Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[robert4818]

These rules supersede the "Characters in Mass Battle Rules" from SWD. These are inspired by the 7th Sea Mass Combat rules, but even those have been modified to put the players into scenario's that they must play through, as opposed to a simple chart look up. These scenarios are combat related, and as such using these rules may cause mass combat to take a long time. You've been warned.

The scenario's provided below may not be appropriate for every game. (Particularly the Banners and duels) feel free to come up with your own.

Each turn the player MUST decide how engaged he is in the battle. There are 4 categories. The player may move up to 2 per turn unless stated otherwise.
1 Reserves
2 Disengaged
3 Engaged
4 Heavily Engaged

Every turn the player makes a contributory roll (TN: 4) representing their own actions in the combat. (What skills are and are not allowed is up to the GM). Then look up the result on the table below:



Each entry in the table represents how much damage the player takes in combat. How many "Reputation points" the player receives, and whether or not the player has a chance at a Heroic Opportunity.

Heroic Opportunities
A player who's entry in the chart reads "Heroic Opportunity" will likely enter into an encounter of some sort. Certain encounters might also inclued the participation of the other players. (It is encouraged that you find a way to involve other players if at all possible in other encoutners, even if their characters are not taking part.) Roll on the Encounter Chart to see what the scenario for the player is.

Outcomes from Heroic encounters often affect the players reputation, tokens on the field, or the generals rolls. Keep track of this.

Heroic Opportunities
1 Medic
2 Pick up the Banner
3 "Hold This Ground!"
4 Break The line
5 A Clear Shot
6 Capture a Position
7 Save a Wounded Comrade
8 Take the Enemy Banner
9 Rescue Friendly Unit
10 Duel

Heroic Opportunities
Medic
You gain the chance to see a medic. This heals you of 1 wound, and gives you Nerves of Steel (or improved if you already have it) and Harder to Kill edges until after the next Mass Battle Turn.

Pick up the Banner
You see your banner man fall during the battle. Run a solo encounter. Your hero must fight 1d4+2 extras. If successful, he claims the flag. From this point on you gain + 1 extra reputation. However, you suffer -1 to all agility and strength based trait rolls for the rest of the battle. Add + 1 to the Generals roll this turn.

"Hold This Ground!"
The General tells you to hold the line at this position. For the next two rounds run the following encounter: You, and 5 extras under your command, must defeat a group of 1d4+2 Extras and 1 wild card. On the second round, you have only what is left from your first fight. Your side has any environmental benefits (i.e. cover positions) at the start of each battle.
During this time you are considered at the same level of engagement. But you gain +1 rep if engaged, +2 rep if heavily engaged, each round. While doing this, add +1 to the generals roll for each success and raise.

Break The line
The general gives you the order to charge! Run the following Scenario: You and 10 extras under your command must defeat a force of 20 extras + 1 Wildcard. They have any environmental benefits (i.e. Cover) this turn. If successful, gain 2 reputation points. However, on the next battle turn, the hero suffers -2 to his Contributary Roll. If the scenario is successful, remove one enemy token from the battlefield.

A Clear Shot
You see the chance to take a shot at the enemy General. Run the following scenario: There are 1D4-1 extras between you and the firing position. You have 5 combat rounds to reach the firing position and take the shot. Once at the position, Roll a Shooting roll, and apply damage to the general. (He can make a soak roll).
If the General survives the attack, apply the wound penalty to the next Knowledge Battle Roll, continue to do this (decreasing the wound penalty by 1 each round) until there is no more penalty on the die roll. The Hero also gains 1 Reputation point for every wound inflicted. If the General is Killed, Add +5 Reputation points. Also, the Generals second in command takes his place, he automatically has 1 die less in Know Battle than the General.

Capture a Position
The general orders you and a crack team to capture an enemy position. You and a number of wild cards (controlled by the other players(not their characters)) must capture a fortified position from the enemy. There are 1d6 extras per hero, and one wild card commander. If the raid is successful, add +1 to your generals rolls for the remainder of combat.

Save a Wounded Comrade
You see a friendly comrade fall during battle. Run the same type of scenario as "Pick up the Banner". If successful gain +2 Reputation. This has no effect on the outcome of the battle, but the comrade you saved may become important down the road.

Take the Enemy Banner
You see the chance to claim the enemy banner. This encounter, you must fight a duel with the enemy banner man. (Wild card). The next Mass Combat Round, are considered 1 engagement category less, and must defeat an encounter against 1d4 enemy extras. This continues until you have reached reserves, with the number of enemies increasing by a die type each round. As with the Pick up the Banner, you suffer -1 to all agility and Strength based rolls each round you hold the banner. (You may decide to drop this banner at any time. If successful, you gain +5 reputation points, and the enemy general suffers a -2 to his next roll due to morale.

Save a Friendly Unit.
An enemy unit is pinned down. And your general sees another unit about to crush them. Run the "Break the line" encounter against that unit with neither one receiving environmental advantage (i.e. Cover). If successful, Add one token to your own side's battle roster.

Duel
You run across a hero of the opposing Army. You must defeat him in a duel. (Refusing -3 rep). The winning side's general adds +2 to his next roll. The winner gains +3 reputation.



Reputation Points:

If your game uses/tracks reputation, then you may add reputation earned from these battles directly to the players reputation. (I.E. Iron Dynasty, Hellfrost). Though you may need to adjust the reputation awards.

If your game does NOT use reputation, use the accumulated reputation points from this system as a guideline to how well the character assisted in the battle, and hand out awards/promotions/etc. appropriately.
_________________
Aperture Science:
We do what we must, because we can.

[ValhallaGH]

Very Legend of the Five Rings.

Questions:
Does the penalty for "Pick up the Banner" apply to the hero's Fighting / Shooting roll?
"A Clear Shot": Why does the general get to regenerate 1 wound each round of the battle?
_________________
"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

[robert4818]

[robert4818]

Meant to add this to the above (will do so after this post).

Reputation Points:

If your game uses/tracks reputation, then you may add reputation earned from these battles directly to the players reputation. (I.E. Iron Dynasty, Hellfrost). Though you may need to adjust the reputation awards.

If your game does NOT use reputation, use the accumulated reputation points from this system as a guideline to how well the character assisted in the battle, and hand out awards/promotions/etc. appropriately.
_________________
Aperture Science:
We do what we must, because we can.

[ValhallaGH]

[robert4818]