Author Topic: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0  (Read 2681 times)

Offline Wilb

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Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« on: February 21, 2017, 12:59:49 PM »
Well, one more step towards my 5E 40k game, with Guilliman razing the galaxy.
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Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2017, 04:50:58 PM »
The previous UA mass combat thingy, had a few things applicable to normal PC play, some rather oddball for use.  This one is pretty much strictly mass combat.

Morale was a thing in 1e, so maybe a possible return.
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Offline sambojin

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2017, 06:13:42 PM »
Charisma based initiative? I get that it's representing the commander's ability to lead a unit, but it kind of comes off as ugly=slow. And for some reason sorcerers and warlocks make excellent battlefield commanders. The more you know......
« Last Edit: February 21, 2017, 06:19:30 PM by sambojin »

Offline TenaciousJ

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2017, 07:55:50 PM »
My eyes glaze over each time I try to read this.  I'd be interested to see what the survey responses say about the popularity of such rules.  I'm not saying I don't believe they're popular, but I have not found anyone who wanted to turn D&D into a mass-combat wargame.  Maybe I'm not old enough for that.
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2017, 08:54:35 PM »
My eyes glaze over each time I try to read this.  I'd be interested to see what the survey responses say about the popularity of such rules.  I'm not saying I don't believe they're popular, but I have not found anyone who wanted to turn D&D into a mass-combat wargame.  Maybe I'm not old enough for that.

I believe indeed nobody wants to turn D&D into a mass-combat game. But eventually most campaigns have a few "and then hundreds/thousands of low-level orcs/kobolds/elves show up" and you should have decent rules to resolve those scenarios without making hundreds/thousands of rolls.

Offline linklord231

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2017, 01:52:33 AM »
My eyes glaze over each time I try to read this.  I'd be interested to see what the survey responses say about the popularity of such rules.  I'm not saying I don't believe they're popular, but I have not found anyone who wanted to turn D&D into a mass-combat wargame.  Maybe I'm not old enough for that.

I believe indeed nobody wants to turn D&D into a mass-combat game. But eventually most campaigns have a few "and then hundreds/thousands of low-level orcs/kobolds/elves show up" and you should have decent rules to resolve those scenarios without making hundreds/thousands of rolls.

This.  Helm's Deep is a trope in the Swords and Sorcery genre, and the normal rules just don't work for that kind of thing.
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2017, 02:59:35 AM »
You know, this rules seem kinda borked.

400 CR 1/2 dudes have 80 BR.
400 CR 1 dudes have 200 BR.
400 CR 2 dudes have 400 BR.
400 CR 3 dudes have 800 BR.

Since the RNG is a single d20, that means as long as you have a BR advantage of 20+, you simply can curbstomp any amount of lesser enemy units. And you only need 20 CR 2 or 40 CR 1 dudes to get that +20 bonus advantage. Numeric superiority is pretty much meaningless, and morale (which includes better gear) only matters when two units composed of pretty much the same power face off.

On the other hand two same high BR units with top morale can bash each other for hours before one finally crumbles (only need to make a DC10 morale check if you lose badly which you auto-pass with morale 9-10 and a one-time DC 15 at half BR). Which is actually kinda realistic given real world large size battles and can give you a deadline of "the elven royal guard can't defeat the demonic huruk-hai but they should be able hold them for X hours for you to mount an assassination mission on the uruk-hai general or something", which is some use at least.

Offline sambojin

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2017, 04:21:10 PM »
It puts to mind the Battle of Five Armies and if it was held in a DnD setting.

"The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming!"

"Oh good. I was getting a little peckish after the elf appetizers they sent at us before."


The orcs would have crushed them with the BR numbers advantage they had. Even if they did all go last for being ugly.

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Unearthed Arcana: Mass Combat 2.0
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2017, 05:39:58 PM »
I don't get the discrepancy between the CR and BR numbers scaling differently.

It points to Game Maths working (or "working") in weird ways.
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