I will be running a session in about a month, its a village defense session.
However, the twist is, there are 3 separate armies attacking this village, all of which also will be attacking each other.
Im trying to figure out how to run this. I have some ideas, such as a concept where the PCs make choices on what to do with their resources or actions, these actions would likely hinder one army while helping another. For example, having the towns archers focus on the flying enemies. Then, in the following combat round, there would be fewer flying enemies from army A, but army B would have been able to get closer and engage the PCs, while army C isnt having their concentration spells interrupted, and they start that combat round buffed. I also have stuff in mind for different armies attacking different parts of the town (A attacking the residential area, B attacking the troops, C attacking the church).
Im really stuck more on offering different choices like described above, how doing one thing will hinder one army while allowing another army an advantage. If anyone has any ideas on different choices the PCs could make, that would be helpful.
My big warning would be D&D is not set up for mass combat, so be careful there. It seems like you’re basically trying to run it like a tower defense set up with allocating the right tools to the right spots. That may be cool for a session, actually, but it’s a pretty different game. And I’m not sure how you incorporate character skills and abilities into the mix.
The more typical way to run this situation is to treat the PCs like a small elite team, which of course, they are. They way they influence the battle is by attack strategic weak point in one enemy or another. They don’t go out into the big fight, they slip behind enemy lines and disrupt the supplies of one of the armies. Or target high ranking officers. Or make a diplomatic agreement like convince army A and army B to gang up on army C. Or somehow recruit army D to roll in and save the day. Basically think about things they can do that will let them use their character’s skills instead of just pointing at a map and saying, put the archers there.
Ive done "mass combat" using the PCs as strike teams before, so im not necessarily having trouble with that, but ive never done it with multiple armies. And due to the circumstances, the armies teaming up with each other is not likely.
But thats why I have the idea of using a resource to make a choice that will hinder one army while helping another, then creating a small strike team encounter based off that choice. Im just looking for the choices to make that can help or hinder an army so I can then make a small encounter based off that choice. I wouldnt necessairly be saying where or how to position the archers. I would go with something like "do you want the town archers to focus on the flying enemies, the approaching Tank-type barbarians, or the spell casters?". Focusing on the flying enemies would eliminate them in that round, then maybe the spell casters would have been able to get in close and set fire to the residential district, and THAT would be the encounter for the PCs, is saving the homes. So I know a rough format, im really looking for options and choices for the PCs to make that can help one army and hinder a another one.
My big warning would be D&D is not set up for mass combat, so be careful there. It seems like you’re basically trying to run it like a tower defense set up with allocating the right tools to the right spots. That may be cool for a session, actually, but it’s a pretty different game. And I’m not sure how you incorporate character skills and abilities into the mix.
The more typical way to run this situation is to treat the PCs like a small elite team, which of course, they are. They way they influence the battle is by attack strategic weak point in one enemy or another. They don’t go out into the big fight, they slip behind enemy lines and disrupt the supplies of one of the armies. Or target high ranking officers. Or make a diplomatic agreement like convince army A and army B to gang up on army C. Or somehow recruit army D to roll in and save the day. Basically think about things they can do that will let them use their character’s skills instead of just pointing at a map and saying, put the archers there.
This is great advice.
But along the lines of resource use, I think you're on the right track. As long as the PCs ultimately have an encounter to take their attention, devoting other units to certain tasks is a good idea. I recall one part of the Knights of the Old Republic 2 game (the restored content) in which the main characters had command of two battalions aside from themselves, one more experienced than the other, and had the choice of where to place them on the battlefield. That is the sort of decision you'd have the PCs make before the battle. Also, you should play up the consequences of other choices the PCs make before combat begins. Did they spend the time firming up their supply chains or treating wounded soldiers? Etc.
Ive done "mass combat" using the PCs as strike teams before, so im not necessarily having trouble with that, but ive never done it with multiple armies. And due to the circumstances, the armies teaming up with each other is not likely.
But thats why I have the idea of using a resource to make a choice that will hinder one army while helping another, then creating a small strike team encounter based off that choice. Im just looking for the choices to make that can help or hinder an army so I can then make a small encounter based off that choice. I wouldnt necessairly be saying where or how to position the archers. I would go with something like "do you want the town archers to focus on the flying enemies, the approaching Tank-type barbarians, or the spell casters?". Focusing on the flying enemies would eliminate them in that round, then maybe the spell casters would have been able to get in close and set fire to the residential district, and THAT would be the encounter for the PCs, is saving the homes. So I know a rough format, im really looking for options and choices for the PCs to make that can help one army and hinder a another one.
Did that make any sense?
I get it more now.
You might just abstract it completely. Ask the players, do you want the townspeople to do things that will hinder army A, B or C. Say something like, basically, the townspeople are looking to them for guidance about laying out the strategy of which army they need the people to deal with. From there, it will be up to the locals to come up with the specific tactics to accomplish that goal. The locals know their own resources and the landscape probably better than the PCs, they just need to know which direction to point those resources. If you really want to get complicated, you could let the PCs split the town forces among two or all three of the armies, with the understanding that they'll be less effective the thinner they are spread.
Then you have in your head, if they hinder army A, things will go this way, if they hinder B, things will go that way, if the hinder C and A both, this will happen, and so on. Game out how the battle will shake out under the different scenarios, and then see what type of encounter for the PCs logically follows from there.
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I will be running a session in about a month, its a village defense session.
However, the twist is, there are 3 separate armies attacking this village, all of which also will be attacking each other.
Im trying to figure out how to run this. I have some ideas, such as a concept where the PCs make choices on what to do with their resources or actions, these actions would likely hinder one army while helping another. For example, having the towns archers focus on the flying enemies. Then, in the following combat round, there would be fewer flying enemies from army A, but army B would have been able to get closer and engage the PCs, while army C isnt having their concentration spells interrupted, and they start that combat round buffed. I also have stuff in mind for different armies attacking different parts of the town (A attacking the residential area, B attacking the troops, C attacking the church).
Im really stuck more on offering different choices like described above, how doing one thing will hinder one army while allowing another army an advantage. If anyone has any ideas on different choices the PCs could make, that would be helpful.
My big warning would be D&D is not set up for mass combat, so be careful there. It seems like you’re basically trying to run it like a tower defense set up with allocating the right tools to the right spots. That may be cool for a session, actually, but it’s a pretty different game. And I’m not sure how you incorporate character skills and abilities into the mix.
The more typical way to run this situation is to treat the PCs like a small elite team, which of course, they are. They way they influence the battle is by attack strategic weak point in one enemy or another. They don’t go out into the big fight, they slip behind enemy lines and disrupt the supplies of one of the armies. Or target high ranking officers. Or make a diplomatic agreement like convince army A and army B to gang up on army C. Or somehow recruit army D to roll in and save the day. Basically think about things they can do that will let them use their character’s skills instead of just pointing at a map and saying, put the archers there.
Sort of tower defense with using the elite team.
Ive done "mass combat" using the PCs as strike teams before, so im not necessarily having trouble with that, but ive never done it with multiple armies. And due to the circumstances, the armies teaming up with each other is not likely.
But thats why I have the idea of using a resource to make a choice that will hinder one army while helping another, then creating a small strike team encounter based off that choice. Im just looking for the choices to make that can help or hinder an army so I can then make a small encounter based off that choice. I wouldnt necessairly be saying where or how to position the archers. I would go with something like "do you want the town archers to focus on the flying enemies, the approaching Tank-type barbarians, or the spell casters?". Focusing on the flying enemies would eliminate them in that round, then maybe the spell casters would have been able to get in close and set fire to the residential district, and THAT would be the encounter for the PCs, is saving the homes. So I know a rough format, im really looking for options and choices for the PCs to make that can help one army and hinder a another one.
Did that make any sense?
This is great advice.
But along the lines of resource use, I think you're on the right track. As long as the PCs ultimately have an encounter to take their attention, devoting other units to certain tasks is a good idea. I recall one part of the Knights of the Old Republic 2 game (the restored content) in which the main characters had command of two battalions aside from themselves, one more experienced than the other, and had the choice of where to place them on the battlefield. That is the sort of decision you'd have the PCs make before the battle. Also, you should play up the consequences of other choices the PCs make before combat begins. Did they spend the time firming up their supply chains or treating wounded soldiers? Etc.
I get it more now.
You might just abstract it completely. Ask the players, do you want the townspeople to do things that will hinder army A, B or C. Say something like, basically, the townspeople are looking to them for guidance about laying out the strategy of which army they need the people to deal with. From there, it will be up to the locals to come up with the specific tactics to accomplish that goal. The locals know their own resources and the landscape probably better than the PCs, they just need to know which direction to point those resources. If you really want to get complicated, you could let the PCs split the town forces among two or all three of the armies, with the understanding that they'll be less effective the thinner they are spread.
Then you have in your head, if they hinder army A, things will go this way, if they hinder B, things will go that way, if the hinder C and A both, this will happen, and so on. Game out how the battle will shake out under the different scenarios, and then see what type of encounter for the PCs logically follows from there.