Warfare Rules

1. Pre-Battle Manuevering
1. Can accomplish through use of scouts, rangers, light cavalry.

                                                    i.     If superior scouting ability, including mobility, then automatically get to roll.

                                                   ii.     If basically equal, then scout commanders make checks to get the drop on one another (primarily scouting skill check, otherwise Int-initiative roll).

                                                  iii.     Then scouting forces battle with winner taking initiative and ground, unless scout CO decides to cede the engagement and ground, and returns to main host.

2. Obtain or grant Battle (no advantage, both armies deploy usually), Initiative & Ground, Pick of Field, Ambush

                                                    i.     If the army had scouting superiority, they can find the enemy host at a location of their choosing and perhaps even ambush if the commander has a clever plan. 1d6: 1-4 = pick battlefield, 5-6 = can ambush the enemy army. Even with superiority, if there is no plausible way to catch the enemy, then only gain initiative and ground.

                                                   ii.     If the army’s scouts won the engagement, they will know where the enemy is heading and can possibly pick the battlefield. Roll 1-4 = initiative & ground (or deny battle), 5-6 can pick field.

                                                  iii.     If indecisive or no pre-battle scouting, roll for commander who wants to fight: 1-2 = no battle but rumors, 3-5 obtain battle, roll Int-initiative for initiative, 6 win initiative and ground.

3. Battlefield: Mountainous, Muddy or Marshy Fields, Woods, Hilly Field

                                                    i.     Enables different options like Choke-points, high ground, backs to a wall.

                                                   ii.     Those who win ground can take advantages of hill high ground, mountain pass choke points, river crossings, deep woods, etc.

                                                  iii.     Winning initiative means troops will go slightly first, allows commanders to pick where they attack, can ask DM about enemies strategems (only reveal if obvious), etc.

4. Deploy: Divide forces into wings if >200 warriors a side, need meaningful wing size – at least 25% of largest side's total warriors.

                                                    i.     Each wing should be roughly equal to opposing wing (+/- 25%), if wing not roughly equal then outnumbered (if 3x/4x outnumbered then even worse)

                                                   ii.     Can hold forces in reserve if no wing left badly outnumbered

                                                  iii.     Can conceal forces if superior scouting

2. Strategems
1. Each wing picks a strategem: wing composed of majority of average members (fuzzy DM determination)

                                                    i.     battlefield determines some options

2. Assault (regular), high ground, fortification defense, flank (requires outnumber/open flank), envelope (requires outnumber/open flank and fast unit), prepared ground (braveheart/agincourt), secret weapon (wizardry, troll shock troops, etc. = can grant damage bonus to wing even though wing not majority composed), feint manuever (draw enemy into running around/in wrong direction), brace (if other side also defends, then no combat; best for pike)

                                                    i.     Assumed to work if led by competent captain

3. Secretly ordered, reveal simultaneously after chosen (unless scrying or something)
2. Combat
1. Characters first: bonus to combat roll for victory in personal combat

                                                    i.     Face off against higher numbers if Outnumbered, something like 2x/3x versus each member of PCs & bodyguard (generally generic enemies led at least by lieutenant type with +2/3 HD compared to average).

                                                   ii.     Face off against any leaders or monsters (VIPs): any major NPCs/monsters left unfaced or if they defeat PCs, then they add victorious bonus

1.      VIPs can choose to avoid one another, but difficult (something like Int check)

                                                  iii.     Lasts as long as normal combat; can be both outnumbered and facing VIPs

                                                  iv.     VIPs victorious when killing almost all or enemies facing them failed morale check

2. Every wing rolls damage dice (d6 for one-handed, d8 or d10 for two-handed), adds bonuses, compares to AC of opponent wing

                                                    i.     Archers roll first against non-archers, if destroy enemy then enemy doesn't get to go; pike roll first against nonpike/nonarchers if bracing

1.      Longbows fire 2x first against non-archers

                                                   ii.     Normal bonuses: knights charging +1, +1 if VIPs victorious, +1 pike bracing, +1 if defending high ground, +1 if attacking on flank/enveloping, +2 if defending fortifications, +1 huge monstrous, +1 outnumbers

1.      Not netted out, instead applies to both

                                                  iii.     Higher roll (not equal) than AC = a hit. If hits = or > # wing's average HD, then wing destroyed.

                                                  iv.     Destroyed wings reduced to 25%, even if rallied

4. Morale and Spirit
1. Each wing that engaged in combat makes a morale check (and every unit if battle commander killed/captured)
2. -2 if battlefield commander out, -2 flanked, -4 enveloped, -2 outnumbered (before hit), -2 to -4 for fearsome enemies (wights, dragons), -2 encountering/seeing routing wing last turn

                                                    i.     Use wing commander's morale (use battle commander's for the wing where he is nearby)

3. Wings that are destroyed fail morale check unless VIP can rally

                                                    i.     -4 to wing's check for receiving a hit, otherwise use VIP's morale. (remember only 25% or so of destroyed wing remains even if succeed).

4. If fail, unit routes, generally cannot return to battle but might grab possessions at camp while running away.
5. A routing unit can be chased down and destroyed by a faster pursuer, or by any pursuer if battlefield restricts movement.
4. Aftermath
1. Survivors: about 40% of any destroyed or broken unit on losing side can be found or organized after about a week, if a liege can command their loyalty. Almost no survivors will remain if a unit was basically wiped out (last stand, pursued after broken; DM discresion). Any unit that engaged in combat normally has about 80% survivors, down to 60% if it broke or sustained a non-destroying hit.
2. XP: commanders receive about 500 xp per wing commanded, plus 500 xp more for strategically important accomplishments, plus bonuses for defeating notable enemies as normal. Any captured enemies or gold also garner XP.