Kevin O'Reilly
First Post
Stronghold
Introduction
The world in Stronghold is one in which heroes and villains take their personal disputes onto the battlefield. In Stronghold bands, regiments, and armies do battle; the victors gaining the right to shape the near-term destiny of the region as defeat often depletes the loser’s power base.
Stronghold is a game in which models on the table top represent the position of the forces on the battlefield. Each model in a unit represents a proportional number of troops; sometimes 1, some times 5, sometimes 25 for true battles. (With over 100 models a side the latter would represent over 5,000 troops on the battlefield.). However, a model representing a hero is always a single model, no matter the scale used. In larger battles, the hero (unless a monster) will have almost no individual effect.
Changes in the System from 3e
In moving from a simulation that represents the combat element of a role-play system to one that simulates mass combat, certain changes need to be made to prevent rules seizure in the game.
A primary change in the move from role-play to mass combat is the length of the turn sequence. In role-play, a combat simulation lasts 6 seconds, during which the models can move, fight and cast spells. The d20 system is designed to handle combat in a limited space situation, a dungeon corridor, a large dwarven hall, a druid’s grove or a city tavern. In all situations, the models are quickly engaged in action within a round of movement. In Stronghold the actual round is a little fuzzier, but is more like two rounds in role-play, avoiding endless rounds of movement.
Actions
While the Stronghold system uses the flexibility of the 3e system. Each round continues to be comprised of a two actions – unlike role-play where the round is comprised of a Standard action and Move Equivalent action. The player determines when a unit will move, fire or fight, rather than an artificial Move-Fire-Fight sequence imposed upon them.
In the 3e d20 system, an average model’s move is 30 per action, with the option of running. In most situations a model’s maximum move will be 60 feet. On the battlefield, much greater distances separate forces. Under 3e role-play rules, an army engaging the enemy 480 feet away (really not a long distance) would take 6 rounds across open ground, assuming no running and a charge at the end. Not the most exciting of games.
Stronghold system handles the differences in actions in the following way.
Move
All move is in inches. A unit that can move 30 feet in 3e role-play has a 6” notation. However, each inch of movement is equivalent to 10 feet. Thus, a model with a 30 feet move in role-play can move 6 inches in an action, or 12 inches a combat round (assuming it uses both actions to move). A Light Calvary unit with 60 feet move in 3e role-play would have a 12” move, or 120 feet in an action.
Melee Combat
To represent the fact that a round is in effect twice as long, when a unit initiates a melee attack on another unit, the other unit retaliates simultaneously with its own attacks. Thus, in any given combat round a unit in base-to-base contact will have two sequences of attack; one in their own turn, and a Retaliatory Attack when their opponents attack. While some situations will give one side or the other first strike, base-to-base attacks are usually resolved simultaneously. A unit always strikes with its full compliments of attacks.
Missile Combat
Units that rely on missile fire may only fire once per round unless the unit has Rapid Fire. The reasoning behind this rule is the process of draw-pull-fire, is a co-coordinated event in Stronghold, and simply takes longer.
However, missile weapons that traditionally require a round of loading can ignore this rule and fire at the rate of a bow in Stronghold.
Finally, as a free action, even if the unit has already fired in the combat round, a charged unit that passes a morale check can stand and fire a final volley of arrows. If they do this, they forgo the right to a Retaliatory Attack in that round’s melee.
Facing and the Front Row– In the role-play game there is no facing. However, in Stronghold, units have facing, though heroes do not. In mass combat, a unit cannot just turn and change facing; all the individuals must communicate before moving.
Facing is of prime importance in combat as it determines a units flank and rear. When a unit is assaulted in either of these positions its enemy gains major battlefield modifiers.
Generally, a unit is considered to be in the front row based on the facing. If a unit is all facing in the same direction, then the unit that is facing in the same direction, but has no other unit in front of it, this is the front row.
• Units change facing at the cost of an action
• Heroes, that are not joined to a unit change facing as a free action, an they have no flank or rear. That is, no matter the direction a hero has frontage on all sides are considered front - This is why heroes are mounted on round bases
Spell Casting
Spell casters may cast a spell in each action. That is they can spell cast twice in a round. Spell casters with Concentration (5) may cast and move once, those with Concentration (10) may cast and move twice in a round.
In addition, as detailed in the Chapter 8: Spells and Spell-like Abilities, spell casters may cast up to 3 spells immediately before any battle commences.
How combat works
Unlike conventional fantasy war gaming where a die is rolled for each model in the unit, in Stronghold a single d20 is rolled for each unit and the random result is applied to a series of modifiers from the unit, the battlefield and strategies employed. This number provides a multiplier that determines the real damage done by the unit. This is the Mass Combat Mechanic™.
Thus, the effectiveness of the unit is a combination of the units strengths, it’s current state of morale, the weapons it wields, the strategies employed on the battlefield, the choice of battlefield location, and the luck of the gods.
The Base Combat Score is determined by calculated by subtracting the defending units Armor value from the attackers BAB. The player then adds modifiers to the Base Combat Score to calculate the Modified Combat Score.
The sequence looks like this
1. Calculate Base Combat Score [Attackers BAB]-[Defenders Armor]
2. Add Modifiers (Modified Combat Score)
a. Unit Modifiers – from Battle Card , both attacker and defender
b. Strategy Modifiers
c. Battlefield Modifiers
3. Roll the die; add +1 per point over 10, subtract -1 per point under 10.
4. Sum the total – this is the Combat Score (CS)
5. Compare the final value of the damage modifier table
6. Determine all the eligible models in the combat and multiply the damage per model by the damage modifier
7. Remove casualties
Magic also has a similar resolution.
Wounds and Damage
In 3e role-play models have hit points, while in Stronghold they have Wounds. The difference is mainly centered on bookkeeping. Likewise, weapon damage is simplified in the same manner. Conversion is simply:
Dice Hit Points
d4 2
46 3
48 4
d10 5
d12 6
d20 10
Thus a 7th level Wizard has 14 wounds, while a 4th level Barbarian has 24 wounds. Note only the Hit Dice convert, bonus hit points from Constitution are treated in a different way (see Mass Combat Mechanic™ above). For convenience, players should use the actual hit points of models from role-play games, less Extra Constitution of course.
Also, it may also be easier to use the average hit points for monsters used in the Monster Manual. Again, care must be taken to exclude hit points from Extra Constitution as the Stronghold system uses a different combat mechanic.
In resolving the damage done in combat, dice are not actually rolled, rather the fixed amount indicated by the table opposite is used. So, a Longsword (d8) does 4 wounds, a Great Axe (d12) 6 wounds, while a fireball cast by a 7th level Wizard does 21 wounds, (d6, 7 times) while a 5th level cleric casts a Cure Light Wound s for 10 wounds of healing.
Introduction
The world in Stronghold is one in which heroes and villains take their personal disputes onto the battlefield. In Stronghold bands, regiments, and armies do battle; the victors gaining the right to shape the near-term destiny of the region as defeat often depletes the loser’s power base.
Stronghold is a game in which models on the table top represent the position of the forces on the battlefield. Each model in a unit represents a proportional number of troops; sometimes 1, some times 5, sometimes 25 for true battles. (With over 100 models a side the latter would represent over 5,000 troops on the battlefield.). However, a model representing a hero is always a single model, no matter the scale used. In larger battles, the hero (unless a monster) will have almost no individual effect.
Changes in the System from 3e
In moving from a simulation that represents the combat element of a role-play system to one that simulates mass combat, certain changes need to be made to prevent rules seizure in the game.
A primary change in the move from role-play to mass combat is the length of the turn sequence. In role-play, a combat simulation lasts 6 seconds, during which the models can move, fight and cast spells. The d20 system is designed to handle combat in a limited space situation, a dungeon corridor, a large dwarven hall, a druid’s grove or a city tavern. In all situations, the models are quickly engaged in action within a round of movement. In Stronghold the actual round is a little fuzzier, but is more like two rounds in role-play, avoiding endless rounds of movement.
Actions
While the Stronghold system uses the flexibility of the 3e system. Each round continues to be comprised of a two actions – unlike role-play where the round is comprised of a Standard action and Move Equivalent action. The player determines when a unit will move, fire or fight, rather than an artificial Move-Fire-Fight sequence imposed upon them.
In the 3e d20 system, an average model’s move is 30 per action, with the option of running. In most situations a model’s maximum move will be 60 feet. On the battlefield, much greater distances separate forces. Under 3e role-play rules, an army engaging the enemy 480 feet away (really not a long distance) would take 6 rounds across open ground, assuming no running and a charge at the end. Not the most exciting of games.
Stronghold system handles the differences in actions in the following way.
Move
All move is in inches. A unit that can move 30 feet in 3e role-play has a 6” notation. However, each inch of movement is equivalent to 10 feet. Thus, a model with a 30 feet move in role-play can move 6 inches in an action, or 12 inches a combat round (assuming it uses both actions to move). A Light Calvary unit with 60 feet move in 3e role-play would have a 12” move, or 120 feet in an action.
Melee Combat
To represent the fact that a round is in effect twice as long, when a unit initiates a melee attack on another unit, the other unit retaliates simultaneously with its own attacks. Thus, in any given combat round a unit in base-to-base contact will have two sequences of attack; one in their own turn, and a Retaliatory Attack when their opponents attack. While some situations will give one side or the other first strike, base-to-base attacks are usually resolved simultaneously. A unit always strikes with its full compliments of attacks.
Missile Combat
Units that rely on missile fire may only fire once per round unless the unit has Rapid Fire. The reasoning behind this rule is the process of draw-pull-fire, is a co-coordinated event in Stronghold, and simply takes longer.
However, missile weapons that traditionally require a round of loading can ignore this rule and fire at the rate of a bow in Stronghold.
Finally, as a free action, even if the unit has already fired in the combat round, a charged unit that passes a morale check can stand and fire a final volley of arrows. If they do this, they forgo the right to a Retaliatory Attack in that round’s melee.
Facing and the Front Row– In the role-play game there is no facing. However, in Stronghold, units have facing, though heroes do not. In mass combat, a unit cannot just turn and change facing; all the individuals must communicate before moving.
Facing is of prime importance in combat as it determines a units flank and rear. When a unit is assaulted in either of these positions its enemy gains major battlefield modifiers.
Generally, a unit is considered to be in the front row based on the facing. If a unit is all facing in the same direction, then the unit that is facing in the same direction, but has no other unit in front of it, this is the front row.
• Units change facing at the cost of an action
• Heroes, that are not joined to a unit change facing as a free action, an they have no flank or rear. That is, no matter the direction a hero has frontage on all sides are considered front - This is why heroes are mounted on round bases
Spell Casting
Spell casters may cast a spell in each action. That is they can spell cast twice in a round. Spell casters with Concentration (5) may cast and move once, those with Concentration (10) may cast and move twice in a round.
In addition, as detailed in the Chapter 8: Spells and Spell-like Abilities, spell casters may cast up to 3 spells immediately before any battle commences.
How combat works
Unlike conventional fantasy war gaming where a die is rolled for each model in the unit, in Stronghold a single d20 is rolled for each unit and the random result is applied to a series of modifiers from the unit, the battlefield and strategies employed. This number provides a multiplier that determines the real damage done by the unit. This is the Mass Combat Mechanic™.
Thus, the effectiveness of the unit is a combination of the units strengths, it’s current state of morale, the weapons it wields, the strategies employed on the battlefield, the choice of battlefield location, and the luck of the gods.
The Base Combat Score is determined by calculated by subtracting the defending units Armor value from the attackers BAB. The player then adds modifiers to the Base Combat Score to calculate the Modified Combat Score.
The sequence looks like this
1. Calculate Base Combat Score [Attackers BAB]-[Defenders Armor]
2. Add Modifiers (Modified Combat Score)
a. Unit Modifiers – from Battle Card , both attacker and defender
b. Strategy Modifiers
c. Battlefield Modifiers
3. Roll the die; add +1 per point over 10, subtract -1 per point under 10.
4. Sum the total – this is the Combat Score (CS)
5. Compare the final value of the damage modifier table
6. Determine all the eligible models in the combat and multiply the damage per model by the damage modifier
7. Remove casualties
Magic also has a similar resolution.
Wounds and Damage
In 3e role-play models have hit points, while in Stronghold they have Wounds. The difference is mainly centered on bookkeeping. Likewise, weapon damage is simplified in the same manner. Conversion is simply:
Dice Hit Points
d4 2
46 3
48 4
d10 5
d12 6
d20 10
Thus a 7th level Wizard has 14 wounds, while a 4th level Barbarian has 24 wounds. Note only the Hit Dice convert, bonus hit points from Constitution are treated in a different way (see Mass Combat Mechanic™ above). For convenience, players should use the actual hit points of models from role-play games, less Extra Constitution of course.
Also, it may also be easier to use the average hit points for monsters used in the Monster Manual. Again, care must be taken to exclude hit points from Extra Constitution as the Stronghold system uses a different combat mechanic.
In resolving the damage done in combat, dice are not actually rolled, rather the fixed amount indicated by the table opposite is used. So, a Longsword (d8) does 4 wounds, a Great Axe (d12) 6 wounds, while a fireball cast by a 7th level Wizard does 21 wounds, (d6, 7 times) while a 5th level cleric casts a Cure Light Wound s for 10 wounds of healing.
