Rules:Armies
Mass Combat
Sooner or later, even the most peaceable kingdom will find itself faced with the prospect of war. While some kingdoms at odds with your own might be willing to compromise, others are not amenable to negotiation, or respond to overtures of appeasement with ever-increasing aggression. When diplomacy fails, the clash of steel is close behind.
This section contains rules for you as a kingdom leader to create armies, assign their orders, and prepare them for battle on land, at sea, or in the skies. This includes rules for equipping and maintaining conventional armies, converting groups of monsters into military forces, and going beyond the battlefield to deal with the aftermath of combat.
These rules provide an abstract, narrative mass combat system that will let you rapidly play out a complex battle scenario without getting bogged down in excessive detail, while still retaining fidelity to strategy, tactics, and the realities of the battlefield. These rules are not intended to accurately represent complex wars, provide a highly tactical simulation, or accurately model a tactical warfare miniatures game.
DM's Note: These rules, as presented in the Pathfinder supplement Ultimate Campaign (the material that this game is being adapted from), were intended to incorporate warfare into a campaign centered primarily on traditional, small-scale adventuring and roleplaying. As such, a substantial overhaul has been performed in order to change the focus of this rule set from a microcosm to a macrocosm.
In addition, the rules from which this system is derived are highly interactive. Due to the nature of this being a play by email game, the interactivity of these rules will not come into play in nearly as much detail. Instead, instructions will be given by the players to the individual generals of their armies as to what tactics they should be using if they encounter an enemy force. A battle will then be enacted on behalf of the players involved using the rules presented below. A write up of the conflict will then be sent to all players involved once the battle is complete.
This, I feel, will better give the perspective of a ruler; Sending forth his troops to wage his wars for him.
Overview
The key parts of the mass combat rules that you'll reference often are:
- Explanations of the army stat block and terminology used throughout this section.
- Step-by-step instructions on how the battle phases of a combat between armies is run.
- Battlefield modifiers for terrain and similar factors.
- Different tactics that armies can learn.
- What happens at the end of a battle, once an army wins, loses, or flees.
- Resources to upgrade and improve armies.
- Special abilities for unusual armies, such as spellcasting or poison.
Army Statistics
The description of each army is presented in a standard format.
Name: This is the name of the army. This could be a mercenary company's name, such as "Thokk's Bloodragers," a formal regiment number such as "7th Royal Cavalry," or an informal name such as "militia from Redstone."
Alignment: An army's alignment has little effect on its statistics, and is just a convenient way to summarize its attitude. It is usually the same alignment as a typical individual in that kingdom.
Size: The army's size determines not only how many individual units exist in the army, but also the army's ACR.
| Army Sizes | Number of Troops | ACR | Stealth Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | 6 | -8 | +8 |
| Diminutive | 12 | -6 | +6 |
| Tiny | 25 | -4 | +4 |
| Small | 50 | -2 | +2 |
| Medium | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Large | 200 | +2 | -2 |
| Huge | 400 | +4 | -4 |
| Gargantuan | 800 | +6 | -6 |
| Colossal | 1600 | +8 | -8 |
Type: This lists the nature of the army's individual units, such as "Orcs (Soldier 1)”. Type is a determining factor in what special abilities can be used by the individual unit, as well as what units they can combine into.
HP: An army's hit points equal its ACR × the hp value of the average unit in that army: 3.5 for Spellcaster units, 4.5 for Specialist units, 5.5 for Soldier units, and 6.5 for Shock-troop units. Any healing effect applied to an army has a minimum healing amount of 1.
Army Challenge Rating (ACR): This is based on the CR of an individual troop from a unit in the army and the army's size. To determine ACR, see Table 4—15: Army Sizes and apply the modifier for the army's size to the CR of an individual troop in the army. For example, a basic troop (regardless of type) is CR 1, so an army of 100 basic troops is an ACR 1 army; an army of 400 basic troops is ACR 5 (4 steps greater than the standard 100-unit army). If a group's ACR would be lower than 1 then it may not attack and is automatically destroyed if it is attacked.
Challenge Rating (CR): Challenge Rating is used to determine the general effectiveness of an individual. For purposes of these rules, the most rudimentary troop recruited to fight in an army is a CR 1. As previously stated, this means that a basic army requires 100 individual troops before it can be considered an army. The CR of individual troops you can recruit is based on the size of your kingdom, as well as the buildings you have constructed.
Defense Value (DV): This is a static number the army uses to resist attacks, much like an individual creature's AC. The army's DV is equal to ACR + 10 + any bonuses from fortifications or a settlement's Defense score.
Offense Modifier (OM): This is a modifier added to a d20 roll to determine the army's chance of success. The army's OM is equal to its ACR. If the army has the ability to make ranged attacks, that's mentioned here. Melee attacks and ranged attacks use the same OM unless an ability says otherwise.
Stealth: This is the army's ability to infiltrate enemy territory undetected. An army's Stealth is equal to the kingdom's Debauchery + the army size stealth modifier + any special abilities. This rating is compared to the vigilance rating of a hex in order to determine if the army has been noticed by enemy patrols.
Tactics: These are any army tactics the army has at its disposal.
Resources: These are any army resources the army has at its disposal.
Special: This section lists any special abilities the army has.
Speed: The average army has a speed of 8, although various factors can modify this. This is the amount that the army can move in a turn. In order to move into a Hex, an army must pay the movement cost from its remaining movement. If it cannot, it must wait until its next turn for its movement to replenish. Each hex has a movement cost, as shown below:
Movement Costs based on terrain:
| Terrain Name | Movement Cost | Cost With Road |
|---|---|---|
| Plains | 1 | 1 |
| Forest | 2 | 1 |
| Hills | 3 | 1 |
| Desert | 4 | 2 |
| Swamp | 6 | 3 |
| Mountain | 8 | 4 |
| Water | 21 | x |
1Water hexes require a unit to have some form of boat or other means of travel in order to cross them.
Morale: This number represents how confident the army is. Morale is used to determine changing battle tactics, whether or not an army routs as a result of a devastating attack, and similar effects. Morale is a modifier from -4 (worst) to +4 (best). A new army's starting morale is +0. Morale can be further modified by various factors. If an army's Morale is ever reduced to -5 or lower, the army disbands or deserts and you no longer control it.
Consumption: This is how many Build Points (BP) an army consumes each turn, representing the cost to feed, hydrate, arm, train, care for, and pay the units. An army's base Consumption is equal to its ACR after size modifier, to a minimum of 1. If you fall behind on paying the army's Consumption, reduce its Morale by 2 each turn; this penalty ends when you catch up on the army's pay. Battle Phases Explanation
GM's Note:
Any combats that take place will be resolved using this system. Due to the nature of a play by email game, as previously stated, direct control of your armies will not be possible. All battles will be arbitrated by the Gm and the tactics that your armies have, as well as the specific instructions that are given to your army generals, if any, will be carried out to the best of your commander's ability. Actual dice will be rolled and battles will be won or lost based on the results. All combats will be run in a fair and unbiased manner.
Phase Overview
Mass combat takes place over the course of three battle phases: the Tactics Phase, the Ranged Phase, and the Melee Phase. A phase doesn't denote a specific passage of time, leaving the GM latitude to determine how long a mass combat takes to resolve. For example, a battle in a muddy field after a rain could take place over hours and involve several short breaks to remove the dead from the battlefield, but still counts as one battle for the purposes of these rules. The battle phases are as follows.
1. Tactics Phase: The GM decides what battlefield modifiers apply to the battle. The commanders each select a tactic their respective armies will use during the battle (usually their default tactic as instructed by their player).
2. Ranged Phase: Any army with the ability to make ranged attacks may make one attack against an enemy army. This phase typically lasts for 1 round (one attack) as the two armies use ranged attacks while they advance to melee range, and then use melee attacks thereafter. The battlefield's shape and other conditions can extend this duration. If both armies have ranged attacks, they may choose to stay at range and never approach each other for melee (at least until they run out of ammunition, though the Consumption cost of maintaining an army generally means the army is capable of many shots before this happens). Armies without ranged capability can't attack during this phase, but may still rush forward.
3. Melee Phase: The armies finally clash with melee attacks. Each commander selects a strategy using the Strategy Track, then each army makes an attack against another army. Repeat the Melee phase until one army is defeated or routs, or some other event ends the battle.
Attacking and Taking Damage
In mass combat, the hundreds of individual attacks that take place in one battle phase overlap each other enough that who actually attacks first is irrelevant.
When armies attack, each army attempts an Offense check (1d20 + the attacking army's OM) and compares the result to the target army's DV.
If the Offense check is equal to or less than the target army's DV, the army deals no damage that phase.
If the Offense check is greater than defender's DV, the defending army takes damage equal to the result of the attacker's Offense check minus the defender's DV. For example, if the attacker's Offense check is 11 and the defender's DV is 7, the defending army takes 4 points of damage. Because these attacks are resolved simultaneously, it is possible that both armies may damage or even destroy each other in the same phase.
If the Offense check is a natural 20, but that check is lower than the enemy army's DV, the attacking army still deals 1 point of damage. If the Offense check is a natural 1, that army can't attempt an Offense Check in the next phase, due to some setback: a misheard order, getting stuck in mud, and so on.
Pillaging and Burning
It is inevitable in war that there will be bloodshed. Many an innocent is cut down in the wake of the gory swath that armies cut across the landscape. Houses burn, crops are uprooted, and many a peasant is trampled under foot.
If you have an army that hasn't been routed occupying an enemy controlled hex, you may choose to begin pillaging and burning. Before anything else happens, your opponents kingdom becomes aware of your presence. If he has patrolling armies that have enough movement to reach you then your army is attacked. If your army is routed or defeated then you fail to pillage and your opponent loses nothing. If your army is victorious then your army continues pillaging.
If your army's attempt to pillage is not stopped then the opponent loses the hex. Any terrain improvements other than bridges, canals, and roads are immediately destroyed. In addition, your army reduces its consumption for that turn by 1. If your army has the cannibal ability then its consumption is 0 for that turn.
Pillaging a Settlement
If your army has defeated an opposing army that occupied a settlement (or the settlement had no armies defending it) then you may begin to pillage the settlement. So long as your army occupies the settlement your opponent gains no benefit from any of the buildings in that settlement. In addition, if your army is attacked while occupying the settlement, you may gain half the defense bonus for any fortifications the settlement has (that haven't been destroyed or laid to ruin, see below).
Each turn, you may destroy 1 lot in the settlement plus 1 additional lot for each siege engine your army has. In order to fully destroy a building, you must have sufficient siege engines to allow you to destroy all the lots that a building occupies. If you cannot (or choose not to) fully destroy a building, then you may choose to destroy 1 of the lots of a building in order to make the building a ruin.
Once all the buildings in a settlement have either been destroyed or laid to ruin, the kingdom who owned the settlement loses control of the hex.
Subverting a Claimed Hex
Sometimes it is in the best interest of a kingdom to leave as much of an enemies territory intact, when they go to war with them, as possible. Under such circumstances many armies employ the tactic of subverting the populace against their ruler. This is a much more time consuming tactic, but has the advantage of not involving destroying the indigenous peoples or their belongings.
If you have an army that hasn't been routed occupying an enemy controlled hex, you may choose to attempt to subvert the opposing kingdoms claim to that hex. Before anything else happens, your opponents kingdom becomes aware of your presence. If he has patrolling armies that have enough movement to reach you then your army is attacked and you make no check this turn.
If your army is not attacked then you make a Stability check. Success means you have begun to subvert the opposing kingdoms populace and may continue to make a check next turn. If there is a terrain improvement in the hex then the opposing kingdom stops benefiting from it until such time as they have driven you from the hex or you fail a Stability check.
On the second turn, if your army is not attacked, you may make another Stability check. If this check is successful then the opposing kingdom gains 1d6 points of unrest.
On the third turn, if your army has not been attacked, then the opposing kingdom loses the hex. No further Stability check is necessary. All terrain improvements remain intact.
If either of these Stability checks are failed, or if at any point the subverting army is attacked, the subverting player must start over if he wishes to attempt to oppose the other kingdoms claim to the hex.
Subverting a Settlement
If your army has defeated an opposing army that occupied a settlement (or the settlement had no armies defending it) then you may attempt to subvert the settlement. So long as your army occupies the settlement your opponent gains no benefit from any of the buildings in that settlement. In addition, if your army is attacked while occupying the settlement, you may gain half the defense bonus for any fortifications the settlement has.
If your army is not attacked then you make a Stability check. Success means you have begun to subvert the opposing kingdoms populace and may continue to make a check next turn. As long as your army continues to occupy this settlement, its consumption is reduced to 1/4 (as though it were in reserve).
On the second turn, if your army is not attacked, you may make another Stability check. If this check is successful then the opposing kingdom gains 1d6 points of unrest.
On the third turn, if your army has not been attacked, then the opposing kingdom loses the hex and the city becomes a free city. No further Stability check is necessary. All buildings remain intact. Your army may remain in reserve in the settlement for as long as you wish, taking full advantage of any fortifications. Any other kingdom that attempts to claim the hex must first rout or defeat your army.
If either of these Stability checks are failed, or if at any point the subverting army is attacked, the subverting player must start over if he wishes to attempt to oppose the other kingdoms claim to the hex.
More Than Two Armies
These rules can (and will) also serve in battles where more than two armies clash. In such battles, when your army attempts an Offense check, unless you have previously specified otherwise, your army will choose to attack what they perceive to be the weakest army. Once that army is destroyed, your army will move on to attack the remaining armies (in order of weakest to strongest).
Battlefield Conditions
In some mass combats, the specifics of a battlefield won't impact either army, but sometimes the battlefield will itself decide the outcome. The modifiers listed below apply only for the duration of the battle. Naturally, the GM should exercise judgment regarding any conditions that don't seem to apply to one of the armies (such as darkness and an army with darkvision, or fog and an army with scent).
Advantageous Terrain: Generally, if one army occupies a position of superiority (such as being atop a hill, wedged in a narrow canyon, or protected by a deep river along one flank), the defending army increases its DV by 2.
Ambush: In order to attempt to ambush an army, the ambushing army must not have been detected by the Vigilance of the kingdom whose army they are attacking. The ambusher attempts an Offense check against the target army's DV. If successful, the battle begins but the target army doesn't get to act during the Tactics phase. Otherwise, the battle proceeds normally.
Battlefield Advantage: If an army is particularly familiar with a battlefield, it's OM and DV increase by 2.
Fortifications: An army located in a fortification adds the fortification's Defense to its DV. A settlement's Defense is determined by the types of buildings it contains, as detailed in the Building rules. Note that, unlike Primary and Secondary attributes, Defense is specific to settlements and terrain improvements and does not carry over between all such construction.
Army Tactics
Tactics are options an army can use to influence aspects of a battle. A newly recruited army doesn't know any of these tactics unless specified by the players race. An army learns new tactics by being victorious in battle (see Victory, Rout, or Defeat). An army can know a number of tactics equal to half its ACR, minimum 0.
When a battle begins, the commander selects one tactic to use for that battle (if the army doesn't know any tactics, the army uses the standard tactic). At the start of each Ranged or Melee phase, the commander may try to change tactics by attempting a DC 15 Morale check. Success means the army uses the new tactic for that phase (and the modifiers from the old tactic cease); failure means the army continues to use its current tactic. The effects of tactics end when the battle does.
As with battlefield conditions, gaining benefits from a tactic is subject to GM discretion. (For example, you may not get the expert flankers benefit if you cannot actually flank your enemy).
Tactics marked with an asterisk (*) are default tactics all armies know; these do not count toward the number of tactics an army knows.
Cautious Combat: Your army fights cautiously in order to maintain morale. Decrease its OM by 2, and add 2 to all its Morale checks.
Cavalry Experts: Your army's OM increases by 2 against armies that aren't mounted. The army must have the mount resource to use this tactic.
Defensive Wall: Your army fights defensively, taking actions to protect fellow units as needed. Decrease its OM by 2, and increase its DV by 2.
Dirty Fighters: Your army uses trickery and unfair tactics to gain an advantage at the start of a battle. For one Melee phase this battle, its OM increases by 6. (After that Melee phase, the opposing army knows to be ready for such tricks.)
Expert Flankers: Your army is skilled at surrounding the foe and distracting them, at the cost of spreading out too much and being more vulnerable. Increase its OM by 2, and decrease its DV by 2.
False Retreat: Once per battle, your army can make a false retreat, luring a target enemy army deeper into your territory. On the phase your army makes a false retreat, it doesn't attempt an Offense check. On the phase after it uses this tactic, increase its OM and DV by 6 against the target army.
Full Defense: Your army focuses on total defense of the battlefield. Increase its DV by 4, and decrease its OM by 4.
Relentless Brutality: Your army throws caution to the wind and attacks with savage and gory vigor. Increase its OM by 4, and decrease its DV by 4.
Siegebreaker: Your army targets another army's siege engines in an attempt to destroy them. If your army damages the target army, your army attempts a second Offense check; if successful, destroy one of the target's siege engines. This tactic has no effect on enemy armies without siege engines.
Sniper Support: Your army holds some ranged units in reserve to attack a target enemy army during the Melee phase. If your army damages the target army in the Melee phase, it deals 2 additional points of damage from these ranged attacks. The army must have ranged attacks to use this tactic.
Spellbreaker: Your army has specialists who can disrupt enemy spellcasting. Increase its DV by 4 against armies with the spellcasting ability.
Standard*: Your army's attacks have no additional modifiers to its OM, DV, or damage.
Taunt: Your army is skilled at taunting its opponents, provoking stupid mistakes and overconfidence in battle. The target army must attempt a Morale check (DC = 10 + your army's ACR) at the start of each Melee or Ranged phase; failure means it reduces its OM and DV against your army by 2 for that phase. If the target army succeeds at two of these Morale checks, it's immune to this tactic for the remainder of the battle.
Withdraw*: Your army tries to escape from all armies attacking it. The army attempts an opposed Morale check against each army attacking it to maintain discipline (any army may voluntarily fail this check), but doesn't need to attempt the usual Morale check to change tactics when switching to withdraw. If all of these checks are successful, your army may withdraw from the battlefield or treat the phase as a Ranged phase. If only some are successful, you may withdraw or treat the phase as a Ranged phase, but enemy armies in the battle may attack you as if you were in Melee. Whether or not the checks are successful, reduce your army's OM and DV by 2 for the rest of this phase.
Rout:A rout is a chaotic and disorderly retreat of a defeated army from a battlefield, usually from fear or when overwhelmed by a superior opponent. If an army's hit points are reduced to equal or less than its ACR, its commander must attempt a DC 15 Morale check. If the check fails, the army scatters and retreats from battle. If it cannot retreat, it surrenders and is captured. When an army routs, all armies in the battle can attempt one final Offense check at the fleeing army as a parting shot before it escapes. (Normally, only enemy armies do so, but an aggressive or evil army might strike at a fleeing allied army out of anger or frustration.)
Victory, Rout, or Defeat
An army is victorious if all of its enemy armies flee the battlefield or are defeated. The aftermath of the battle can be different for each army, and depends on whether it was defeated, routed, or victorious.
Defeated: If an army's hit points are reduced to 0, it is defeated. A defeated army may have a few survivors, but they are so demoralized and wounded (and probably captured by the enemy) that the army no longer exists as a cohesive unit and can't be used again in mass combat. Beyond the loss of what was potentially a well trained army that involved a large investment of time and resources, there is no penalty for having an army be destroyed.
Routed: If the army routs, reduce its Morale by 1. If the army's current hp are lower than the army's ACR, increase its hit points to its ACR. A routed army refuses to fight until you succeed at a Loyalty check (this check is made once per turn for each routed army). Note that a routed army can still be attacked by enemy armies, and can attempt Offense checks in battles—it just can't initiate a battle. Similarly, a routed army may still be garrisoned in a settlement.
Victorious: If your army is the last one left on the battlefield (not counting other friendly armies), it is victorious. Each time an army wins a battle, you can attempt a Loyalty kingdom check. If you succeed at this check, your army learns a new tactic and its Morale increases by 1 (maximum of Morale +4). If the army's current hit points are lower than the army's ACR, increase its hit points to its ACR.
Recovery
Each turn an army heals a number of hit points equal to its ACR. In addition, each turn, your kingdom attempts a Loyalty Check. If you succeed, your army heals a number of additional hit points equal to its ACR. An inactive army (no movement and no battle) heals an additional 1/4 of it's maximum hit points per turn.
The mass combat rules assume that this healing is a combination of actual wound healing and gaining new units to replace those who were killed (meaning you don't have to track individual losses and resize armies). These units can be recruited from sympathetic locals, replacements from your own settlements, or forced conscripts from conquered lands. If circumstances make these replacement options unavailable or unlikely, the GM is free to limit how much an army can heal, generally to half the army's normal hit points. For other possibilities when dealing with wounded armies, see the Reforming an Army rule.
Army Resources And Special Abilities
In addition to the basic statistics that armies have automatically, there are also various additional Resources and Special abilities that a particular army can be outfitted with. All of these options are unlocked by buildings that you may construct in the settlements of your kingdom. What buildings grant what Resources and Abilities is listed in the Settlements and Buildings section.
Army Resources
Resources are physical assets the army can use to improve its abilities. You must spend the BP for a resource before you can apply it to the army. Some armies can't use certain resources—an army of wolves can't use healing potions or improved weapons, mindless creatures can't use siege engines, and so on.
The cost of a resource doesn't end when you purchase it. Units must be trained to use new equipment, elite units demand higher pay, expensive items are more costly to maintain and repair, and so on. Each resource added to an army increases the army's weekly Consumption by the listed amount.
The costs listed are for a Medium army. Resources for a smaller or larger army cost proportionately less or more than this amount.
Healing Potions (10 BP): Each unit is equipped with several healing potions. At any point during a battle (but no more than twice per battle), the commander can order her units to drink their potions. The army doesn't attempt an Offense check that phase, but heals a number of hit points equal to twice its ACR. Each time an army uses its healing potions, increase its Consumption that week by 3.
Improved Armor (3 BP): The army is armed with masterwork armor, increasing DV and Consumption by 1. For 15 BP, you can outfit the army with magic armor, increasing DV and Consumption by 2 instead.
Improved Weapons (5 BP): The army is armed with masterwork weapons, increasing OM and Consumption by 1. For 50 BP, you can outfit the army with magic weapons, increasing OM and Consumption by 2 instead.
Mounts (BP = 4 for Horses or Mount's ACR x2): The army is mounted on horses or other war-trained animals. Increase its speed by 2, its OM and DV by 2, and increase its Consumption by 1. If your army uses mounts that are more powerful than the units themselves, your army's ACR and derived scores will be derived from the mounts rather than the troops riding them. In general, this will not be the case.
Ranged Weapons (2 BP): The army is equipped with ranged weapons (such as crossbows, slings, or bows), gaining ranged attack capability. Increase its Consumption by 1.
Siege Engines (15 BP per engine): Your army includes catapults, rams, trebuchets, ballistae, and other siege engines designed to break down fortifications. Increase OM by 2 (regardless of the total number of siege engines in the army) and Consumption by 3 per siege engine. Each Melee phase, reduce the enemy's bonus to DV from fortifications by 1d4 per siege engine in your army. Unlike other resources, the cost of a siege engine doesn't scale with the army's size.
Resource Scaling
| Army Size | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Fine | ×1/8 |
| Diminutive | ×1/6 |
| Tiny | ×1/4 |
| Small | ×1/2 |
| Medium | ×1 |
| Large | ×2 |
| Huge | ×4 |
| Gargantuan | ×10 |
| Colossal | ×20 |
The multiplier affects the resource's initial cost and the increase to Consumption. The multiplier can't reduce the cost of a resource below 1 BP.
Transferring Resources
You may take a purchased resource from one army and give it to an army of equal or smaller size so long as the creatures in the recipient armies can use the resource (for example, improved weapons for a hill giant army are of little use to an army of human zombies). Doing so doesn't cost BP, but reduces the Morale of the donating army by 1.
You may divide a resource among several smaller armies, so long as the total number of units in the smaller armies doesn't exceed the number of units in the donating army.
If you disband an army with a resource, you can give that resource to another suitable army, store it for later (such as an army you recruit next turn), or sell it for half its BP value.
Special Abilities
Part of the fun of playing out a war in a fantasy game is the fact that you aren't limited to real-world troops. Based on what buildings your kingdom has constructed and what resources you may have discovered, your units have access to an assortment of special abilities. Not every special ability can be learned by just anyone, however. For this reason, 4 classifications of unit are used.
Shock-troop: Extremely durable and heavily armored troops. Often used to break the front lines of the enemy.
Soldier: The standard, career soldiers that make up the bulk of an army. Cheap and reliable.
Specialist: Highly focused, heavily trained units for very specific tasks. Often trained for infiltration or reconnaissance. Minor spellcasting ability is possible.
Spellcaster: As the name suggests, a full unit of individuals capable of using magic. Often employed as heavy artillery.
Each ability has a cost in specialization points (SP) associated with it. As a unit is created, you may spend that units allotment of SP on abilities that are available to your kingdom. Each type of unit has a number of SP available to them based on the following table. These values are before modifiers for size are applied. For example: A small (50 troop) unit of CR 4 Spellcasters is created. They have a total SP of 4, despite their modified ACR of 2.
| Type | CR1 | CR2 | CR3 | CR4 | CR5 | CR6 | CR7 | CR8 | CR9+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shock-troop | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Soldier | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Specialist | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Spellcaster | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
The abilities listed below represent recruiting a particular set of elite troops for a particular army. Unlike Resources, special abilities cannot be traded to other armies. The advanced training or above average physical condition cannot just be handed off like a sword can.
Not all abilities can be learned by each type of unit. After an abilities entry are listed the types of units that can learn the ability and how much the ability costs for a particular type of unit.
Unless otherwise stated, the effects of these special abilities (other than hp damage) end when a battle ends. Note that you count as your own ally for abilities that effect allied armies.
Each unit may purchase a particular ability only once unless otherwise stated in the ability description. If an ability references another ability in its description then it is considered a separate ability for purposes of this rule. For example: a Specialist unit could have Bleed and Burn, allowing them to deal an additional 2d6 damage the turn after they damage a unit in melee.
Ability Drain: This ability functions as bleed. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 2. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Alchemy: Once per battle, the army can heal itself as if it had the healing potions resource. This doesn't cost BP. Specialist Cost: 1 Spellcaster Cost 1.
Amphibious: The army can move in or across bodies of water and ignore Defense from water barriers. Specialist Cost: 3. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Animal Companion: The army's animal companions increase the army's OM by 1. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Aquatic: The army can move in or across bodies of water and ignore Defense from water barriers. The army increases its OM and DV by 1 against armies in the water or on ships. The army decreases its OM by 2 against armies on land (unless the army also has the amphibious special ability, in which case it doesn't have this OM penalty). Spellcaster Cost 1.
Aura of Courage: The army is immune to fear effects and automatically succeeds at Morale checks to avoid a rout. Soldier Cost 2.
Armor Training: Specialized armor training increases DV by 1. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Bleed: When this army deals damage in melee, the target army takes an automatic 1d6 points of damage at the start of the next phase. Shock-troop Cost 1. Specialist Cost 2.
Blindsense: The army reduces its OM and DV penalties by half from invisibility. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 2. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Blindsight: The army takes no penalties to its OM and DV from invisibility. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 3. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Bomb: This ability functions as the breath weapon ability. Specialist Cost 4. Spellcaster Cost 3.
Bravery: +4 bonus on Morale checks against fear and routs. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Breath Weapon: The army can make ranged attacks. In the Ranged and Melee phases, it deals +1d4 points of damage. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Burn: This ability functions as bleed. Specialist Cost 3. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Burrow: The army can dig under one fortification (or City Walls) by spending a Ranged or Melee phase moving. In later phases, it ignores that fortification's Defense. During the phase the army uses burrow, it can attack or be attacked only by armies using burrow or earth glide. Specialist Cost 1.
Camouflage: This army gains a +2 bonus to it's stealth. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Cannibalize: Reduce Consumption by 1 (minimum 0) for any turn in which the army wins a battle and is allowed to feed on fallen corpses. All Units Cost 1.
Challenge: Once per battle, the army may increase its OM by 2 against a target army, but it also reduces its DV by 1 against attacks from any army that is not the target army. These effects last for the rest of the battle. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Channel Negative Energy: In the Melee phase, the army deals +1d4 points of damage against a living target army. If the army with this ability is undead, instead of dealing extra damage to an enemy army, it can use this ability to heal itself; if it takes an OM penalty equal to half its ACR for one Ranged or Melee phase, it heals a number of hit points equal to its ACR. Specialist Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Channel Positive Energy: In the Melee phase, the army deals +1d4 points of damage against an undead target army. Instead of dealing extra damage to an enemy army, the army can use this ability to heal itself; if it takes an OM penalty equal to half its ACR for one Ranged or Melee phase, it heals a number of hit points equal to its ACR. Specialist Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Climb: The army treats the Defense of fortifications as 25% lower than normal. This benefit doesn't apply if the fortification can't reasonably be climbed (such as a moat or wall of force). Specialist 1.
Combat Style: Once per battle, increase the army's OM for either ranged attacks or melee attacks by 1 for the rest of the battle. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Construct: The army is immune to disease, fear, paralysis, bleed, and poison. Shock-troop 3.
Create Spawn: If the army destroys a living army of equal or greater size, it may immediately recover a number of hit points equal to twice its ACR or create a new army of its type but two sizes smaller than itself. All Types Cost *. (This ability is reserved for some special units. As such it may or may not be available to players in this game. It is listed for completeness.)
Disease: If the army damages an enemy, the enemy becomes diseased and takes a cumulative —1 penalty to its OM and DV each day after the battle. Curing the disease requires a successful Stability check modified by this penalty, and allows the army to reduce this penalty by 1 each day thereafter until the penalty is gone. Specialist Cost 3. Spellcaster 2.
Divine Health: The army is immune to disease. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost: 2. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Earth Glide: The army ignores fortifications made of earth or stone and can burrow under other fortifications as if using the burrow special ability. Specialist Cost 3. Spellcaster Cost 2
Energy Drain: If the army damages an enemy, it makes a second attack against the target. If this attack succeeds, instead of doing damage, it reduces the enemy's OM and DV by 1 for the rest of the turn. This effect stacks with itself. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Evasion: An army that attacks this army halves its OM bonus from the spellcasting ability and halves the extra damage from the breath weapon ability. Specialist Cost 1.
Fast Healing: Each Ranged or Melee phase, this army regains 2 hit points. At the end of every kingdom turn the army heals to full. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist 3. Spellcaster 2.
Favored Enemy: Choose a race when this army is created. This may be a kingdom race (such as Humans, Elves, Dwarves, etc.). Or it may be a monstrous “race” (such as Undead, Dragons, Demons, etc.). The army increases its OM by 1 against an army of the chosen race. This ability may be chosen more than once. Each time it is chosen it applies to a different race. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Favored Terrain: Reduce an enemy's bonuses from advantageous terrain and battlefield advantage by half. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 1.
Fear: If the army damages an enemy army, that army must attempt a Morale check (DC = 10 + your army's ACR). Failure means the enemy army is afraid and can't attempt an Offense check to attack during the next phase. If an army fails a Morale check during a phase in which it is already afraid, it routs. Spellcaster Cost 3.
Ferocity: The army continues to fight even if demoralized or nearly dead. If the army is defeated or routed, it may continue to act for one more Melee phase, and its OM and DV are reduced by 4 for that phase. Shock-troop Cost 1.
Flight: If the army doesn't attack in the Melee phase, it can't be attacked with melee attacks except by an army with flight. The army ignores Defense bonuses from City Walls and Moats, but not other fortifications. The army treats all terrain as having a movement cost of 1. Specialist Cost 5. Spellcaster Cost 4.
Flurry of Blows: In the first Melee phase, increase the army's OM by 1. In the second and subsequent Melee phases, increase it by 2 instead. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 2.
Grab: The army's units latch onto their opponents, making it difficult to escape. The target army takes a —2 penalty on Morale checks to resist a rout or use the withdraw tactic. Shock-troop Cost 1. Specialist Cost 2.
Healing: Once per battle, the army can heal a number of hit points equal to half its ACR. At the end of every kingdom turn in which it doesn't use this ability (generally every turn in which it does not fight) the army heals hit points equal to half its ACR. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 2. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Incorporeal: The army takes no damage from nonmagical attacks, and only half damage from magical attacks. It ignores enemy DV bonuses from armor resources. It automatically succeeds at checks to withdraw. It has a mobility advantage in all kinds of terrain. Spellcaster Cost 9.
Inspire Courage: The army increases its OM by 1 and gains a +2 bonus on Morale checks against fear and routs. Alternatively, the army may apply these bonuses to an allied army in the same battle. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Invisibility: This army gains a +2 bonus to its stealth. Any army attacking this army takes a —2 penalty to its OM for that attack. Any army attacked by this army takes a —2 penalty to its DV against its attacks. Armies that can't see invisible creatures can't prevent this army from withdrawing. Specialist Cost 3. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Lay on Hands: This ability functions as channel positive energy. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Purge Sickness: At the end of a battle, the army can cure a disease on one allied army. Specialist Cost 1. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Mindless: The army never fails Morale checks, but must always use standard tactics and strategy. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Knightly Order: When using the challenge ability, increase the army's DV by 1 against the challenged army. Soldier Cost 1.
Paralysis: Each time the army damages an enemy army, reduce the enemy army's DV by 1. Spellcaster 2.
Poison Resistance: If the army takes poison damage, reduce the damage by half of the unit's poison resistance bonus. Any Type Cost: 1.
Poison: This ability functions as bleed. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 2. Spellcaster Cost 2.
Powerful Charge: The army increases its OM by 1. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Rage: Once per battle, the commander may order the army to rage. Increase the army's OM by 2, decrease its DV by 1, and add a +1 bonus on its Morale checks against fear and routing. While this is in effect, the army can't use the tactics cautious combat, defensive wall, hold the line, or withdraw. If using such a tactic or strategy, you immediately switch to the standard tactic or strategy.
Regeneration: The army regains 2 hit points each Ranged or Melee phase. When an army with regeneration is reduced to 0 hp, it is defeated only if at least one enemy army survives at the end of that phase to finish off the regenerating creatures. Outside of battle, the army regenerates to full hit points at the end of every turn. Shock-troop Cost 2. Soldier Cost 3. Specialist Cost 4. Spellcaster Cost 3.
Rend: The army increases the damage it deals in the Melee phase by 1. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Scent: The army reduces its OM and DV penalties from darkness, invisibility, and weather by half.
Shield Ally: Increase the DV of an allied army by 2. Unlike most abilities that affect allies, the army may not use this ability on itself. Soldier Cost 1.
Smite Evil: In one Melee phase per battle, the army may increase its OM by 2 against an evil army. If the target army is Undead, the OM increases by 4 instead. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Smite Good: In one Melee phase per battle, the army may increase its OM by 2 against a good army. If the target army is Spellcaster type, the OM increases by 4 instead. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1.
Sneak Attack: The army increases its OM by 1 when making an ambush, when using the expert flankers tactic, or on the phase after using the false retreat tactic. Specialist Cost 1.
Spell Resistance: The army increases its DV by 6 against armies with the Spellcasting ability. Any Type Cost 2.
Spellcasting: Increase the armies OM and DV by 1. The army can make ranged attacks. This ability may be purchased any number of times. Its effects stack. Specialist Cost 2. Spellcaster Cost 1.
Tactician: The army automatically learns one tactic. This doesn't count toward an army's maximum number of known tactics. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Teleportation: The army ignores the Defense of fortifications. It automatically succeeds at checks to withdraw. An army with teleportation treats all terrain as having a movement cost of 1. Spellcaster 3.
Track: The army adds its ACR to Morale checks to prevent an army from using the withdraw tactic and to its DV to prevent ambushes. It reduces the damage it deals in fog by one quarter instead of one half. Soldier Cost 2. Specialist Cost 1.
Trample: The army increases its OM by 1. The army must have the mounts resource in order to use this ability. Soldier Cost 1.
Tremorsense: The army reduces its OM and DV penalties from invisibility by half. Any Type Cost 1.
Trip: Each Melee phase, the target enemy army reduces its DV by 1 until the end of the phase. Any Type Cost 1.
Undead: The army is immune to disease, fear, paralysis, bleed, and poison. Its DV increases by 2. Shock-troop Cost 2. Soldier Cost 3. Specialist Cost 6. Spellcaster Cost 4.
Vendetta: This ability functions as challenge. This ability does not gain a benefit from the Knightly Order ability. Specialist Cost 2.
Weapon Specialization: Once per battle, increase the army's OM for either ranged or melee attacks by 2. Shock-troop Cost 1. Soldier Cost 1. Specialist Cost 1.
Forming an Army
When initially recruited, all armies (regardless of size) begin play as CR 1 armies with a maximum of 1 ability, regardless of what size or classification of unit is recruited. This starting ability must come from a building in the settlement in which the army is recruited and may not cost more Specialization Points than the army has (thus shock-troops may not start with any abilities). From here the army must spend time fighting monsters/other armies or training in your settlements to increase their CR.
The initial cost to recruit an army is equal to its Consumption. This amount must be payed in addition to the army's consumption for the turn and is not able to be reduced by any means.
Example: The kingdom of Examplia wishes to acquire an army to better defend itself against it's enemies. Deciding that a Large army would be best they spend 3 Build Points to pay for the initial cost of the army and will have to pay an additional 3 in Consumption each turn. Deciding that they want a rather generic army they elect to recruit a group of Soldiers and, since they have an Academy in the capitol, they decide to have the army be made there. Lastly, they choose to have the army start with Armor Training (which is available due to the Academy) as their one ability.
Increasing CR through training
Each turn that an army spends entirely active in a settlement that contains a building that increases CR that it has not yet trained at, it may spend that turn training to increase its CR by the amount listed under that building (either 1 or 2). An army may not train at the same type of building in this way more than once, regardless of whether that building is in a different settlement. As part of this training, the army may spend any of its newly acquired Specialization Points to learn any ability that is available in the settlement in which it is training, regardless of whether the army was specifically training at that building. If the army has insufficient Specialization Points to learn the desired new ability, it may choose to partly learn the ability, gaining none of the benefits for the ability until it reaches a high enough level to gain sufficient Specialization Points to know the ability completely, but not having to return to the building that allowed it to train in order to gain the benefits.
An army may spend the turn that it is created training. An army may not train in any turn in which the army moved. Should a settlement be attacked while an army is training in it, that army does not receive the benefits of the training. If the army and settlement survive the attack, it may attempt to train again the next turn.
Example: Having just created their army of soldiers, the kingdom of Examplia decides that their army is in need of some serious training. Having nothing more pressing to do on its first turn, the army's initial orders are to train at the academy to increase its CR by 1. As this will increase the soldiers Specialization Points to 2, Examplia decides that they will also learn Weapon Specialization with their newly gained point.
Increasing CR by defeating enemies
Whenever an army defeats a force that is of an equal or greater ACR to their own, they gain a point of experience towards increasing their CR. When an army gains their 4th point of experience their CR increases by 1. Consumption and Specialization Points increase appropriately as well. No army may ever gain more than 4 levels of CR in this way. There is only so much that an army can learn, even from battle.
Example: While the newly recruited army of Soldiers is attempting to receive additional training, the capitol of Examplia is attacked by an army of wild muskrats! While this vicious force is less than a threat to the army of Soldiers that are currently occupying Examplias capitol, the diversion they caused has interrupted the training that the Soldiers were doing and will force them to spend another week in training. Additionally, the army of muskrats was only an ACR 1 which is not a challenge for the Soldiers modified ACR 3 thanks to their size. Had the Soldiers been in a regularly sized army the muskrats would have been a threat and resulted in the Soldiers gaining 1 point of experience towards gaining a level of CR.
Changing/Learning New Special Abilities
On occasion it may be beneficial to reallocate the special abilities of an army to better suit newly developed situations. Retraining an armies special abilities requires the army to be in a settlement that has a building that can grant the ability that the army is attempting to learn. The army must then forget abilities that it already knows until it can afford to learn the new ability. An army does not need to forget an old ability to learn a new one if it already has enough Specialization Points to allow the new ability.
Combining Armies
If you have two armies of the same type and of equal size, at any time outside of combat you can combine them into a single army that is one size larger than the original armies.
Calculate the new army's statistics based on its new size. If both smaller armies had a special ability, resource, or tactic, the new army has it as well; otherwise the special ability, resource, or tactic is lost. The new army's Morale is equal to the average of the Morale of the two smaller armies (round up). If one army has an affliction (such as a disease), the new army now has it. Determine what percentage of its full normal hit points each smaller army had. The new army's hit points is the average of these percentages. For example, if one army is at 50% and the other is at 100%, the new army is at 75% of the full hit points for its size.
Reforming an Army
Reformation converts a wounded army into a smaller, healthy army. The army hit point rules are abstract and represent wounded units, incapacitated units, and dead units. For an army with a very low hit point total, the number of active units in the army can even be equal to or fewer than those of an army of a smaller size. For example, a Large army normally has 200 units, but if that army is very wounded, it could have only 100 or fewer units able to fight—the same number as a Medium army. Because an army's Consumption is based on its ACR (which is based on its size), you might be able to reduce your Consumption costs if you reform an army into a smaller size. At any time outside of combat, you can reform a wounded army (at half hit points or fewer) into an army one size smaller with full hit points. This act represents you choosing only the healthiest units to continue fighting. The wounded survivors disperse, typically heading home to recuperate.
Calculate the smaller army's statistics based on its new size. The smaller army retains all of the larger army's statistics and effects (including tactics, boons, resources, commander, and so on) except those based on its size (such as ACR and statistics based on ACR). The army reduces its Morale by 1 (as reforming is a blunt indication of misfortune).
There is no limit to how many times you can reform an army. Even a Colossal army can be whittled away and reformed several times until the CR of its individual units is too small to actually count as an army.
Reserve Army
The costs in this section assume an active, deployed army. You may instead convert an army into a reserve army, placing it in a settlement. This reduces the Consumption cost for the army to ¼ of the normal consumption per turn (round up). The size of an army you can put in reserve depends on the buildings you have available in the settlement. A Watchtower can hold a Small or smaller reserve army, a Barracks can hold Medium or smaller, a Castle can hold Large or smaller, and a Garrison Huge or smaller. A Gargantuan or Colossal army can't be put in reserve—it must remain deployed (though it can be indefinitely deployed in one of your own hexes). A Temple counts as a Watchtower for the purpose of holding special religious troops (any army with the Channel Negative Energy, Channel Positive Energy, Smite Evil, Smite Good, Lay On Hands, or Purge Sickness abilities), and a Cathedral counts as a Barracks in those cases. You may split an army (see Splitting an Army) to allow you to divide its units among several buildings.
In addition, a Watchtower or Fort terrain improvement can be used to hold troops in reserve. A Watchtower can hold a Small or smaller army, while a Fort can hold a Medium or smaller army.
If you move the army outside the settlement or terrain improvement, it immediately counts as an active army and the costs must be paid in full that turn as normal.
Reserve Armies and Combat
If an army that is in reserve is attacked, it fights as normal. It gains any bonuses for fortifications from the settlement or terrain improvement it is occupying.
You must pay the full upkeep costs the turn after any reserve army engages in combat.
Areas of Patrol
An army that is being held in reserve need not simply remain idle at all times. You may choose to have any reserve armies, whether in settlements or terrain improvements, maintain active patrols. If you choose to do so, reduce your armies movement by half (rounded down) and measure this amount in hexes out from the armies location (spending movement normally for terrain). This is your armies patrol route. Reduce the Stealth of any enemy army that enters this area by 1. If an enemy army is located in one of these hexes then your army charges out to do battle with them. So long as your army is not destroyed, after combat it immediately falls back to the settlement or terrain improvement it was garrisoned in.
Splitting an Army
You can divide an army into smaller armies. At any time outside of combat, you may split an army into two armies that are each one size category smaller.
Calculate each smaller army's statistics based on its new size. The smaller armies retain all of the larger army's statistics and effects (including tactics, boons, resources, commander, and so on) except those based on size (such as ACR and statistics based on ACR).
Determine what percentage of its full normal hit points the larger army had. Each smaller army has this proportion of hit points for its new size. For example, if the large army was at 70% (28 hp out of 40), each smaller army is at 70% of the full hit points for its size. There is no limit to how many times you can split an army. Even a Colossal army can split several times until the CR of its individual units is too small to actually count as an army.