Mass Combat
Mass combat is adapted from the Chainmail miniatures rules (Gygax & Perren, 1971). Individual figures represent groups of soldiers; heroes and monsters fight as multiple figures and absorb multiple hits.
Scale
One figure represents 20 men (or 1 monster / war-beast). Distances are measured in inches; 1" = 10 yards.
Units
A unit is 5–20 figures of the same type. Units must be led by an officer to act without penalty — see Folk-at-Arms. A unit with no officer suffers −1 to all morale rolls.
Troop Types
| Type | Armor | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Unarmored / leather | Levies, scouts, skirmishers |
| Medium | Chain or equivalent | Foot soldiers, light cavalry |
| Heavy | Plate or equivalent | Men-at-arms, knights, armored foot |
Turn Sequence
- Declarations — Both sides declare intentions simultaneously
- Missile fire — Ranged units fire before melee
- Movement — Units advance, wheel, or retreat
- Melee — Units in contact resolve combat
- Morale — Units that took casualties check morale
Combat
Each attacking figure rolls 1d6. The target number depends on troop type:
| Attacker \ Defender | Light | Medium | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 5+ | 6 | — |
| Medium | 4+ | 5+ | 6 |
| Heavy | 3+ | 4+ | 5+ |
A result at or above the number kills one defending figure. Figures are removed immediately.
Pole arms and pikes treat mounted targets as one armor type lighter.
Missile Fire
Resolve before melee. Each archer or crossbowman rolls 1d6:
| Weapon | Short (≤6") | Medium (7–15") | Long (16–24") |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | 4+ | 5+ | 6 |
| Crossbow | 3+ | 5+ | 6 |
Crossbows ignore one tier of armor at short range (treat Heavy as Medium, Medium as Light).
Heroes and Monsters
Characters use their Fighting Capability from the class advancement table. A Hero or Superhero attacks as multiple Heavy figures and absorbs multiple hits before being removed.
| Fighting Capability | Attacks as | Removed after |
|---|---|---|
| Man / Man+1 | 1 Heavy figure | 1 hit |
| 2 Men / 3 Men | 2–3 Heavy | 2–3 hits |
| Hero (levels 4–7) | 4 Heavy figures | 4 hits |
| Superhero (levels 8+) | 8 Heavy figures | 8 hits |
| Wizard | 4 Light figures† | 4 hits |
| Monster | By HD: 1 per HD | HD hits |
†Wizards may cast spells in lieu of attacking. Each spell affects a number of figures equal to its level.
Heroes and Superheroes in melee with a unit roll their full complement of dice against that unit. They may also split attacks across adjacent units.
Morale
Check morale when a unit loses 25% of its figures in a single round, or when charged by a clearly superior force.
Roll 2d6 and apply modifiers:
| 2d6 + Modifiers | Result |
|---|---|
| 2–5 | Rout — flees full move away; cannot rally this battle |
| 6–8 | Waver — retreats one full move; does not attack this round |
| 9+ | Hold — stands and fights |
Modifiers:
| Condition | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Officer present in unit | +1 |
| Commander is Hero or Superhero | +2 |
| Unit has taken 50%+ casualties | −2 |
| Allied unit routed this round | −1 |
| Outnumbered 2:1 or more | −1 |
| Charging (attacker only) | +1 |
Routing and Rally
A routing unit moves its full move away from the nearest enemy each round. At the start of any subsequent round in which it is not being actively pursued, it may attempt to rally: roll 2d6, need 8+. A rallied unit may fight again but suffers −1 to all morale rolls for the remainder of the battle.
A unit reduced to 0 figures is destroyed and removed from play.