MASS COMBAT RULE
Army Statistics
The description of each army is presented in a standard format.
Name: The name of the army.
Alignment: An army’s alignment has no effect on its statistics; it simply summarizes the army’s attitude with two letters, usually the same alignment as a typical unit in that army.
Size: Determines how many individual units exist in the army, as well as the army’s ACR.
Type: Describes the nature of the army’s units, such as “orcs (warrior 1)” or “trolls.” These rules assume all units in an army are essentially the same. Minor variations (such as a few half-orcs in an orc army) have no significant effect on the statistics.
hp: Equal to ACR × the average hp of 1 HD for the army’s units:
• d6 HD = 3.5
• d8 HD = 4.5
• d10 HD = 5.5
• d12 HD = 6.5
Only damage from other armies can reduce an army’s hp; non-army attacks are ineffective. As with standard hp rules, effects that reduce or heal damage by half (or another fraction) always deal/restore at least 1 point.
Army Challenge Rating (ACR): Based on the CR of a single unit in the army and the army’s size, scaling like monster CRs.
Defense Value (DV): A static defense number, similar to AC. DV = ACR + 10 + bonuses from fortifications or settlement Defense scores.
Offense Modifier (OM): A modifier added to a d20 roll to determine success, similar to a creature’s attack bonus. OM = ACR. If the army can make ranged attacks, this is noted here. (Melee and ranged attacks use the same OM unless stated otherwise.)
Tactics: Lists tactics available to the army.
Resources: Lists resources available to the army.
Special: Lists any special abilities of the army.
Speed: Indicates how many 12-mile hexes the army traverses in a day’s march. Marching through difficult terrain halves the army’s speed.
Morale: Represents the army’s confidence, ranging from –4 (worst) to +4 (best). Morale affects tactics, routing after devastating attacks, and similar effects. An army’s Morale is also affected by its Commander. If reduced to –5 or lower, the army disbands or deserts and is no longer under your control.
Consumption: Represents resources consumed by the army, used with the Kingdom Building rules. For the Army of the Open Road, PCs do not need to worry about this stat.
Commander: Lists the army’s commander and their Charisma modifier, ranks in Profession (soldier), and Leadership score. The commander must be able to communicate with the army (possibly via message spells or other magic) to issue orders or provide bonuses on army rolls.
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Attacking and Taking Damage
In mass combat, the hundreds of individual attacks that take place in one battle phase overlap enough that who attacks first is irrelevant.
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’s DV, no damage is dealt that phase.
• If the Offense check is greater than the defender’s DV, the defending army takes damage equal to the difference (Offense check – DV).
– Example: If the attacker’s Offense check is 11 and the defender’s DV is 7, the defender takes 4 damage.
Because attacks are resolved simultaneously, both armies may damage or even destroy each other in the same phase.
Special rolls:
• Natural 20: If the check is lower than the target’s DV, the attacker still deals 1 point of damage.
• Natural 1: The army cannot attempt an Offense check in the next phase (due to setbacks such as misheard orders, terrain issues, etc.).
More Than Two Armies: These rules also apply when more than two armies clash. When your army attempts an Offense check, choose which enemy army (or armies, if you command multiple) it is attacking and apply damage. You may change targets each phase.
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Strategy Track
On the first Melee phase, the commander selects a strategy from one of five options on the Strategy Track. Strategies adjust the army’s DV, OM, and damage modifier.
Defensive: DV +4, OM -4
Cautious: DV +2, OM -2
Stnadard: DV +0, OM +0
Aggressive: DV -2, OM +2
Reckless: DV -4, OM +4
• After the first Melee phase, the commander may alter the army’s strategy each phase.
• Adjusting strategy 1 step up or down is automatically successful.
• To adjust more than 1 step, the army must attempt a DC 20 Morale check.
– Success: The strategy changes to the desired level.
– Failure: The strategy remains unchanged.
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Rout
A rout is a chaotic and disorderly retreat of a defeated army, usually caused by fear or being overwhelmed by a superior opponent.
• If an army’s hit points are reduced to equal or less than its ACR, its commander must attempt a DC 15 Morale check.
– Failure: The army scatters and retreats from battle. If it cannot retreat, it surrenders and is captured.
– When an army routs: Enemy armies in the battle may attempt one final Offense check against the fleeing army as a parting shot before it escapes.
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Victory, Rout, or Defeat
The aftermath of battle depends on whether the army was victorious, routed, or defeated.
Defeated:
If an army’s hit points are reduced to 0, it is defeated.
• A defeated army may have a few survivors, but they are too demoralized, wounded, or captured to function as a cohesive unit.
• The army cannot be used again in mass combat.
Routed:
If an army routs, reduce its Morale by 1.
• If its current hp are lower than its ACR, increase its hp to its ACR.
• A routed army refuses to fight until you succeed at a DC 15 Morale check during the next Movement phase.
• A routed army can still be attacked by enemies and can attempt Offense checks—it simply cannot initiate a battle.
Victorious:
If your army is the last one left on the battlefield (not counting other friendly armies), it is victorious.
• If its current hp are lower than its ACR, increase its hp to its ACR.
