PDA

View Full Version : Battle Field Rules



Dristin
2008-03-25, 09:03 AM
Was told to post this here. Any help would be appreciated.

My friends and I are getting ready to start a new portion of an existing campaign. It involves high level characters but most of the pcs will be in a background role. One of the epic pcs currently controls a large army and we are getting ready to start some war style campaign. We want the pcs to only be commanders and not part of the attacking force until absolutely necessary or during the final battle. However we do not want to leave the battles up entirely to the DM to just tell us what happens and would like tactics to play a major part. We would like it to be set up like a normal encounter and would like a system for determining which side of an army will win a battle. I am asking for someone to develop that system for us. We currently have heroes of battle so some of the regiments and siege type engines are already laid out. We need a system that will let us determine what happens when two opposing squads/battalions meet. Please be specific and design it so that all factors such as morale and better equipment play a role.

Realms of Chaos
2008-03-25, 11:06 AM
Although there is no way to accound for every variable, here are some decent rules:


Calculating Bonuses:
Whenever two regiments meet, each side rolls 2d20. On one of these rolls, add the Highest Base Attack bonus/Caster level of any individual in the regiment. On the other one, add the average base attack bonus of all members of the regiment to the roll. If an individual in the regiment is a spellcaster, use their caster level in place of their base attack bonus to determine the average and (unless thier BAB is higher than their caster level).
In addition, for any given side, apply a +2 bonus if they are heartened, a -2 penalty if they are shaken, a -4 penalty if they are frightened, or a -6 penalty if they are pannicked.
If the battlefield is particularly advantageous to any side, that side gains a +2 bonus on its rolls. If the battlefield is particularly disadvantageous to any side, that side takes a -2 penalty.
If one side has received magical support before combat began from a spellcaster not in the unit, that side gains a bonus on its rolls equal to the highest spell level of spell still active upon that side at the conclusion of the engagement. Likewise, if one side utilized magic items to help them in the fight, add the highest level of spell used in any of those magic items to the rolls. The bonuses from magical enhancement and use of magical items do not stack. If neither side has recieved magical aid nor used magical items in the course of a fight, instead add a +1 bonus to any side using superior gear (if any).
Lastly, if multiple units from one side converge upon one enemy unit, all allied units make a single roll, gaining a +2 bonus for each unit beyond the first while the enemy unit takes a -2 penalty for each unit beyond the first.

Calculating Results:
After 1d4+1 minutes of combat between two regiments, the engagement ends with the rolling of the die.
First d20
The die to which the average of all BAB/caster levels are added decides the result of the battle, with the winning side having won. The losing side loses (1d8+2) x 10% of their troops and has their morale worsened by one degree. All remaining soldiers withdraw/flee (even constructs and mindless undead have most likely received orders to withdraw and form new units if their ranks become depleted). Any seige engines carried by the losing regiment are abandoned.
The winning side loses (1d4-1) x 10% of their troops and has their morale raised by one degree. If they didn't lose any troops, their morale is instead raised by two degrees and all other regiments within sight have their morale raised by one degree.
Second d20
The die to which the highest BAB/caster level is added represents how well the most powerful soldier (usually, but not always, the leader of the regiment) fares in combat. This roll is made not against the roll of the other regiment's most powerful soldier but against the average of the enemy regiment (the opponent's first d20).
If the leader succeeds on his roll and his regiment beats the enemy regiment, they only lose (1d4-1) x 10% of their health.
If the leader fails on his roll but his regiment beats the enemy regiment or if the leader succeeds on his roll but his regiment is defeated by the enemy regiment, the leader loses (1d8+2) x 10% of their health.
If the leader fails on his roll and his regiment is defeated, the leader is slain.

Lasting Reprocussions: If the remains of a defeated regiment can reach allies and other fallen units, they can form a new regiment 10 minutes later. Doing so requires an amount of troops suitable to make 100% of a regiment. For example one regiment with only 50% of its troops can combine with a second regiment that only possesses 40% of its troops and a third regiment with only 10% of its troops to make an entirely new regiment. Such a newly formed regiment starts out as shaken.