Troop Movement for a City Guard Squadron says: "Whenever the city guards Stride, they first Form Up as a free action to condense into a 20-foot-by-20-foot area (minus any missing squares), then move up to their Speed. This works just like a Gargantuan creature moving; for instance, if any square of the guards enters difficult terrain, the extra movement cost applies to all the guards."
When the squad is reduced to 25 HP it only takes up 8 squares. At that point, since it is smaller than a 3x3 area, does it now move as if it was a Huge-sized creature? Or does the squadron still move like it was Gargantuan?
Thanks.
Aside from how many squares they take up, what is the difference between movement rules for a Huge size or Gargantuan size creature?
As far as I know, there aren't any differences. The point about the movement cost being the highest among all squares being moved through is what is called out specifically. And this is done to make things easier on the troop movement. Treating it as though it is one creature rather than trying to figure out individual creature movement speeds through the terrain that they are individually moving through.
Just wanting to make sure the 8-square version of the troop can fit through an area that is 3 squares wide and isn't still treated as gargantuan in that respect.
Also, would I treat that 8-square version as taking the 3x3 area, or would I need to keep track of which of its squares is not occupied while moving? In case the terrain is such that it can skirt difficult terrain by allowing only the unoccupied square to pass over it. Or would I say, "This troop moves as if it was one huge-size creature and if any of its 9 squares hits difficult terrain it is slowed..." And it doesn't matter that one of those squares is technically unoccupied.
I have no idea if I'm making any sense. LOL
I think I understand.
Troop rules have the size of the footprint shrink as the troop drops below its HP Thresholds. It lists 16 squares, 12 squares, and 8 squares. I'm not sure why 9 squares isn't in the list.
The regular Form Up action allows for many other configurations of occupied squares.
The City Guard Squadron's Troop Movement action has a modified form of the Form Up action that specifies that it has to fit within a 20 foot by 20 foot area instead of the normal 15 foot range of one square that Form Up normally uses.
So it isn't really specified, but I would have the City Guard Squadron fit itself into a smaller footprint when using Troop Movement. Such as a 9 square 3x3 shape that matches up with the Huge creature footprint. And then would move the Troop like a normal Huge creature.
As for allowing missing squares to not be counted when determining terrain, that is up to the GM. That has some tradeoffs. On one hand, the fully filled shape is easier to visualize and see what squares are occupied. On the other, it is a less accurate approximation that can end up applying penalties that it doesn't need to.