D20 Mechanics for a Sheildwall and Spearwall etc
- Thread starter Tonguez
- Start date
drnuncheon
Explorer
Tonguez said:
A spearwall is simply a bunch of people standing next to each other with longspears. When people charge, the front ranks set to receive the charge and inflict massive amounts of damage on the fools.
A shield wall - I've seen feats in a couple of places (GR's Hammer and Helm comes to mind) that deal with shield walls. Generally they give a slight AC bonus to people fighting next to other people with this feat. Since it's not something a bunch of people not trained in formation fighting would be able to do, I think a Feat is a good way to represent it.
J
RangerWickett
Legend
Shield walls used large shields, right? The frontline warriors would stand in close quarters, using their shields to block, with swords to hit anyone who got too close, right? Or do you mean a pike hedge?
I'd say that a shield wall requires at least 4 people, and they must share two adjacent squares and choose a facing. The warriors must stand two in each square, so they lose their Dexterity bonus to AC, but against attacks from the chosen direction, they gain 3/4 cover. This is in addition to the shield bonus of whatever armor and shield shield the warrior being attacked has. So if a warrior in chainmail (+5 AC) has a +2 large shield (+4 AC) and is in a shield wall (+7 AC), he'd have a total AC of 26. He also gains a +3 bonus to Reflex saves from the cover.
The warriors in a shield wall can only move at half normal speed, and they all move and act at the same initiative. Since they are all so close, there isn't any special rule needed for them all knowing to move in the same direction. A shield wall can only move straight in the direction it is defending against, or slightly to either side. If it wants to move at a slight angle, it can more laterally no more than 5 feet for every 10 feet of forward movement.
A shield wall only provides cover against attacks from directly in front. A warrior at the edge of the shield wall that is attacked from a corner angle only uses his normal shield bonus, and gains no special cover bonus.
A pike hedge works basically the same way, only that the warriors have spears. If there are multiple ranks of a pike hedge, the warriors at the second rank have a 20% miss chance because of the concealment the rank in front of them provides. Warriors in a third rank of a pike hedge basically can see nothing beyond the front of the hedge, and thus attack blindly with a 50% miss chance.
I'd say that a shield wall requires at least 4 people, and they must share two adjacent squares and choose a facing. The warriors must stand two in each square, so they lose their Dexterity bonus to AC, but against attacks from the chosen direction, they gain 3/4 cover. This is in addition to the shield bonus of whatever armor and shield shield the warrior being attacked has. So if a warrior in chainmail (+5 AC) has a +2 large shield (+4 AC) and is in a shield wall (+7 AC), he'd have a total AC of 26. He also gains a +3 bonus to Reflex saves from the cover.
The warriors in a shield wall can only move at half normal speed, and they all move and act at the same initiative. Since they are all so close, there isn't any special rule needed for them all knowing to move in the same direction. A shield wall can only move straight in the direction it is defending against, or slightly to either side. If it wants to move at a slight angle, it can more laterally no more than 5 feet for every 10 feet of forward movement.
A shield wall only provides cover against attacks from directly in front. A warrior at the edge of the shield wall that is attacked from a corner angle only uses his normal shield bonus, and gains no special cover bonus.
A pike hedge works basically the same way, only that the warriors have spears. If there are multiple ranks of a pike hedge, the warriors at the second rank have a 20% miss chance because of the concealment the rank in front of them provides. Warriors in a third rank of a pike hedge basically can see nothing beyond the front of the hedge, and thus attack blindly with a 50% miss chance.
Mark
CreativeMountainGames.com
Might I suggest looking this over...? 
http://www.creativemountaingames.com/games/lexus/lexus_group_combat.pdf
http://www.creativemountaingames.com/games/lexus/lexus_group_combat.pdf
the Jester
Legend
I'll go along with the idea of feats as a good way to represent the training necessary to stand shoulder to shoulder in a shield wall.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Umbran said:
Not sure about standard D&D, but since I am reading d20 Modern now it is at the top of my memory:
d20 Modern lets you use Aid Another to give a friend a +2 bonus to AC.
Of course it is an attack action... so it's far from the perfect representation...
Wulf
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
Of course you could always just realise that the standard rules for tower shields cover this quite easily - the wall formation would simply boost the cover you recieve on your two diagonals to full instead of half normal.
The only real problem is that you couldn't use the standard rules to emulate this, because under standard rules each person requires a 5-foot square of fighting space, and a shieldwall spread out that much would be worthless.
The only real problem is that you couldn't use the standard rules to emulate this, because under standard rules each person requires a 5-foot square of fighting space, and a shieldwall spread out that much would be worthless.
seasong
First Post
In my current campaign, we've been doing it this way:
1. Tower shields provide up to complete cover to the person behind them, or 75% cover to an attacking person (+7 AC).
2. The shield guards carry the shield, and stay roughly in line with their buddies. I ruled that this counts for 75% cover against the front (the slight vulnerability is due to imperfections in the shield wall). Shield guards who choose to stay in the line get no dodge or DEX bonus; they can break ranks and gain their usual bonuses.
Note: I allow shield guards to fight within a 3' wide space, since they are not actually fighting, just carrying a shield. Someone without proficiency in the tower shield, however, will jostle those around him, and thus needs the 5' wide space.
3. Spear soldiers stab through the gaps in the shield. The spearmen get 75% cover (+7 AC); the enemy gets 50% cover (+4 AC). Longspear soldiers stand one more rank back and stab through the gaps as well. The enemy gets an additional +2 AC against the longspearmen, but retaliation is almost impossible.
4. A few semi-random modifiers:
Uphill battles: An enemy that is uphill of the shield wall reduces the shield wall's cover to 50%. Shield guards can carry their shield at a high angle, but this is exhausting (checking for being winded, exhausted, collapse each minute).
Tricky terrain: Reduced visibility is a serious hazard, here. On unstable ground, I require Reflex saves not to fall down.
5. The shield guards can take a couple of feats to help them out:
Tight Formation: If you and both adjacent shield guards possess this feat, you receive total cover from your tower shield while in formation. Your shield can still be attacked and damaged, but you are completely hidden behind it. You may only move at 5 feet per round, as you can not see where you are going. A solid wall on one side counts as a shieldmate with this feat, but walls on both sides negates this feat. People behind you (such as spear soldiers) still only receive 75% cover.
Spear Friend: You are skilled at making openings in the shield wall at just the right moments. The enemy only receives 25% cover (+2 AC) against the spearmen.
Shield High: You have developed the strength and discipline necessary to carry your shield at a high angle, negating the penalty of fighting uphill, without swift exhaustion. Check for tiring every 10 minutes instead of every minute.
1. Tower shields provide up to complete cover to the person behind them, or 75% cover to an attacking person (+7 AC).
2. The shield guards carry the shield, and stay roughly in line with their buddies. I ruled that this counts for 75% cover against the front (the slight vulnerability is due to imperfections in the shield wall). Shield guards who choose to stay in the line get no dodge or DEX bonus; they can break ranks and gain their usual bonuses.
Note: I allow shield guards to fight within a 3' wide space, since they are not actually fighting, just carrying a shield. Someone without proficiency in the tower shield, however, will jostle those around him, and thus needs the 5' wide space.
3. Spear soldiers stab through the gaps in the shield. The spearmen get 75% cover (+7 AC); the enemy gets 50% cover (+4 AC). Longspear soldiers stand one more rank back and stab through the gaps as well. The enemy gets an additional +2 AC against the longspearmen, but retaliation is almost impossible.
4. A few semi-random modifiers:
Uphill battles: An enemy that is uphill of the shield wall reduces the shield wall's cover to 50%. Shield guards can carry their shield at a high angle, but this is exhausting (checking for being winded, exhausted, collapse each minute).
Tricky terrain: Reduced visibility is a serious hazard, here. On unstable ground, I require Reflex saves not to fall down.
5. The shield guards can take a couple of feats to help them out:
Tight Formation: If you and both adjacent shield guards possess this feat, you receive total cover from your tower shield while in formation. Your shield can still be attacked and damaged, but you are completely hidden behind it. You may only move at 5 feet per round, as you can not see where you are going. A solid wall on one side counts as a shieldmate with this feat, but walls on both sides negates this feat. People behind you (such as spear soldiers) still only receive 75% cover.
Spear Friend: You are skilled at making openings in the shield wall at just the right moments. The enemy only receives 25% cover (+2 AC) against the spearmen.
Shield High: You have developed the strength and discipline necessary to carry your shield at a high angle, negating the penalty of fighting uphill, without swift exhaustion. Check for tiring every 10 minutes instead of every minute.
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