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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rothe" data-source="post: 2844036" data-attributes="member: 39813">As mentioned, there are several systems one could use or modify.  the biggest problem may be in integrating magic that is not straight forward damage type (e.g., fireball).Basic D&D in the Rules Compendium has a strategic combat setion IIRC.  Another approach is to modify (use the tables) of a squad level system like Squad Leader.  To get some idea of how various things change the odds of winning a battle, one could look at Clausewitz or better yet Depuy in Understanding War.  Some general ideas:Units can be represented by Combat Power.  Combat power is more than just numbers but also training and equipment amoung other things.  Historical data shows that increases in training, weapon lethality etc. act as multipliers to combat power.  For example combat power=numbers x weapon lethality x training.A classic military maxim shows an application of this:  Typical wisdom is an attacker needs at elast a 3 to 1 advantage to overcome a prepared defender.  The defensive position thus providing a multiplier of 3 in the combat power equation.To much?  Then treat large units as individuals.  Each group of 10, 50, 100 troops etc. is given stats as an individual based on the average or weakest individual in te unit.  Choose the scale so each side has say between 5-20 "individuals" then run combat as you would for individuals.  Add in moral in the sense that once a unit suffers x-hits it may break, run, lose cohesion, or fight on at a penalty.  The casualties to the unit are a % of the hit points loss by the "individual."  You can decided how many outright dead vs. wounded.  But I'd usggest many more wounded and maybe each out-right dead soldier counting as double for % purposes.  To decide if a character is hurt, take a straight % and modify.  If 100 men in the unit it's 1% modify up if character takes risks, unlucky (in the flank and enemy makes flank attack) and lower if the character is better than the average man in the unit.  Alternative, the character takes a number of HP or % equal to that taken by the "individual" representing the unit.  Finally, you may want to let the PC influence the action slightly, say if they can succesfully attack/defend a portion the overall loses of the unit are smaller and/or the enemy higher.  There may be a chance for  PC to take a chance an emerge a hero of the battle even if their side loses.Magic is trickier, but unless you have a lot of casters casting at the same time the same thing, the effects on large units is going to be reduced.  Say the unit is 100 men, stated as a single man with 10 HP (the numbers are purley for example purposes). A 100 man vs. a 100 man unit fight is conducted as 2 "men" with 10 HP each fighting.  If one inflicts 4 points of damage that is a 40% casualty rate on the other side.  Add in mage that can cast a 100 damage fireball, against a 100 man unit (which really has 10x100=1000 HP) the mage might do 1 point of damage to the 100 man unit treated as an individual.I'd strongly suggest including morale effects and units breaking, and also include a decrease in damage done with casuallties.  To reflect defenses, better terrain, better formations, etc. I'd add HP, to reflect better leadership, flank atttacks, support (e.g., better magic) I'd add to the damage the unit inflicts, to reflect bad leaders I'd lower the damage the unit inflicts.</blockquote>

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