(7) Kingdom Battles

 

MASS COMBAT

 

 

Sooner or later even the most peaceful kingdom may find itself faced with the prospect of war.  The below rules give a quick overview of the mass combat system:

 

 

Battle Phases

Mass combat takes place over the course of three battle phases: the Tactics Phase, the Ranged Phase, and the Melee Phase:

1. Tactics Phase: The GM decides what battlefield modifiers apply to the battle.  The commanders each select a tactic their respective armies will use during the battle.

2. Ranged Phase: Any army with the ability to make ranged attacks may make one attack against an enemy army.  This phase typically lasts for 1 round (one attack) as the two armies use ranged attacks while they advance to melee range, and then use melee attacks thereafter. Armies without ranged capability can't attack during this phase, but may still rush forward.

3. Melee Phase: The armies finally clash with melee attacks. Each commander selects a strategy using the Strategy Track, then each army makes an attack against another army. Repeat the Melee phase until one army is defeated or routs, or some other event ends the battle.

 

 

Attacking And Taking Damage

In mass combat, the hundreds of individual attacks that take place in one battle phase overlap each other enough that who actually attacks first is irrelevant.  Because these attacks are resolved simultaneously it is possible that both armies may damage or even destroy each other in the same phase.

When armies attack, each army attempts an Offense check (1d20 + the attacking army's OM) and compares the result to the target army's DV.

If the Offense check is equal to or less than the target army's DV, the army deals no damage that phase.

If the Offense check is greater than defender's DV, the defending army takes damage equal to the result of the attacker's Offense check minus the defender's DV. For example, if the attacker's Offense check is 11 and the defender's DV is 7, the defending army takes 4 points of damage.

If the Offense check is a natural 20, but that check is lower than the enemy army's DV, the attacking army still deals 1 point of damage. If the Offense check is a natural 1, that army can't attempt an Offense Check in the next phase, due to some setback: a misheard order, getting stuck in mud, and so on.

 

 

Army Statistics

Name:  This is the name of the army.  This could be a mercenary company's name such as "Miro’s Midgets," a formal regiment number such as "7th Royal Cavalry," or an informal name such as "Militia from Varnhold."

Size:  The army's size determines not only how many individual units exist in the army, but also the army's bonus HP and its ACR:

Army Size	Number of Units	Bonus HP	ACR
Fine	1	+ 0	CR of individual creature –8
Diminutive	10	+ 1	CR of individual creature –6
Tiny	25	+ 2	CR of individual creature –4
Small	50	+ 3	CR of individual creature –2
Medium	100	+ 5	CR of individual creature
Large	200	+ 7	CR of individual creature +2
Huge	500	+ 10	CR of individual creature +4
Gargantuan	1,000	+ 15	CR of individual creature +6
Colossal	2,000	+ 20	CR of individual creature +8

Creatures of Tiny Size or smaller are treated as being one size category smaller when determining bonus HP.  Creatures of Large size or larger are treated as having an army of one size category larger for the bonus HP.  If using mounted armies, only use the mount's size if the mounts are a higher CR than the riders. 

Type:  This lists the nature of the army's individual units, such as ‘orc warriors 3’ or ‘trolls’.  These rules assume all units in an army are essentially the same; if an army of 100 ‘orc warriors 3’ actually has a few half-orc warriors or some orc barbarians, their presence has no effect on the army's statistics.  If an army has a large number of units that are different than the typical unit in that army and these differences are enough to change the army's stat block, it is best to treat the group as two separate armies with different stat blocks.

hp:  An army's hit points equal its ACR × the average hp value of 1 HD of the army's units (3.5 for d6 HD, 4.5 for d8 HD, 5.5 for d10 HD, and 6.5 for d12 HD) plus any bonus hp for the army’s size.  For example, an orc warrior has d10 HD, so an ACR 1 medium army of orc warriors has 5.5 × 1 plus 5 = 10.5 hp, rounded down to 10 hp.  Note that abilities that reduce hp damage or healing by half (or any other fraction) have a minimum of 1 rather than 0.

Army Challenge Rating (ACR): This is based on the CR of an individual unit from the army and the army's size.  To determine ACR apply the modifier for the army's size to the CR of an individual unit in the army.  For example, an individual ‘orc warrior 3’ is CR 1, therefore an army of ‘100 orc warriors 3’ is ACR 1; an army of ‘500 orc warriors 3’ is ACR 5.  If an army is cavalry-based, use the mount's CR or the rider's CR, whichever is higher.

Defence Value (DV): This is a static number the army uses to resist attacks, much like an individual creature's AC.  The army's DV is equal to ACR + 10 + any bonuses from fortifications or a settlement's Defense score.

Offence Modifier (OM): This is a modifier added to a d20 roll to determine the army's chance of success in combat, much like an individual creature's attack bonus. The army's OM is equal to its ACR.  If the army has the ability to make ranged attacks, that's mentioned here. Melee attacks and ranged attacks use the same OM, unless an ability says otherwise.

Tactics: These are any army tactics the army has at its disposal.

Resources: These are any army resources the army has at its disposal.

Special: This section lists any special abilities the army has.

Speed: This number indicates how many 12-mile hexes the army traverses in a day's march.  Marching through difficult terrain halves the army's speed.

Morale: This number represents how confident the army is.  Morale is used to determine changing battle tactics, whether or not an army routs as a result of a devastating attack, and similar effects.  Morale is a modifier from –4 (worst) to +4 (best).  A new army's starting morale is +0.  Morale can be further modified by the army's commander and other factors.  If an army's Morale is ever reduced to –5 or lower, the army disbands or deserts and you no longer control it.

Consumption: This is how many BP an army consumes each week, representing the cost to feed, hydrate, arm, train, care for, and pay the units.  An army's base Consumption is equal to its ACR divided by 2 (minimum 1).  You may instead convert an army into a reserve army, placing it in a settlement.  This reduces the Consumption cost for the army to once per month (or kingdom turn) instead of once per week

Commander: This entry lists the army's commander and the commander's Charisma modifier, ranks in Profession (soldier), and half their Leadership score.  The commander must be able to communicate with the army (possibly using message spells and similar magical forms of communication) in order to give orders or provide a bonus on the army's rolls.

 

 

Examples:

 

Wvernshore Militia                      (in reserve)                  ACR 1

N Large army of humans (warrior 1)                                 XP 400

HP 12;  DV 11;  OM +1

Tactics bonus tactic (from General Miro)

Resources can equip ranged weapons at the cost of 2 BP and increases consumption by 1

Special Abilities none

Speed 2;  Morale 0;  Consumption 1 a month

Leader General Miro (Cha +3)

 

 

Halfling Scouts                              (in reserve)                  ACR 1

N Medium army of halflings (rogue 2)                              XP 400

HP 9;  DV 11;  OM +1

Tactics withdraw

Special Abilities lesser bleed (deals an extra 1d3 damage if it hits in melee)

sneak attack (+1 OM when using Ambush, Expert Flankers or False Retreat tactics)

Speed 1;  Morale 0;  Consumption 1 a month

Leader Kimble the Provocative (Cha +1)

 

 

Kobold Squad                                (deployed)                  ACR 1/2

LE Medium army of kobolds (warrior 2)                           XP 200

HP 10;  DV 10;  OM +0

Tactics dirty fighters (increase OM by 6 for one melee phase only)

Special Abilities darkvision (takes no OM or DV penalties in dim light or darkness)

light sensitivity (decreases OM and DV by 1 in bright light)

Speed 2;  Morale 1;  Consumption 1 a week

Leader Chief Sootscale (Cha +1)

 

 

Lizardfolk Army                          (in reserve)                   ACR 1

NE Medium army of lizardfolk                                          XP 400

HP 9;  DV 11;  OM +1, ranged

Tactics none

Special Abilities amphibious (can move in bodies of water and ignore Defense from water barriers)

aquatic (increases OM and DV by 1 against armies in the water or on ships)

cannibalize (reduce Consumption by 1 for a week if the army feeds on fallen corpses)

Speed 2;  Morale 1;  Consumption 1 a month

Leader King Vesket (Cha +1)

 

 

The Pathfinder System Resource website lists all of the available tactics, special abilities and resources that might be employed in mass combat.