Interlude - Old One's Tactics Lesson
As some of you may know, I am an ex-military officer and a couple of people have posted asking about tactics that I use or have used in the past for NPCs and monsters. I will preface my tactics section with a couple of general comments to take into consideration when designing tactics for your own use:
General Considerations
Alignment - Typically, the more "lawful" in alignment, the better the overall tactics are going to be. For example, gnolls (CE) might be able to set-up a great ambush, but once it is sprung, every gnoll is fighting on their own and will not respond well to further orders except from a very strong leader. Hobgoblins, on the other hand, might execute a great ambush, then respond well to complex additional commands throughout the battle.
Training/Experience - Very important! Don't expect town guards or militia to be capable of intricate maneuvers or independant action. Also, rank and file members of humanoid tribes (goblins, orcs, etc) typically aren't going to be able to more than advance, attack and retreat absent additional training or very good leadership. These types tend to follow the last orders they were given, aren't very imaginative and their morale tends to be pretty brittle.
Veteran soldiers and humanoids with a strong culture (hobgoblins) should be capable of a variety of situational tactics, will use terrain intelligently, will use scouts and other intelligence gathering sources (like familiars) and are capable of independant action without constant leadership direction.
Leadership - Critically important, especially with poorly trained troops and creatures. One or two strong leaders can make a huge difference and spur even ill-trained forces to achieve great things. Conversely, the loss the such a leader will typically affect a poorly trained force much more than a veteran force, often causing them to break and run.
Morale - Great training and superior leadership can all be sabotaged by poor morale. Likewise, good morale can enable a force to stand in the face of overwhelming odds and continue to function. Poorly trained and led forces tend to have brittle morale, so a couple of casualties or the loss of a leader will cause them to turn and run. Elite forces can sustain enormous casualties and still fight - but virtually every unit does have its breaking point. In addition, failing morale is usually contagious. If a unit (or individual, in small unit actions) breaks and runs, then surrounding units often do as well, turning a retreat by the few into the rout of the many. Up through the Napoleonic period, most casualties on the losing side were suffered during the pursuit after the army broke and fled the field of battle.
Culture - In some cultures, honor and glory come from individual combat (Homeric Greece, Celts and Germanic tribesmen), not neccessarily from winning the battle. Such cultures are far less likely to develop and utilize complex battlefield tactics and fight as individuals or small family groups once swords are crossed.
Intelligence - Most creatures have a fairly strong sense of self preservation and will seek to survive whenever possible. Very few creatures will fight to the death unless they are: (a) Complete fanatics (b) Convinced they will die if they surrender (ie, fighting a foe they know kills all prisoners) (c) Fighting against an immediate threat to home and loved ones (d) Very stupid. They will either seek to flee or, if flight is impossible, they will try to surrender. All too often, I see DMs have every creature that enters combat with the PCs fight mindlessly to the end, even when hopelessly outmatched.
Tactics
Tactics - These are some that I have found useful and that I posted to another board. The discussion was about hobgoblins, so they are referenced throughout the commentary.
(1) Concentration of Firepower - Typically, each enemy matches up against a PC. This is STUPID! Instead, they should concentrate all of their attention on the most dangerous looking PC first...all offensive spells, missile fire and melee attacks go against one PC until that one drops, then action moves to the next PC and so on. Enemies that can't attack, due to placement, will hold position with either readied actions or full defense.
(2) Feigned Retreat - One of my favorites, especially if you have PCs that break from the group to chase fleeing enemies. After the PCs take a couple out, the remainder turn and flee to a pre-arranged ambush/rally spot - usually around a blind corner or a room with good cover (ie, storage room with crates). Once there, they turn and pounce on the pursuing PC(s).
(3) Playing Dead - This one works great with (2) above. After swords are crossed, a couple of the opponents drop right after being hit and the remainder turn and flee. Of course, the ones that fell are only playing dead and rise up behind the pursuing PCs, catching them in a vice when the ambush is sprung (the old 'hammer and anvil' trick).
(4) Break Contact - Not used nearly enough by most DMs. If the PC clearly outmatch them, the combat team breaks contact and flees, preferrably by seperate routes, to a pre-designated rally point. Slugging it out with a clearly superior enemy toe-to-toe is foolish. The adepts/sorcerers might have a scroll with obscuring mist or wall of fog to help assist with this.
(5) Critical Mass at the Point of Attack - Use several combat teams to hit the PCs from different directions using the tactics above. The PCs will think they have died and gone to hell! Have the enemies break contact, regroup, drink their healing potions and come at 'em again and again.
(6) Hit and Run - Don't stand and fight! Pop out of a corridor, launch a round of attacks and move out. Use space and time to wear the party down, use up their resources and weaken them. Concentrate attacks and fire on obviously wounded PCs to take them out of the action.
If your PCs are getting cocky or don't use sound tactics, it is time to give them a drubbing they will never forget!
Old One
As some of you may know, I am an ex-military officer and a couple of people have posted asking about tactics that I use or have used in the past for NPCs and monsters. I will preface my tactics section with a couple of general comments to take into consideration when designing tactics for your own use:
General Considerations
Alignment - Typically, the more "lawful" in alignment, the better the overall tactics are going to be. For example, gnolls (CE) might be able to set-up a great ambush, but once it is sprung, every gnoll is fighting on their own and will not respond well to further orders except from a very strong leader. Hobgoblins, on the other hand, might execute a great ambush, then respond well to complex additional commands throughout the battle.
Training/Experience - Very important! Don't expect town guards or militia to be capable of intricate maneuvers or independant action. Also, rank and file members of humanoid tribes (goblins, orcs, etc) typically aren't going to be able to more than advance, attack and retreat absent additional training or very good leadership. These types tend to follow the last orders they were given, aren't very imaginative and their morale tends to be pretty brittle.
Veteran soldiers and humanoids with a strong culture (hobgoblins) should be capable of a variety of situational tactics, will use terrain intelligently, will use scouts and other intelligence gathering sources (like familiars) and are capable of independant action without constant leadership direction.
Leadership - Critically important, especially with poorly trained troops and creatures. One or two strong leaders can make a huge difference and spur even ill-trained forces to achieve great things. Conversely, the loss the such a leader will typically affect a poorly trained force much more than a veteran force, often causing them to break and run.
Morale - Great training and superior leadership can all be sabotaged by poor morale. Likewise, good morale can enable a force to stand in the face of overwhelming odds and continue to function. Poorly trained and led forces tend to have brittle morale, so a couple of casualties or the loss of a leader will cause them to turn and run. Elite forces can sustain enormous casualties and still fight - but virtually every unit does have its breaking point. In addition, failing morale is usually contagious. If a unit (or individual, in small unit actions) breaks and runs, then surrounding units often do as well, turning a retreat by the few into the rout of the many. Up through the Napoleonic period, most casualties on the losing side were suffered during the pursuit after the army broke and fled the field of battle.
Culture - In some cultures, honor and glory come from individual combat (Homeric Greece, Celts and Germanic tribesmen), not neccessarily from winning the battle. Such cultures are far less likely to develop and utilize complex battlefield tactics and fight as individuals or small family groups once swords are crossed.
Intelligence - Most creatures have a fairly strong sense of self preservation and will seek to survive whenever possible. Very few creatures will fight to the death unless they are: (a) Complete fanatics (b) Convinced they will die if they surrender (ie, fighting a foe they know kills all prisoners) (c) Fighting against an immediate threat to home and loved ones (d) Very stupid. They will either seek to flee or, if flight is impossible, they will try to surrender. All too often, I see DMs have every creature that enters combat with the PCs fight mindlessly to the end, even when hopelessly outmatched.
Tactics
Tactics - These are some that I have found useful and that I posted to another board. The discussion was about hobgoblins, so they are referenced throughout the commentary.
(1) Concentration of Firepower - Typically, each enemy matches up against a PC. This is STUPID! Instead, they should concentrate all of their attention on the most dangerous looking PC first...all offensive spells, missile fire and melee attacks go against one PC until that one drops, then action moves to the next PC and so on. Enemies that can't attack, due to placement, will hold position with either readied actions or full defense.
(2) Feigned Retreat - One of my favorites, especially if you have PCs that break from the group to chase fleeing enemies. After the PCs take a couple out, the remainder turn and flee to a pre-arranged ambush/rally spot - usually around a blind corner or a room with good cover (ie, storage room with crates). Once there, they turn and pounce on the pursuing PC(s).
(3) Playing Dead - This one works great with (2) above. After swords are crossed, a couple of the opponents drop right after being hit and the remainder turn and flee. Of course, the ones that fell are only playing dead and rise up behind the pursuing PCs, catching them in a vice when the ambush is sprung (the old 'hammer and anvil' trick).
(4) Break Contact - Not used nearly enough by most DMs. If the PC clearly outmatch them, the combat team breaks contact and flees, preferrably by seperate routes, to a pre-designated rally point. Slugging it out with a clearly superior enemy toe-to-toe is foolish. The adepts/sorcerers might have a scroll with obscuring mist or wall of fog to help assist with this.
(5) Critical Mass at the Point of Attack - Use several combat teams to hit the PCs from different directions using the tactics above. The PCs will think they have died and gone to hell! Have the enemies break contact, regroup, drink their healing potions and come at 'em again and again.
(6) Hit and Run - Don't stand and fight! Pop out of a corridor, launch a round of attacks and move out. Use space and time to wear the party down, use up their resources and weaken them. Concentrate attacks and fire on obviously wounded PCs to take them out of the action.
If your PCs are getting cocky or don't use sound tactics, it is time to give them a drubbing they will never forget!
Old One
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