Mass Combat Rules

These rules are made in order to play the events of the Siege of 1870 and any other scenarios that the players will be required to be part of or lead a large amount of forces in a battlefield.

The Sides

During a battle two or more sides engage in combat until one of them emerges victorious. A side can have one or more armies that each of them has multiple detachments deployed in regions

The Day

Each day has 6 sixths and defines the light conditions for each turn.

• Turn 1: Dawn / Mene's Dusk 1 - 6 | Low Light +1 Penalty to all Combat Actions
• Turn 2: Morning 7 - 12
• Turn 3: Noon 13 - 18
• Turn 4: Afternoon / Mene's Dawn 19 - 24
• Turn 5: Twilight 25 - 30 | Low Light +1 Penalty to all Combat Actions
• Turn 6: Night 30- 36 | Total Darkness, +3 Penalty to all Army Combat actions

Actions per Day

A unit can choose to take a turn for any number of sixths each day

Each day a detachment can choose to take a number of turns equal to their fatigue rating without any penalty.

Any turn taken after that confers a +1 penalty to any actions taken by that detachment.

End of a Day

If at the end of a day an army is left with no active units due to damage or morale that army is removed from the field of battle

If a side is left with no active armies then the battle is lost for them and the other side can declare victory.

The Turn

A turn is equal to 1 sixth. Each turn all players and units on the table go through the phases of a turn

• Commander Actions
• Intelligence Gathering & Special Actions
• Recuperation
• Initiative
• Movement
• Combat
• Airborne Actions
• Special Actions
• Artillery Actions (Land and Naval)
• Naval Actions
• Land Actions
• Casualties
• Morale Resolution

Commander Actions

A PC or NPC Commander of a detachment may spend their turn to perform a Command Action. These actions influence the specific type of maneuvers or behaviors the detachment and its retinue will carry out that round.

A Commander may take two actions from the Commander Actions list.

Retinue Special Actions (Roleplaying)

Retinue, and units of a detachment can be used in order to conduct espionage and sabotage operations as well as a variety of other actions to help the detachment they are part of. Any retinue action taken by the players needs to be roleplayed during or before the session.

Recuperation

If a detachment takes no action during a turn it is set to Recuperations. During this time a detachment can roll a Recuperation check in order to try to recover casualties.

Recuperation Check results:

O/G/A: 1d6+2/2d6+4/3d6+6 Health Rating recovered

A detachment can take a recuperation action once per day. Recuperation does not affect the actions a commander or its retinue can take during this turn, they can choose any of the special actions available to them.

If a commander or retinue chooses to recuperate they gain recuperation points that can be used to heal wounds they might have incurred.

Recuperation Check

Each "out of commission" unit can attempt a recuperation check once per day. To do that, each unit rolls their First Aid Skill.

On a Ordinary Success the unit recovers a total of 1 health rating | Heal up to 2 wound

On a Good Success the unit recovers a total of 2 health rating | Heal up to 4 wounds

On a Amazing Success the unit recovers a total of 3 health rating | Heal up to 6 wounds

On a Critical Failure the unit loses a unit and a 1 point of morale

Initiative

If a detachment chooses not to recuperate this round they take part on the initiative action.

Each commander (or a player representing the commander) roll 1d20 + Initiative Score of the Slowest Army in the detachment. The total score is the Army's Initiate score for this turn.

Movement

Based on initiative, starting from the Slowest to the fastest each Detachment declares and commits any moves.

An army can only move in the type of terrains allowed by their Movement Type and as far as their Movement Rate per

If an army moves or tries to move into an area that an opposing army is in then the armies will be engaged in skirmish combat.

Combat

Combat, Airborne Actions

Airborne units with the Bomb Rack or Missile Attack can choose to use their movement to pass through an area they wish to bombard.

If the enemy unit has no Air Defenses or other Airborne units capable to intercept

1. Determine and bonus or penalties
2. Roll Attack
3. Roll Damage
4. Roll Armor

Combat, Artillery Actions (Land and Naval)

If a unit is on an area that an Artillery Battery is present they can choose to man the Artillery Battery alternatively any ship with a Long Range attack can choose to use their attack to make an Artillery attack

1. Determine and bonus or penalties
2. Roll Attack
3. Roll Damage
4. Roll Armor

Combat, Naval Actions

1. Define the size of the Line (Roll 1d4) plus or minus any maneuver bonuses of penalties
2. Determine Any bonus or penalties
3. Roll Attacks for Attacker and Defenders
4. Roll Damage for Attacks
5. Roll Armor for Defense

Combat, Infantry Actions

1. Define the size of the Line (Roll 1d4) plus or minus any maneuver bonuses of penalties
2. Determine Any bonus or penalties
3. Roll Attacks for Attacker and Defenders
4. Roll Damage for Attacks
5. Roll Armor for Defense

Casualties

1. Each side calculates how much of the damage passed
2. Distribute the damage as you see fit across the units of the line
3. If a unit is damaged up to half its health rating during battle it becomes a casualty and it is considered to be "out of commission" . That means that this unit can no longer move or take part in any attacks or in the defense of the region for this round and until it is healed
4. If a unit is damaged above its health rating the unit is dead

Morale Resolution

Most units, unless otherwise stated begin with a morale score of 6 out of 10.

When a detachment loses an unit or more either by them becoming casualties or loses, then each remaining unit needs to make a morale check against their morale score.

This score is modified depending on the bonuses given by the Commander's Leadership check.

If the Commander fails the check the armies of the detachment loses a point of Morale Rating each. Rate of success has no bearing on this roll, unless it is story relevant (via RP-ing)

If more than half of the detachment's units lose their check, the detachment is considered shakened and has a +2 penalty to all actions next round plus any other penalties or bonuses given by morale.

If a unit's' morale falls to 1 the unit routs and it is only able to move away and make no other actions except from surrendering.

If a unit's morale falls to 0 the unit automatically surrenders

Cut-off/Sieged/Blockaded

If a detachment is completely surrounded by enemy troops it can no longer be supplied.

The army only has the resources of the region to rely upon and will suffer naturally a drop in point of morale each day.

An detachment that cannot be supplied with food and ammunition will suffer penalties on all actions when their resources of the region can no longer sustain them and a drop in morale each day past the first day without resources

Regions

The field of battle is separated into regions

Each region has a stockpile of Food, Water and Ammunition resources that can be used by the owning side armies or can be salvaged by the attackers.

Each regions has buildings and special qualities that can modify any actions taken into them.

A region can be a sea or land region.

Region Strata

Strata defines the types of actions (sea, land, air, underwater, underground) that can be taken in a region.

For example an Infantry detachment can take no actions on a sea region but they might take a special "Boarding" action if they have the Marine ability

Sea regions have underwater, water and air strata

Land Regions have land and air strata and may have underground strata

Army

An army is the direct division of a "Side". A side can have many armies, Navy, Land or Airborne from different forces (Eldwell, Leidenstein etc) each of them has its own Generals and commanders and play separately their turns and initiative.

Army Generals

Army Morale

Morale is a resource that can be used to conduct extraordinary actions.

Morale can be lost due to

• Failed Main Character actions
• Crushing Defeats on the field of battle

Morale can be gained as a result of

• Successful Main Character Actions
• Decisive Victories on the field of battle

Morale Rating

Each Army can have a moral score between 0 and 10.

The morale of an army affects all actions they are taking (Initiative, Attack, Defense, Casualties Checks, Intelligence Gathering, Special Actions etc)

0 | Broken | The army has collapsed. Soldiers flee or surrender en masse. Command is lost. | Surrendered

1 | Routed | Panic reigns. Units scatter and discipline has disintegrated. | +4 Penalty to All actions

2 | Desperate | Morale is in tatters; fighting only out of fear or instinct. Desertions are common. | +3 Penalty to All actions

3 | Shaken | The will to fight falters. Cohesion is weak, and confidence is nearly gone. | +2 Penalty to All actions

4 | Unsteady | Troops are wary and anxious; leadership barely holds them together. | +1 Penalty to All actions

5 | Resolute | The army holds the line but feels the strain. Faith wavers but endures. | +0 Penalty to All actions

6 | Steadfast | Soldiers trust their commanders and each other. Determination outweighs fear. | +0 Penalty to All actions

7 | Confident | The troops believe in victory. Discipline and morale are strong. | -1 Bonus to All actions

8 | Inspired | The army fights with passion, pride, and unity. Losses barely shake them. | -2 Bonus to All actions

9 | Zealous | Driven by fervor or cause; morale borders on fanaticism. Unlikely to break. | -3 Bonus to All actions

10 | Unbreakable | An unstoppable force. Every soldier is utterly committed; fear does not exist. | -4 Bonus to All actions

Unit

A unit is represented on the map as a token (wooden cube) that it's shape and color determines what it is.

Each unit has the following characteristics

Name

The name of the unit

Movement Type

The type of the unit based on its movement

• Naval
• Land
• Airborne

Movement Rate

The number of regions it can move each sixth

Attack Rating

The number of attacks a unit can commit to each turn

Fatigue Rating

The number or actions a unit can take in a day without suffering any penalties

Health Rating

The number of hits a unit can suffer before it is considered a casualty or destroyed.

Initiative Score

How quickly in an army able to react against its opposing forces.

Morale Score

The score, modified by the commanders leadership bonuses of an army's morale.

Attacks

Range

The range of an attack measured in regions

Attack Modes

The type of attacks a unit can commit to

• Close, Naval
• Close, Land
• Close, Air
• Ranged, Artillery
• Ranged, Bomb Run

Damage

The damage a attack can do depending on its success rating (O/G/A)

Defenses

When attacked a unit confers penalties to the attacker. Defending counts as a forced turn.

Resistance Modifier

The difficulty penalties that a unit confers to their attackers. This penalty can be modified greatly by retinue, headquarter buildings and equipment or special actions taken in the turn.

Armor

The amount of damage a unit can suffer before taking any damage to its health rating

Skills

• Perception: Used during Intelligence Gathering for Reconnaissance Checks or to confer penalties against incoming Airborne actions
• Evasion: Used during combat if the unit is considered "on the move" to confer penalties against same movement type units when moving through a region
• Stealth: Used during movement, and some combat or intelligence gathering actions to confer penalties against the perception of enemy units
• Close Combat: The skill check score against units of the same movement type at the same area
• Ranged Combat: The skill check score against units on another area
• First Aid: The skill check score used in Recuperation checks to recover casualties.
• Engineering: The skill check used in Construct and Repair actions

Abilities

Units might have special abilities that allow them to take special actions.

For example "Marine" allows a land unit on board a ship to take a "Boarding Special action" or "Bombardment" allows an air unit to make a "Bomb Run Special Attack" while some dissidents or cultists has the "hide in plain sight" special movement action that makes them hard to find within the general populace.

Detachment

The units present on a single region.

Commander

Each detachment is led by a commander. That commander confers bonuses or penalties to specific actions of its units

The commander and its HQ is also responsible for any Leadership checks taken to determine any bonuses or penalties to the the morale check of each unit.

Leadership Check

These are all possible leadership checks

• Leadership - Command
• Leadership - Inspire -1
• Entertain - Act +2
• Interaction - Charm +2
• Interaction - Seduce +3
• Interaction - Intimidate +2
• Interaction - Taunt +3

Retinue

Each commander can have a number of characters providing him and the detachment with special abilities or bonuses. Any PC not taking the commander role and in the same region is considered retinue

Morale Score

The Current morale of the Detachment.

Base of Operations

Each detachment has a base of operations. This base gives bonuses to the units of that detachment on that region

Fortresses, Hospitals, Artillery Batteries and other buildings and equipment of a region become part of a detachment occupying that region

Players can take Special Actions to sabotage the capabilities of a headquarters, a commander or its retinue

Unit Move Actions

Stand

Not actually a move action. Stand means that the unit will take no actions during this turn.

March

Move the movement rate of a unit in regions, only on the type of regions the unit can cross (land, sea, air)

March, Forced

Move double the movement rate in a single action but suffer penalties on any upcoming action

(+3 Penalty on any action this turn)

Rout (Forced Retreat)

All remaining capable to move units move randomly to a neighboring region

Stealth

Move half the movement rate in a single action but hide the movement from the enemy. If successful Stealth check then the unit cannot be attacked during movement

Air Lift

Use an air unit capable of air lift to move another to move that land unit to a different region. The max distance is determined by the air units' Movement rate and capacity

Transport, Sea

A sea born unit able to transport units can move a land unit to a different region.

The max distance is determined by the naval units' Movement rate and capacity

Transport, Land

A land unit able to transport other units can move a unit to a different region

The max distance is determined by the land transport units' Movement rate and capacity

Unit Attack Actions

Assault

Direct attack a position of an enemy detachment on the same region

Boarding

Board a ship after the ship the army was on comes close to the target

Artillery Bombardment

Fire an artillery barrage to a region within the range of the artillery gun

Bomb Run

Fly by a location and drop bombs. The aircraft should be able to return to its original location or end its movement to another.

Air Support

Provide air support for an Assault or Boarding action, or preface an Artillery bombardment by spotting enemy locations in order to give significant bonuses to the upcoming assault/boarding or artillery action.

Unit Defensive Actionsx

Hunker Down

The unit goes in all out defense, conferring +2 Resistance modifier to all incoming attacks but also suffering a +2 Penalty to all Attacks made by that unit during this turn and all coming turns until the unit changes its active action.

Man the Wall

Establish a defensive position on a wall. Depending on the type of wall this can infer anything from +2 to +5 Penalty to any attacks. In addition the unit has a -1 Bonus to all Attacks against Attacking Armies.

Unit Build Actions

Fortify

Build temporary fortifications and trenches to bolster the defense of a position

Construct

Build a temporary building or repair an existing one like a bridge, a hospital, a communications array or other infrastructure.

Lay Minefield

Lay mines across an area to create a no-mans-land between two positions

Scrap Minefield

Search and remove mines from an area

Unit Special Actions

Scout

Try to detect the exact numbers and location of enemy troops and operatives

Arson / Destroy

Damage civilian locations and infrastructure in order to lower morale

Disrupt Supply Train

Damage or capture incoming resources to resources coming to the fronts of the battle, causing penalties to upcoming turns.

Salvage Resources

Reover ammunition and food from the region you are currently in

Sabotage Supplies

Poison water source or food,

Retinue Special Actions

A player or a group of players can can take any of the Retinue special action they would like to roleplay. A player set as retinue can only take 1 action per turn. Alternatively a player can choose to take two of the Commander & Retinue actions but they cannot mix both Retinue Special actions and Commander & Retinue actions.

Establish as Retinue

As with a commander position the player is spending the time getting appraised on the situation, getting to know the troops and the field of battle

Assassinate

Take part on an operation to assassinate an enemy leader.

Capture

Take part on an operation to capture an enemy leader or other valued target.

Scout Location

Take part on an operation to find information about number or troops, buildings, equipment, present leaders and potential exploits

Investigate - Search /

Sabotage

Take part on an operation to damage enemy infrastructure, poison supplies or destroy armaments causing issues to the enemy force.

Steal Plans

Invade stealthily, socially or otherwise an enemy's headquarters to steal plans and informational documents. Stealing plans can provide several bonuses in the long run of the battle.

Attack Unit

Same as the Commander "Lead Assault" but the impact is more direct and specific. The goal is to engage the leadership of a troop (Retinue and it's bodyguard) and kill them during action.

Surgery / Treatment

Use your Medical Knowledge - Surgery to heal the wounds of an NPC or PC.

Commander Actions

The following actions can only be taken by the commander of a detachment. They do not need to be roleplayed. A commander can take 2 actions per turn and can choose these actions from the Commander and Commander and Retinue Actions list.

Take Command

Take command of a detachment. Once a character takes command of a detachment they can use their skills to take any of the actions under the commander actions list and roll any leadership checks required to prevent a unit from routing or raising their morale.

Lead Assault

Take command of an assault. The PC will roleplay part of the assault. The outcome of the session will greatly impact the events of the overall attack.

Instruct Artillery

Dedicate the turn into instructing the troops controlling the artillery of the region. Roll Tactics - Land or Technical Engineering - Invention

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing on any upcoming action

Command Battle

Sitting at the regional base of operations the commander rolls a Leadership - Command check to provide bonuses to the armies of the region

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing on any upcoming action

Coordinate Air Support

Roll a Tactics - Air to give bonuses to the Air Support and Superiority efforts

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing on any upcoming action

Organize Defense

Roll a Tactics - Land to give penalty to the Attack efforts of the offenders +1 Ordinary, +2 Good, +3 Amazing on the next upcoming attack in addition to any unit or location inferred penalties.

Inspire Troops / Raise Morale

The commander or retinue is using their social skills to inspire the troops.

Roll a Leadership - Inspire

or Interaction - Charm/Seduce (+2 Penalty) and Great Looks and other social perks / flaws apply

or Any Entertainment Skill (+1 Penalty)

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing on any action

Or Ordinary +1, Good +2, Amazing +3 Morale

Synchronize Logistics

Roll a Knowledge - Deduce Check in order to provide a bonus to the next round of combat to Attack, Defense or Recuperation checks

-1 Good, -2 Amazing

Survey Battlefield / Reconnaissance

Give bonuses to the Scouting and Information Gathering efforts of a unit, detachment or squad by collecting and organizing the information and orchestrating communication

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing

Commander & Retinue Actions

These are non-Roleplayed actions that both the commander and retinue can take. In general a player can take 2 of them per turn unless they have taken an action from the "Retinue Special Actions".

Triage / Provide Medical Aid

Roll a Medicine - Treatment (+1 Penalty) or a Medicine - Medical Knowledge to provide bonuses to the Casualties roll for the region

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing on the Recuperations roll, stacks with any bonuses from buildings or equipment

Manage Construction / Repairs

Give bonuses to the Engineering efforts of a detachment

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing

Drill/Prep Units

Train the units on a specific skill in order to temporary give them bonuses when using that skill

(Roll dependent on training)

-1 Ordinary, -2 Good, -3 Amazing

Other Modifiers

Darkness

Combat +2 Either side

Move -2 Evasion

Fog

Move -1 Evasion

Combat +2 Offense -1 Defense

Heavy Rain

Move +2 Evasion

Combat +2 Offense +1 Defense