jmbrown
2009-08-10, 02:39 PM
War!
This is a guide detailing the creation of armies for the purpose of full scale battles. It's designed for the Dungeons and Dragons 4E system and uses the normal rules for combat except where differences are applied. Additionally, this guide suggests that armies are made up of humanoid creatures. Monstrous armies are possible but not yet supported.
Creating an Army
An army consists of one or more units. Units are comprised of one hundred or more soldiers fighting in formation. To create a unit, follow these steps:
Step 1 - Troop Level: A unit's "level" determines the overall experience of each individual troop. Each unit is considered a medium creature and it's made up of many troops. A unit has no minimum or maximum number of troops. In general terms, higher level units have fewer overall troops than lower level units. The maximum number of troops in any one unit is 250 (each troop taking a 5x5 square) but this number has no effect on game mechanics and is for flavor purposes only.
Step 2 - Determine Type: The unit's type determines how it acts in battle.
Artillery: Ranged attackers that focus on accuracy and damage. Artillery is commonly trebuchets, catapults, and ballistas.
Brute: Brutes are slow moving units that soak up damage and draw attention away from other units. Heavy calvary are examples of brutes.
Controller: Controllers deal little damage but dominate the battlefield through ranged attacks and superior movement. Archers are an example of controllers.
Lurker: Lurkers are fast and deal good damage every so often. They're used for ambushes and hit-and-run tactics. Light calvary are typically lurkers.
Minion: Minions are conscripts; simple commoners fighting with clubs, pitchforks, spades, and any assortment of improvised weapon.
Skirmisher: Skirmishers use speed and terrain to defeat slower troops and half faster troops. Spearmen and lightly armored soldiers are good skirmishers.
Soldier: Soldiers are the toughest to hit and hit more often making them the back bone of a good army. Heavily armored swordsmen make good soldiers.
Step 3 - Determining Attributes: Calculate a units stats as per the rules in the DMG. A unit can be an elite but never a solo. For every two units in an army, one unit of the same type may be designated as a leader. Leaders gain additional powers.
Step 4 - Choose Powers: Units are given one basic attack (either ranged or melee) and one power. Every five levels a unit may select an additional power.
Army Powers
Each unit begins with one basic melee, one basic ranged power, one encounter power, and one utility power. Every five levels a unit may select a new encounter power or utility power. Use the attributes based on level and type to determine damage and attack bonuses.
Some powers have restrictions and are noted in the description.
Basic Powers
One-handed Simple Weapon (dagger, shortspear, club, etc.)- Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will light damage; no restrictions.
One-handed Military Weapon (long sword, flail, warhammer, etc.)- Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will medium damage; restricted to brute, skirmisher, and soldier types.
Two-handed Military Weapon (greatsword, polearms, etc.) - Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will heavy damage; restricted to brute and soldier types.
Simple Ranged Weapon (javelin, throwing knife, sling, crossbow, etc.)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 1; Attack vs. AC; at-will light damage; no restrictions.
Military Ranged Weapon (heavy crossbow, bow and arrow)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 1/3; Attack vs. AC; at-will medium damage; restricted to skirmisher, artillery and controller types.
Heavy Ranged Weapon (catapult shot, ballista bolt, composite longbow, etc.)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 2/6; Attack vs. AC; at-will heavy damage; restricted to artillery and controller types.
Utility Powers
Indirect Attack- free action; Make a basic ranged attack against a target you don't have line of sight to at a -8 penalty. Each basic ranged attack gives you a +2 bonus to hit the same target. This bonus is lost if you change targets or the target moves.
More to come!
Combat
In war scale combat, each square represents 50' of space and each round represents 1 minute of time. Thus, a unit with speed 6 traverses 300' a round per minute of movement on the normal battle scale (approximately 18 minutes a mile).
*There is no reach. Spearmen must be adjacent to a unit to attack.
*No unit may shift. All movement is a normal movement action which may provoke an opportunity attack.
*All other rules including but not limited to charge, push, pull, slide, trip, and grab work normally.
Disperse
A unit reduced to zero hit points is dispersed. The unit makes a saving throw every round as normal. On a critical success the unit pulls together; its hit points return to zero and it heals a number of hit points as if it spent a healing surge (1/4 max hit points). On three successive failures, the unit is routed and permanently removed from. If the unit takes damage equal to its bloodied value the unit is completely destroyed (all members are dead).
Terrain
Terrain plays an important role in combat. Each type of terrain may carry a movement penalty, grant cover or concealment, or provide other bonuses.
Plains: Plains include steppes, flat farmlands, and most deserts. No movement penalty, cover, or concealment.
Roads: Includes simple dirt roads and paved roads. Roads have no movement penalty, cover, or concealment. Roads increase a unit's speed by 1.
Light Forest: Light forests have a 2 square movement penalty. Light forests provide cover. Light forests do not provide concealment.
Dense Forest: Dense forests have a 3 square movement penalty. Dense forests provide cover. Dense forests provide concealment and block line of sight.
Hills: Hills have a 2 square movement penalty. Hills do not provide cover. Hills do not provide concealment but block line of sight. Units fighting in hills gain a +2 bonus to perception checks, +2 bonus to ranged attacks and all range increments increase by 5.
Mountain: Mountains have a 4 square movement penalty. Mountains provide cover. Mountains provide concealment and block line of sight. Units fighting in the mountains gain a +4 bonus to perception checks, +4 bonus to ranged attacks, and all range increments increase by 10.
Town: A town is any square with moderate buildings. Towns provide cover and provide concealment but do not block line of sight. Units fighting in town gain a +2 bonus to AC.
Urban: Urban areas are dense clusters of buildings. Urban tiles provide cover, concealment, and block line of sight. Units fighting in an urban area gain a +4 bonus to AC.
Sample Units
Coming soon!
This is a guide detailing the creation of armies for the purpose of full scale battles. It's designed for the Dungeons and Dragons 4E system and uses the normal rules for combat except where differences are applied. Additionally, this guide suggests that armies are made up of humanoid creatures. Monstrous armies are possible but not yet supported.
Creating an Army
An army consists of one or more units. Units are comprised of one hundred or more soldiers fighting in formation. To create a unit, follow these steps:
Step 1 - Troop Level: A unit's "level" determines the overall experience of each individual troop. Each unit is considered a medium creature and it's made up of many troops. A unit has no minimum or maximum number of troops. In general terms, higher level units have fewer overall troops than lower level units. The maximum number of troops in any one unit is 250 (each troop taking a 5x5 square) but this number has no effect on game mechanics and is for flavor purposes only.
Step 2 - Determine Type: The unit's type determines how it acts in battle.
Artillery: Ranged attackers that focus on accuracy and damage. Artillery is commonly trebuchets, catapults, and ballistas.
Brute: Brutes are slow moving units that soak up damage and draw attention away from other units. Heavy calvary are examples of brutes.
Controller: Controllers deal little damage but dominate the battlefield through ranged attacks and superior movement. Archers are an example of controllers.
Lurker: Lurkers are fast and deal good damage every so often. They're used for ambushes and hit-and-run tactics. Light calvary are typically lurkers.
Minion: Minions are conscripts; simple commoners fighting with clubs, pitchforks, spades, and any assortment of improvised weapon.
Skirmisher: Skirmishers use speed and terrain to defeat slower troops and half faster troops. Spearmen and lightly armored soldiers are good skirmishers.
Soldier: Soldiers are the toughest to hit and hit more often making them the back bone of a good army. Heavily armored swordsmen make good soldiers.
Step 3 - Determining Attributes: Calculate a units stats as per the rules in the DMG. A unit can be an elite but never a solo. For every two units in an army, one unit of the same type may be designated as a leader. Leaders gain additional powers.
Step 4 - Choose Powers: Units are given one basic attack (either ranged or melee) and one power. Every five levels a unit may select an additional power.
Army Powers
Each unit begins with one basic melee, one basic ranged power, one encounter power, and one utility power. Every five levels a unit may select a new encounter power or utility power. Use the attributes based on level and type to determine damage and attack bonuses.
Some powers have restrictions and are noted in the description.
Basic Powers
One-handed Simple Weapon (dagger, shortspear, club, etc.)- Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will light damage; no restrictions.
One-handed Military Weapon (long sword, flail, warhammer, etc.)- Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will medium damage; restricted to brute, skirmisher, and soldier types.
Two-handed Military Weapon (greatsword, polearms, etc.) - Basic Melee (Standard); Attack vs. AC; at-will heavy damage; restricted to brute and soldier types.
Simple Ranged Weapon (javelin, throwing knife, sling, crossbow, etc.)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 1; Attack vs. AC; at-will light damage; no restrictions.
Military Ranged Weapon (heavy crossbow, bow and arrow)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 1/3; Attack vs. AC; at-will medium damage; restricted to skirmisher, artillery and controller types.
Heavy Ranged Weapon (catapult shot, ballista bolt, composite longbow, etc.)- Basic Ranged (Standard); Range 2/6; Attack vs. AC; at-will heavy damage; restricted to artillery and controller types.
Utility Powers
Indirect Attack- free action; Make a basic ranged attack against a target you don't have line of sight to at a -8 penalty. Each basic ranged attack gives you a +2 bonus to hit the same target. This bonus is lost if you change targets or the target moves.
More to come!
Combat
In war scale combat, each square represents 50' of space and each round represents 1 minute of time. Thus, a unit with speed 6 traverses 300' a round per minute of movement on the normal battle scale (approximately 18 minutes a mile).
*There is no reach. Spearmen must be adjacent to a unit to attack.
*No unit may shift. All movement is a normal movement action which may provoke an opportunity attack.
*All other rules including but not limited to charge, push, pull, slide, trip, and grab work normally.
Disperse
A unit reduced to zero hit points is dispersed. The unit makes a saving throw every round as normal. On a critical success the unit pulls together; its hit points return to zero and it heals a number of hit points as if it spent a healing surge (1/4 max hit points). On three successive failures, the unit is routed and permanently removed from. If the unit takes damage equal to its bloodied value the unit is completely destroyed (all members are dead).
Terrain
Terrain plays an important role in combat. Each type of terrain may carry a movement penalty, grant cover or concealment, or provide other bonuses.
Plains: Plains include steppes, flat farmlands, and most deserts. No movement penalty, cover, or concealment.
Roads: Includes simple dirt roads and paved roads. Roads have no movement penalty, cover, or concealment. Roads increase a unit's speed by 1.
Light Forest: Light forests have a 2 square movement penalty. Light forests provide cover. Light forests do not provide concealment.
Dense Forest: Dense forests have a 3 square movement penalty. Dense forests provide cover. Dense forests provide concealment and block line of sight.
Hills: Hills have a 2 square movement penalty. Hills do not provide cover. Hills do not provide concealment but block line of sight. Units fighting in hills gain a +2 bonus to perception checks, +2 bonus to ranged attacks and all range increments increase by 5.
Mountain: Mountains have a 4 square movement penalty. Mountains provide cover. Mountains provide concealment and block line of sight. Units fighting in the mountains gain a +4 bonus to perception checks, +4 bonus to ranged attacks, and all range increments increase by 10.
Town: A town is any square with moderate buildings. Towns provide cover and provide concealment but do not block line of sight. Units fighting in town gain a +2 bonus to AC.
Urban: Urban areas are dense clusters of buildings. Urban tiles provide cover, concealment, and block line of sight. Units fighting in an urban area gain a +4 bonus to AC.
Sample Units
Coming soon!