How do you deal with armies?

[DM-Rocco]

My characters are about to be thrown into leading an army, oh wait, I forgot, my players stay out.

Yeah, like that ever works

Anyway, I am looking for rules for handling armies. I don't want to have anything complicated, something quick and simple. I was thinking of some modified version of the swarm or mob rules. They are higher level, so I want them to be able to fight a whole unit by themselves, but also maybe add their strength to the unit.

What do you guys think? What do you use?

 

[The Sigil]

This is what you want.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=4037&

If the characters want to fight a whole unit "by themselves" use mobs and swarms. Otherwise use the above.

--The Sigil

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I like Fields of Blood for this kind of thing (theoretically, anyway, having not actually used it, being a player and all). It does make provision for unit leaders and there's a PrC that's specialized in fighting entire units by itself. That, however, doesn't sound like it's what you're immediately looking for.

Hrm...perhaps use something of a variant of the mob rules, where the constituents of the mob are attached to a leader to form a unit? This would let the PCs still be the center of attention. The leader forms the base and gets bonuses to attack and HP based on how many form up with him. You could expand that with penalties and bonuses based on how long they've been in the unit (Regdar's Roughnecks would be a much tougher proposition than some sort of scratch group that Tordek threw together). Have some sort of Cohesion rule, where after the unit takes enough damage, it might start to fall apart (again, based on experience and morale and such).

Brad

 

[Quickleaf]

Testament had a simple system, but what really stood out were the various feats offered for combat units and commanders. Two thumbs up!

Also, if they are going to war realize that will profoundly change their society. Military checkpoints, a draft being reinstated, industrial sabotage, cults of the hero, elite military units refusing to fight for political reasons, mutiny, dealing with ransom, interrogating enemies, getting trapped behind enemy lines, running out of iron ore to fashion weapons, faced with an ultimatum to resolve conflict before some greater authority gets involved, how to minimize atrocity committed on the battlefield, raising troop morale after they're routed, organizing a mass ambush, riding out to meet the leaders of the opposing army, rescuing a non-combatant in the middle of a battle, conscripting of slave-soldiers, entire towns with only old men, children, and widows, mass graves, military tribunals, etc.

 

[Arnwyn]

What do you guys think? What do you use?

For large armies, I use Eden's Fields of Blood rules.

For small armies/large skirmish units, I use Mongoose's OMCS II (found in Book of the Sea or Strongholds & Dynasties.

 

[DM-Rocco]

I'll check out Feild and blood and that link, thanks.


I was looking for some simple formula without having to read a whole book or three, but I will check them out.

 

[DM-Rocco]

Testament had a simple system, but what really stood out were the various feats offered for combat units and commanders. Two thumbs up!

Also, if they are going to war realize that will profoundly change their society. Military checkpoints, a draft being reinstated, industrial sabotage, cults of the hero, elite military units refusing to fight for political reasons, mutiny, dealing with ransom, interrogating enemies, getting trapped behind enemy lines, running out of iron ore to fashion weapons, faced with an ultimatum to resolve conflict before some greater authority gets involved, how to minimize atrocity committed on the battlefield, raising troop morale after they're routed, organizing a mass ambush, riding out to meet the leaders of the opposing army, rescuing a non-combatant in the middle of a battle, conscripting of slave-soldiers, entire towns with only old men, children, and widows, mass graves, military tribunals, etc.

Testament?

I had thought of most of those things, speacial slvae rovolts, but you did mention a few I didn't think of, thanks for that

 

[Stalker0]

I've been using the new mob rules from dmg II and I'm liking them so far. Its a quick and easy way to deal with large groups.

 

[Aluvial]

I've used this mass combat generator once or twice from Farland. It works fast!

http://www.farlandcampaign.homestead.com/battle.html

Otherwise Fields of Blood is exactly what you want. I've not tried the Grimm Tales product.

There is a Yahoo group with files you can download for use with fields of blood including Excel sheeets for region combat and a Access database with all of the unit stats.

Aluvial

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Otherwise Fields of Blood is exactly what you want. I've not tried the Grimm Tales product.

I own Fields of Blood, and I wrote the Grim Tales product.

I would say that Fields of Blood is good if you want to run a mass-combat themed campaign. Its army- and kingdom-governance rules are nice, but I don't think the actual combat resolution is all that great.

Grim Tales is good if you want quick, common-sense resolution of big battles. (And, it's only 2 bucks...)

However, it seems like the original poster wanted to be able to pit his heroes against units of enemies. Neither Fields of Blood nor Grim Tales is really going to satisfy this need particularly well.

I haven't seen the Mob rules but I suspect that's going to be closest to what you need.


Wulf