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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Veilheim" data-source="post: 17738" data-attributes="member: 2048">For what it's worth...For what it's worth, I actually have already done some rules for this and used them a couple of times.  They seem to work pretty well, actually... I didn't have problems with the game, and the character activity fit well inside the action.   You can find the original in the conversion library.  I've added a couple of morale tips to this, and could use cleaning the initiative system up a bit..   The big differences between yours and mine is yours is more wargamish (some bookkeeping), where mine is more "a big version of DND combat.  Both systems work.  I like some of the stuff you've got here, though. Quick and Dirty Skirmishes and Wars for DND3EInterim Rules for Battlefield Actions in DNDBy Brennan O’Brien<a href="mailto:Veilheim@yahoo.com">Veilheim@yahoo.com</a>This system is not intended to carefully detail all possible activity in war.  Doing so would take forever and isn’t what I wanted.   What I did want when I set out to create this quick and dirty system was some means of adjudicating large scale conflicts on a battlefield where my hero PCs were running around doing their own dirty work.  So, I started out using the model of a combat between two characters as my basis of creating this system.  I’ve noticed that combats in my own game end up looking a lot like really ugly wars, and I figured the closer I could make the system to adhering to the existing DND3E rules, the easier it would be for me (and others) to use it.   Not only did I want my characters to have a backdrop of war during an adventure, but I also wanted something I could incorporate the various monsters from the new Monster Manual, the Creature Catalog, or any other source.  SCALE1 TURN on the battlefield represents 1 minute.Scale  1”=10’ on the battlefield. UNIT SCALESUnits are represented by single counters of a size based on the size of the creature represented.  Fine        ½” x ½”Diminutive    1”x1”Tiny        2”x2”Small        3”x3”Medium        4”x4”Large        6”x6”Huge        8”x8”Gargantuan    10”x10”Colossal        20”x20” MOVEMENTThe standard move on the battlefield is equal to the SPEED of the unit divided by 2.5, in INCHES  Therefore, a standard human could move 30’ / 2.5 = 12” per turn.  This assumes the unit is maintaining some level of coherence as it moves across the field. (Some of you may notice this also is the conversion figure used from 2nd Edition to 3rd Edition).  A move is considered from the CENTER of the unit to the CENTER point of the new location.  A unit may change to any facing as they move.  A unit CANNOT move through another unit in any way.  If there is insufficient room for a unit to move between two units, or a unit and another blockade, the unit MUST stop upon reaching point where it can no longer move.  (Note: This differs from the PHB, where individuals can pass through other friendly units).REACH Reach is the distance a unit threatens.  It is equal to 1” per 5’ of normal reach.  Attacks of opportunity occur in the same fashion as presented in the Core Rules.  Therefore, if another group passes within 1” of a unit with a (normal) 5’ reach, they are subject to an attack of opportunity (assuming the action would trigger an AOO). UNIT TYPEA unit can be comprised of any creature.  In practice, the creatures used should probably be something which can either be controlled or can control itself – humanoids, trained animals, etc.  Because the statistics used for warfare are derived directly from the profile of the creature itself, its easy to plug in a creature to these Q&D rules. HIT POINTSHit Points for a unit is determined by finding the average HP for the creature represented, multiplied by 10. Hit points are broken down into four groups, which show the relative current strength of the unit at any given time.  100%, 50%, 25% and 0%.  As a unit suffers casualties, its hit points are reduced.  As the unit reaches one of the groups points, it looses combat effectiveness.  ARMOR CLASSAC is determined as normal for the creature being represented. INITIATIVEInitiative is determined as normal for the creature being represented. FORTITUDE/REFLEX/WILLSaving throws are determined as normal for the creature being represented.MELEE ATTACKSMelee attack bonuses are determined as normal for the creature being represented.   Creatures with multiple attacks should be noted as such.  Each of these attacks can be attempted as an action during the UNITS action.MELEE DAMAGEBecause multiple individuals are attacking, the value of damage varies from the basic rules.  A successful attack against another  unit delivers damage based on the normal damage dice of the creature, modified by the current strength of the unit. Current Strength 100%    50%    25%    0%Damage Dice        10x    5x    2x    0xMELEE DISTANCEIn order to enter melee combat, a target must be in reach of the unit.  As discussed earlier, reach is equal to 1” per 5’ of reach listed for the unit.  MELEE DIRECTIONA unit can only attack with full strength from directly forward.  A unit can attack at half strength (50% of current Damage Dice) for attacks to the side, and cannot attack to the rear of the unit.RANGED ATTACKSRanged attack bonuses are determined as normal for the creature being represented.  Creatures with multiple attacks should be noted as such.  Each of these attacks can be attempted as an action during the UNITS action. RANGED DAMAGERanged damage is handled in the same fashion as Melee damage, diminishing as the unit looses strength. RANGED DISTANCEDivide the ranged increment of the attack by 2.5” and round to the nearest inch.  This is the distance the unit can attack in range increments. RANGED DIRECTIONRanged direction, unlike Melee direction, can be directed out the forward, sides or rear of the unit without changing the strength of the attack.  MORALEAs a unit looses strength, it runs the risk of being demoralized.   A unit reduced to 50% must make a WILL save against DC15 to remain functional.  This WILL Save is again made any time the unit takes further damage.  A unit reduced to 25% must make a save against DC20 to remain functional, and makes an additional WILL save at DC20 each time it is further damaged.  A unit which fails a MORALE save first drops to SHAKEN status.  SHAKEN requires the unit make a save WILL versus DC15 each round before it can attempt any action.  Failure means the unit cannot act on this round.  If a unit is SHAKEN and is required to make another MORALE check and fails, the unit is BROKEN.  The unit will begin retreating from it’s position during its action in the next combat round.   A BROKEN unit can take no offensive action, cannot attempt Attacks of Opportunity, or perform any action other than a hasty retreat from the field.  Finally, if a BROKEN unit is required to make another MORALE save and fails, the unit is considered ROUTED, with all members fleeing independent of one another.  The unit counter is immediately removed from play.  LEADERSHIPA character capable of performing the leadership skill can attempt to RALLY troops which have been SHAKEN or BROKEN.  A DC20 skill attempt is necessary to successfully RALLY SHAKEN troops.  A DC25 skill attempt is necessary to successfully RALLY BROKEN troops.   The character must be within 3” of the unit in order to attempt to RALLY. CHARACTERSIn addition to providing battlefield leadership, characters can perform other actions, up to and including attacking units, casting spells, etc.   There’s a bit of time crunch in here, so play it by ear.  Remember that a single round in battlefield time is 10 normal combat rounds.  A single character can get a lot of damage off in 10 rounds unanswered (because the target unit hasn’t reached it’s initiative yet).  Therefore, the EASIEST method to handling this is to break the unit INITIATIVES into groups of 5, and allow all characters on the board to act during their initiative.  HUH?  Okay, check this out…..  There are 20 units and 6 characters on the board.   By SHEER STROKE OF LUCK (yeah, uh huh, right…) the UNITS have their initiative running between 20 and 1.  So, for the actual TURN of BATTLEFIELD COMBAT goes something like this… (CHARACTERS ACT) 20…. 19….18….17…(CHARACTERS ACT) 16….15….14….13….(CHARACTERS ACT) 12….11….10….9(CHARACTERS ACT) 8…..7…..6…..5(CHARACTERS ACT) 4….3….2…..1So, with the characters in the mix, with their initiatives of 17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3, the combat turn on the battlefield goes something like this…. (17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3) 20…. 19….18….17…(17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3) 16….15….14….13….(17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3) 12….11….10….9(17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3) 8…..7…..6…..5(17, 14, 13, 8, 7, 3) 4….3….2…..1So the characters start the combat off, and all of the characters act.  Then the UNITS get into the action, then the characters again, some more units, characters, units….  Etc.   Again, play this by ear.  What you don’t want is a 5th level character delivering 100 unanswered HP of damage to a UNIT of STORM GIANTS and then darting away before anyone can do anything….</blockquote>

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