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| #1OnelostroadMar 17, 2015 18:33:09 | I've read the mass combat rules but I'm still a bit confused by a few things. They're here:
http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Battlesystem.pdf
If you're read them and/or played with them, then maybe you can advise me. I think most of my confusion takes place with solos.
#1) Why does a solo large creature take up a 2x2 square (40 foot x 40 foot) area when they typically take up a 10x10 area which would fit inside a single square?
"A stand of creatures occupies the same space on a 20-foot grid that a single creature would occupy on a 5-foot grid. Creature Size Space Medium or smaller 1 square Large 2 × 2 squares Huge 3 × 3 squares" and "A solo occupies the same space on the battlefield as a stand made up of creatures of its size. (A Gargantuan solo has a space of 4 × 4 squares.)"
#2) Solo actions - With a combat round being 1 minute long, solo melee actions against a stand make sense to me because they represent the total damage the entire stand takes in 1 (10 rounds) of battle. BUT... A) Solo vs solo combat in the middle of a mass combat would be difficult. Are these two solos now slowed to only make one attack action per minute? Or do they hack away at one another at the normal rate of 10 attack actions per minute? B) Spellcasting is likewise tricky. How many fireball, etc. spells can my solo wizard cast in a battle round? 10 or 1? Stands of casters can apparently only cast one spell a minute, thus leading me to think 1... but why? C) What about abilities like regeneration? Does the creature regenerate a full minute's worth of regeneration or just a typical round's worth?
#3) Also, related to spellcasting, why does it seem that a stand of spellcasters must all target the same solo or stand? " If a spell requires a target, a stand of casters can target another stand within range." So you're saying that instead of fireballing 10 different enemy stands, my stand of 10 wizards must all target the same stand for an extra-crispy kill zone?
4) How to manage simultaneous combat. "The combat procedure in a mass battle is very similar to that outlined in the standard rules, except that the activity in a round is simultaneous rather than sequential." How does this work, especially since, "A unit of skirmishers can use part of its move, take an action, and then complete its move." and, " a stand cannot move once it becomes adjacent to an enemy stand, unless its unit takes the Retreat action." This would lead me to believe that all stands move one square or take their action for the turn simultaneously and repeat until movement and actions for the round are exhausted. But what about stands with different speeds? Let's say there are two stand - one of monks with 40' movement (8 squares) and another of encumbered dwarves with 15' movement (3 squares). Do both move together for the first three movements and then the dwarves freeze in place while the monks move their extra 5 squares?
Has anyone run a combat with these rules? How'd it work out?
The combat I'm planning is pretty simple - In an open field, units of goblins with goblin chiefs leading each unit will assault units of guards with the PCs as commanding each unit. The goblins will have a troll or similar baddy acting as a solo. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. |
| #2Macv12Mar 17, 2015 19:07:10 |
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| #3OnelostroadMar 17, 2015 19:15:57 |
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| (Reply to #3)Macv12 |
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| #5JRutterbushMar 17, 2015 19:48:47 |
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| #6OnelostroadMar 17, 2015 19:53:48 | Here's another one -
What about XP awards? Are they split between all members of the victorious army? Yay! You just got 25 XP!
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| #7cowleymenMar 18, 2015 0:07:34 |
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| #8BrimleydowerMar 18, 2015 21:37:56 | I usually just port over L5R's Mass Combat system. Takes a bit of legwork to make it fit, granted, but I think it does a much better job of allowing the PCs to shine in a battle. |
| #9Varden_KholMar 19, 2015 19:24:52 |
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