a new place, a new time - still the same old buggers though
nearly finished writing my first HW scenario, and i have a question for y'all. without giving too much of the plot away there's going to be a mighty fine scrap at the end, and i'm trying to figure out rules for mass combat.
the method given in the rules (p 151-2) is, well.... two bodies of warriors face each other, and the leaders engage in a contest using their Tactics/Lead Warriors/Etc abilities. Fine for a sideline simple contest, but surely not a model for a dramatic finale? It suggests that factors such as level of equipment, the relative sizes of the forces and the skill of the average soldier are clumped together as modifier to the Hero's ability.
This strikes me as being too flakey, even for a 'storytelling' game. Can anyone see obvious flaws with the following alternative:
Count each member of a unit as a follower of the general, take their appropriate ability (sword & shield fighting, whatever) and add that to the AP pool. The extended contest is then fought out using the Tactics/Leadership ability of the general, with the minimum bid of a unit being the (number in unit x 3).
e.g. 100 Dara Happan hoplites 5W in Hoplite Fighting provide a pool of 2500 APs to their Centurion, who uses his Leadership ability of 5W in the extended contest. The minimum bid that the Centurion can make is 300.
Edges for armor and arms could be used, if there is a significant difference. The smaller force acts as the base for multiplying the edge effect up (my logic: this represents the one on one fight in a locked shield wall and gives the smaller force a defence advantage - what would happen in an open melee?)
e.g. the hoplites are facing a Sartarite clan fyrd of 500 who aren't
very well trained or equiped. The hoplites are 5W^5 with ^5 armor
and have 2500 APs, the fyrd are 15^3 with ^2 armor and have 7500 APs
(minimum bid 1500).
Bidding 1000 APs the fyrd crash into the Lunar shield wall and, due
to the cunning timing of their chief, almost break right through it
(Minor Victory). The Lunars would lose 1500 APs, but because of
their superior equipment they have the edge over the Sartarites. The
difference between the hoplite armor and the Sartarite weapons is ^2,
and the smaller unit is the hoplites with 100 soldiers. 200 APs are
taken from the total 1500, and the hoplites 'only' lose 1300.
In the next exchange the hoplites counterattack, and their success means the fyrd must lose 1000 APs. In addition the the difference in edge between the hoplite arms and the fyrd armor is ^3, so the fyrd must lose an extra 300 APs - total loss 1300 APs.
This isn't much more complicated than the standard method of working out extended contests, but it does take into account the size of the forces involved, their skill, and their equipment, not just the skill of the general.
I tested this out a bit last night, and at first I got scared by the huge amounts of APs flying about. Then I sent a fifty strong hoplite unit against a lone Heroformer with Sword Fighting 10W3 and they got absolutely creamed. Does this seem about right?
Does any of it seem about right?
cheers,
guy
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