The Dark Horde preparing to raid Empire territory!
Another run-thru of One-Hour Wargames Scenario #25 "Infiltration" using the BasEx D&D 1e mass combat rules. Here, I have limits on arrows [white dice] and experimented with fatigue, both of which are in the Basic Rules.
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BasEx D&D Mass Combat Commentary
Overall, it hasn't been too difficult to adapt BasEx to mass combat with units. Goal is to have Unit battles work the same as the 1 fig = 1 Player Character RPG mechanics. Altho the ground scale is 1"=10' and the fig ratio is 1:5 or 10, there has been only a little bit added to the game since the Combat rules already have group rules for morale and simple, obvious tactical choices. These work just fine when scaled "up" to larger groups.
I worked out a simple conversion of ground scale and turn length using the Basic book, kept movement as "loose blobs" of single figures [and wrote the mechanics for this of course], and have stuck as close to the combat rules as possible. All this is to make it very easy to introduce Magic [so it will be Fantasy gaming].
Turns are same as I will run RPG game turns - there's an Initiative roll each Turn, the winner gets to act first. Each Figure / Unit may perform an Action. If tied, there are a few options for 'simultaneous' Actions from the book [really, partially simultaneous]. The Turn sequence is the biggest change I've made, as I got rid of the - quite artificial - phases of the turn, a needless complication from the wargaming world that found its way into the RPG rules.
Each Fig in this scenario attacks with 1d20 needing around an 11-12 To Hit most Units, except the plate armored knights are more like a 16-17. Each Hit inflicts about enough Damage to kill a figure. Morale is checked for Initial casualties, 50%, and Bad Things; failure results in either an orderly Withdrawal that can be stopped, to a full Retreat which cannot. Figs Move pretty slowly, mostly 6-8", but can run at triple speed [causing Fatigue] to Charge [only].
Overall, these rules are pretty simple, but hit all the essentials and are very intuitive to work with since they are derived from single-man combat.
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Invading horde again has 3 Greenskin Units [2 Orc, 1 Goblin] and 3 Chaos Units [Champions, Beastmen and Archers]. The Chaos forces will attempt to break through the Empire forces while the Greenies will be arrow-fodder.
But hey, 'shhhh...they don't know that yet." Let's not spoil the surprise!
Plan is for the Chaos forces to head North immediately, while Orcs and Goblins take the hill and otherwise hold off the Empire reinforcements.
Plan is to hold the enemy with the MaA Halberdiers in the North, while the Archers shoot up targets, and the Knights charge whatever is close to getting away. Officially, the invading side is supposed to exit at the Road on the North side.
But:
* Since the Chaos forces are slow, I'm giving them the option to exit anywhere on the North side of the Table.
**They also have 6 Units so need to exit 3 for a win.
Halberdier 1 charges the Beastmen, and taking their first losses they check and fail morale, so Withdraw a half move. This does allow the Champions time to catch up.
Orc 2 and the Chaos Archers start moving North, heading towards the Halberdiers, who are now significantly outnumbered!
Orc 1 fails morale and Retreats. Chaos has maneuvered well and now has a 2-1 advantage in the North, and the Halberdiers have unwisely split up!
Turn 6, Empire reinforcements arrive. The Archers have once again been attacked by Greenies, but the Halberdiers have managed to gang up on the Champions due to the weak performance of the Beastmen.
As they Recovered, finally, the Beastmen again advance, hoping to slip around the Halberdiers and make good their escape. The Chaos Champions are taking some real Damage despite their Armor Class 3, thanks to the Empire's Halberds.
Considering the situation, the Beastmen attack the rear of Halberdier 1. The Lord Knights manage a Charge against the Chaos Archers, supported by their own Crossbows. The Goblins have been routed by the knights who have followed up with a charge against the Orcs.
Despite rolling a '7' at 50%, the Orcs fail by 1, due to being outnumbered and outflanked. They begin a Fighting Withdrawal.
These Battle Masters figs are new to me, but they are already cursed by the fickle gaming god that persecutes elite units! Needing a measly 9 to Hit the Archers, the Lord Knights miss with all four dice!
With Orce 2 Retreating, the Empire Knights are free to charge the Chaos Warriors! They do, and ALSO succumb to the Elite Unit Curse! All misses!
Just to prove the dark gods are laughing, the Halberdiers score two Hits, put the Chaos Champions over 50%, and put the knights to shame!
Chaos Champions laugh - maniacally - and roll a '4' to pass Morale. We'll see who gets the last laugh, however, as Empire reinforcements have arrived!
The Chaos Archers - who had one [1!!!!] figure left, Withdraw in good order off the board after the Lord Knights completely missed them - they've escaped [all 5-10 of them]. It is getting very VERY close. The Lord Knights look around for something glorious to do - the woods cost them 1/3 movement, so they've only a 16" Charge. They are short of the Beastmen [who are easy pickings] so must pile onto the Champions.
Seeing their opportunity, the Beastmen start to march off the board.
Everything came down to just a few rolls. The Champions check Morale for being charged on the flanks, and again roll very low. On their player turn, they Withdraw a half move. Next game turn, they Run off the board, escaping the Empire's clutches - barely! Had they lost Initiative, they would have been charged in the flanks and rear again, and very likely wiped out. Chaos squeaked out a win, getting parts of three units off the table to escape or raid the Empire, however you see it.
Scenario #25 "Infiltration" is a much better One-Hour Wargames scenario than I thought it would be. There's a few important decisions that need to be made to optimize a delaying force while the rest escape. Speed and combat power both need to be taken into account.
As a playtest, I feel it was effective in most regards. I dropped calculating fatigue part way through as I was having enough trouble just keeping track of the core game mechanics, so that will wait for next time.
The most difficult part to manage is the movement rates, which allow a lot of freedom as they're designed for small skirmishers and individual fig = 1 man. On a small table like mine, if you can run freely you can Move way too fast, possibly winning games before they really get started. The brake on that is to limit running freely to NPCs and PCs. Units may only Charge at the Run.
Overall, it isn't that the "Troops" can't run more, it's that they won't because they're uncertain what is lurking out there, they're awaiting instructions, sticking together for safety in numbers, etc. These D&D fantasy armies are basically Dark Age or early Medieval Armies, and a "battle" is more like a large skirmish between multiple tribes. Presently, with full explanations in bullet form, the rules are 4 typed pages.
Next time, I'll be using the Fatigue rules - they are derived from the Basic D&D movement rules, but will they be worth the effort?
Looks like a good game and an interesting set of rules. Are you able to share them?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are just "fan rules". email my gmail brasidas19004 at gmail dot com and I'll pass them along. I'm finishing a draft and will post that at the Old School Dungeons and Dragons Facebook group, also.
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