Flow of Combat

Mass Combat is fought in several phases each turn. All armies act simultaneously during each phase, and then resolve the results. Each turn of combat is about 30 minutes long.

1. Maneuver Phase

2. Ranged Phase

3. Melee Phase

4. Resolution Phase

Maneuver Phase

At the start of the phase, the overall commander for each side rolls a Profession (soldier) check (or a similar applicable skill). The side that rolls higher chooses whether they want their armies to move first or last.

Then each army moves up to its listed Maneuver rating. Each side moves all of its armies at the same time, in the order decided by the Profession(soldier) check.

If it is the first round of the battle, the army’s commander can choose a Tactical Action it knows and a Strategy to employ. On subsequent rounds, the commander may adjust the Strategy one level up or down the track, and may attempt a Morale check against DC 15 to choose a different Tactical Action if desired.

An army with the Engaged status effect cannot move during this phase. If an army wishes to disengage from melee at this time, it can attempt to do so by rolling Maneuver against the Maneuver DC of each army Engaged with it. If it succeeds at all of them, it loses the Engaged status and may move as normal.

Ranged Phase

If an army has ranged weapons with Shots remaining, then it can attack an army in range by rolling its ranged attack value against the target’s AC. Damage dealt is equal to the difference between the roll and the AC (minimum 0). Natural 20s hit automatically. Reduce the army’s Shots by 1.

An army with the Engaged condition (see Melee Phase) cannot make ranged attacks.

Melee Phase

If an army is adjacent to a hostile army and has hit points remaining, it engages in melee combat with the adjacent army(ies), gaining the Engaged condition.  If an army wishes to avoid engaging in melee, it can attempt to do so by rolling Maneuver against each adjacent army's Maneuver DC. On a success, it does not gain the Engaged condition, and does not participate in Melee combat.

Each Engaged army attacks every hostile army Engaged with it by rolling its melee attack value against the target’s AC. Damage dealt is equal to the difference between the roll and the AC (minimum 0). Natural 20s hit automatically. 

If one side has more armies Engaged than the other, each of the outnumbering armies gains a +1 to its melee attack roll. The outnumbered armies take a penalty on all melee attack rolls equal to the difference in the number of armies Engaged. For example, if one blue armies is Engaged by three red armies, the red armies gain a +1 to attacks against the blue army, and the blue army takes a -2 on all of its attacks against the red armies. 

Resolution Phase

If an army’s HP are 0, then it is defeated and destroyed. If it took damage greater than its Rout Threshold this turn, then its Morale decreases by 1.

If the army took damage this round and its HP are less than or equal to the army's Rout Threshold, then the commander must check Morale against DC 15 or the army routs. On a success, Morale decreases by 1. The army also routs (no check) if its morale has fallen below -4 (checked after the previous decrease). If the army was damaged in the Melee phase before routing, then the hostile force that damaged it may make a parting melee attack as it flees to attempt to destroy it outright.

When an army routs, it flees the battlefield and cannot be reformed until the mass combat ends. Reforming the army costs BP equal to half its Consumption.

If both friendly and enemy armies are still on the battlefield, then combat continues to the next round. Otherwise, go to Victory and Defeat. Alternatively, if both sides agree, a ceasefire may be called.

Victory and Defeat

If your side won the mass combat, make a Loyalty check for every army that survived without routing. On a success, increase that army’s Morale score by 1, and choose a new Tactical Action for them to learn. Finally, each unrouted army regains HP equal to its ACR and regains all of its Shots. Reduce Unrest in the kingdom by 1. You must also roll a percentile for each army that was destroyed. There is a 10% chance the commander is killed, a 20% chance they are captured, and a 70% chance they escape.

If a ceasefire was called, then each unrouted army regains HP equal to its ACR and 1 Shot (if applicable). You must also roll a percentile for each army that was destroyed. There is a 10% chance the commander is killed, a 40% chance they are captured, and a 50% chance they escape.

If your side lost the mass combat, then make a percentile roll for each army that was destroyed. There is a 25% chance the commander is killed, a 50% chance they are captured, and a 25% chance they escape. Increase Unrest in the kingdom by 1d4.

Regardless of outcome, you may reform any routed armies by paying half of their Consumption cost. You must reform an army before the end of the next Kingdom turn, or it permanently dissipates back into the populace. Additionally, your society takes a hit for every army that was destroyed or routed. Refer to the Social Damage Table below and adjust the kingdom’s statistics for each army lost. Add 80% of the creatures in a destroyed unit and 20% of the creatures in a routed unit to the War Losses on your colony sheet; these losses decrease by 1% of your total population per kingdom turn.