Accounting For Race in Mass Combat

ericthered · 01-27-2017, 01:12 PM

I'm looking at doing a mass combat game in a setting inspired by early Yrth (IE, during the banestorm). I want species to be a big deal: Elves are not the same orcs, who aren't the same as goblins, and Halfings really shouldn't do as well when you stick them in a shield wall.

I know mass combat isn't meant for wargaming, but I think at least something can be done to reflect that this unit is made of elves while this one is made of orcs.

Ideas I've had so far:

A good number of the optional features are very useful:

Existing Features:

Impetuous: Any race I want to indicate as 'savage' probably ought to have this. Orcs certainly make the list. Of course, this is likely to be the case with a good number of human elements as well.

Terrain: A great option. Its almost immediately obvious that elves have the forest terrain ability. The same might be said for dwarves underground. Doubling it in some cases seems a little excessive though. I'm not sure what other terrains different species would have though. Reptile men seem like they might have it for their local environment, but I'm not sure.

Nocturnal or Night: This is very promising, though in banestorm the places it shows up are interesting. Orcs (orcs!?), elves, and dwarves are fully handicapped by the dark at night, but goblins are not.

Racial TS modifiers:
This is for races that are substantially more or less suited for war than humans. This is by and large about size and strength. If it comes up, a bonus or penalty may be given for DX, but I don't see that coming up. I'm not using troop quality for this because I want more range than that, and I don't want to be constantly undoing my math to see if the halfing phalanx has maxed out its bonus.

This is also kind of folding in the ogre element to do things besides swing huge clubs, and giving the "Super-soldier" feature a lot more granularity.

I'm thinking of applying it twice as hard to some element types as others: primarily those meant to be in the heat of battle, rather than skirmishers.

Right now I'm thinking:
Halfings: -37.5%
Goblins: -25%
Reptile men: +50%
Dwarves: +25%

Yes, it works out to about -12.5% per +1 ST. that was something I arrived at slowly.

The Question

Any thoughts on the above? Any thoughts on how to make different fantasy races fight differently in combat? Or at least feel like the type of unit is important?

01-27-2017, 01:12 PM	#1
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Accounting For Race in Mass Combat I'm looking at doing a mass combat game in a setting inspired by early Yrth (IE, during the banestorm). I want species to be a big deal: Elves are not the same orcs, who aren't the same as goblins, and Halfings really shouldn't do as well when you stick them in a shield wall. I know mass combat isn't meant for wargaming, but I think at least something can be done to reflect that this unit is made of elves while this one is made of orcs. Ideas I've had so far: A good number of the optional features are very useful: Existing Features: Impetuous: Any race I want to indicate as 'savage' probably ought to have this. Orcs certainly make the list. Of course, this is likely to be the case with a good number of human elements as well. Terrain: A great option. Its almost immediately obvious that elves have the forest terrain ability. The same might be said for dwarves underground. Doubling it in some cases seems a little excessive though. I'm not sure what other terrains different species would have though. Reptile men seem like they might have it for their local environment, but I'm not sure. Nocturnal or Night: This is very promising, though in banestorm the places it shows up are interesting. Orcs (orcs!?), elves, and dwarves are fully handicapped by the dark at night, but goblins are not. Racial TS modifiers: This is for races that are substantially more or less suited for war than humans. This is by and large about size and strength. If it comes up, a bonus or penalty may be given for DX, but I don't see that coming up. I'm not using troop quality for this because I want more range than that, and I don't want to be constantly undoing my math to see if the halfing phalanx has maxed out its bonus. This is also kind of folding in the ogre element to do things besides swing huge clubs, and giving the "Super-soldier" feature a lot more granularity. I'm thinking of applying it twice as hard to some element types as others: primarily those meant to be in the heat of battle, rather than skirmishers. Right now I'm thinking: Halfings: -37.5% Goblins: -25% Reptile men: +50% Dwarves: +25% Yes, it works out to about -12.5% per +1 ST. that was something I arrived at slowly. The Question Any thoughts on the above? Any thoughts on how to make different fantasy races fight differently in combat? Or at least feel like the type of unit is important? __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!