An Epic

Mass Combat in Farland

This mass combat system is devised for ease of use. It can be used with entities as large as whole armies down to things as small as units or squads (it should not be used if one group has fewer than 20 soldiers or that will skew the results. It generally works best with 100 or more per side) One roll could decide a battle or the outcome of many rolls (who wins more individual engagements) could decide the battle. It can be used strictly on paper or with miniatures as markers. Only the bare bones of the system is given; this is intentional. Because we did not want the system to become unwieldy, we did not try to anticipate every eventuality; only the most common and important events are included. The rest is up to the Game Master's discretion and should be handled under the Special Situations modifier. There are also particular Feats and Skills relating to the Farland Mass Combat system.

DOWNLOAD THE MASS COMBAT PROGRAM HERE.

Modifiers

All modifiers are calculated using the average for the army. Use as many or as few modifers as desired in order to make combat as simple or as involved as you desire; make sure you consider the same modifiers for both sides. This combat system assumes that at the very least each army possesses infantry and archers or missile throwers of some sort, making up 10% of each side. If either are missing then apply a -2 penalty to the deficient army's combat roll.

*(In many cases, such as terrain, a commander may need to make a skill check using Knowledge: warfare in order to gain the pluses to attack or defense dice. This is generally true in the cases of those miscellaneous modifiers marked with an asterisk).

Fatigue

For every four weeks on the move (not a forced march) and engaging in any combat without at least two full days rest, troops must make a FORT save DC 15 using the saving throw of the average level soldier, but modified by the leader's charisma bonus or suffer -1 penalty to their total combat roll modifier cumulative monthly until at least two full days rest have been taken for each missed month.

After a forced march for a period of one to two days, the army must make a DC 15 FORT save using the saving throw of the average level soldier, but modified by the leader's charisma bonus or suffer a -1 to all combat rolls within the next two days. If the army wishes to continue forced marching, the DC of the Fort save increases by two for every 1-2 day period in which they march. Armies can continue marching after they fail a Fort save, but penalties to combat rolls are cumulative, and they are not recovered until the army has rested for as long as it has forced march. In any case an army can fail no more than five checks and continue forced marching until it must rest.

After combat, for every loss an army suffers it must make a DC 15 FORT save, modified as above or suffer a -1 on all combat rolls. The DC of this check increases by 5 for every subsequent loss that the army suffers without having at least a two-day rest in between losses. The penalty to the roll increases by one for every failed check up to a maximum of 5 to roll. The victor must also make a fatigue check after combat (DC 15 modified as above), but they gain a +2 morale bonus to their save. The endurance feat, possessed by at least 75% of troops, offers a bonus to save according to the rules outlined for the endurance feat.

Each combat roll represents six to eight hours of combat. Troops who wish to continue combat for an addition six to eight hour period straight suffer -2 fatigue penalty to combat rolls unless reinforced with additional troops representing no less than 50% of force. This modifier becomes -4 unless a fortitude save at DC 15 is made as expressed above. The endurance feat, possessed by at least 75% of troops, offers a bonus to save according to the rules outlined for the endurance feat. All percentage casualties lost are lost from the remaining percentage of troops.

The army with the over-all highest roll is the victor. Then use the procedure below to determine the results of the battle.

Battle Results and Casualties

After each Side calculates its total modifier using the above list of modifiers, each Side generates a random number between 1 and 20, and the army with the over-all highest roll is the victor. Then use the procedure below to determine the results of the battle. All casualty losses are 60 % wounded and 40% killed. Some percentage of these may also be captured at the DM's discretion.

Every roll represents a 6-8 hour period of combat, although there will certainly be periods during this time when combat slows or stops and then restarts.

All percentage casualties lost are lost from the remaining percentage of troops.

How much ground is lost is up to the DM.

* Lost commanders refer to NPCs. The DM should roleplay any possibility of PC capture or death.

Victor rolls d20 again to determine his own losses

Result: The victor loses a percent of the loser's percent.

Example: loser (side B) takes 60% casualties; victor rolls a 7 on the table below then rolls a 3 on d6 this means the victor (side A) suffers 30% of the loser's percent of casualties, or 18%. If side B originally had 1000 men, they lose 600. Side A suffers 30% of 60% or 180 men.

If the victor has won by +5 to +9, he gets a +1 on his casualties roll, +10 to+14, he gets a +2, +15 to +19, he gets a +3, +20 to +24, he gets a +4, and +25 or more he gets a +5 on his casualties roll.

* Lost commanders refer to NPCs. The DM should roleplay any possibility of PC capture or death.

Click here to see an example of the Mass Combat system in action, the Battle of King's Field.

©2008   S. Baker; banner art ©   Jason Juta
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