Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
When the Unspeakable Happens
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="nittanytbone" data-source="post: 4655820" data-attributes="member: 35709"><p>Sure... But he still needs to move there, and talk to the sergeant/low level flunky in charge of the force. And such a leader might indeed need to be persuaded to jump in there.</p><p></p><p>ROUTED MONSTER: "Boss, there's some adventurers in there?"</p><p>SGT: "Really? Everyone, get up, grab your gear! What's going on?"</p><p>ROUTED MONSTER: "Well, they've killed everyone!"</p><p>SGT: "Hrm. On second thought, let's go ask the Chief before we jump in there. I sure don't want to get slaughtered!"</p><p></p><p>I think there are three main scenarios with intelligent, tactical, organized occupants that maintain a QRF and are expecting trouble:</p><p></p><p>- Strong leadership, centralized QRF. This is most likely for lairs that have multiple access points to defend. The monsters will want their "reserve" to be able to get to any trouble spot easily, so it will be in the middle of the lair. Additionally, the leaders will want protection from raiders that utilize the multiple access points, so they'll want the QRF as bodyguards. This scenario easily rationalizes a 5 minute delay for transit time.</p><p></p><p>- Strong leadership, forward QRF. This is most likely for lairs that have a strategic strongpoint to hold. If there's only one access point, then I'd expect it to be well defended, and the QRF's job is likely to counterattack immediately to retake the main gates/access tunnel/teleport circle/whatever. The leaders are aware of this situation and ensure that the QRF is well led to quickly respond, although this exposes leaders to a lot of personal danger. This is the most dangerous situation as a QRF might well respond in <5 minutes. However, if the PCs are smart and find a way around the single access point the monsters will be in trouble! Additionally, the PCs likely have a chance to kill off an important leader early in the fight and then withdraw to lick their wounds.</p><p></p><p>- Weak leadership, forward QRF. I find this more likely than the above scenario. Most leader-monsters, being selfish and evil, probably don't want to be too far forward. Forward guard posts are boring, lack creature comforts, and are potentially hazardous. Instead, they'll likely be comfortable in the center of the lair. This scenario makes a delay quite likely as the forward QRF waits for the leaders to authorize its forward deployment, especially if the forward QRF fears being mauled by the party that just killed off all of the first batch of monsters!</p><p></p><p>I find it unlikely that disorganized opponents maintain a strong QRF. A disorganized foe would be likely to:</p><p>(A) Have a weak QRF -- perhaps orc warriors trickle out of the lair a few without any significant organization.</p><p>(B) Take more time to mobilize. By definition, a disorganized force is slower to assemble!</p><p>(C) Is not coordinated with the original monsters. Perhaps an opportunistic hydra jumps into the melee, attacking PCs and the original monsters alike without discrimination.</p><p></p><p>All of those scenarios are viable and create tactical options for the PCs to make it surviveable.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="nittanytbone, post: 4655820, member: 35709"] Sure... But he still needs to move there, and talk to the sergeant/low level flunky in charge of the force. And such a leader might indeed need to be persuaded to jump in there. ROUTED MONSTER: "Boss, there's some adventurers in there?" SGT: "Really? Everyone, get up, grab your gear! What's going on?" ROUTED MONSTER: "Well, they've killed everyone!" SGT: "Hrm. On second thought, let's go ask the Chief before we jump in there. I sure don't want to get slaughtered!" I think there are three main scenarios with intelligent, tactical, organized occupants that maintain a QRF and are expecting trouble: - Strong leadership, centralized QRF. This is most likely for lairs that have multiple access points to defend. The monsters will want their "reserve" to be able to get to any trouble spot easily, so it will be in the middle of the lair. Additionally, the leaders will want protection from raiders that utilize the multiple access points, so they'll want the QRF as bodyguards. This scenario easily rationalizes a 5 minute delay for transit time. - Strong leadership, forward QRF. This is most likely for lairs that have a strategic strongpoint to hold. If there's only one access point, then I'd expect it to be well defended, and the QRF's job is likely to counterattack immediately to retake the main gates/access tunnel/teleport circle/whatever. The leaders are aware of this situation and ensure that the QRF is well led to quickly respond, although this exposes leaders to a lot of personal danger. This is the most dangerous situation as a QRF might well respond in <5 minutes. However, if the PCs are smart and find a way around the single access point the monsters will be in trouble! Additionally, the PCs likely have a chance to kill off an important leader early in the fight and then withdraw to lick their wounds. - Weak leadership, forward QRF. I find this more likely than the above scenario. Most leader-monsters, being selfish and evil, probably don't want to be too far forward. Forward guard posts are boring, lack creature comforts, and are potentially hazardous. Instead, they'll likely be comfortable in the center of the lair. This scenario makes a delay quite likely as the forward QRF waits for the leaders to authorize its forward deployment, especially if the forward QRF fears being mauled by the party that just killed off all of the first batch of monsters! I find it unlikely that disorganized opponents maintain a strong QRF. A disorganized foe would be likely to: (A) Have a weak QRF -- perhaps orc warriors trickle out of the lair a few without any significant organization. (B) Take more time to mobilize. By definition, a disorganized force is slower to assemble! (C) Is not coordinated with the original monsters. Perhaps an opportunistic hydra jumps into the melee, attacking PCs and the original monsters alike without discrimination. All of those scenarios are viable and create tactical options for the PCs to make it surviveable. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
When the Unspeakable Happens
Top