Post by spyd3r97344 on Aug 22, 2017 13:34:56 GMT -5
Jul 25, 2017 14:13:07 GMT -7 spyd3r97344 said:
While trying to understand the needs of many in the pursuit that the political intrigue sphere of influence circumferences. . .
We have the following obstacles.
Merchant/Mercenary "Companies"
Simple and complex but this is a social circumstance at times and can subject influence on a diverse cast of PC's
Rather than a Formal "Guild" they more or less a "Business" like approach subjugated to the context for which it stands.
Background stories of an adventurers involvement in the day-to-day operations of NPC's that are not accounted for nor have voices to add to the ambiance of a PC created setting on paper without the need for significant DM involvement
The chance to apply these ideas with "Political Intrigues/Economics/Events" with a stronger sense of pride in your investments.
Giving rise to challenge reasonable doubt vs. bluff checks over incomprehensible "circumstances" of improvised solutions of creative insights and in this "Abstract" puzzle to provide a creative solution in regards of feeling "tangible" I have an in game example of a "Stock Voucher" that represents a large deal of "Creative Abstract Symbolism" to guide the Story tell to an open ended abstract direction of the creators own decision making.
A place a player can have their own "Voice of Authority" without another making a mockery of the opinion's and portrayal's of the militiamen and Purple Dragons Knights in an already established scene
"Stock Voucher" is the PC's Reward, it is worthless but should you hear so much earning were made that stock in your company has split essentially doubling the amount of "Company Growth and Revenue" and Doubling the Shares of the current Shareholders.
And finally the DREADED day comes when entrepreneurs must report to the "Annual Muster" to find out whose been naughty and whose been nice and the Dividends are paid out unless circumstances require them to declare bankruptcy leaving the governing body to close out the stock and purchase the rest of the shares for a low price (DM's WIN! LOL)
Failure to appear results in delinquency, terms of contracts may apply.
So trying to turn fiction into fact here, I've some notes that instead of putting down in game, this venue should serve better to facilitate notes from "Stronghold Builders Guidebook" on how the price and price modifiers are calculated.
First steps taken and PC says, have money and interest in an imaginary Box, can color with my ideas in the background inside this imaginary box its a non-physical space that has dimensions based on how much coin you put in your box.
(ss) Stronghold Space - An abstract measure of volume within a building. While stronghold spaces don't have a fixed size, an average stronghold space is equivalent to a 20-foot-by-20-foot room with a 10-foot high ceiling.
Size - The number of stronghold spaces that the component takes up. This usually ranges from 0.5 to 2 but could theoretically go higher. Remember, a stronghold space averages 4,000 cubic feet or 400 square feet, given a 10-foot-high ceiling.
Size Estimates (ss)
Cottage - 1
Simple House - 4
Border Tower - 4
Grand House - 7
Keep - 12
Mansion - 15
Castle - 20
Huge Castle - 80
Stronghold Components / (ss) / Cost / Staff
Alchemical Laboratory, Basic - 1 / 700 g / -
Alchemical Laboratory, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / Alchemist (1)
Armory, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Armory, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / -
Auditorium, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / -
Auditorium, Luxury - 1 / 10,000 g / -
Barbican - 1 / 1,000 g / Guards (2)
Barracks - 1 / 400 g / -
Bath, Basic - 0.5 / 400 g / -
Bath, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / -
Bath, Luxury - 2 / 10,000 g / -
Bedroom Suite, Basic - 1 / 800 g / -
Bedroom Suite, Fancy - 1 / 5,000 g / -
Bedroom Suite, Luxury - 2 / 25,000 g / Valet (1)
Bedrooms, Basic - 1 / 700 g / -
Bedrooms, Fancy - 1 / 4,000 g / -
Bedrooms, Luxury - 2 / 20,000 g / Valet (1)
Chapel, Basic - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Chapel, Fancy - 2 / 6,000 g / Acolyte (1)
Chapel, Luxury - 2 / 25,000 g / Acolytes (2)
Common Area, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Common Area, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / -
Courtyard, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Courtyard, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / -
Courtyard, Luxury - 1 / 15,000 g / -
Dining Hall - 2 / 2,000 g / req. Kitchen -
Dining Hall, Fancy - 2 / 12,000 g / Servant (1)
Dining Hall, Luxury - 2 / 50,000 g / Servants (2)
Dock, Basic - 1 / 500 g / Laborers (2)
Dock, Extended - 2 / 3,000 g / Laborers (4)
Dock, Extended Dry - 2 / 15,000 g / Laborers (6)
Gatehouse - 0.5 / 1,000 g / -
Guard Post - 0.5 / 300 g / -
Kitchen, Basic - 1 / 2,000 g / -
Kitchen, Fancy - 1 / 12,000 g / Cooks (2)
Kitchen, Luxury - 2 / 50,000 g / Cooks (6)
Labyrinth - 1 / 500 g / price per (ss)
Library, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Library, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / -
Library, Luxury - 2 / 15,000 g / Librarian (1)
Magic Laboratory, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Magic Laboratory, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / Apprentice (1)
Prison Cell - 0.5 / 500 g / Guard (1)
Servants Quarters - 1 / 400 g / -
Shop, Basic - 1 / 400 g / Clerk (1)
Shop, Fancy - 1 / 4,000 g / Clerks (2)
Shop, Luxury - 1 / 16,000 g / Clerks (2), Guards (2)
Smithy, Basic - 1 / 500 g / Smith (1)
Smithy, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / Smith (1)
Stable, Basic - 1 / 1,000 g / Groom (1)
Stable, Fancy - 1 / 3,000 g / Groom (1)
Stable, Luxury - 1 / 9,000 g / Grooms (2)
Storage, Basic - 1 / 250 g / -
Storage, Fancy - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Storage, Luxury - 1 / 3,000 g / Clerk (1)
Study/Office, Basic - 0.5 / 200 g / -
Study/Office, Fancy - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Study/Office, Luxury - 1.5 / 3,000 g / Clerk (1)
Tavern, Basic - 1 / 900 g / Servants (2)
Tavern, Fancy - 1 / 4,000 g / Servants (3)
Tavern, Luxury - 1 / 20,000 g / Servants (4)
Throne Room, Basic - 1 / 2,000 g / Servants (2)
Throne Room, Fancy - 1 / 12,000 g / Servants (4)
Throne Room, Luxury - 2 / 80,000 g / Servants (6)
Torture Chamber - 1 / 3,000 g / Guard (1) Torturer (1)
Training Area, Combat - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Training Area, Rogue - 1 / 2,000 g / -
Trophy hall, Basic - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Trophy hall, Fancy (museum) - 1 / 6,000 g / Guard (1)
Workplace, Basic - 1 / 500 g / -
Workplace, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / -
The book has tables for the cost modifiers regarding Climate, Terrain, Material, Distance, Features, Labor, Magic, and Time
Okay so. . . back to the "Stock Voucher"
An investor buys a Stock Share from Via DM or another player, they then own a piece of a company, which could be quite interesting later on. . .
Have a time of year or a "Tax season" where failing businesses either need more investors to succeed or are doing to well the stocks split doubling all the players invested into a certain enterprise, if a specific player can gain a monopoly over a business they can control its direction as a primary shareholder or a nobility whom if lord of the land the business occupies he might require the Adventuring PC to find another investor in order to make the business expand and fuel a Market Index
Also would need a Market circumstances table for rolling the up's and down's of the "Annual and or Quarterly Reports"
Over all the idea is daunting and complex but if it is to work it much have a very simple mechanism.
So this is general "Dividend Yield" that would seem appropriate but also susceptible to fluctuation in the market.
Quarterly Reports- this isn't necessary but a player with a company will likely do it anyway
Annual Reports- Yearly "Chance" for a players with Shares to collect their Dividends or find out shares to their invested company suffered extreme misfortune.
The Average In my opinion for a Fair Investment, 10,000 g for 1 share would pay around 4,800 gold once a year as long as the business is thriving.
This could help Aid to the Agenda of PvP Rivalries as a "Background" component to story tell
So my example is that I wish to start a Taxidermy Business in Proskur -
Will need approval from the Council of Merchants
Things to run this business:
Proskur Taxidemist - 5.5 (ss) "About the size of a simple house"
Shop, Basic - 1 / 400 g / Clerk (1)
Study/Office, Basic - 0.5 / 200 g / -
Storage, Basic - 1 / 250 g / -
Servants Quarters - 1 / 400 g / -
Trophy hall, Basic - 1 / 1,000 g / -
Workplace, Fancy - 1 / 2,000 g / -
This list of (ss) components in combination should cover the needs of this "Business Model" and business statements and other creative endeavors regarding business decisions could possible provide a "synergy" bonus in certain circumstances.
come's to 4,250 gold for material and labor -
Next would be "Local Dues" and "Site Modifiers" and as for the business itself, the Income would be like a once a year event as part of the mercantile annual report to actually get rewarded for the investment, but until then a player would be providing more jobs for NPC's.
I would also consider this as too small of a business to have Stock Shares, the business is worth less than 10,000 gold thus less than a full stock share, now if an investor could grow this business, MAYBE it could produce a yearly income, otherwise for it's size I would consider the stock value at a 0 since it is worth less that one 10k Stock-share. And a player could end up owning money on this business once a year.
Then their is business funds, this would be the cost of doing business and making money, so the larger balance the business has the longer it would survive in a recession.
- A companies "Balance" would not effect the Dividend unless the company could expand exponentially at least 100% steady profits and enough "contracts" in trade to cause a stock split doubling the amount of stock controlled by the invested players.
So all this would need are some tables to make it easier.
Maybe a d100 for the "Quarterly and Annual Reports" (once a year for the dividend) as to determine random market trends or luck and a place to apply those "business synergy bonuses" and/or limit the Stock split to a 100 on a d100
So a dice roll on a stock voucher. . might look like this if this format works in %'s
01 = -49% (2,448 GP)
49 = -1%
50 = 4800 GP @ 10k per share
51 = +1%
99 = +49% (7,152 GP)
100 = Stock Split - Stock vouchers double for a specified company
Jul 26, 2017 19:57:03 GMT -7 spyd3r97344 said:
Preparations a-g were a total disaster so we will call this plan Preparation H
So the next layer to this cake of Intrigue, in staying with the theme of abstract is "War"
Once I've made my imaginary box I can pretend to burn it down!
This would be the next step in Economic control, so lets say one Merchant King puts together a small private army and sends it after another Merchant King to affect their business, now to keep placers out of this and make it more like a "Shadow Merchant War" then each of the armies Captain's would roll a Tactic's skill check + intelligence modifier.
other modifiers
important characters*
units items of importance (or decorations)
If a PC is a unit captain, lieutenant or general, they should have information about troops under their command and any intelligence about the enemy they have discovered.
If a battle happens to take place on a "Live Public Map" then it would give PC's involved a chance to add to the modifier of the Captain's, Tactical Check
Unit Types
Each trait represents aspects of a combat unit that affect their function in a battle. They are cumulative ("elite heavy cavalry")
Infantry
The workhorse of any army, standard infantry are moderately armed and armored, capable of serving most basic purposes in an army. Normal infantry have no special modifiers or traits.
Cavalry
Swift and deadly on the offensive, cavalry are often a deciding factor in a battle, their momentum and maneuverability have little use on the defensive. Cavalry primarily finish routed enemy units or support allied infantry.
Cavalry receive a +4 on the offensive, but a -2 on the defensive.
Elites
After spending long years working, fighting, and living together, certain units of troops fight at a level above normal soldiery. Very simple, elite units are more efficient than their standard counterparts.
As a result, elite units receive a +2 on all rolls. They tend to be more experienced warriors, and have more hit dice, making them less likely to rout.
Ranged
Whether ranks of men with bows or small groups of war wizards, ranged units function in essentially the same way - they rain death upon an enemy from afar. Until they are engaged, ranged units attack the enemy from afar, when in close combat, ranged units suffer a -2
Heavy
Sometimes, a unit has to sacrifice speed for strength, giving their soldiers more powerful weaponry and heavier armor. While this process is expensive, it can also devastate and enemy army. Equipped with heavy weapons and wearing heavy armor, these units inflict and take more punishment than standard units.
Heavy units add +1 to their roll for casualties caused, and subtract 1 from the amount they take. However, because of their lack of maneuverability, they suffer -2 on Tactics Checks
Conscripts
Some unlucky souls have no choice whether or not to fight for their country. While conscripts are usually quite plentiful, they lack the resolve and training of professional soldiers. Furthermore, both their training and their equipment are substandard.
Conscript units suffer -2 to all rolls they make, in addition, because they usually consist of those people who were unable to avoid the draft, conscript units nearly always have a low hit dice, and thus, low morale. An elite unit always loses its conscript status.
Sample Ranks - Troops Commanded
Private - N/A
Corporal - 1-4
Sergeant - 6-12
Lieutenant - 15-25
Captain - 30-100
Major - 100-500
Colonel - 500-5,000
General - 5,000 or more
Sample Human Army:
Infantry
Squad - 20 privates (fighter 1) plus 2 corporals (cleric 2) led by sergeant (fighter 3)
Platoon - 3 squads (60 pvt/6 cpl/3 sgt) plus 3 lieutenants (cleric 4) led by captain (paladin 5)
Company - 2 platoons (120 pvt/12 cpl/6 sgt/6 lt/2 cap) led by major (fighter 7)
Regiment - 2 companies (240 pvt/24 cpl/12 sgt/12 lt/4 cap/2 maj) led by colonel (fighter 9)
Brigade - 2 regiments (480 pvt/48 cpl/24 sgt/24 lt/8 cap/4 maj/2 col) led by general (fighter 11)
Elite Archers
Squad - 10 sergeants led by a lieutenant
Platoon - 3 squads (30 sgt/3 lt) led by captain
Cavalry
Squad - 5 corporals on light warhorse plus 10 sergeants on heavy warhorse led by lieutenant on a heavy warhorse
Platoon - 3 squads (15 cpl/30 sgt/3 lt) led by captain on heavy warhorse
Elite Guards
Squad - 10 sergeants plus 5 cavalry sergeants led by cavalry lieutenant
Platoon - 3 squads (30 sgt/15 cavalry sgt/3 cavalry lt) led by cavalry captain
Company - 2 platoons (60 sgt/30 cavalry sgt/6 cavalry lt/3 cavalry cap) led by cavalry major
Accumulated modifiers:
success in previous battles +2
opponents are obviously weaker +2
fighting on familiar terrain +2
this unit has never lost a battle +4
the unit fights for their homeland +4
the campaign has gone well for the army +4
Untried or Distrusted Captain -2
failure in previous battles -2
unworthy cause -2
the army has lost several battles -4
the units are conscripts -4
Tide of Battle Modifiers
High Ground +2
Difficult Ground -2 (both side unless one is prepared)
Ambush/Surprise attack - other side loses their first tide of Battle check
Numerical Advantage +2 per 10% difference between armies
WINNING THE BATTLE
Once one side has won the Tide of Battle check three times in a row, they have won the battle. The other side retreats or surrenders and both sides are left to tend to their dead and wounded.
And the in the final report, roll 1d20 to determine npc casualties.
Result % of Winner % of Winner % of Loser % of Loser
Wounded Killed Wounded Killed
1-2 1% 2% 2% 5%
3-4 2% 5% 5% 10%
5-6 5% 10% 10% 20%
7-8 10% 20% 20% 25%
9-10 2% 10% 5% 20%
11-12 5% 20% 10% 25%
13-14 10% 25% 20% 40%
15-16 20% 40% 25% 50%
17-18 5% 25% 10% 40%
19-20 10% 40% 20% 50%
The idea is that nobody is actually present in most of these battles, and we are all assuming they have taken place. . .
Also, there is another component to the mechanics here.
Common folk - they might forecast a movement (which could take hours too tenday's all of which would have a "Shadow" destination which is why, only NPC's would see them having word get around, unless caught on a main road defending them selves from monsters trying to repair a wagon.
Geography & Ecology - speed rate's vary, between units and tactical rolls modifiers are a good indicator that a "moved unit" from one hidden place to another seen, unseen, successfully or unsuccessfully leading to the NPC "rumors of war" with more at stake as more PC's fund businesses, Boagur could convince some conscripts to his cause should someone offend his cooking, or Moonyava might end up with Pixies job shadowing her yoga class helping draw a larger crowd.
So PC "Adventuring Companies Investment Index" would probably need its own Board with the Geographic statistics for things like movement rates and site cost modifiers those are the glue to the "Hard Statistics"
Army Essentials
Food and Water
Absolutely necessary. Requires constant supervision for defenders, and transport or scrounging for attackers. Vulnerable to enemy attack and natural attrition.
Weapons
Absolutely necessary. Requires massive initial expenditure of money and resources for large armies, and regular upkeep to maintain combat readiness.
Transportation
Indispensable. Necessary to maintain supplies at acceptable levels. Requires a large initial outlay and considerable upkeep. Numerous peripheral supply requirements. Vulnerable to enemy attack; highly favored secondary target. Pulls troops from front-line duty for defense.
Communication
Virtually indispensable. Vital to coordinating the war effort, Enemies may take some methods, either through attack or interception. Favored target in protracted campaigns.
Shelter
Highly useful. Helps maintain morale and shields both soldiers and supplies from the elements. Adds to transportation necessities for non-stationed armies.
Siege engines
Usefulness varies. Absolutely essential against fortified positions, valuable otherwise. Large and bulky, siege engines will usually slow travel time. Extremely expensive to build and to maintain.
Other/Exotic goods
Varies. Few generals allow for anything other than essentials, unless it dramatically helps morale.
Air Cavalry
Specialty tack and barding. Unusual and expensive foodstuffs. Intelligent species normally make other, exorbitant demands.
Arcane Support
Material components and spell focus. Bodyguards. Mishap in spell casting may result in collateral damages. Staff typically demands or requires magical items as part of their commission.
Clerical Auxiliary
Various holy artifacts and supplies. Divine's will, may demand certain expenditures, from sacrifices to alter transportation. Material components useful, necessary for some powerful effects.
Outsider Divisions
Many normal supplies replaced with exotic or unnatural requirements (devils may require contracts, for instance, or intelligent earth elemental's may require rare gems).
Geography and Major city Statistic
frc.proboards.com/board/49/geography
Terrain
The primary terrain of a battlefield has a dramatic effect on the encounters that take place on it. Various terrain features can help or hinder troops, providing significant advantages to those who know hot to exploit them.
Forest Battlefields
Conflicts in forested terrain are more likely to be isolated skirmishes rather than massive armies lined up for battle. Undergrowth hampers movement, and thick trees make it difficult to maintain orderly formations. Line of sight is limited, which hinders the commanders ability to direct troops. The foliage provides plenty of opportunities for a defending force to lay traps and ambushes, hiding camouflaged. The trees provide cover, so ranged attacks and artillery have significantly reduced effectiveness.
The abundance of available wood in a forest lends itself to the creation of fortifications. Many other manufactured features might litter a potential battlefield site in such a sylvan setting, including pit traps, covered with stakes or wooden palisades. The defending force usually has an advantage, supplementing the natural obstacles of the forest with structures placed to funnel troops through choke points or into lines of fire. A garrisoned troop might clear away sections of the forest nearest the walls of their building to provide a better view of approaching attackers.
Marsh Battlefields
The mud and muck of marsh terrain slows armies considerably, and the dangers inherent in traversing such terrain encourage commanders to avoid marshlands. When battles do occur in such terrain, they can be even more dangerous, since an injury that would otherwise unconsciousness proves deadly when the soldier disappears beneath a bog and quickly drowns.
Fortifications in marshes are uncommon, because finding a foundation is difficult. on occasion, ruins of former structures that were built before the ground became too waterlogged can provide solid footing. Murky water or loose topsoil offers many opportunities to lay trip-lines, spikes, or other such traps; creatures that swim or don't require air might also hide in the depths.
Hill Battlefields
Many battles occur around hilltops, since these are usually the most advantageous positions to build a fortress or a keep that can maintain a vantage point. Armies or lay siege to these key objectives as a matter of course. Sometimes a great battle might be waged in a shallow valley between two hillocks, where the commanders can both look down upon the melee as it unfolds. rugged hills offer plenty of hiding places, even for entire regiments, so skirmishes or small battles could result from ambushes.
A battlefield in the hills could have any number of fortifications, earthworks, or other terrain features, created by either the attackers or the defenders. Higher ground offers a significant advantage for an army, doubly so if it occupies a stronghold atop a hill. Ruins of previous structures might provide low walls for cover. Natural features such as undergrowth, streams, and the occasional tree are also scattered about most hills terrain.
Mountain Battlefields
Massive conflicts in mountain terrain usually occur in alpine meadows. Only in such places is there enough open space for armies to gather into any sort of formation. Cliffs,chasms, and rubble make it difficult to muster a force of significant size in rugged mountains, and most great battles in (and over) forbidding mountains are usually of the aerial variety.
Desert Battlefields
The shifting dunes of a sandy desert quickly overcome any attempt at fortification. Trenches fill in with sand, walls become buried under sand dunes, and earthworks simply blow away.
Rocky deserts and tundra both hamper the creation of structures due to lack of available material. Desert battlefields most often have just natural terrain features and few, if any, manufactured ones.
Plains Battlefields
Large meadows or tracts of farmland are perfect stages for clashes between massive armies, making plains terrain the most common site of battlefield adventures.
While some plains are devoid of natural structures, nearly and manufactured feature can exist on a plain. Fences and cottages are common in farmland regions, while defensive fortifications can be built anywhere war is expected.
Aquatic Battlefields
On the surface of the sea, great ships might pound each other with artillery, attempting to gain supremacy over trade lanes or waterways. But within the water, sahuagin might mass against tritons, or merfolk could try to over-throw an aboleth and its minions. Battles underwater more closely resemble aerial combat rather than land melee: Troops attack above or below, without much terrain in the way. In some cases, an underwater volcano, a kelp forest, or a sunken city might be the site of a great battle.
Visibility is however, a great concern underwater, since the blood that escapes from wounded combatants clouds the water like smoke (as well as attracting unwanted complications, such as swarms of sharks).
Underground Battlefields
Large-scale battles in subterranean areas take place in massive caverns or great tunnel complexes. The presence of a natural ceiling usually precludes the use of high-arcing artillery, and the environment features lend themselves to defense and the creation of defensive fortifications.
Most structures are manufactured from stone, given the dearth of available lumber in the depths of the world. Light, or the lack of it, is a factor for most races; even drow can only see 120 feet in the complete darkness, far shorter than line of sight on the surface world.
Urban Battlefields
When the outer defenses fall, the battle might move into a city's streets. Buildings, back alleys, and sewers provide many ways for a defending force to move about unseen or for an invading army to infiltrate. Narrow thoroughfares reduce an army's ability to out-flank opponents, and most fighting is reduced to skirmishes between units or house-to-house battles.
While earthworks might only exist in park like areas or within the grounds of a manor, barricades and other debris might littler and urban battlefield. The buildings themselves provide a unique terrain feature, and offer cover for archers or other harrying forces.
Units In-Battle Downtime
Awaiting Orders
Ordered to Hold
Grunt Labor
Environmental Delays
Assigned to Reserves (training to become elites)
Guard Duty
Jul 29, 2017 8:00:41 GMT -7 spyd3r97344 said:
The Next Aspect -
Strategic Advantages
Armies receive strategic insight from a number of sources, including leadership, divination, scouting, and various kinds of intelligence information about the enemy. In this way, the general's advisers become just as much a part of the battle-planning, because of the strategic advantage they provide. Some terrain features can also provide a localized strategic advantage, for those attacking or defending.
In game terms, a strategic advantage does what its name suggests: It gives an advantage to one side in a battle. Mechanically, this advantage is represented by the awarding of victory points before the start of battle. Most strategic advantages are gained through planning before the battle even begins, though some can be gained even if a battle is joined without a plan, such as if an enemy force is ambushed. The description of kind of strategic advantage notes when that advantage might be gained.
The advantages of strategic planning apply only to large-scale battles. Skirmishers are typically too small to be affected by the advantages discussed here.
Using Strategic Planning
The art of strategic planning is invisible to the PC's unless they're doing the high-level planning themselves as military leaders or member of a general's staff. Sometimes successful strategic planning leads directly to adventurers; for example, if the PCs use scrying on an enemy general to reveal that he is traveling to the Abyss to make a pact with demons, they might be able to follow him and break up such a bargain before it struck.
More often, strategic planning provides countless mundane benefits to the army, such as the knowledge that "There's no good line of sight into the bottom of the valley" or "The enemy White Tiger Regiment is too fatigued to fight well"
Although strategic advantages might represent specific factors, the game abstracts the concept for ease of play. For every strategic advantage possessed by the PCs, award them 10 victory points for the upcoming battle. Victory Points, described later, represent how PC's actions influence the battle's outcome. Because victory points measure only the PC's influence, there's no change in victory points when NPCs perform these functions.
In addition to the options presented, other possibilities for strategic advantaged will undoubtedly appear in your battlefield campaign. Use guidelines presented here to help determine whether a particular action or ability of some kind could provide a strategic advantage.
Bardic Knowledge
Many bards know songs and tales of legendary battle. Some bards understand the history behind lyrics and know that hidden in those tales are its of information relevant to how those battles were won. Reflecting on the meaning of these legends, a bard might piece together clues that might lead to victory.
Generally a result of lore check of 25 or higher while planning will grant your force a strategic advantage. If the battle is already joined, a bardic knowledge check would require a 30 or better to acquire the same strategic planning advantage.
Divination Spells
Powerful divination spells can provide a key to victory, especially those spells that communicate with extraplaner entities. If a spellcaster successfully cast commune, commune with nature, or contact other plane and ask questions about an upcoming battle, she can provide her force with a strategic advantage. Victory points can only be earned this way once, regardless of the number of times these divination's are cast or how many characters cast such spells.
A successfully cast legend lore or vision can also be used to grant strategic advantage in place of geographic knowledge or historical knowledge, if the upcoming battle has a connection to a legendary one.
These divination's are typically preformed on the eve of battle, though vision can be cast during battle.
(Knowledge skills would be trickier then simple lore checks but they should also be abstractly based on RP interpretations by PC's before an upcoming battle, relative to adding "Tide of Battle Modifiers")
Knowledge Skill
A PC who supplies his side with knowledge relevant to the upcoming battle (DC 20 or better) gains a strategic advantage. This benefit might represent knowledge of a particular choke point in the local terrain, recollection of prior battles fought in the area, or even specific knowledge of enemy commanders.
Each category of knowledge applies to different kinds of situations and produces a different sort of information. Below are some examples of situations in which a successful knowledge check provides a strategic advantage. If one or more of these situations here happens to apply to your battlefield adventure, then you already know what sorts of knowledge checks have the potential to provide a strategic advantage in your game. Otherwise, use these examples as guidelines to tailor certain knowledge skills to other situations. For example, you could decide that Knowledge (the planes) is also useful if the enemy force on a Material Plane battlefield includes any creatures from other planes.
- Arcana: The opposing force is led by a powerful spellcaster or otherwise heavily reliant on magic.
- Architecture and Engineering: The battle involves attacking, defending, or laying siege to a fortification or other large structure.
- Dungeoneering: The battlefield is underground or in a dungeonlike environment.
- Geography: The battlefield contains notable terrain features (such as a marsh or a hill)
- History: The battlefield has been the site of previous battles of note.
- Local: The opposing force is native to the immediate area.
- Nature: The weather during battle is unusual or particularly harsh.
- Nobility and Royalty: The opposing force is led by a member of a noble house or royal family.
- Religion: The opposing force is led by a high priest, theocrat, or otherwise highly religious individual.
- The Planes: The battlefield is on a plane other than the Material Plane.
Leadership
The leader of an army provides strength to his or her forces. She might be a mighty and grand general, marshaling her troops forward. Or he might be an orc warlord, leading simply because he hasn't been killed yet. But a truly great leader is one who commands his or her army through many victories. A strategic advantage for leadership should be awarded only if a PC is leading an army and has a leadership score of atleast 10.
A character's Leadership score equals his or her Hit-Dice plus any Charisma modifier.
Scouting
Spies, spellcasters, or enemy scouts can impart a firsthand account of an enemy's army, which can be invaluable when planning a battle. In populated areas, refugees and locals might provide clues as to the nature of an opposing force.
Spies and scouts who avoid being caught can grant a strategic advantage to a force if they have seen the bulk of the opposing force, including major siege weapons or elite forces. Spellcasters might try to use scrying on an enemy commander or adviser, or use spells such as prying eyes if they can get close enough, or arcane eye to gain visual information.
A character can attempt a DC 20 Gather information check in a populated area to gain accounts of an enemy force, which also provides the same strategic advantage.
All scouting that contributes to a strategic advantage must be completed prior to the battle, since the information is used during the planning phase.
Terrain and Fortifications
Some places on the battlefield are easy to defend or to attack from, making a general's job easier. If the PCs have personal control of such a key structure (it's their stronghold, for example), they earn 10 victory points for their army because they know its details inside and out.
Barriers and Obstacles
Some terrain features serve as obstacles and barriers that hinder or obstruct movement. Most barriers must be crossed, climbed, or destroyed by advancing troops. Other obstacles must be avoided in order to circumvent some negative effect, usually damage.
Victory Points
Whether you fight well or not, there are ways to gauge the battle as a whole to merit its success or failure.
Assist Friendly Troops / 1 - 50
Attack Enemy Siege Engines / 10 - 30 + 10 more if re-engineered
Defeat Enemy Units or cause a retreat and seize that location / 10 - 30
Disrupt Enemy Command / 1 - 100 - a replaced enemy commander will half the points for this condition
Disrupt Enemy Supply / 10 - 50
Protect Defensive Point / 10 - 80
Protect Intrinsic Point / 10 - 100
Protect Maneuver Point / 10 - 70
Protect Offensive Point / 20 - 100
Provide Intelligence / 10 - 50
Seize Defensive Point / 20 - 100
Seize Intrinsic Point / 10 - 90 - Take the Citadel at all costs!
Seize Maneuver Point / 10 - 70
Seize Offensive Point / 10 - 50
Recognition Points -
Also a way to become renown as a Hero known by many commoners who recognize Decorations and Medals earned in service of the militia
Capturing the Enemy Standard, (1-2)
Defeating a Notable Unit (based on level of difficulty)
Fight in a famous Battle (3-5)
Fight in a Famous Campaign (5-10)
Plant Standard (3+)
Rally Demoralized Unit (based on level of difficulty)
Receive Elite Training (3-5)
Replace Fallen Leader (2x the commanders rating)
Rescue Endangered Unit (2x the friendly units rating)
Survive Overwhelming Odds (5x rating base on level of difficulty)
The Morale Check
The battlefield is a frightening place, with death and destruction everywhere. Under stresses of battle, many creatures abandon their army's cause for one much more immediate: self-preservation.
(Attempting to abstract the morale check here)
When to make a morale check.
Typically, a morale check is made, DC 20, on the first round that one of the following conditions applies:
Creature Takes 50% Damage: Once a creature's hit point total falls to 50% or less of its full normal hit points, that creature must make a morale check.
(Again to abstract this I would aim this notion at the "Tactic's Skill Check" and if one commander win's by 10 or more points on a Tide of Battle check, his opposing army might make forced a morale check v.s. the unit's average Will save).
Unit Takes 50% Casualties: Creatures make a morale check if half or more of the comrades in their unit are unable to fight, whether they're dead, unconscious, fleeing, paralyzed, or otherwise out of commission.
Each time the creature or unit fails a morale check, the condition worsens by one category, during battles making it harder and harder to stay in good spirits while pressing forward on the front lines.
Morale Check Modifiers
Unit Fatigued -2
Unit Exhausted -5
Unit (including nearby allies) is outnumbered 4:1 -5
Unit (including nearby allies) is outnumbered 2:1 -2
Unit outnumbers nearby enemies 2:1 +2
Unit outnumbers nearby enemies 4:1 +5
Morale Conditions and Tactic's modifiers
Heartened: +1, +1 morale
Normal: no change
Shaken: -1 (including subsequent morale checks)
Frightened: -1, try's to flee as best it can. If unable to flee, it will fight.
Panicked: -2, Drops everything to run, or cowers unable to attack.
Crazed: -2 , If a unit rolls a 1 on a morale check that would have made the unit "Panicked" it remains crazed for the next hour.
d% Crazed Effect
01-20 Berserk - out of control attacking the nearest thing
21-40 Cowering - frozen in fear, takes no action
41-60 Dazed - takes no action
61-80 Deafened - no ambush/ listen checks, and 20% spell failure
81-100 Nauseated - unable to attack or cast spells, only a single move action
Rally Check
Rally checks can be made to achieve the new morale condition.
DC Heartened Normal Shaken Frightened
Normal: 20 - - -
Shaken: 25 20 - -
Frightened: 30 25 20 -
Panicked: 40 30 25 20
(In regards to the time to game ratio the Tide of Battle roll "Could be assumed" to last for one hour making a battle take a minimum of three hours to complete assuming one side wins the Tide of Battle roll three times in a row on the first three rolls, this would leave a small gap for other armies to arrive during the conflict)
If anyone has feed back or questions, or if I simply missed something important, I will try to make this easier where ever I can.