Best book for large scale combats?

[Thurbane]

Hi all,

I'm looking to invest in a book (preferrably WotC, but not essential) that deals with running large scale, squad (or army) based conflicts - like how Battlesystem did back in ealier D&D editions...

I'm assuming Heroes of Battle is the way to go. I've got the Miniatures Handbook, but it doesn't really have what I'm looking for.

All suggestions welcomed - T

 

[Bayushi Seikuro]

Heroes of Battle is good, but I feel it is geared more towards squad-based combat, with the PCs as a squad. Very good book for making a flowchart of how the battle will go, twists, turns, etc.

I like that book.

But, I prefer the Black Company Sourcebook for mass combat. Squads are basically given PCs stats, etc. The commanders give them commands each round and make a command check to get the unit to do its action (like dc10 for attack). Also scales up to Company scale, which is a general-led army scale.

BCCS also includes prestige classes for topkicks (Sgts.) that give squads bonuses, like Imp Inititive in squad combat, and Great Generals.

I use a combination of both.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Fields of Blood, by Eden Studios, is good. There are a number of options around, but yeah, I've found that one particularly useful.

That, and a bunch of custom stuff + common sense and reading/watching (non fiction).


edit --- I believe it has been out of print for a while now, though. Other books that cover the same ground might not be. So that's a potential factor, I guess.

 

[Li Shenron]

I'm assuming Heroes of Battle is the way to go.

I don't think so. I haven't even seen the book, but people have been saying many times on this board that HoB does NOT have mass combat rules, if these are what you're looking for. Check out some review before buying.

 

[Paradigm]

Hi all,

I'm looking to invest in a book (preferrably WotC, but not essential) that deals with running large scale, squad (or army) based conflicts - like how Battlesystem did back in ealier D&D editions...

I'm assuming Heroes of Battle is the way to go. I've got the Miniatures Handbook, but it doesn't really have what I'm looking for.

All suggestions welcomed - T

I just converted 3.0 characters to Battlesystem when I wanted that aspect introduced a few years back. I had to work out a THAC0 conversion, but it wasn't too hard.

 

[Zogmo]

I don't have this but it's supposed to be really good. A few of my friends use this regularly.


http://www.montecook.com/mpress_Havoc.html

And you can buy the PDF for only $10 too.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I don't have this but it's supposed to be really good. A few of my friends use this regularly.

The fluff around it is indeed *very* good, but the crunch... is okay-ish. There is some kind of narrative system, that's good, the rest is essentially only standard combat x10 (in scale)...

One of the best attempts on mass combat was on the wizards boards... here. You might want to check that out.

 

[diaglo]

Chainmail (1971) by Gary Gygax & Jeff Perren

 

[Garnfellow]

There's a great thread on the main page that gives detailed descriptions of the various mass combat systems out there. Executive summary: there's no clear-cut system that blows the others away under all circumstances.

 

[Klaus]

I don't think so. I haven't even seen the book, but people have been saying many times on this board that HoB does NOT have mass combat rules, if these are what you're looking for. Check out some review before buying.

Li has the right of it. If you want rules for handling combat between armies or even battalions, HoB is most certainly *not* what you want.

Malhavoc's Cry Havok might be best for you.