factor</u></p><p></p><p>- bonus for ** monsters in OD&D, how to replace this for 3ed? Could it just be a bonus granted on an individual basis to certain monsters?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Li Shenron, post: 5984969, member: 1465"] [B]Next bunch of questions: how to adapt to D&D 3e or 5e (and possibly other editions)[/B] Overall I think the mass battle rules of BECMI are fine as-is and can be practically dropped into any edition of D&D. This is because they are not dependent on the mechanics representing individual characters (they [I]are [/I] dependent on their abilities, but only in generic rules-neutral terms, such as on whether they can cast spells or move fast). There is [B]one[/B] exception however, and that is in the rules for manually calculating the Basic Force Rating (Dark Dungeons doesn't have these rules! and also calls it Troop Rating). I guess this part can actually be skipped if considered too detailed, and use Dark Dungeons approach, which is basically that of just assessing the general experience of each force/army, give it a troop class and take the middle score. Here is a list of things that IMHO are edition-dependent in the calculation of Troop Rating / Basic Force Rating and therefore may need adjustments: 1. [U]Leadership factor[/U] - level in OD&D goes up to 36, in 3ed up to 20 - ability bonuses in OD&D up to +3, in 3ed up to +4 and easily more ([I]my suggestion is to just use these numbers normally since they cancel out a bit and the final difference is small[/I]) - OD&D name levels don't exist in 3ed ([I]my suggestion is to replace the % of warriors with name levels with % of those who have a significant role or charge in the world, such as feudal lords or bishops or archmages, because that's what name levels represented more than just combat power - and also because actual level of the troops is already factored in the Experience factor[/I]) 2. [U]Experience factor[/U] - again there is same problem with conversion of average level as in 1. 3. [U]Training factor[/U] (no problem here) 4. [U]Equipment factor[/U] - base bonus depends on whether the equipment is average/good/excellent, how to fit 3ed concept of masterwork? ([I]this could be more an issue of setting than of edition, since average/good/excellent could be replaced with normal/masterwork/magic BUT how much magic is available in such large amount as to equip an army is very campaign setting dependent[/I]) - AC better than 5 in OD&D is equivalent to AC better than 15 in 3ed? ([I]my suggestion is to replace the flat bonus with the average armor bonus of the troop[/I]) 5. [U]Special factor[/U] - bonus for ** monsters in OD&D, how to replace this for 3ed? Could it just be a bonus granted on an individual basis to certain monsters? [/QUOTE]
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