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<blockquote data-quote="FormerlyHemlock" data-source="post: 7709475" data-attributes="member: 6787650"><p>No worries. I'm also not completely happy with the idea of a unit completely disappearing after one bad roll. It seems a little bit too harsh. I mentioned Gettysburg, and the idea of a unit regrouping and regaining cohesion for another attack after passing a subsequent morale check--in between the unit is incapacitated and can take no actions (as a group at least), or perhaps it can move only to flee.</p><p></p><p>The key reason why mass combat is different from individual combat is the old saying, "a rational army <em>would</em> run away." If I'm an orc in an army of 1000 orcs, my individual contribution to the battle is basically nil--999 orcs can fight about as well as 1000 orcs, but if I hang back and let them do the fighting, my chances of living through the battle approach 100%. But if everyorc does that, we lose, and most casualties are inflicted after a rout (once the unit loses cohesion), so if everyorc does the "rational" thing to stay alive, we all die. Somehow the commander needs to ensure that everybody does the irrational thing of attacking, and they need to do it all at the same time and in the same direction against the same enemy. (That's one reason you shoot deserters.) The need for coordination is also responsible for the longer 10-minute time frame I envision.</p><p></p><p>Once you lose cohesion, you no longer have an army, you just have a bunch of individuals who are easily cut down at 10:1 odds by attackers because the other 9 in 10 guys on your side are doing "every man for himself" and won't reinforce you.</p><p></p><p>So, I want rules that make morale important, but I think you are right that a single roll to disband a unit permanently (for the rest of the battle) is too much. I'll probably iterate on this over the next few months.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FormerlyHemlock, post: 7709475, member: 6787650"] No worries. I'm also not completely happy with the idea of a unit completely disappearing after one bad roll. It seems a little bit too harsh. I mentioned Gettysburg, and the idea of a unit regrouping and regaining cohesion for another attack after passing a subsequent morale check--in between the unit is incapacitated and can take no actions (as a group at least), or perhaps it can move only to flee. The key reason why mass combat is different from individual combat is the old saying, "a rational army [I]would[/I] run away." If I'm an orc in an army of 1000 orcs, my individual contribution to the battle is basically nil--999 orcs can fight about as well as 1000 orcs, but if I hang back and let them do the fighting, my chances of living through the battle approach 100%. But if everyorc does that, we lose, and most casualties are inflicted after a rout (once the unit loses cohesion), so if everyorc does the "rational" thing to stay alive, we all die. Somehow the commander needs to ensure that everybody does the irrational thing of attacking, and they need to do it all at the same time and in the same direction against the same enemy. (That's one reason you shoot deserters.) The need for coordination is also responsible for the longer 10-minute time frame I envision. Once you lose cohesion, you no longer have an army, you just have a bunch of individuals who are easily cut down at 10:1 odds by attackers because the other 9 in 10 guys on your side are doing "every man for himself" and won't reinforce you. So, I want rules that make morale important, but I think you are right that a single roll to disband a unit permanently (for the rest of the battle) is too much. I'll probably iterate on this over the next few months. [/QUOTE]
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