Circling the Wagons

[HandofMystra]

I am running an encounter where wagons (these are presumably well-made wagons from Keoland) are attacked on a wide road. Ideally, the wagons could be circled. If not, at least one could be brought up parallel to the other to provide cover from both sides. This would be part of the training of a caravan teamster. I was thinking that wagons could have maneuverability like flyers. We assume every self-propelled creature has the 2-D analog of perfect maneuverability. Poor maneuverability allows a turn of 45 degrees in 5' with a max turn of 45 degrees. Not knowing wagons beyond toys (would they have a pivoting front axle?), this seems reasonable to me.


Or maybe the teamsters should run away while the PCs handle it. Naw, a wagon moves at 20' and my baddies move at 30. Maybe once all the badies are engaged, the wagons could leave. I guess to be ready for that, they could pull up parallel without compromising their ability to flee.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Circling the wagons was an intersting tactic designed to fit a specific scenario..

Allies are slow, have supplies/people to protect and have ranged weaponry and see the enemy before they engage.

Opponents are faster, want to take supplies/kill people and have ranged weaponry. Opponents cannot simply charge in to melee range as the allies fire is lethal enough to drop them before they make it into the circle.

In a world with Fireball, circling the wagons could be a very dangerous deal... unless you have some sort of protection against magic. With magic involved, perhaps splitting off a group to delay the attackers might be a valid tactic, but only if the PC's have better movement and can actually stop the attackers instead of being bypassed.

In a world with lots of hitpoints, even a no-magic setting gets to be interesting as all it takes is one decent level barabrian to break your circle of protection

All really depends on what sort of work you have, I guess. The advantages of circling the wagons is gaining Cover and limiting where the enemy can attack you from. Still a farily valid tactic when the chips are down.

As to mechanics, the best way to to have the circling the wagons occur before 'combat' actually starts, that way you don't have to worry about turning radius or any of that stuff. If you want to do it in combat, a 1/8 face per 5' forward should suffice for the wagons. The Teamsters would have this tactic down to a science.. or you could make the poor PC's excercise thier Handle Animal skills

 

[Rabelais]

I agree... having the teamsters run off would actually put them at more risk of being attacked. Circling the wagons is an important tactic.

Watch out for those AoE spells though.

 

[moritheil]

If the enemies want the PCs all dead, then you're just lining up for fireballs. If they want you all alive, or the goods intact, circling the wagons is feasible.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

wrap yourself in the merchants' most expensive silk. then no one will want to hurt you if they want the goods.