How to begin a war-based campaign?

[Dog Moon]

So eventually, the world will be rampant with war beneath the surface of the earth and the PCs will be great heroes leading armies to defend the forces of good and preventing the forces of evil from conquering the world below and taking the surface lands at their leisure.

However, at first, they are refugees coming to a large city in hope of something better.

Aaaaand, that's where I'm stuck. How do I go from refugees to recognized leaders? How do I make it interesting instead of someone finding them, seeing that they're better than the others and skilled in combat and use them for minor missions until giving them forces of their own? Heck, I'm completely at a loss atm of what missions would be good to start off...

Any help/ideas/suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Nightfall]

Well you could have one or two of them lead a skirmish and some how against all odds, their group survives and thus wins an important outpost victory.

Just an idea.

Just keep it between 10-20 guys along with the PCs.

That and some 300esque cinema fights should do it.

 

[Dog Moon]

That and some 300esque cinema fights should do it.

Hehe, I don't think they're ready for those kind of fights at levels 2-3.

Unless I powered them up!

 

[Nightfall]

Dog,

I'm not suggesting that exactly, but give the PCs a tactical advantage, you know higher ground, better positioning, things of that nature. Good warfare is, after all, about good tactics.

 

[Dog Moon]

Dog,

I'm not suggesting that exactly, but give the PCs a tactical advantage, you know higher ground, better positioning, things of that nature. Good warfare is, after all, about good tactics.

No, I understand that. I'm a pretty decent tactical person, and actually, their (dis)advantage in the various battles will depend on how quickly they arrive and if they can spot the choiciest of places. Thinking of such things is easy for me. My main problem is trying to work them up from level 2 to the point where I can put all these tactics to use.

 

[painandgreed]

Players are in a group of refugees. Somebody attackes. PCs being PCs attack back while everybody else runs away. PCs win and refugees come back expecting the players to lead them. Once they reach the city, the refugees tell the city guard what happened in inflated terms and the city leaders beleive them and put them in increasing levels of command over missions of importance. COuld be interesting as more may be expected of the PCs than they think they can even provide, but will the PCs play down their own importance, and will anybody beleive them or just think they're being modest?

 

[Nightfall]

Eh this is where you might want to give them access to team work benefits, and some other stuff that build groups via PHB II.

That and possibly give them like a banner/symbol to give them morale bonuses.

Pain,

I think Dog wants something a tad more...mechanically in mind.

Right Dog?

 

[Dog Moon]

Pain,

I think Dog wants something a tad more...mechanically in mind.

Right Dog?

Actually... that might be something good for a different thread. Right now, I was just working on trying to get storyline ideas of what to do.

 

[Nightfall]

So you want to start another thread then?

or you want to keep it in this one?

I'm good either way. I just want to help in any way I can!

 

[Clueless]

Politics? There's always politics in a city that size, and there may be a political faction particularly associated with the army itself even. You may want to play it up like some of the Roman politics did. Whoever led the army ruled in the background, and whoever *fed* the army was generally the same person.

Let them get in good with some folks in the city - possibly because they're the useful handymen that anyone can hire and be able to disavow knowledge of their actions, but they'll still get things *done*.

If you play it right (and they play it right) they could eventually end up knowing the keypoint of plotting for multiple factions within the city - just by derth of having paid attention during previous jobs. Perhaps they figure out from the rumors and assignments they have - or they call in enough long standing favors - to know what's going on. They find an artifact, or get a vote in senate/parliement/whatever-you-want-to-call-it to swing command their way.

I will say this - if you want them to be in charge of the army - it may be easier to make the players themselves want that position (and they'll figure out a way to do it, Lord knows players are good at that), than to try and jury rig NPCs into having an excuse for it.