When was the last time mounts/mounted combat saw a use?

[TheYeti1775]

yup. the polish cavalry had weapons of the era. just like any modern day cavalry does... think Apocalypse Now.

There is a German Diary entry from 1940 detailing how Russian Cavalry charged their Supply Convoy in 3 successive waves nearly overruning the unit. If I recall correctly it was on display at the Smithosian for a time. Their attack was defeated, but in the minds of all the surviving Germans it layed an egg that hatched with the stories passed on to their fellow men.

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Now back to the topic at hand, I've used it four times that I can recall in the last year.


Yeti

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Nearly every session. At least 1/2 of all combats arn't in doors and one of the PCs has taken some mounted combat feats which he reguarly uses.

And on the polish cavalry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Cavalry#20th_century:_After_World_War_II

They list 15 polish cavalry charges in 1939, a lot of them were apparently succesful and in some they even used lances.

Edit: It would seem that surprise and fear play a large part in those charges that were succesful.

 

[Arnwyn]

About 50% of the time. My players are learning to love horses.

 

[Lanefan]

In my own games, nearly never...the PC's know mounts are impractical for anything other than transport, as do the opponents unless the mount is extremely useful e.g. a dragon. About the only time quasi-mounted combat arises is from the defenders when the PC's attack a caravan, doesn't usually amount to much.

In another game, though, we have one Fighter with limited Ride skill who is determined to take a warhorse with him through every adventure; predictably, these poor beasts end up either getting squashed (we've been dealing with a lot of Giants) or left behind and eaten by the local wildlife when we go places the horse cannot. He's now on horse #6, I think...might be #7.

Lanefan

 

[Blaque]

In the game I am in right now, I hd trie dto make a mounted character. On horseback, he was a machine. Clipping, overridng, and all that. Hexblade with the option of "Fighter Feats" instead of Hexblade feats, like the variatn for Wizards in UA.

The problems ended up that I didn't have the opportunity to use it much. We did a lot of dungeoning, which restircted a good amount of my ability to use my mount. And I also often had situatiions where when I tried to do my schtick, we would be in things like fog, or had poor visiblity, also resulting in no ability to actually be a mounted combattant.

In another game I had played, the DM LOVED cavalry. Paladins, mounted fighters, all that good stuff. I'm actually, in hindsight, sort of surprised no one bothered to pick it up to help countermeasure, but I just flew as a raven about anyhow

Stuff.

 

[Shade]

Frequently, considering one of the party members is a paladin with a gryphon as a mount.

 

[Aeric]

The last time I participated in mounted combat in a game was 1996-97. There were two players in the game, and I was playing a paladin/cavalier. Most of the combat for me was mounted, in fact.

The game I'm currently running is Eberron, and the players acquired an airship pretty early on (trading in an artifact for a quirky experimental airship that no one else could pilot), and now they're 15th level, so they don't even need the airship anymore, much less horses. :\

 

[ChristianW]

See title. How often does this come up?

I guess it depends upon the game. I ran a campaign with lots of combat using terrain and miniatures. Because of all the open space, we used mounted combat a great deal. Some players weren't accustomed to it, so their characters didn't invest in feats like Mounted Compat, Trample, etc. The one player who did owned all the battles. He tore around the battle field, hacking down foes, trampling others, and scooping up all kinds of kills.

 

[Sejs]

Current game? Never. Just hasn't come up. Yet, anyway.

Previous game? More frequently. Goblins on Worgs, baby. Running roadside ambushes. Hit-and-fade archers on intelligent mounts. Mmm mm mm. Not to mention using your mounts for long-range communication. It was beautiful.

In about 80% of the fights in my game. One of the PCs is a paladin, and her war horse is pretty canny.

Thanks to you and that game of yours, I can't think of an illithid Elder Brain without hearing 'hehe..giddiup' in the back of my mind.

 

[Mallus]

From my notes recapping a recent session:

b) Party deploys the VTOL-enabled Size-Malleable Self-Winding Phlogistonic Gryphon Prototype Alpha (because a Figurine of Wonderous Power isn't wonderous enough, as is...), codename “Philip” for the first time, piloted by Rackhir. Philip rescues Rackhir after 1st sortie, is rendered inoperable after ground engagement w/giant.

Note that Philip can dispense coffee, tea, and gin.

I assume Phillip will be ridden into battle again, once they party alchemist hammers the dings out of him. And replaces all the phlogiston...

You can eventually read about this heroic encounter, including lots of keen-arrows-directly-to-the-forehead action, in an future episode of the Story Hour below...