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<blockquote data-quote="Runesong42" data-source="post: 2168597" data-attributes="member: 10578">I could take this from several angles.&nbsp; Before the PC's even attempt to challenge such a&nbsp; force, they should follow the 7 P's: &quot;Previous proper planning prevents piss-poor performance&quot;.&nbsp; The PC's should have at least some idea of their opposition; where they are located, how many there are, and any possible weaknesses they can exploit.If the PCs are asking for 'crusaders', it seems to me that mere foot soldiers/warriors can not have any effect on the monsters you have chosen to challenge the PCs.&nbsp; Many of those beasts will require magic weapons to overcome their DR.&nbsp; If the Church has any kind of Champion that they'd be willing to send into the field, then sure, add a supporting NPC or 2.&nbsp; Just remember that NPCs now hog XP, and either you or another PC will have to keep track of him during the onslaught.&nbsp; Heck, all of the PC's are high enough level to attract cohorts (provided you use the Leadership feat, either as is or 'ad hoc' for being their level and making an effort to seek cohorts).&nbsp; Let the PC's bring in 'Da Boyz', make the PC's sweat over gearing them up, and then let the bodies hit the floor.If they are looking for 'healers', said healers probably would not support the PC's on the front line.&nbsp; At best, I would expect them to stay back at some kind of &quot;base camp&quot; to heal the PC's who flee and Raise those that don't make it.&nbsp; And Clerics?&nbsp; They fall in between both categories of 'crusader' and 'healer'.&nbsp; I'd say that the Church should &quot;provide&quot; (ie assign cohorts/henchmen/followers - whatever the 3.5 rules call them now) a select number of men and maybe even gear them for the PCs, only to have them return to the Church once their goal is completed.&nbsp; This sounds closest to what the PC's are hoping for.The battle you propose can't be won by brute force.&nbsp; It should be a battle of attrition, one that can be won by &quot;hit and run&quot; tactics.&nbsp; Perhaps the Church also has a Sage that can help with some key weaknesses of the enemy. I know this sounds military-ish, but that's how I tend to think when I deal with mass combat in DnD.&nbsp; I learned to think this way in &quot;The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil&quot;, when I accidentally/on purpose made enough noise to summon an entire floor of monsters to our group's position.&nbsp; We made it, barely.&nbsp; If I had done what I had originally planned to do (potion of Invisibility, Move Silently, peek in rooms and take notes), the fight would have been much easier.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Runesong42, post: 2168597, member: 10578"] I could take this from several angles. Before the PC's even attempt to challenge such a force, they should follow the 7 P's: "Previous proper planning prevents piss-poor performance". The PC's should have at least some idea of their opposition; where they are located, how many there are, and any possible weaknesses they can exploit. If the PCs are asking for 'crusaders', it seems to me that mere foot soldiers/warriors can not have any effect on the monsters you have chosen to challenge the PCs. Many of those beasts will require magic weapons to overcome their DR. If the Church has any kind of Champion that they'd be willing to send into the field, then sure, add a supporting NPC or 2. Just remember that NPCs now hog XP, and either you or another PC will have to keep track of him during the onslaught. Heck, all of the PC's are high enough level to attract cohorts (provided you use the Leadership feat, either as is or 'ad hoc' for being their level and making an effort to seek cohorts). Let the PC's bring in 'Da Boyz', make the PC's sweat over gearing them up, and then let the bodies hit the floor. If they are looking for 'healers', said healers probably would not support the PC's on the front line. At best, I would expect them to stay back at some kind of "base camp" to heal the PC's who flee and Raise those that don't make it. And Clerics? They fall in between both categories of 'crusader' and 'healer'. I'd say that the Church should "provide" (ie assign cohorts/henchmen/followers - whatever the 3.5 rules call them now) a select number of men and maybe even gear them for the PCs, only to have them return to the Church once their goal is completed. This sounds closest to what the PC's are hoping for. The battle you propose can't be won by brute force. It should be a battle of attrition, one that can be won by "hit and run" tactics. Perhaps the Church also has a Sage that can help with some key weaknesses of the enemy. I know this sounds military-ish, but that's how I tend to think when I deal with mass combat in DnD. I learned to think this way in "The Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil", when I accidentally/on purpose made enough noise to summon an entire floor of monsters to our group's position. We made it, barely. If I had done what I had originally planned to do (potion of Invisibility, Move Silently, peek in rooms and take notes), the fight would have been much easier. [/QUOTE]

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