Help me defend a pass. (My players go away!)
- Thread starter alsih2o
- Start date
Narfellus
First Post
Well, if i was a PC and saw that i would think of nothing OTHER than a way of getting around! A long hike in game terms is preferable to getting trounced by squads of orcs, ballistae and trolls. That's always fun to do though, throw something insane hard at PC's where they are just meant to tremble in their boots and feel very, very small. Do they have a way to find reinforcments from the woodland to strike the enemy? I DM, but i'm sort of on the "how would i beat this?" mode right now. Somehow flanking the enemy on both sides would probably do it, if you had adequate numbers.
Kid Charlemagne
I am the Very Model of a Modern Moderator
OK - 1/4 mile wide with 50 orcs isn't going to be easy - just covering the distance (1,320 feet) is going to be tough. Bow fire and ballista fire sounds like a plan.
Given that the captain is savvy, I'd work on getting a curved trench dug so that any point along that 1,320 feet can be covered by bowfire, or by a ballista. Dig down, don't build up - it will be tougher for the enemy to spot the fortifications that way. Think WW II hedge fighting. Camouflage the ballistas from spoting from the air or higher ground. Use the trees as cover where possible.
If possible, dig a long tunnel out towards the enemy position, and make it so you can release the troll down the tunnel so that it pops up into the enemy ranks from behind and starts wailing on anything that moves.
Dig a shallow trench just in front of the orcs main position filled with jagged objects (wooden spikes or jagged rocks) and camouflage it so that charging enemies trip and fall in, taking damage and drawing fire from the orcs. The orcs should be using the trenches for cover bonuses (+8 to AC, I'd suggest) and constantly moving to avoid targeted spells like fireballs.
Given that the captain is savvy, I'd work on getting a curved trench dug so that any point along that 1,320 feet can be covered by bowfire, or by a ballista. Dig down, don't build up - it will be tougher for the enemy to spot the fortifications that way. Think WW II hedge fighting. Camouflage the ballistas from spoting from the air or higher ground. Use the trees as cover where possible.
If possible, dig a long tunnel out towards the enemy position, and make it so you can release the troll down the tunnel so that it pops up into the enemy ranks from behind and starts wailing on anything that moves.
Dig a shallow trench just in front of the orcs main position filled with jagged objects (wooden spikes or jagged rocks) and camouflage it so that charging enemies trip and fall in, taking damage and drawing fire from the orcs. The orcs should be using the trenches for cover bonuses (+8 to AC, I'd suggest) and constantly moving to avoid targeted spells like fireballs.
Rel
Liquid Awesome
Narfellus said:
IIRC, it is a 4th level spell from Masters of the Wild. I know this is a 3.0 reference but who knows what folks are using these days.
It became a key feature in my last campaign because my wiley players figured out that not only did it let them travel overland at a rapid rate but it also let them get the entire party (and occasionally quite a few others) under the weight limit for Teleport. To say that they were mobile would be considerable understatement as they ranged up and down the length of two continents, more or less at will.
Narfellus said:
ah, but do the PCs know that the orcs are 50 strong, with a couple of ogres & a troll?
maybe the PCs encounter a few orc scouts at first, who launch a few arrows at long range & then retreat... the PCs may or may not pursue (ah, it's only a couple of orcs, why bother?) This happens a few more times and starts to be an annoyance... the PCs pursue and are led into the orc's designated battleground.
Narfellus
First Post
Well, with Rel's feather spell, ![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
the PC's would make multiple flyby rangings until they had determined the relative number, strength, and entrenchment of every possible enemy both day and night. Then they would fly to the next town, commission the local garrison to accompany them back to the lakes, and launch tactically sound skirmishes against the orcs.
Indeed, druids have powerful tricks. Given the initial scenario, using magic would probably be the only way to defeat it. A headlong assault would be suicide. Now that i'm thinking about magic, maybe the orcs could have a druid shaman themselves who can bolster the area with traps.
the PC's would make multiple flyby rangings until they had determined the relative number, strength, and entrenchment of every possible enemy both day and night. Then they would fly to the next town, commission the local garrison to accompany them back to the lakes, and launch tactically sound skirmishes against the orcs. Indeed, druids have powerful tricks. Given the initial scenario, using magic would probably be the only way to defeat it. A headlong assault would be suicide. Now that i'm thinking about magic, maybe the orcs could have a druid shaman themselves who can bolster the area with traps.
BSF
Explorer
Do the Orcs know they are holding the area against the party specifically? It looks like they are tasked with holding it from anybody that passes and the PCs just happen to be intersecting with this goal.
OK, the strip of land rises up? How high? What material? Is this like a natural dam? A giant dike? Is it a plummet into the lake on either side? Is it a slope to the lakeshore? These types of things are useful for tactics. Heck, I know you like pictures!
Any chance you have a picture of what the area kind of looks like?
You want a challenge to the PCs and you don't want there to be an easy way to bypass the encounter. If they really work at it and bypass it creatively you are fine though? It is an interesting scenario and your PCs are at the cusp of being high enough level to pick and choose their fights.
OK, the strip of land rises up? How high? What material? Is this like a natural dam? A giant dike? Is it a plummet into the lake on either side? Is it a slope to the lakeshore? These types of things are useful for tactics. Heck, I know you like pictures!
Any chance you have a picture of what the area kind of looks like? You want a challenge to the PCs and you don't want there to be an easy way to bypass the encounter. If they really work at it and bypass it creatively you are fine though? It is an interesting scenario and your PCs are at the cusp of being high enough level to pick and choose their fights.
Misdirection...trickery...defense in depth...
Let's look at this from the Orc standpoint...does the Orc leader "know" he is only facing the NPCs or is he unsure about what he is facing? I agree with KC...that is a lot of ground to cover with a small force. Also, if I am expecting to be assaulted by a large(r) force, my tactics are much different than if I am trying to keep a small infiltration unit out.
If my orders are "nothing gets through", here is what I do...
1) Defense in Depth - My 50-orc unit cannot cover the entire frontage, so I place a series of small obstacles to slow any enemy advance, determine their direction of attack, etc. Caltrops, pits, snares and bear traps are my friends here. Smaller, prepared fighting positions with ample stocks of missiles, interlocking ballista fire. My orders to my troops are to abandon forward fighting positions when pressed - trading space for time and whittling away at the enemy until they fall back to the "final protective position".
2) If I have some magic support - I use illusionary visual and auditory magic to make it seem like I have many more troops than I actually do. Straw dummies with a minor illusion, countermarching a squad around the position with 3-4 different colored tabards on, twice as many campfires as normal, etc so that a casual recon by the enemy might lead them to think I have 200+ troops. My caster is also tasked with using illusion to enhance the size of my counter-attack force (see below).
3) Anti-Infiltration Patrols - I would probably clear several 30'-40' wide swaths perpendicular to any expected infiltration route and spread flour, lime or another high contrast material so that a patrol could quickly see (visually) if creatures had passed through a defense zone and what direction they headed off in. A couple of wolf/warg and orc ranger teams patrol these zones.
4) If a breakthough occurs, my troops don't DIP (die in place), they break contact and flee, at all possible speed, to our rally point, where I have my counter-attack force (made up of big hitters - the ogres, trolls and an elite squad). Ideally, I fix the attackers on the final protective barrier and then hit the enemy from the flank or rear with my counterattack force.
5) Trap Door Spider - One of my favorite nasty tricks. Certain orcs (or a whole squad) have orders to "take a dive" as soon as they are hit or take damage. If they compatriots are fleeing and the enemy presses the attack, they aren't likely to check and ensure everyone is dead (they could even use bladders of animal blood to make it look more real). Once the battle has washed over them, they follow the battle and strike the enemy from behind once the battle at the final barrier is joined. An equally effective tactic is to have an elite strike team go to ground in a well-hidden location close (large pit) - but in front of - the final protective defense line. When the enemy engages along the final barrier, the elite team (troll, an ogre and a dozen orcs) burst from the ground and hit the enemy rear (mages, clerics, etc).
The major problem with a "static defense", as other have noted, is that it is very difficult to keep out a small infiltration team.
Good luck!
~ OO
Let's look at this from the Orc standpoint...does the Orc leader "know" he is only facing the NPCs or is he unsure about what he is facing? I agree with KC...that is a lot of ground to cover with a small force. Also, if I am expecting to be assaulted by a large(r) force, my tactics are much different than if I am trying to keep a small infiltration unit out.
If my orders are "nothing gets through", here is what I do...
1) Defense in Depth - My 50-orc unit cannot cover the entire frontage, so I place a series of small obstacles to slow any enemy advance, determine their direction of attack, etc. Caltrops, pits, snares and bear traps are my friends here. Smaller, prepared fighting positions with ample stocks of missiles, interlocking ballista fire. My orders to my troops are to abandon forward fighting positions when pressed - trading space for time and whittling away at the enemy until they fall back to the "final protective position".
2) If I have some magic support - I use illusionary visual and auditory magic to make it seem like I have many more troops than I actually do. Straw dummies with a minor illusion, countermarching a squad around the position with 3-4 different colored tabards on, twice as many campfires as normal, etc so that a casual recon by the enemy might lead them to think I have 200+ troops. My caster is also tasked with using illusion to enhance the size of my counter-attack force (see below).
3) Anti-Infiltration Patrols - I would probably clear several 30'-40' wide swaths perpendicular to any expected infiltration route and spread flour, lime or another high contrast material so that a patrol could quickly see (visually) if creatures had passed through a defense zone and what direction they headed off in. A couple of wolf/warg and orc ranger teams patrol these zones.
4) If a breakthough occurs, my troops don't DIP (die in place), they break contact and flee, at all possible speed, to our rally point, where I have my counter-attack force (made up of big hitters - the ogres, trolls and an elite squad). Ideally, I fix the attackers on the final protective barrier and then hit the enemy from the flank or rear with my counterattack force.
5) Trap Door Spider - One of my favorite nasty tricks. Certain orcs (or a whole squad) have orders to "take a dive" as soon as they are hit or take damage. If they compatriots are fleeing and the enemy presses the attack, they aren't likely to check and ensure everyone is dead (they could even use bladders of animal blood to make it look more real). Once the battle has washed over them, they follow the battle and strike the enemy from behind once the battle at the final barrier is joined. An equally effective tactic is to have an elite strike team go to ground in a well-hidden location close (large pit) - but in front of - the final protective defense line. When the enemy engages along the final barrier, the elite team (troll, an ogre and a dozen orcs) burst from the ground and hit the enemy rear (mages, clerics, etc).
The major problem with a "static defense", as other have noted, is that it is very difficult to keep out a small infiltration team.
Good luck!
~ OO
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