What's your favorite Mass Combat system?

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

This weekend my group could potentially end up leading an army of undead against another army of undead (long story). It'll be one of the last sessions in this plot arch before we switch DMs, so I've been looking for a light-weight, easy to understand mass combat system. I do want *some* crunch, because I have several players who are most comfortable when there are clear cut rules for them to follow, but I'd like to be able to fit the crunch on half a page or so.

I've done some looking and read a few reviews but nothing has jumped out at me yet as being streamlined and, above all, fun. So, I want to know: What's your favorite Mass Combat System? Why? It doesn't necessarily need to fit the criteria I outlined above, any mass scale combat system is acceptable, even homebrew or on-the-fly systems, though it'd be cool if you elaborate on how they function. Links to old threads on similar topics are welcome as well. Oh, And please do say why you like the system! I might be willing to adopt something more heavyweight if it sounds like it'll be fun to use again down the road.

 

[lukelightning]

Ad hoc DM fiat. At least that's what I'm going to use when I bring war into my campaign. The PCs would take part in things like secret missions and other stuff which would affect the war, but not actually run units of soldiers or anything like that.

 

[dcas]

War Machine from the old D&D Companion Set or the Rules Cyclopedia.

 

[Umbran]

My players are not wargamers, so I avoid mass-combat systems, per se.

Instead, I figure out what the sides are, and how the battle would progress without the PCs intervention. I then ask the players what their strategies and tactics are, and set up some encoutners within the battle - how the encounters run may effect the outcome of the engagement. So, they're involved with the battle, but without all the mucking about with separate rule sets for mass combat.

 

[Raven Crowking]

There is a simple, heroic mass combat system in Testament.

Good luck.

RC

 

[The Levitator]

I had great luck using Farland's Mass Combat program for a recent campaign that involved to feuding lords. The players were stuck in the middle, being childhood friends of one lord but currently working for the other lord. I used the Farland program to keep track of the skirmish while the PC's tried to negotiate a truce between them. I have also used it in a human/orc war in another campaign. It's a great program with a lot of options, and it's free!

http://www.farlandworld.com/program.html

 

[Garnfellow]

The "Representative Battles" system from Green Ronin's Advanced Game Master's Guide is a pretty nifty, abstract way to handle a big battle where the PCs are to play a central part.

The mass combat system for Bad Axe Games's []iGrim Tales[/i] is also a nice, simple way to model large-scale warfare.

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I had great luck using Farland's Mass Combat program for a recent campaign that involved to feuding lords. The players were stuck in the middle, being childhood friends of one lord but currently working for the other lord. I used the Farland program to keep track of the skirmish while the PC's tried to negotiate a truce between them. I have also used it in a human/orc war in another campaign. It's a great program with a lot of options, and it's free!

http://www.farlandworld.com/program.html

You just spoke to the CodeMonkey in me . I will check this out!

The "Representative Battles" system from Green Ronin's Advanced Game Master's Guide is a pretty nifty, abstract way to handle a big battle where the PCs are to play a central part.

Anybody have any idea how close this is to the system in Black Company? I've already dismissed the system in BCCS as being pretty clunky, although I did like the idea, if not the implementation, of having multiple "scales" of combat going on simultaneously.

 

[DM_Jeff]

I've written this a dozen times it seems, whever someone brings up mass combat! While it might be hard to find, AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures hardcover has about 7 pages that are the greatest blend of DM fiat and crunch I've even encountered involving mass combat. I've used it countless times to resolve huge battles of armies quickly and easily and it lets the players get involved in troop movements and tactics. You can easily resolve an entire basic land battle in about 20-30 minutes.

-DM Jeff

 

[blargney the second]

Do you want the players in control of parts of the army (wargame style) or in control of only their characters (RP style)? If it's the latter, I've heard a number of people say they enjoy the Heroes of Battle system for big battles. Basically you set the battlefield up as encounters, and each one will go a given way unless the PCs interact with it. If they do, the outcome of their actions influences how subsequent events transpire. It's a simple concept, but pretty nifty!

-blarg