I'm looking over historical sieges (the sieges of Constantinople are foremost) but I'd like some ideas on how to make effective and interesting a siege on a harbour city. This assumes that the enemy fleet doesn't totally control the coastline. It takes place in Stygia, with a 'barbarian' army (partly led by the pcs) occupying this harbour city and some areas around it. The river Styx flows to the sea and alongside the city. The army and fleet of the Pharaoh are trying to recapture the city.
Perhaps I should clarify as well--what I'm interested in mostly are adventures that this would involve.
How about an underwater adventure where the PCs have to attack the ships from below? They aren't without guardians, of course, possibly in the form of some aquatic devils (none are jumping to mind, though the Fiend Folio has some nice aquatic demons) or half-fiend dragon turtles and the like.
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Blockade running (for supplies, critical messages, etc) come to mind as an interesting mini-adventure that a PC party could attempt during a siege. Attempting to blast your way out would be likely suicide, but could make a very interesting search for an alternate way to get out.
Blockade running is a good idea. How about slipping out of the the city via magic or even a recently discovered tunnel, cave complex, etc? Once out of the city, adventurers could launch raids on the enemy's camp on land (maybe even going after the Pharaoh himself or one of his key subordinates), supply ships en route, (a pirate campaign), or even going further out in search of allies. (One major concern for a besieging army is the possibilty of a relief force showing up).
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How about an underwater adventure where the PCs have to attack the ships from below? They aren't without guardians, of course, possibly in the form of some aquatic devils (none are jumping to mind, though the Fiend Folio has some nice aquatic demons) or half-fiend dragon turtles and the like.
Not bad, perhaps a school of magcially controlled sharks might make for some decent underwater guards.
A game I'm playing in back home is involved in the siege of the capital city of the local empire. We're on the attacking side, and my character is helping to infiltrate the city from the sewers. I have yet to see how this is going to pan out for us, but if your city has sewers that could be an option for a bit of a dungeon delve in the middle of a siege.
How about an underwater adventure where the PCs have to attack the ships from below? They aren't without guardians, of course, possibly in the form of some aquatic devils (none are jumping to mind, though the Fiend Folio has some nice aquatic demons) or half-fiend dragon turtles and the like.Not bad, perhaps a school of magcially controlled sharks might make for some decent underwater guards.
With fiendish sahuagin rangers mounted on them like cavalry and an aboleth mage as the general of the underwater forces!
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just some random adventure thoughts...
Defend the Gate: A new push of infantry, accompanied by a massive, nearly impenetrable siege ram/tower is approaching the tower, needing the PC's to stave off the attack, and possibly counterattack to take the new weapon.
Plague hits the Streets: Disease is popping up, running rampant amongst the defenders; the PC's have to identify the cause (plague zombies being created and used by a sneaky Necromancer, released from the recent burial grounds) and stop it.
Strike off the Head: One (or more) of the besieging army's leaders are heading off to some meeting/gathering point/etc. The PC's learn of this through their spies and have to choose: Attack the mass of the army, in hopes of capturing the remaining leaders, or head off the absent ones and ambush them.
Aerial Assault: The enemy army has recently come across some aerial mounts (undead/charmed Rocs, Fiendish Giant Vultures, Dragons/Wyverns, or the like) and is planning a night-time raid into the city. The PC's have to drive off the aerial attack, then mop up the infantry/shock troops they drop during the assault.
Beware the Courtyard: Burrowing under the walls, the enemy has targeted the courtyard directly behind the gatehouse. If they learn about it quickly enough, the PC's can counter-mine and prepare defenses (poison gas, boiling oil, buckets of rabid-fiendish-ferrets, etc). If not, a massive infantry assault, supported by Bullettes/Umber Hulks/Thoqqua/Xorn erupts during a muster, leading to a mass battle to defend the main gates.
Plus, you can have your traditional "Thieves Guild tries to profiteer" "Rapist Soldier goes rampant" and the like events happening, interspersed with some of the more high-number mass battles.
For good rules-set advice, I would highly recommend "Heroes of Battle" for 3.5ed. Good planning makes large battles more like dungeon-type-adventures, and there are lots of tips on how to run things like inner-city fighting, pitched battles on large fields, and siege warfare.
For Fictional inspiration, "The Black Company" and "The Books of the South" are both excellent. Glenn Cook really captures the idea of low-fantasy warfare in a fast-reading, easily accessible manner.
-t
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With fiendish sahuagin rangers mounted on them like cavalry and an aboleth mage as the general of the underwater forces!
Well that's an interesting option. Perhaps if the Phaorah is neutral or evil, maybe a group of lacedons. Perhaps for some Egyptian flavor, a force of salt-water crocodiles (thanks to some worshippers of Sebek) or large sea-scorpions (a gift from Serqet) or water elementals. (Hatmehyt perhaps?)
Count Buggula: blockade running sounds like a good idea. I wanted to have a coastline that's not entirely controlled, as I said, but that the Pharaoh has gathered enough of a fleet to converge on any attempts to get out, so that would be a nice tense kind of adventure. From what you suggest it could be necessary for more than one adventure actually.
the DZA: that's very clever--using sewers to have a traditional dungeon delve or two. There could even be a kind of ongoing battle to control them.
psionichamster: those are very good adventure suggestions that will make the city under attack something that adventurers would be necessary to deal with. Thanks also for the recommendation for Heroes of Battle.
One thing I like about this is that it suggests that there would (as I believe) be an element of modern warfare to a setting with magic such as D&D in it--aerial, submarine and subterranean combat situations, long range rapid communications, chemical warfare, artillery, special operations attacks...
Since it's in Stygia/Egypt maybe golems would work for the big mbt type assaults...
Saern: I like very much the idea of submarine warfare in the area. Sahuagin are always cool and sinister. I really like the idea of a dragon turtle as a 'big gun'. Maybe I could do a D&D version of the confrontation between the Merrimack and the Monitor? Where the pcs have to find some kind of artifact or ship or means of successfully combating a school of the beasts?
Iron Sentinels: I appreciate the Egyptian mythology touch; I don't want the combat to seem arbitrary. Also I like the idea of a raid on the enemy camp for a VIP. (I'm not sure yet whether the Pharaoh will be there in person or a vizier or something. I kind of think since it's a major invasion though that the Pharaoh would rally the kingdom.)
And yes, the Pharaoh is basically lawful evil.
Bill Lumberg: That's a helpful adventure idea too. I have to say I really like the idea of herding animals or supplies--perhaps that could be a preliminary adventure, going into a dangerous area to do that while enemy raiding parties are moving ahead of the main force before the besieging army fully arrives.
Rezdave: That's really amazing, thank you so much for providing so much info! It will certainly make for interesting reading apart from providing many ideas to pick and choose from!
Which Stygia are we talking about here? I assumed from the mention regarding the River Styx that we're dealing with the fifth level of the Nine Hells, which is also home to at least some of the Egyptian pantheon in D&D. But later comments now have me thinking it's more along the lines of Conan series' Stygia. In which case, strike all the fiendish stuff from my suggestions.
Try looking into the Dungeon adventure "Seekers of the Silver Forge" (I think; can someone give an issue number?). I do believe that's the one with a force of sahuagin led by a powerful cleric, racing against the PCs to find the lost Silver Forge, all set at the bottom of the ocean against undead aquatic githyanki and their lich leader. The Silver Forge could be replaced with some kind of weapon, or be necessary for the creation of some kind of weapon, which the PCs need to face off against the attackers' super weapon. Elements of the adventure could be swapped as necessary to fit more with the Egyptian feel. In order to avoid having the adventure local just conveniently located under the defending city's harbor, you could include a blockade-running adventure as a prelude, followed by a high-seas adventure looking for the mythical locale, before finally getting to the destination and all the excitement thereof.
I believe the adventure is for a 14th level group.
That sounds like a very cool adventure, I'll have to seek that one out!
The version of Stygia I'm using is from the Conan campaign world, though I've transplanted it into my own setting. I've wanted to use sahuagin more in my game anyway and so this is a perfect excuse!
I actually really like the idea of seeking out special weapons and devices, the pcs doing special ops missions towards the success of the war. I'm getting some very good ideas here.
I'm looking over historical sieges (the sieges of Constantinople are foremost) but I'd like some ideas on how to make effective and interesting a siege on a harbour city. This assumes that the enemy fleet doesn't totally control the coastline. It takes place in Stygia, with a 'barbarian' army (partly led by the pcs) occupying this harbour city and some areas around it. The river Styx flows to the sea and alongside the city. The army and fleet of the Pharaoh are trying to recapture the city.
IDK if this has been said, but a DM of mine used the seige out of Red Hand of Doom to a great effect.
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That sounds like a very cool adventure, I'll have to seek that one out!
The version of Stygia I'm using is from the Conan campaign world, though I've transplanted it into my own setting. I've wanted to use sahuagin more in my game anyway and so this is a perfect excuse!
I actually really like the idea of seeking out special weapons and devices, the pcs doing special ops missions towards the success of the war. I'm getting some very good ideas here.
Borrowing from the Conan world, huuh? Good show!
Anyhow, in the future, tell us how it works out.
Red Hand of Doom as a model for sieges is pretty good--essentially it uses a victory point system in which a certain number of major accomplishments are required for victory. So that's a good idea, thank you.
And thanks everyone for the encouragement!
Try looking into the Dungeon adventure "Seekers of the Silver Forge" (I think; can someone give an issue number?)Seekers of the Silver Forge by Tim Hitchcock, Dungeon #125
R.
Thanks! Why am I not surprised that you're the one who came up with the info? :)
Reading over some of the historic sieges, it seems that different ones present their own problems. I do know that the big assaults popular in films didn't take place that often.
One moment that is very striking to me is the Battle of the Herrings, in which the French attempted to attack an English supply column.
The Sahuagin adventure is one I'm definitely going to use, so it's written itself pretty much and doesn't require that much more work. I'm also going to re-work the old U series in order to have the pcs able to take out a Sahuagin base. (There's a large marshy region south of the city, largely unmapped.)