E6: Castles and Commoners

[8wGremlin]

I'm looking for inspiration on fortresses that could be built using the e6 rules.

Who could build them, what magical defences would they have and how would they build them/get them?
Who would be in them?


I think I need fortresses for:
A mountain pass
A seaport

Anyone got any thoughts?

[Fouredged Sword]

Siege weapons and masses archers are the order of the day. Batista can be to great effect by experts with prof (siege engineer) and archers can be as simple as fighter (1). A huge heavy crossbow deals 3d8. Not damage that can be just ignored by anyone.

Massed archers are even more deadly. See Heros of Battle for rules for mass firing arrows at a target or targets. One leader aims the volloy and all the rest add dice to his damage. Twenty one heavy crossbowmen with a level one wizard to cast truestrike on the leader can act as a long range deathblow to anyone in sight.

Fortifications require several things. Difficult areas to move through leading up to the area, impassible walls, side cover, and top cover. Everything is a delay tactic to let your archers kill them dead.

[Daftendirekt]

Siege weapons and masses archers are the order of the day. Batista can be to great effect by experts with prof (siege engineer) and archers can be as simple as fighter (1).

I think you mean ballista. Rules for them are also in Heroes of Battle.

[8wGremlin]

Thanks Fouredged Sword,

What about the actual fortifications and any magical defence/offence?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Incantations (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/incantations.htm) could be researched/developed to duplicate effects of certain spells, but only in very specific ways. For example, if you made one to mimic Wall of Stone it would make a wall of the exact same thickness, shape, and dimensions every time, but it would still be extremely useful.

An Ardent with the Creation mantle and manifester level shenanigans (Bloodline levels probably) could get Psionic Fabricate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/fabricatePsionic.htm) and build stuff fast.

Psionic powers are good at dealing sonic damage, which can cut through just about anything quite easily. A Sonokineticist (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e) using his energy lash (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm) plus two-handed power attack can easily destroy anything at all.

[andromax]

A huge heavy crossbow deals 3d8. Not damage that can be just ignored by anyone.


How are they wielding huge crossbows?

[Pilo]

Well a Batista (http://catch-americain.wifeo.com/images/b/bat/batista06.jpg) would be efficient too...

A lot of commoners under the direction of one or more experts can build a fortress, event though it will take them month.

You can build trap on the fortress doors which allows people to fire arrow and crossbow bolt on the attakers. Boiling oil is a classic too, furthermore you can set it on fire once it is on your foes.

[Daftendirekt]

Also for lots of great advice on optimizing commoners, check out the Commoner Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=232822).

[JaronK]

How are they wielding huge crossbows?

A Ballista is actually a Huge Crossbow that's been set up for use by medium creatures.

Anyway, massed archers using the Complete Warrior volley fire rules are an incredibly effective defense. Place them in the courtyard of the castle and have a spotter in the watchtower aiming their fire, and then can devastate armies. This is especially true if they're using Swiftwing Arrows and Greatbows, which should give incredible range. Add in some Bards too... Kobolds, preferably. Dragonfire Inspiration lets them add 1d6 elemental damage to all friendly attacks per point of Inspire Courage, but it's always fire unless they have a different draconic bloodline. But Kobolds can do that, so you can have one Kobold Bard giving cold, one giving fire, one giving acid, one giving sonic, and one giving electrical damage (plus one who just does regular Inspire Courage). Give them Masterwork War Drums for an additional bonus, and now all your arrows get +2+10d6 damage even if they were just level 1 Bards. That's some serious damage output... basically enemy armies in the area hit must DC15 save or die. The best part is that the stats and proficiencies of the archers aren't important, so you can use level 1 commoners from a local militia for this. Heck, you could raise an army of a thousand of them, plus those 6 Bards, and you could likely destroy any reasonable enemy force very quickly at extreme range.

Note that this works best if you can funnel the enemy into a smaller area. Consider making sure the mountain pass has a flat, open area that the enemy must cross to get there, which just so happens to be just in range of the Greatbows. Perhaps make sure it's difficult terrain (scrubland, loose rocks, etc) to slow them down.

JaronK