D20 Mass Combat Rules for Use With Miniatures?

[Lord of Elder Days]

For a long time now I've been thinking about playing out battles in my campaigns using armies of miniatures. At this point I think I'm going to need to come up with my own system. For inspiration I've been looking over Heroes of Battle the D&D Miniatures Handbook and Fields of Blood.

Are there any recommendations for further reading? I would also welcome any advice from those who have tried something similar.

[Digitalelf]

There are mass combat rules in Green Ronin's "Advanced Player's Manual", which are a sort of "light version" of the rules presented in Malhavoc Press's "Cry Havoc".

The Advanced Player's Manual is available on PDF at Greenronin.com, and Cry Havoc is available on PDF at rpgow.com.

I suppose you could find physical copies of both on eBay however.

EDIT - Also, there is Alderac Entertainment Group's (AEG) "War", which also has rules for mass combat (which is also available on PDF at rpgnow.com)...

[TheMetal1]

Here are a few for your consideration...

1. AD&D Battlesystem
2. Fields of Battle (Troll Lord Games) for Castles & Crusades,
3. Domains of War for Adventurer Conquerer King
4. Hordes of The Things (HOTT) is a easy entry miniature system.
5. Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game or the War of the Ring miniature game system from Games Worshop
6. Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical era has a good quick mass battle system
7. War from Alderac Entertainment Group (AED)
8. Warpath
9. Cry Havoc by Monte Cook
10. Field of Glory
11. Ultimate War from Legendary Games
12. GURPS Mass Combat rules
13. Book of Battle for Pendragon
14. Bushido by FGU has mass combat system
15. Rules Cyclopedia for D&D basic also has a mass combat system
16. Warhammer or Warmaster by Games Workshop

hope this helps!

[Kthulhu]

The best mass combat for an RPG I've ever used or read through is the one from BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia D&D.

[Stefan Hill]

Kthulhu wrote:

The best mass combat for an RPG I've ever used or read through is the one from BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia D&D.

I agree with this if you want abstract. The 2nd ed AD&D mass battle system is a great D&D table top war-game, very playable. Also the system in the 2nd ed Birthright campaign boxed set is worth a look, sort of in between abstract and tabletop.

S.

[Bluenose]

It's not from an RPG, but the Hordes of the Things rules are worth a look at. Pretty quick and simple by wargame standards, adaptable to large battles or smaller ones, not expensive - at one point there was a free download of the 2nd edition available, which still lurks around the web somewhere.

And to add to the list of RPGs with mass combat, ACKS has Domains at War which includes both a fairly abstract resolution system and a tactical wargame version.

[Bjørn Røyrvik]

"Way of the Daimyo" for L5R 2e and d20 3.0 has a simple mass battle system. It's not actually designed for miniatures, but you could probably use them.

The RC system isn't designed for minis either, it's just a straight percentage system. AEG's War is basically just normal D&D combat with each mini representing a unit of troops.