I. Formations and an End to Squads
First, I’ll comment on the size of the grid. I don’t know about any one else, but I get tired of seeing my units covering a 225 square foot block. Could they not have made units just mimic or move as a general group while making a grid to match a single, human unit? Currently, the unit looks like it’s filling a 15’x15’ area. Now, I’m all for maneuvering, but when the unit runs from one corner, to the middle, to the other corner to fight, while the enemy does the same, it seems a bit ludicrous. Watching a running marathon while my folks should be fighting to save their lives is bit hilarious to watch, if it weren’t so sad.
If a smaller grid was used, a tech research, “Formations,” could be created. The idea behind formations is to simulate the focused attacks against an enemy, and eliminating defense advantages through coordinated attacks, using numbers as a cohesive group, not a mob interfering with its own movements, and possibly create special defensive perimeters. One important note is that formations should probably only gain attack advantages if they outnumber the enemy unit they are interacting with. They should always maintain defensive advantages. SD could then dump their strange squad system since a squad is a group of individuals, not giant ameba accumulating biomass with every unit added.
Note all combat will be based on the smaller grid layout.
1st Level Loose - Two to Five units fighting as a squad, with a 1 square (or whatever) space between each soldier. They advance at full movement rate, but only gain +1 attack versus a defending unit. They gain no defensive bonus. The basic idea is to use a loosely coordinated attack against a single spot in an enemy line or on a single unit not part of a squad.
2nd Level Line Advance – Two to 10 units working in coordination, advancing on an enemy line with a unified front. It offers flanking protection for most members and allows for coordinated attacks against a single front. +1 attack, +2 defense, x2 movement cost. +1 attack, +2 defense, +2 missile defense, x3 movement cost.
3rd Level Shield Locking – has the same advantages and requirements as Line Advance. The only different is that shields are raised in defense of missile attacks. Gain line advance, lose movement, but gain +2 DV (defense value) versus missiles.
Special Unit Ability:
Trample – Large units may charge and break a squad’s formation, doing general damage to most members in the squad while breaking the formation and forcing the units to fight as individuals. Formation scattered, roll a random square to knock a unit into. Squares covered by the creature receive a trample attack. Unit must be at least 3 squares back from charged formation.
Charge – Mounted units may attempt a charge attacked against units. Plus (1+1/2 Unit level) Damage, Unit must be at least 3 squares back and be able to move the whole distance to the unit and continues 2 squares past the attacked unit. Space must be available (don’t charge crowds). If space is lacking, unit stops and receives -3 defense for a turn. A failed charge attack is a free attack against the charger. A hit against a charger has a 50 percent chance of halting the charge.
II. Basics of combat
Hit rolls can some times make turn based fights into a lengthily, and boring affair. Testing will be about the only way if this is true. It can also create a nail biting scenario where the player just hopes their unit connects. With my current thinking, I am going to include a to-hit chance. I’m also ditching the damage types in favor of weapon base damage that has a penetration value to defeat armor. So, the combat basics are:
Hit Points: Hit points are the amount of damage a unit can sustain before being removed from combat (killed or incapacitated).
Base Hit Points = (Race Type + Level) or (Hero HP)
Example: A level 3, human knight in mail hauberk would have a racial base 10 + 3 (his level) for a total of 13 hit points. A level 2 peasant would have 12.
To-Hit: The chance to connect with an attack. The attacker as an Attack Value (AV) and the defender has a Defense Value.
For Units use 10 (mod based on unit level or type) for defense values
For Heroes use DEX for attack/defense values
The basic formula is (50+(
(AV-DV)))
Unless a unit has is of high level, the heroes should have a high chance to hit them and defense against them. Use a Gaussian hit roll with the attacking unit level as a modifier. This should also make champions and the sovereign as a much more feared combat machine.
Examples: Level 3 knight would have 13 AV and 13DV. A level 2 peasant would have 12/12. The peasant’s chance to hit the knight would be (50+((12-13))) = 45 and the knight hitting the peasant is 55. Basically use 5 percent per level of difference.
Damage: The function of a weapon is to harm the opponent when struck. The function of armor is to reduce or deflect harm when struck. I’d treat magic as a different attack type unless it manifests as a physical attack (rock, flame, ice). In this case use the armor value against the power of the spell. Other wise use wisdom or unit level as the defense. I would expect most spells to act like an attack against a defense and not an all or nothing attack.
Base Damage = (Weapon Base or Unit Type-think critters) plus (1/2Unit level) or ((STR-10)/3 for heroes)
Armor Mitigation based of Armor Type
Damage formula (Damage – (Armor Mitigation Type - Penetration) = Damage Done
Example: A level 2 peasant attacks an early period level 3 knight. He uses a spiked mace. The peasant hits. His mace does 7 base damage, with 2 points of penetration, so total possible damage is (8+(
.5)) = 8. The struck knight would take (8 – (8-2)) for 2 HP of damage. Better get a lot of peasants with maces. A hero with a STR of 19 would do (7+((19-10)/3)) = 10 base damage.
Part of the philosophy is also to try and create an importance of focus in Hero stats. Do you build a warrior with minor magic (you’re stuck being a chaneller) or go the mage route. Both will want high HP, but the mage would focus on WIS and INT while a warrior would focus on STR and DEX. At least that’s the intent. For the defense of spells, I’d use Unit Level, or for heroes, Wisdom. I see wisdom being more of a measure of the will power of the Hero than life’s learned lessons. Does the hero have the mental will to gather a defense quickly and fight off a enemy channellers magic attack? For, “normals,” experience maybe the only mitigating factor.
Note: It is possible to do no damage no matter how many peasants attacked. If they were all armed with daggers, with a base damage of 4 with no penetration, they could never do any damage to our knight in mail. Not exactly fair. If nothing else they could probably swarm him, pull him to the ground, sit on him, and shove a pointy object into the visor slit. It’s hard to reflect this in strategy games. You might be able to do it with large groups of units against individual, but it takes the feeling of a hero standing against massive odds out. So, to reflect the slim-to-none change of hurting a far superior opponent, roll twice. Roll the attack for the initial strike. If it hits, roll the strike a second time. If it hits, do 1 point of damage to the target.
Overwhelming Force
I am of the opinion that any weapon has the potential to stagger or stun an opponent. This chance should be based off the damage done. The following hopefully will describe these events.
Stagger: A weapon strikes an opponent with massive force. This staggers and causes the target to take time to recover. Damage done >= 1/2 HP’s before defenses.
Stunned: A weapon strikes an opponent with penetrating, painful damage. The target is temporarily reduced to 0 action (1 turn) trying to recover from the shock. Damage Past Defense >= ½ HP’s
III. Specials for Weapons
I’m sure folks can think of a lot of specials for weapons. One of the first that comes to my mind is first strike. Basically, any polearm should have first strike capabilities, but I’d like to handle this is a slightly different fashion if the can split up the grid into smaller units. Remember, the grid split into smaller areas is a good portion of what this combat would be based off of.
Long Polearm: A weapon with extra reach, such as pikes, halberds and long spears. Give these weapons +1 square reach. In other words, a unit armed with a long weapon can attack a unit that is 1 square distant and not receive a counter attack unless the opponent is armed with a long weapon as well. This is often thought of as a first strike weapon. Units entering within 1 square of a unit armed with a long weapon may receive one auto-attack by the long weapon wielders.
Flexible: A weapon that is not completely solid in construction. A flail is a prime example. These weapons give +1 AV.
Etc. throw in your imaginations.
IV. Archers
I don’t have a lot for archers except, they must be at least 3 squares back from a unit in order to fire over their heads. They may also not shoot at a unit engaged in melee. Basically I am trying to set up an LOS rule. Higher ground would mitigate this.
V. Tables
Below are some possible values for gear in the world as I'd see them.
Weapons
Name Damage Penetration Special Cost
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Dagger 4 0 2
Short Sword 8 0 10
Broad Sword 10 0 25
2 Handed Sword 14 0 35
Spiked Mace 7 2 10
Flanged Mace 8 2 20
Spear 7 1 long 15
Pike 8 1 long 25
Axe 9 1 - .1 action 10
Great Axe 11 3 -.25 action 20
Light Hammer 7 4 15
Great Hammer 10 4 25
Pick 7 5 15
Flail 7 2 Flexible 25
Great Flail 9 2 Flexible 30
-(think a grain flail made for combat)
Hunting Bow 7 1 15
Long Bow 9 2 25
Crossbow 10 3 -1 action reload 25
Arbalest 14 5 -2 action reload 35
A Note: Swords are I consider utilitarian. They don’t have any real advantages or drawbacks.
Bows should lose AV based off the distance to target. Technically it should be based off bow strength. Crossbows would be short range, with a low mod. The bows would have longer range but a worse penalty. Note that I did not add in a missile defense separate from melee, see shields.
Armor Table (I left out materials cost due to space issues, but you'd get the idea.
Name Protection Special Cost
Leather 3 5
Padded 5 10
Ring Mail/Studded Leather 5 50% chance for +2 armor 15
Hardened Leather 6 20
Scale 7 30
Mail 8 35
Lamellar 9 40
Chain and Plate 10 50
Plate 11 70
Heavy Plate 12 90
Armor Modifications
Name Action Cost
Leather 0
Padded 0
Ring Mail/Studded Leather 0
Hardened Leather 0
Scale -.1 Action
Mail -.1 Action
Lamellar -.2 Action
Chain and Plate -.2 Action
Plate -.3 Action
Heavy Plate -.4 Action
Note on Terrain Mod:
We currently don’t have an endurance system. Action cost is to simulate this. It is a cumulative penalty taken into account after an action by a unit. Restore the amount every turn the unit is not active. The idea is that a super armored, chop-o-matic, knight can be tuckered out by waves of enemies. This is if they are on foot. If they are mounted, halve the penalty, with .05 being treated as 0.
I thought about adding in a Terrain Mod for some armor since it didn’t give as much protection as its contemporary. Their advantage lies in being more viable in certain environments, like not cooking the user in a desert. One can add it in if they want, but I left it out. The Terrain Mod is an additional cumulative penalty subtracted every 3 turns.
Never drop action points below 1 for endurance costs.
Shields
Name Notes
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Buckler +1 DV
Heater +2 DV, an additional +1 versus ranged, -.1 Action
Kite +2 DV, an additional +2 versus ranged, -.2 Action
Pavis +4 versus ranged but cannot move when deployed
