| | You are not authorized to post a reply. |
| | Author | Messages | |
crookre
Skirmisher
27 Posts
    
Virginia
 | | 08/10/2007 7:26 AM |
| This Sunday I have an adventuring party that is going to have a massive battle. Their group is made up of a human, 2 elf’s, 2 dwarf’s, a Halfling and a half orc. They convinced the armies of the humans, elf’s and dwarfs to converge on a larger army of hobgoblins that threading their lands. I have miniatures for the battle about 150 for the humanoids and 250 for the hobs. I’m looking for how some of you have played massive battles out. Such as formulas for the battle, any type of adding on you may have did to make it not seem so mechanical. Any all ideas are welcome. Thanks, Rob | |
Big Daddy Rob | |
|
Oryan77
Sergeant
955 Posts
| | 08/10/2007 11:19 AM |
| I don't know how you could do it for 2e but I know several sources for doing it under 3e rules.
Personally, I don't even use a precise system. I just have the PCs attack a small section of the army and run it normally. I describe how there's tons of other people around them fighting even beyond the minis I have on the battlemat but they tell me where they want to focus their attacks.
I'll roll a single attack for a group of several NPCs. Then I roll some damage and average it out. The outcome of the battle will be determined on how well the PCs are doing against the people they attack.
I'll make up most of it as we go and how I think it should go to make it more exciting. It's just too much work for combat and the effort isn't worth the reward. All the players need is to have the feeling they are fighting in a big battle...how it's executed and calculated doesn't matter as long as each player feels like he's personally assisting in the battle.
| |
Miniatures for sale *more added 07/17/08*: Click here
I will buy your unwanted D&D WotC minis collection (DDM only). Email me your asking price! | |
|
Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 08/10/2007 12:15 PM |
| In 1E there used to be a system for mass battles that i used once. But even using that, i still ran the PCs through particular encounters as described by Oryan above.
The outcome was determined by a random roll to which several adjustments were made: number of opponents, relative position, strong leaders, equipment, grunt experience, etc...
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 08/10/2007 12:49 PM |
| The way I've seen that works is to give PCs options on what they want to do since they are essentially a high powered strike force. Their success or failure determines the general forces' success or failure. When they do fight, it's the PCs vs the leaders of that group.
Depending on how much time you have for planning, you can designate troops like brigades and move them on a map like something from a tactical miniature game like warhammer or flames of war, using a ruler to determine distance traveled. If the PCs are surrounded, increase the CR of the fight by one or two. If the have a tactical advantage, lower it. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
| Master of the
Awesome Sauce
Teflon Jeff
Warlord
7146 Posts
Idaho. Yes, we have Gamers in Idaho.
| | 08/10/2007 8:12 PM |
| | I typically will assign each of them an section of the army to run, and then separate them. Unless they coordinate before hand, they can't communicate with each other. Each of them must give me their general orders, and we pla it out that way. It takes a bit longer, but it's a lot more realistic, tense (Is he losing? Is he winning? How's Frank doing too?) and overall, fun. | |
Official Delegate, Wizards of the Coast
Against The Giants Called Shot: Huge Green Dragon
Icons Called Shot: Gargantuan Prismatic Dragon
"Rejoice, for bad things are about to happen." | |
|
Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 08/13/2007 7:03 AM |
| Hey crookre,
Tell us how it went and how you managed the battle, if you have time. I'd be interested to hear how your ran this.
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
|
crookre
Skirmisher
27 Posts
Virginia
| | 08/17/2007 11:02 AM |
| | Will do, I gave my players to much time last week and they used most of the time setting things up for the battle and some good role-playing. Battles all set for this week. Thanks all, you gave me some good ideas to work with. | |
Big Daddy Rob | |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 08/20/2007 3:02 PM |
| | I bet the set up will be worth it. Some of the best sessions I've had as a player were setups for games like this. Made the whole session better. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
|
crookre
Skirmisher
27 Posts
Virginia
| | 08/28/2007 8:17 AM |
| | We had to cancel last week’s session, but this past Sunday it was on. The extra week off helped me in a way. It gave me time to work out the best way to play out the party’s battle plan. The party was going in mostly as a strike force to take out the main focus of the enemy leaders. Minus one party member the cleric dwarf who was to general a part of the dwarves army (about 50 minis). I decided to go with around fifty minis as with some game testing earlier that week it proved to take way to much time with hundreds of minis and after awhile it just became too mechanical. Long story short the main party teleports to the center of the battle were they fight the big nasties inside and atop of a fortified structure as the cleric dwarf leads his forces to battle. The mix of the fighting inside the structure and the mass battle out side gave it a good feel. I keep the feel of a much bigger battle with some small updates when the dwarf would ask about his flanking ranks. If a flanking rank fell he would have to readjust his front. Also when the main party reached the top level they got a good eyes view of the whole battle field. We ended the session as the dwarf cleared his section to the structure and the rest of the party made it to the top level and was having troubles against the main baddies. | |
Big Daddy Rob | |
|
Skyscraper
Sergeant
659 Posts
Montreal
| | 08/28/2007 9:18 AM |
| Cool. Can you provide a few details on the flanking ranks?
Sky | |
The wise man doubts often. The ignorant, sometimes. The fool, never. | |
|
IronHammer
Skirmisher
16 Posts
Kentucky
| | 08/29/2007 10:22 AM |
| | 2ed use to have a system for large battles but Im having trouble remembering the name..Something to do with a singular points system..One of the modules(castle dragonspear???) used it in the end as a option... | |
I remember playing Elves and Dwarves as a character class.. | |
|
gss_000
Commander
3204 Posts
Baltimore, MD
| | 08/30/2007 1:15 PM |
| | It might be from Birthright, which dealt with nations more than individual PCs. | |
Completed trades: blackthorne, Drakkengi,Thorgrin, Ironfist Boulderbender x2, ckissee, nasamonkey, Username, Star, Ace13 x3, emontedodger x2, Drconveyor, church, Joeyb, Sir Bozak The Damned, Xeromod, the other guy x2, Qucalion of Celene, Dagaron x2, berus316, qillan_dvra, AshloreDarkShadow
For further info go to My Reference Thread and Trade Interface
Champion of Radiant Sevant | |
|
nyjastul69
Commander
2710 Posts
Rhode Island
| | 08/31/2007 5:35 AM |
| | There was BattleSystem and BattleSystem: Skirmish for 2e. | |
You know, I keep thinking that after the new design team gets done with D&D 4e, D&D won't stand for Dungeons and Dragons anymore, because well, that's just not fun. It's old and stuffy. - Originally Posted by BabWryter on Kenzerco.com | |
|
Shottglazz
Sergeant
970 Posts
Quinte West, Ontario, Canada
| | 09/05/2007 6:21 AM |
| | There was a great system for low-level mass battles introduced in an old Dungeon magazine. The adventure "Seige at Kratys Freehold" intro'd it. Basically, treat groups of 5 troops as 1 figure. They share hp, ac, attack, etc. Commanders, pc's, big 'uns and such get their own fig. (Or roleplay the battles with pc's). With this method, an army of 100 becomes 20 figs and much easier to handle. | |
Shottglazz
"Take my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand;
I don't care, I'm still free, you can't take the sky from me."
Completed trades ( 48 ): Pikel, Darrell, JeffDHarvey, BiggPappa001, Ghendar, Valinrook X2, Wolfgang x3, Wraithborne x5, Mr Ruffles, Anothermullen, CKissee x3, Browns_Scoundrel, Kyrin, GuJiaXian x2, Tyngfumv, Basic_Aim, Mickey Mouse, Berus316, Crisisman, Zoons, Rockfrd, Sterling40 x2, Brucemc, 2007 Magical Mystery Trade, Redskullz x2, Stephengroy, Lyus_Sleyden, Foolforthought, 2008 Magical Mystery Trade, Kilsek x4, Generic Fighter, Auric, Relientkitten
Pending trades ( 0 ):
WotC trades ( 1 ): Red_Deceiver
Bad trades ( 2 ): LeftEyeofGruumsh, Yotebeth | |
| Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6621 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 09/09/2007 5:32 PM |
| | I look forward to actually playing a big battle without simplifying it with mass battle rules or just doing a closeup on a small section. I look forward to doing a 50 vs. 100+ where 50 are defending a keep. The challenge I will have is figuring out which of my RPG friends/family want to participate. | |
"Look to God and live." Alma 37:47
Vindicated Champ of Hippogriff (Arcadian Hippogriff) and Uncommon Horse | |
|
| | You are not authorized to post a reply. |
|
| |
ActiveForums 3.7 | You must be signed in to participate in the
games. |