I want a mass combat system!

[shadow]

The D&D core rules include rules for a variety of situations, dungeon crawls, arial adventures, swimming, but so far don't include a mass combat system. This really has begun to annoy me lately since situations have arisen in game where mass combat would be very practical. I am forced to either sidestep a massive battle or wing it with the rules.
Although a variety of mass combat rules have come out by d20 publishers, none of them have been satisfactory in my opinion. The short blurb in the Quintessential Fighter was hardly sufficient; the system in AEG's War was terrible. The closest I've came to being satisfied with a mass combat system was in AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures. I had high hopes for Eden Studio's Field of Blood, but it's been over a year since I've heard anything about it and I strongly suspect that the project has quitely been canceled and we will never hear anything about it again.
With the Revised Core Rules coming out, I am hoping that Wizards will put mass combat rules in the DMG. The only thing that Wizards needs to the add to the Revised Core Rules is a mass combat system. I don't want another Chainmail, I want MASS COMBAT, not a skirmish level system. Nor do I want an overly abstract system, I want my characters to lead armies and take part in battles. Come on Wizards, give us a mass combat system!

 

[dave_o]

!

You might wanna try a little system I tried, which is simply creating "characters" for each unit in a battle.

Example: An elite squad of Elven archers would have a way high Dex, probably Weapon Finesse, etc.

Example: A squad of Drawven axemen would have high Str, alternatively, high Con, etc.

As for specialist units, simply create another "character" for that Pyromancy War Wizard squad, or what have you.

Then, simply determine some exact unit numbers, use the "squad" character as each character, and work some averages.

It's quick, it's dirty, but that's how I like it.

 

[NiTessine]

Well, Malhavoc is coming up with one in the summer, and Mongoose's Sláine has the Eyes Without Life, Sundered Heads and Piles of Corpses mass combat ruleset, or whatever they called it.

In my opinion, if WotC decides to make a mass combat system of their own, it should be a hardcover on its own, not in the Revised. That way, we'd get more than 'just a short blurb'.

 

[Ranger REG]

* shrugs his shoulders *

Heck, I'm stil waiting for Eden Studio to release Field of Blood: The Book of War for d20.

Unfortunately, Monte's Malhavoc Press might get their product out first, to be written by Skip "The Sage" Williams.

 

[MerricB]

The rumours have it that the relaunch of the D&D miniature game (that was known as Chainmail) will include mass-combat rules, in addition to all the other changes.

Cheers!

 

[shadow]

Heck, I'm stil waiting for Eden Studio to release Field of Blood: The Book of War for d20.

Is this book really coming out? I've got a feeling that the project has been cancelled. It was supposed to be out two years ago, I haven't heard anything of it since. Neither does my FLGS know anything about it leading me to believe that Eden Studios has ditched the project

 

[shadow]

Sorry, double post!

 

[Ranger REG]

Unless I miss the announcement, I do not recall that book project cancellation. All I know is that Matthew Colville is no longer working on that and his replacement has taken over.

 

[MulhorandSage]

Just to throw my hat in the ring.

Testament's got a nifty little mass combat system. It's probably not the universally applicable system you want, but it works for its milleu and has ideas that might be developed in interesting directions.

Scott Bennie
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Testament, coming in April from Green Ronin Publishing (www.greenronin.com)