Ground Warfare | Strategic View

Overview

Strategic Ground Warfare is a regiment-scale wargame system designed for use in the Strategic View. Units represent formations operating across a province-based map. The system is designed to balance tactical clarity with narrative freedom, allowing commanders to make meaningful strategic decisions while GMs retain the authority to guide outcomes and pacing.

Turn Structure

Cycles

Time progresses in Cycles, typically representing 1 week, depending on campaign scale.
Each Cycle, all factions submit their actions to the GM in secret.
The GM executes those actions simultaneously and resolves outcomes, including movement, combat, and events.

Command Actions (CP)

All units have a default base of 1 CP per Cycle.
Each Action (Attack, Dig In, etc.) costs 1 or more CP.
Units may only act during their faction’s designated turn phase unless specified otherwise (e.g. reaction abilities).
See Standard Unit Actions for options

Unit Statistics

Each unit is defined by the following core statistics:

Stat	Description
HP	Durability of the unit. Loss of HP reflects casualties, cohesion loss, and degradation.
Offense	Rolled to determine damage dealt.
Armor	Flat damage reduction after cover is applied. Degrades by 1 point each time damage penetrates.
Defense	Reduces incoming damage before Armor. Reflects terrain, dispersion, and entrenchment.
Speed	Maximum number of provinces a unit may enter per action.
Tags / Traits	Unit keywords and abilities, such as “Infantry”, “Armored”, “Entrenched”, or “Urban Specialist”.

Standard Unit Actions

Action	CP Cost	Description
Move	0 CP	Move the unit into an adjacent, unoccupied province or hex. Movement may be restricted by terrain or enemy presence.
Hold Position	No Movement	By foregoing movement, a unit can gain an extra CP for use next cycle.
Attack	1 CP	Engage an enemy unit in the same province or hex. Both attacker and defender roll damage simultaneously.
Dig In	1 CP	Gain +1 Defense until the next Cycle or until the unit moves. Stackable with terrain bonuses.
Entrench	2 CP	Construct heavier defenses; grants +2 Defense and advantage on Morale checks until moved. Requires the unit to remain stationary this turn. The unit does not benefit from Hold Position through this lack of movement.
Recon	1 CP	Perform reconnaissance in an adjacent province. Reveals enemy units and hidden threats, bypasses fog of war in that province.
Hide	1 CP	Attempt to become hidden if in appropriate terrain (e.g. forest, ruins). GM determines success based on situation and enemy Vision.
Build	1 CP	Begin or advance construction of fortifications, bridges, road repairs, or other logistical assets. Limited to Engineers or specialized units.
Ready Action	1 CP	Prepare an attack of opportunity; unit may attack during enemy movement if triggered. Must remain stationary to retain readiness.
Recover	2 CP	If in a safe, supplied province with no combat, regain 1 HP and stabilize Morale. Only available once every 2 Cycles per unit.
Transfer	1 CP	Move personnel, supplies, or equipment to an adjacent friendly unit (GM determines outcome based on narrative intent).
Rally	1 CP	Attempt to restore Morale to a shaken or damaged unit. Roll 1d6; on a result ≤ Morale, recover 1 Morale point.

Notes:

Specialized units (e.g., engineers, AA, recon) may have unique actions or altered versions of standard ones (e.g., faster building, cheaper recon).
Command Abilities may allow actions to be performed at a reduced CP cost or grant bonus actions / points to nearby units.
GMs may request skill checks or roleplay justification for non-combat actions depending on context.

Turn Phases

Each Strategic View Cycle is divided into four distinct phases, representing the flow of strategic decision-making and operational execution. These phases ensure that all factions act simultaneously and outcomes unfold in a clear, consistent manner. GMs oversee the process and retain narrative control throughout.

Planning Phase

Each faction’s players review the strategic map and issue orders to their units in secret.
Orders may include movement, attacks, reconnaissance, special actions, or requests for narrative operations (e.g. construction, recruitment).
Orders are submitted to the GM in writing (privately, via form or DM).
Commanders may also spend Command Actions (if applicable) during this phase.

Common Orders:

Move to province/hex X
Attack unit Y
Dig In or Entrench
Conduct Recon
Build or Repair
Initiate Narrative Action (e.g. fortify a city, conscript, sabotage, etc.)

Execution Phase

The GM reads all submitted orders and resolves them simultaneously.
Units are moved, actions are validated, and the GM determines:
Where combat occurs
Whether units succeed at non-combat actions
If any skill checks or narrative adjudications are required
The GM applies logic, terrain effects, and faction visibility to resolve edge cases.

Resolution Phase

For each combat encounter triggered, both sides roll their Damage Dice simultaneously.
Damage is mitigated using Defense and Armor, then applied to HP.
Morale checks are conducted for damaged or shaken units.
The GM records changes to unit status, HP, and strategic positions.

This phase is strictly mechanical and ensures the tactical integrity of engagements.

Narration Phase

The GM summarizes the results of the Cycle for all players:
Battles fought and their outcomes
Unit movements and current positions
New events, intelligence reports, or situational updates
Players may now:
Conduct in-character discussions or roleplay
React to results
Plan for future Cycles

This phase bridges structured mechanics and open-ended storytelling, encouraging collaboration, diplomacy, and intrigue between factions.

Movement & Terrain

Movement is conducted by spending AP and traversing connected provinces.
Terrain may affect movement, combat, and supply status.
Friendly units may occupy the same province, but suffer defense penalties with 3 or more units present (more densely packed troops are easier to hit with weapons - this also discourages doom-stacks)
Common terrain types provide the following Cover bonuses:

Terrain	Cover Bonus
Open	+0
Forest	+1
Hills	+1
Urban	+2
Trenched	+2
Fortified	+3

Combat Resolution

Combat occurs when opposing units occupy the same province during the execution phase. All battles are resolved simultaneously.

Step-by-Step

Roll Damage Dice
Each unit rolls its listed Damage Dice. The result is total raw damage.
Apply Defense
Subtract the target unit’s Defense value from the incoming damage.
Defense reflects terrain, dispersion, stealth, awareness, and tactical positioning.
Apply Armor
Subtract remaining damage by the unit’s Armor value.
If any damage remains, Armor degrades by 1 (minimum 0).
Apply Damage to HP
The final remaining damage is subtracted from the target’s HP.
Morale Check
If a unit drops to 50% HP or less, it rolls a morale check: 1d20+Morale Skill. The DC is typically 8, but this can be modified by the GM based on context.
On failure: GM chooses whether the unit retreats, digs in shaken, breaks or surrenders.

Commander Influence

Commanders may possess Command Points (CP) and battlefield abilities, allowing them to:

Grant bonus AP
Modify damage or defense values
Influence Morale or supply

Commander mechanics are optional and handled by GMs on a per-scenario basis.

Unit Skills & Training

In the same fashion as other aspects of Strategic View with space, all units have 15 Unit Skills on their Unit Sheet. These skills are the same as those used by Space-borne vessels, surface naval vessels, airwings, or any other type of unit in Ilodium. The specific way they are applied to a situation is context dependant and at the GM's discretion.

A skill check consists of a d20 roll plus the skill rank on the unit's statblock. Skill rolls can be done at advantage or disadvantage, either at the GM's discretion based on the situation, or due to a condition or ability on the part of a unit or character.

Unit Skills can be trained, and occasionally can even be gained or improved due to events. See Unit Training for more details on this mechanic.

Command & Leadership

Skill	Ground Unit Use Case
Morale	Measures a unit’s willingness to fight, resist retreat, and recover from fear or shock.
Discipline	Determines a unit’s cohesion, ability to follow complex orders, and avoid panic under fire.
Tactics	Assesses terrain, predicts enemy movement, and enhances battlefield decision-making.

Operations

Skill	Ground Unit Use Case
Navigation	Guides movement across rough terrain or unfamiliar territory; aids in flanking and maneuver.
Investigation	Used for scouting, analyzing battlefield remnants, identifying hidden threats or traps.
Intelligence	Enables stealth, infiltration, or detection of hidden enemy activity; useful for counter-recon.

Engineering & Logistics

Skill	Ground Unit Use Case
Engineering	Allows construction of fortifications, demolition of obstacles, or field repair of damaged systems.
Industry	Supports fabrication, field assembly, and rapid construction of supply or infrastructure assets.
Logistics	Manages supply lines, ammunition, fuel, and efficient resource transfer between units.

Science & Knowledge

Skill	Ground Unit Use Case
Science	Applies to analyzing alien tech, biological hazards, or anomalous battlefield phenomena.
Medical	Aids in casualty care, trauma stabilization, and recovery actions for injured troops.
Computers	Supports hacking, electronic warfare, drone control, or overriding automated defenses.

Social & Diplomatic

Skill	Ground Unit Use Case
Diplomacy	Used in local population engagements, negotiation with neutral forces, or peacekeeping missions.
Influence	Inspires allies or intimidates enemies through psychological operations, broadcasts, or propaganda.
Culture	Navigates local customs, reducing friction in occupied zones or during civil-military interactions.

Narrative Systems

Recruitment, construction, healing, and infrastructure are handled narratively, with outcomes determined by player declarations and GM adjudication. The use of Skill checks are encouraged, but optional.
The only fixed mechanics are for movement and combat. All other elements are flexible to maintain immersion and story flow.

Supply & Logistics

Supply Rules

Units are considered In Supply if they can trace a valid route through friendly territory to a Supply Hub (capital, port, or base) connected to their faction’s core territories.
If cut off, a unit becomes Out of Supply and begins suffering Supply Penalties at GM discretion.
A unit's state of supply could be affected by its Logistics skill.

Supply Penalties (GM-Assigned)

Condition	Penalty
1 Cycle Out of Supply	-1 Morale
2+ Cycles	-1 Attack and Speed, no HP recovery
3+ Cycles	Unit may be forced to retreat, disband, or surrender

Supply is managed by the GM, and not numerically tracked unless context demands it (e.g., overproduction, blockades, etc.).