Mass Combat

These are my rules for mass combat, inspired by this post and based on the Warhammer rules. These are tailored for my bastard 3.5, but could easily be applied to most D&D or RP rules.

Use one model to represent a unit or group of men. Assume they all have the same stats and stuff, if they don't use only what the majority of the unit has. One inch, square or hex should represent either 30ft or 60ft so either a single move action, or a double move action covers it. Infantry units are generally 100 men and Cavalry generally 40 men.

Anything one could do in normal tactical combat, can still be done with the follow changes;

Movement as normal except it is a half move to change facing of a unit and a full move to about turn.

When in melee, both sides attack in each turn to simulate the press of the melee. Both sides roll to hit, but they will automatically do damage in 'amount of soldiers' as theit weapon damage rather than HP, as in the bloody melee, even the strongest warriors are pressed in and dragged to the ground etc.

If a unit's attack rolls beats the enemy AC, then that amount of extra casualties is done. Critical hits still apply, and represent a very strong enemy surge or good morale or some such. Any bonuses for charging (including lances) still apply.

So in a combat turn two units will roll off with their attack rolls against each others ac and deal their weapon damage in casualties, with an extra casualty caused for every point they beat the enemy ac by (in my system these casualties are reduced by DR from armour as well). All normal bonuses for flanking and charging etc still apply and units fight as if at full strength regardless of casualties taken.

Ranged units use the same rules, except they receive no opposed attacks obviously. So they automatically do their ranged damage, and an extra casualty for every point they beat the enemy AC by.

Morale checks are taken when a unit reaches 75% of its original strength of numbers. The check is DC10. A subsequent check is taken when they are dropped below 50% @ DC 15 and subsequently every time a unit is damaged thereafter. These are versus the highest command skill (or charisma) in the unit (so generals will probably assign officers with names and stats to most units, who if they have no ranks in a command skill equivalent have a high intimidate or charisma).

These checks are modified by the difference, positive or negative, between each units kills in that turn. So if a unit reaches 75% but did 2 more kills than the enemy unit that turn, then the check is DC8 not 10. If the opposing unit also dropped beneath 75% that turn they would check at DC12 not 10.

If a unit fails the command check it breaks, it immediately makes a move action away from the winning unit provoking an attack of opportunity as normal. Make a opposed dexterity checks to simulate the other unit trying pursue, (cavalry should automatically catch infantry or receive massive bonuses to this check). If a unit doesn't wish to pursue they must make a command check DC 10 to refrain. If a unit is 'caught' then then the chasing unit gets to move with the fleeing unit, staying in combat and make an additional attack, with no opposing attack roll. In subsequent turns make the same dexterity check until either the fleeing unit manages to escape or the pursuers refrain from following.

Once a unit is broken and escaped combat they may make a rally checks to stop fleeing, otherwise they continue to move full speed away from the fight, probably to cover. You may make a rally check in each of your turns, and it is a command check as per the DC of the break checks, so DC10 for a unit below 75% and DC 15 if the unit is below 50%. In addition this check should take an additional -1 for each 5 casualties below 50%. strength.

After battle D% of casualties of each unit are actual deaths, permanent injures and perhaps a further D% of these actual casualties are prisoners of war. These are both rounded down and any casualties not in this group were only minorly injured or knocked unconscious and can still fight in a subsequent battle.

Characters in combat take d4 attacks per round and these roll to hit as normal, and the character takes normal HP damage. When the character attacks, keep a tally of the damage they do, whenever they have dealt enough accumulative damage to normally kill one of those creatures in the unit, they count as having done a single casualty (this is the same for ranged attacks from characters, who can probably get and additional +4 to hit because of circumstances). If a character is stupid enough to charge a unit by themselves, they should take 9-10 attacks per turn from being attacked by multiple soldiers or creatures at once.

The way I am thinking of adjudicating mass magic killing is just figuring out how many troops in the unit would normally be effected, given they are standing ranked up all next to each other (each in a 5ft square next to each other) by the area of the spell and the the caster can just roll damage against them as normal, doing casualties if they successfully kill single soldiers and keeping track of damage done against others, assuming that if they hit the unit with another spell they will target those same soldiers first, but this accumulative damage only applying to that spell caster. Currently I can't think of a better way to model this that isn't ridiculously overpowered or under powered for casters.

Maiming and Laming PCs

As I am trying to run a grim dark campaign world I like the idea of my PCs being properly beaten and hacked apart in combat.

I use this system in conjunction with a modified HP system for 3.5. Essentially the HP of all mortal creatures (at GMs discretion) and characters is changed to their Con score with additional fixed numbers per hit die they would normally receive. Sorcerers and Wizards receive not d4 + con bonus HP per level, but rather 1 hit point. Rogues with d6 hit die per level receive +1 HP on odd levels, and +2 HP on even levels. Classes with D8 hit die per level receive +2 HP per level, D10 equates to +2/+3 and D12 to +3. Thus characters have a lot less health, but peasants and NPCs have more, so a peasant can indeed survive several dagger stabs, just not as many as a trained warrior. In my system Armour also provides damage reduction as well as an AC bonus.

ANYWAY.
The injury system. This takes inspiration from DH and M&M.

When a mortal creature (PC, NPC or animal) takes damage they must make a Fortitude save to avoid Injury. The DC is 5+ the damage they receive (after Armour DR in this case).

If they pass it is assumed that they grit their teeth and keep on fighting, or manage to place themselves so that whilst they take damage, they have avoided the most serious part of the damage. A fail indicates the degree to which they are injured via the following table.

Degree of Failure	What Happens	Effects
1-5 STAGGERED	Blood in eyes, dazed, still reeling from attack	The creature may only make a half action in their next turn and any checks they make in that turn are a -4, including attempts to attack. They are also counted as flat footed.
6-10 INJURY	Cracked Ribs, Major Laceration, Concussion, Mangled fingers	They are staggered, in addition the creature beings to bleed and has a 10% chance per round until treated of losing 1 hp. They in addition suffer a -2 penalty on an appropriate score or ability checks (refer to where they are hit). This penalty lasts for 3d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -1.
11-15 SERIOUS INJURY	Broken bones, cracked skulls, severing of tendons, loss of hand or foot	They are staggered, in addition they bleedat 1 hp per round. They suffer a -4 penalty on the appropriate score or ability check. This penalty lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -2.
15+ CRITICAL INJURY	Loss of limb, instant unconsciousness, evisceration	The creature immediately falls prone. They bleed at 1 hp per round. A fortitude save of DC20 and full action is required to stand back up and keep fighting. They suffer -6 to the relevant ability score checks which lasts for 6d6 days. A DC 15 heal check stops the bleeding and a DC 20 Heal check reduces the penalty to -4 for those 6d6 days, however even after this time is over the penalty will not go away entirely, it remains permanent at -2. This result is also likely to result in permanent loss of limb.

I then use the WFRP D100 hit allocation system to figure out where the character is hit and therefore apply a relevant negative, both shown below.

1-15 HEAD - penalty on all checks

16-30 RIGHT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

31-45 LEFT ARM – penalty on strength or attack rolls

46-70 BODY – penalty on con score

71-85 RIGHT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

96-100 LEFT LEG – penalty on dex or move speed

While the system above is fine, to generate more specific injuries I use an expanded breakdown. This is so that I don't fall back to GM fiat as to whether a player loses a limb or hand, but rather both my players and I know the possible outcomes of a given circumstance.

I use the D100 allocation roll to determine where the attack hits, and then provide DCs of reflex saves to avoid losing that bit of a body based on how bad the injury is. I use reflex saves as I figure that they are the most appropriate save, modelling a character avoiding the worst result, but still being heinously injured just not completely limbless. Note that in this breakdown when i use a certain injury type, I also mean that greater injury results also entail that possibility (eg: a Serious Injury incurs the same result as a Injury if there are specific effects).

HEAD (1-15) Injuries result in penalties to all checks. A serious injury result on any head check results in unconsciousness if a DC15 reflex save is failed. A critical injury result hit requires a DC20 reflex save to avoid decapitation and instant death, and even if passed the character is considered to be immediately unconscious. In addition see below.

1-2 EYES - A Serious Injury failed reflex save of DC20 results in the loss of an eye (-4 to spot permanently with losing the second resulting in blindness).

3-4 EARS –An Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 15 and they lose an ear (-1 to listen permanently).

5-6 NOSE –A Serious Injury and failing a reflex save of DC 20 results in loss of nose (-4 Charisma permanently).

7-15 REST OF HEAD – No risk of additional maiming.

RIGHT ARM (16-30) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

16-20 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

20-25 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

26-30 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

LEFT ARM (31-45) Injuries result in a penalty to attack rolls and any relevant skill checks requiring the arms use, eg: Climb, Pick Lock. In addition see below.

31-35 HAND – If an Injury failure of a DC 15 reflex save results in loss of a finger, if a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing that hand.

36-40 FOREARM – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the forearm.

41-35 UPPER ARM/SHOULDER – In addition to the attack bonus penalty injuries on this part of the body cause a strength penalty of the same magnitude. If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire arm.

BODY (45-70) – Penalties are to Constitution. In addition see below.

45-57 ABDOMEN – No additional maiming, just make sure to describe suitably gruesome evisceration, and maybe make the character hold in their entrails if they are Critically Injured and fall prone.

58-70 CHEST – In addition the Constitution penalty they take an Attack Bonus penalty as well.

RIGHT LEG (71-85) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

71-78 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

79-83 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

84-85 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

LEFT LEG (86-100) Penalties are to Dexterity and to Movement speed.

86-93 THIGH – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the entire leg.

94-99 LOWER LEG – If a Critical Injury is received here a DC 20 reflex save is required to avoid losing everything below the knee.

99-100 FOOT – If a Serious Injury a DC20 reflex save is required to avoid losing the foot.

Unfortunately none of my PCs have lost a body part yet. Though our Dwarf Cleric did get eviscerated quite nicely by a fellow PC, who whilst frenzied got a critical hit on him with a greatsword. The party is now trying to journey to the Elves to beg them for regeneration so the Cleric can get the 2 Constitution, he lost from the evisceration, back. It was pretty funny when it happened, almost as funny as when said greatsword wielding frenzied warrior almost killed another PC because said PC was a werewolf, and no one, not even the werewolf PC knew about it yet. The greatsword fighter and the werewolf characters are also brothers in game.

I suppose an introduction is in order...

So... here I am making a blog post.

The plan is to make a few more of these should I keep up with posting, and have interesting things to say. I use and create a bunch of tables, house rules and concepts and other people might be interested in, and so by Zak S's logic I should put that out there for other people to use, not just hoard it for myself in my secret notebooks and word documents of secretiveness.

Regardless that I have only just started to GM D&D and I have only more recently been playing (Dark Heresy, WFRP 2ed, Homebrew WFRP and Mutants and Masterminds) I have managed to come up with some stuff that I think others might find useful, and if not useful hopefully interesting.

I run a ground up setting with influences from Baldur's Gate II era Faerun, Ian Irvine's novels (particularly The Well of Echoes series), George RR Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice and Warhammer Fantasy / 40k. I aim for a grim-dark and somewhat realistic world, realistic only because I feel realism makes for easy conceptualisation of things and because I like the idea of a consistent game-world (though this is a hard mark to hit). This said I appreciate gonzo-everything goes D&D, just the world I run at the moment is not this.

It is a world (I hope) where unlicensed Mages are killed for heresy, Daemons eat Mage's souls, religion is a militant institution and my players can remake in their image.

Now for tables and stuff I guess?