Adding Responsibility [Archive] - Wizards Community

Adding Responsibility [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GoriceXII
02-26-07, 03:31 PM I have been thinking in the course of my siege campaign of giving my players responsibility over an area of the city's defenses. It would ideally be a tower, a section of wall, and a nearby canal with the homes and businesses along it. There would be flanking NPC units controlling the other immediate areas.

I'd like a few things from people giving feedback if possible:
1. Have you as dms or players experienced something like this before?

2. How can I keep this fun without having it just drag on into routine?

3. What are some challenges or interesting events you might suggest?

What I'd kind of like is to have some mini adventures involving this before I move up to the main one which would be the second main attempt by the besieging forces to breach the walls. (which will involve some tunnelling by goblins)
Class_A_Infidel
02-26-07, 03:54 PM While this seems an interesting idea, it would be best if the officials of the city gave the characters (appreciating their experience and skills) roles as officers, and then the characters must control a part of the defenses, considering their Int, Wis, and Cha scores.

I usually don't like it when strategy games are put into RPGs.
IllyannaFarseer
02-26-07, 03:55 PM best way I've found is to break it down into small chunks.

Plan out events that will happen, perhaps a branching series of encounters.

Have the players be the focus.

So here are a few examples. An invading army arrives, on day one they try an assault on the walls...masses of troops rush forward, tossing up grapples and ladders. Players must defend their section, if they succed the wall is safe, if they fail, then the enemy forms a beach head on the wall and begin to feed troops. The players must push them back. If they succed they re-secure the wall, if they fail...they are pushed back deeper into the town and must do a running fight as the enemy takes the wall and starts invading the city, etc..

next day the enemy sends 3 seige towers to the wall, one goes right for the pc's. They must figure out a way to destroy the tower.

next day the enemy sets up an archer line. players must kill X number of archers to break up the attack, everyone has concealment/cover.

Next day a uber seige engine is set up and will destroy the wall, the players must lead a night time raid into the enemy camp to destroy it.

Next day a mine is discovered and the players are at the front of the counter mine and must push the enemy back so that the tunnel can be collasped before the wall comes down.

All sorts of things you can do. Just go in small chunks, and plan plan plan. You need to know what's going to happen after each encounter so that the seige/defense follows a logical progression. Don't worry about what goes on around the pc's, have success/failure be based on what they do and how they perform. Also don't be afraid of events. If you want to make the invaders feel powerful, have another section of the wall fall, and the players must do a fighting withdrawl to the keep, then have the keep fall, and the BEBG leads the forces into the keep and the players must defeat him to save the keep.

All sorts of ideas.
GoriceXII
02-26-07, 04:10 PM I should clarify: the players have their own unit under their command, their own cohorts and followers and the like. I'm just trying to think of a role for them in all this.

I like the ideas you just presented, basically a series of attacks aimed at their sector. (regardless of what's happening elsewhere) In the game just fyi the enemy has already surrounded the city and attempted an escalade but the players were among those who drove them back. Following this the enemy force withdrew into siege positions to restrategize and lick their wounds. I had the players involved in some internal stuff in the city the last few sessions.
toriel
02-26-07, 04:21 PM You might want to take a look at Heroes of Battle.

They have the kind of stuff you're looking for.

Wars are divided into small adventures where PCs can have an impact. They have tons of suggestions and examples to draw from.
GoriceXII
02-26-07, 07:37 PM Haven't got it. I'll take a look.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GoriceXII 02-26-07, 03:31 PM	I have been thinking in the course of my siege campaign of giving my players responsibility over an area of the city's defenses. It would ideally be a tower, a section of wall, and a nearby canal with the homes and businesses along it. There would be flanking NPC units controlling the other immediate areas. I'd like a few things from people giving feedback if possible: 1. Have you as dms or players experienced something like this before? 2. How can I keep this fun without having it just drag on into routine? 3. What are some challenges or interesting events you might suggest? What I'd kind of like is to have some mini adventures involving this before I move up to the main one which would be the second main attempt by the besieging forces to breach the walls. (which will involve some tunnelling by goblins)
Class_A_Infidel 02-26-07, 03:54 PM	While this seems an interesting idea, it would be best if the officials of the city gave the characters (appreciating their experience and skills) roles as officers, and then the characters must control a part of the defenses, considering their Int, Wis, and Cha scores. I usually don't like it when strategy games are put into RPGs.
IllyannaFarseer 02-26-07, 03:55 PM	best way I've found is to break it down into small chunks. Plan out events that will happen, perhaps a branching series of encounters. Have the players be the focus. So here are a few examples. An invading army arrives, on day one they try an assault on the walls...masses of troops rush forward, tossing up grapples and ladders. Players must defend their section, if they succed the wall is safe, if they fail, then the enemy forms a beach head on the wall and begin to feed troops. The players must push them back. If they succed they re-secure the wall, if they fail...they are pushed back deeper into the town and must do a running fight as the enemy takes the wall and starts invading the city, etc.. next day the enemy sends 3 seige towers to the wall, one goes right for the pc's. They must figure out a way to destroy the tower. next day the enemy sets up an archer line. players must kill X number of archers to break up the attack, everyone has concealment/cover. Next day a uber seige engine is set up and will destroy the wall, the players must lead a night time raid into the enemy camp to destroy it. Next day a mine is discovered and the players are at the front of the counter mine and must push the enemy back so that the tunnel can be collasped before the wall comes down. All sorts of things you can do. Just go in small chunks, and plan plan plan. You need to know what's going to happen after each encounter so that the seige/defense follows a logical progression. Don't worry about what goes on around the pc's, have success/failure be based on what they do and how they perform. Also don't be afraid of events. If you want to make the invaders feel powerful, have another section of the wall fall, and the players must do a fighting withdrawl to the keep, then have the keep fall, and the BEBG leads the forces into the keep and the players must defeat him to save the keep. All sorts of ideas.
GoriceXII 02-26-07, 04:10 PM	I should clarify: the players have their own unit under their command, their own cohorts and followers and the like. I'm just trying to think of a role for them in all this. I like the ideas you just presented, basically a series of attacks aimed at their sector. (regardless of what's happening elsewhere) In the game just fyi the enemy has already surrounded the city and attempted an escalade but the players were among those who drove them back. Following this the enemy force withdrew into siege positions to restrategize and lick their wounds. I had the players involved in some internal stuff in the city the last few sessions.
toriel 02-26-07, 04:21 PM	You might want to take a look at Heroes of Battle. They have the kind of stuff you're looking for. Wars are divided into small adventures where PCs can have an impact. They have tons of suggestions and examples to draw from.
GoriceXII 02-26-07, 07:37 PM	Haven't got it. I'll take a look.