This is a site for discussing roleplaying games. Have fun doing so, but there is one major rule: do not discuss political issues that aren't directly and uniquely related to the subject of the thread and about gaming. While this site is dedicated to free speech, the following will not be tolerated: devolving a thread into unrelated political discussion, sockpuppeting (using multiple and/or bogus accounts), disrupting topics without contributing to them, and posting images that could get someone fired in the workplace (an external link is OK, but clearly mark it as Not Safe For Work, or NSFW). If you receive a warning, please take it seriously and either move on to another topic or steer the discussion back to its original RPG-related theme.

Charge!!!

Started by Bobloblah, April 28, 2015, 10:14:15 PM

Previous topic - Next topic
Print
Go Down Pages1 2 3
User actions

Bobloblah

April 28, 2015, 10:14:15 PM Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 10:30:53 PM by Bobloblah
In the same vein as other recent threads, I'm curious which RPG system the ever humble and perspicacious posters here consider to be the best, or to have the best system, for mass battles? Please discard any genre prejudices at the door to the thread, as mass battles might be ranked armies on a faux-medieval battlefield, but could just as easily be attack-ships off the shoulder of Orion, tough hombres packing state-of-the-art firepower, or 30ft tall humanoid metal titans that dominate the battlefield. What RPG system or supplement provides the most fun, the most carnage, or the best RPG experience for mass battles, and why?
Best,
Bobloblah

Asking questions about the fictional game space and receiving feedback that directly guides the flow of play IS the game. - Exploderwizard

Larsdangly

#1
April 28, 2015, 10:18:48 PM
Its a bit of a sentimental favorite for me because it was my gateway drug for the whole hobby, but I'm still in love with Chainmail. Short, sweet, fun, complete. What else do you want?

TristramEvans

#2
April 29, 2015, 12:45:20 AM
Well, if you include miniature wargames, then i'd say either Hordes of the Things or Lion Rampant.


But if were talking strictly RPGs, then Army of Darkness, hands down.

Simlasa

#3
April 29, 2015, 01:02:29 AM
I know a lot of people like the old Battlesystem rules for D&D... letting you take PCs into massive fights. I've never tried them myself.

For big space battles I've usually gone with a miniatures game, Full Thrust... which isn't all that different from the Mayday system we used to use for Traveller, but doesn't rely on hexes.

JoeNuttall

#4
April 29, 2015, 07:59:34 AM
Quote from: Simlasa;828765I know a lot of people like the old Battlesystem rules for D&D... letting you take PCs into massive fights. I've never tried them myself.

I've used Daniel Collins' "Book of War" (as in deltasdnd.blogspot.com) which resolved a couple of battles in my D&D campaign very well. It is quick to play yet "statistically consistent with what would happen if D&D were played out with hundreds of men per side".
His approach is solid, but it ends up with simple rules, and although based upon OD&D you could apply the principles to any other RPG system. I changed it to fit my house rules quite easily. The key success was that the whole playing group remained engaged throughout the battle, when all but one of them have zero interest in a standard slow moving wargames.

Skarg

#5
April 29, 2015, 12:25:51 PM
In GM'ing TFT and GURPS, I would sometimes do large battles (up to about 200 fighters) and I considered them really fun because they were so grandiose and enormous. They could take multiple sessions to play out, but that just means more fun... for me. I'm a wargamer as well as a roleplayer. For really large-scale battles, I tend to use or make my own wargame rules, and if PC's are involved, play those out in TFT/GURPS and apply an appropriate effect (if any) at the wargame level.

I expect Warhammer could be a good system to use for mass battles, since it was first a miniatures battle game before it was a wargame, but I've never liked the style of Warhammer much, except for certain details.

TristramEvans

#6
April 29, 2015, 12:29:45 PM
Quote from: Skarg;828830since it was first a miniatures battle game before it was a wargame

that statement confuses the hell out of me

Skarg

#7
April 29, 2015, 12:41:44 PM
Oh whoops, because I wrote it wrong.

Warhammer was a miniatures battle game before they made role-playing game versions.

TristramEvans

#8
April 29, 2015, 12:46:56 PM
Quote from: Skarg;828834Oh whoops, because I wrote it wrong.

Warhammer was a miniatures battle game before they made role-playing game versions.

Yeah WFB 3rd and WHFR were made in tandem, and the two systems work together beautifully and share a number of supplements. Its not my favourite miniatures battle system, but I play it regularly in both its 3rd and most recent incarnation. Mordheim blends the line between skirmish game and rpg. Its a significant investment for people, but theres nothing quite like playing a game on a board with full terrain

RunningLaser

#9
April 29, 2015, 01:28:16 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;828835Yeah WFB 3rd and WHFR were made in tandem, and the two systems work together beautifully and share a number of supplements. Its not my favourite miniatures battle system, but I play it regularly in both its 3rd and most recent incarnation. Mordheim blends the line between skirmish game and rpg. Its a significant investment for people, but theres nothing quite like playing a game on a board with full terrain


Oh, hubba, hubba- that's a beaut.

Christopher Brady

#10
April 29, 2015, 02:19:51 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;828762But if were talking strictly RPGs, then Army of Darkness, hands down.

Which also shows up in Savage World, same mechanic.
"And now, my friends, a Dragon\'s toast!  To life\'s little blessings:  wars, plagues and all forms of evil.  Their presence keeps us alert --- and their absence makes us grateful." -T.A. Barron[/SIZE]

Bobloblah

#11
April 29, 2015, 09:01:59 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;828762Well, if you include miniature wargames, then i'd say either Hordes of the Things or Lion Rampant.
Nah, no wargames divorced from RPGs. I'm talking about things that are part of, or at least written for, an RPG.

Quote from: TristramEvans;828762But if were talking strictly RPGs, then Army of Darkness, hands down.
I've never played Army of Darkness, but it seems to be much beloved. Why? What's so great about it for mass battles?
Best,
Bobloblah

Asking questions about the fictional game space and receiving feedback that directly guides the flow of play IS the game. - Exploderwizard

Bobloblah

#12
April 29, 2015, 09:06:24 PM
Quote from: TristramEvans;828835Yeah WFB 3rd and WHFR were made in tandem, and the two systems work together beautifully and share a number of supplements. Its not my favourite miniatures battle system, but I play it regularly in both its 3rd and most recent incarnation.
Yeah, this is one of the ones I was thinking of (i.e. WFB 3rd and WHFR). I also like WHFB, and still occasionally play 6th edition, but it's by no means my favourite miniatures game, either.

Quote from: TristramEvans;828835Mordheim blends the line between skirmish game and rpg. Its a significant investment for people, but theres nothing quite like playing a game on a board with full terrain

Please tell me that's not actually your Mordheim table - I'd really rather not hate you.
Best,
Bobloblah

Asking questions about the fictional game space and receiving feedback that directly guides the flow of play IS the game. - Exploderwizard

Telarus

#13
April 29, 2015, 09:36:31 PM Last Edit: April 29, 2015, 09:45:43 PM by Telarus
Nice table!

I designed my own Mook/Mass Combat system for Earthdawn, based on groking that the oD&D adventures ran the groups of monsters w/ the same stats as "units" (just throw Xd20), and some of the concepts from Feng Shui, Reign, and Savage Worlds.

It's Unit Size scale is 2-20, so not used for Huge mass battles, but I wanted the PCs and other "Adept" characters to be important, but also to have hirelings. Also added Morale to the mechanics (no stock "morale" rules in Earthdawn). The system should be able to scale up to medium sized encounters (maybe a few hundred on each side).

My 3rd edition notes are here: http://www.earthdawncompendium.com/articles/show/4fdfd916db33ac2e42000013

Currently re-working them for 4th edition. Especially Morale.

danskmacabre

#14
April 29, 2015, 11:55:22 PM
I've used a mass battles boxed set called "War Law" that works with Rolemaster.
http://www.amazon.com/War-Law-Rolemaster-BOX-SET/dp/1558060995

It's very detailed, but quite fun and used it a few times in a RM Shadow World campaign set in Tanara.
A war broke out and the PCs were involved, so it was an excuse to use War Law.
It was a lot of fun actually.
Print
Go Up Pages1 2 3
User actions