player impact on a battle / war

[gnoams]

I'm working on the next chapter of my home game, the players are going to be traveling through a war torn region. (Basically there is a warlord that is conquering/unifying the local tribal groups of the area) While the war is a background world event, not related to their quest, several of the PCs have vested interested in the factions that are fighting and I am expecting they will want to join in (against the warlord).

The players are level 9, so they should be able to have some significant impact upon a battle, but not able to take on armies by themselves. The warlord herself is basically a world boss, and an impossible challenge for them, they will not be able to fight her.

I thought about doing some mass combat, but the players wouldn't be in control of any of the units so that's not very interesting. So I'm looking for ideas on how to write encounters to let players be part of a larger battle and have some impact on it. I thought about using troops, but I hate their auto-hit swarm style damage. I think there's some potential for some cool scenes, but I'm also dreading that it could be extremely challenging for me to run and could easily bog down with too many combatants.

[Melkiador]

PCs work better as special forces. Maybe the enemy has some super weapon and the PCs have to destroy it before it can enter the battlefield.

[Matthew Downie]

gnoams wrote:

I thought about using troops, but I hate their auto-hit swarm style damage.

You could use my custom alternative troops. They require some prep work and improvisation, but it's way simpler than tracking dozens of individual enemies. And the PCs don't have to suddenly use radically different tactics ("I guess we'll send in the Rogue as the tank because my +5 plate mail is somehow useless here") just to fight a bunch of orcs.

(1) Multiply the HP of the individual by the number in the troop, up to a maximum of 25x.

(2) The troop size on the map shrinks based on the HP remaining.
17x to 25x = 5 by 5.
10x to 16x = 4 by 4.
5x to 9x = 3 by 3.
2x to 4x = 2 by 2.
Anything less than that and it's just an individual soldier.
Pre-calculate these HP target values when making your troop.
Two troops can merge, combining their HP and giving them a new size.

(3) When attacking, a troop gets stronger attacks based on their size, compared to the attacks of an individual:
5 by 5: +4 to hit, double the number of attacks, double damage for each attack that hits
4 by 4: +2 to hit, double the number of attacks, double damage for each attack that hits
3 by 3: double the number of attacks, double damage for each attack that hits
2 by 2: +2 to hit, double the number of attacks
1 by 1: Attacks as normal.
(You can simplify creatures that already have complicated multiple-attack routines...)

(4) A troop gets 5e-style 'disadvantage' (roll two d20, take the lowest) on initiative, since they move at the speed of their slowest members.

(5) Deal with spells as though the enemies were individuals, using GM discretion.
Example: The troop is hit by a Fireball. Calculate the reflex save needed. Let's say it works out that they need a 12 on a d20 to pass the save. Roll as many d20s as there were individuals in the area.
Let's say the fireball does 24 damage and the individuals had 20HP. For each one who failed, the troop takes 12 damage. For each one who passed, the troop takes 20 damage (it is capped at the HP of the individual).
Example: someone casts Glitterdust on the troop. Only four of the troop are in the area to be affected. Roll four saves, working out in advance what they need to roll. Split off the ones who are blinded into a new troop with blinded status. Or apply an appropriate AC/attack penalty (eg have the troop as a whole attack as though they were a bit smaller, knock off 1 AC, and let the Rogue use Sneak damage against them).

[SheepishEidolon]

gnoams wrote:

I thought about using troops, but I hate their auto-hit swarm style damage.

I'd look at table 1-1 of Bestiary - it includes reference values for AB and damage (if everything hits). For troops with few tricks, I'd stick close to the high value for both. Damage could be split into 3 attacks or so. Example:

Soldier troop CR 9
Melee 4 longswords +16 1d8+5 (so 4*9.5 damage in average, close to the suggested 40)
Ranged 4 longbows +12 1d8+2 (less accuracy and damage, it's just a backup option for them)

[Valandil Ancalime]

Ironfang Ivasion: Assault on Longshadow is a war/battle adventure for 8th-10th level pcs. Before the battle the pcs can do various things to hurt the enemies fighting capability and help ready their allies prepare for the battle. During the battle various special events occur that require the pc's to intervene or the allies suffer consequences.
Rise of the Runelords have giants attacking a town.
Kingmaker has battles.

gnoams wrote:

I thought about using troops, but I hate their auto-hit swarm style damage.

I wonder if using armor as DR might work in this situation?

https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?Name=Armor%20as%20DR&Category=Armor%20as% 20Damage%20Reduction

[Meirril]

Yeah, the whole d20 system kind of breaks down when you try to take a mob of low CR creatures and make them a threat to PCs who have 7+ class levels above their CR.

Making armies into a swarm is about the only way to reflect that individually these guys are no threat, but collectively they aren't harmless. Letting spell damage pick off individuals is unfair to the melee types.

Some ideas for missions your PCs could do to alter the course of the war:

Assassinating the commanders.
Spying on enemy plans.
Attacking supply lines and bases.
Wiping out enemy scouts.
Negotiations.
Spreading rumors among the enemy troops.
Protecting the friendly HQ during a battle.
Attacking enemy HQ during a battle.
Planting fake orders or other documents.