Which mass combat systems do you use for D&D game?

[Psion]

Since the topic of birthright came up in another thread, I thought I'd ask this question. When mass combat situations come up in your D&D or other d20 setting, are there any specific systems you use to resolve it?

(Sorry the poll's a bit off... pick the option that fits best/you use the most. It timed out on me when adding options...)

 

[diaglo]

Chainmail (1971) by Gary Gygax & Jeff Perren

edit: Guidon Games

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Just wing it. The dm has to have some fun.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I use a version of the Mass Combat system in GURPS Conan and have for some time.

It's pretty handwavey, but manages to take into account Skill of the Commanders, Unit Differences, Heroic Contribution and most everything else I want without actually having to lay out a minis battle.

 

[The_Gneech]

For the few large-scale fights that have come up in my current game, I've been wingin' it. We do have an actual full-on war starting soon, tho, and I'm going to check out Heroes of Battle for that.

In my retired Star Hero game, the players were free-trader types who got commandeered into the Battle of Luna in the campaign's climax adventure. For that one, we had a small-scall ship battle as they fought their way to a base on the moon, and I just did "voice-over" style descriptions of the rest of the battle raging around them. It was very cool and epic -- but since the characters had a very specific mission to do amongst the giant battle, they didn't have a lot of impact on how it went overall.

Their mission, of course, was to defuse the giant nuke that was going to destabilize the lunar orbit and send it crashing into the Earth -- so they actually had the most important role of all in the grand scheme of things, even if they didn't do any of the "commanding fleets of carriers" part.

-The Gneech

 

[iwatt]

Other d20

specifically the Grim Tales system which can be found in the slavelord's of Cydonia module or as a standalone product at RPGNow.

 

[Arnwyn]

Since the topic of birthright came up in another thread, I thought I'd ask this question. When mass combat situations come up in your D&D or other d20 setting, are there any specific systems you use to resolve it?

(Sorry the poll's a bit off... pick the option that fits best/you use the most. It timed out on me when adding options...)

And it should be multiple choice, too.

We use two systems (yes, within the same campaign): Eden's Fields of Blood for large-scale army conflicts (about 200+ combatants), and Mongoose's OMCS(2) for skirmish-sized combats (less than 200 combatants). I voted Fields of Blood.

Both work quite well for what we need.

 

[Psion]

And it should be multiple choice, too.

Yes, I know. That's why I amplified the one that fits best / you use most.

Sheesh...

 

[Garnfellow]

I use Grim Tales to resolve large, long-running campaigns that don't necessarily affect the PCs directly. For example, an enemy army invades lands controlled by a PC's liege. The system is quick, easy, and fairly abstract.

I use the Representative Battles system from Green Ronin's Advanced Gamemaster's Guide to resolve important (but generally smaller) fights that the PCs are directly involved in. For example, a large raiding party attacks a PC's castle. These rules are little like the mass combat system from the old Bushido game. You resolve a smaller, PC-level battle that becomes representative of the larger battle. If the PCs can hold the main gates against 20 6th level fighters, they also win the larger conflict.

If I were going to do a long-term, war-heavy campaign, I would probably use either Fields of Blood or the mass combat system from the Black Company Campaign Setting. (I've always wanted to do a RPG campaign based on Xenophon's march of the Ten Thousand.)

 

[SWBaxter]

If I want to use a system, generally I go with Cry Havoc. That's actually somewhat rare, though, most of the time the outcome of a battle is determined by what the PCs do (or don't do), or it's a background element where I just make up the outcome that works best for what I've got in mind. The only time I end up using a system is when the PCs are directly involved and the stakes are low enough (in plot terms) that either side winning works fine for me.