TEXT: Powers and Perils - Mass Combat
  powersandperils.org/C_MassCombat.htm
  Mass Combat
  NOTE - The following system is adapted from the Mass Combat rules in "Roleplayer"
  Magazine #30 by Brett Slocum and was originally for the GURPS rules system, ©Steve
  Jackson Games.
  It has been converted to fit the Powers & Perils rules system. Notes on converting the
  military force notes in the Culture book will also be included. Further, I have slightly
  modified some of the TS numbers Brett used to better fit the P&P world -- elephants
  were WAY too big.
  This system is not a set of "war game rules" for gaming out a long battle in full detail.
  Instead, it gives quick answers to the most important questions for a roleplaying
  campaign: Who won? and What happened to the PCs? Costs are also given for raising
  and paying military units, for those campaigns in which the PCs are, or want to become,
  military leaders.
  Overview
  Each military force contains a number of units, each with a single type of fighter. For
  instance, mounted knights and yeoman long bowmen would be treated as two separate
  units. Most units should be from 10 to 500 men; the GM has the last word on what may
  be a unit.
  Each unit has a Troop Strength reflecting its size, type, and quality. A force's Troop
  Strength is the sum of its units' Troop Strengths. All units are recorded on a Force
  Roster (a blank form is at the end of the article). Each unit has a designated
  commander, who may be a PC or NPC. The force has a force commander, as well.
  In a battle, the opposing commanders roll a Quick Contest of their Strategy skills,
  modified by Troop Strength and other advantages. The contest determines who wins
  the battle and how many casualties were taken. Meanwhile, each PC's Battle skill and
  choice of Risk determine his chance of Survival and Glory.
  This procedure lets the GM reduce a long battle to a very few die-rolls. Again, this is not
  a wargaming system, but a roleplaying aid.
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  Mass Combat Turn Sequence
  The system has seven steps for each battle (or for each day of an extended battle):
  1. Determine each military force's makeup by unit. Determine each unit's Troop
  Strength. Total the units' TS for the force's TS.
  2. If special abilities (magic, psionics, superpowers, etc.) are being used, determine
  each military force's Extraordinary Strength. Allocate ES points to the special
  effects in both offense and defense. Resolve special effects.
  3. Roll for Catastrophe for each force.
  4. Determine each PC's Battle skill and Risk factor, then roll for Survival and Glory.
  5. Modify commanders' Strategy skills by:
  a. Catastrophe, if any.
  b. Relative Troop Strength.
  c. Defensive position.
  d. Special unit superiority.
  e. Glory (or death) of unit leaders.
  f. Special circumstances.
  g. GM's appraisal of the two commanders' battle plans.
  h. Use of magic, assassins and diviners.
  6. Quick Contest of effective Strategy skills
  7. Each PC on the losing side makes a second Survival roll.
  8. Determine casualties for each army (and, if it matters, for each unit).
  The Armies
  The first step in fighting a battle is determining the composition of the opposing armies.
  Throughout history and literature, many types of military organization have been
  developed, some more "organized" than others. In general, there are three main classes
  of military organization (listed in order from most to least organized): ancient, feudal
  and tribal.
  Ancient Armies
  Ancient armies often displayed complex organizations that were not matched until the
  Napoleonic era. The best-known examples are Greece and Rome.
  Greece
  The Classic Greek armies were organized as follows:
  A file was composed of eight soldiers in line behind the front soldier.
  A platoon (enomotia) was composed of three to four files side by side (24 to 32
  soldiers), including a leader of Rank 3 (enomotarch), plus a rear guard leader of
  Rank 2 (ouragos).
  2/30
  
  A company (pentekostys) consisted of two to four enomotiai (50 to 128 soldiers),
  including a leader of Rank 4 (pentekontere). This is the basic unit of the Greek
  phalanx, a rectangular formation of heavy infantry with spears.
  A battalion (lochos) consisted of four to six pentekostyes (200 to 768 soldiers) and
  a leader of Rank 5 (lochagos).
  A division (mora) consisted of two to four lochoi (400 to 1,540 soldiers) and a
  leader of Rank 7 (polemarch).
  The Spartans had six morai and Athens had ten, one for each tribe of Athenians.
  Rome
  The organization of the legions of the Roman Empire (in the period 100 B.C. to 300
  A.D.) was as follows (see GURPS Imperial Rome for more details):
  A century contained 80 to 100 legionaries, including a leader of Rank 4
  (centurion). The centurions from the First Cohort outranked the rest (Rank 5).
  The Senior Centurion of the First Cohort, the Primus Pilum ("First Javelin"),
  (Rank 6) was second-in-command of the legion in all but name. The principales
  (Rank 1) and the cohort standard bearers, or signifiers (Rank 2) were the lowest
  petty officers. The optiones, or "chosen" were the centurion's immediate assistants
  (Rank Level 3); sometimes there was more than one optio in a century.
  A cohort consisted of 6 centuries (480 to 600 soldiers) and was led by a tribune
  (Rank 5). The Tribune of the First Cohort (Rank 6) was the official second-in-
  command.
  A legion had 10 cohorts (4,000 to 6,000 soldiers) plus a unit of about 120 Light
  Cavalry (LC) to protect the flanks and for use as scouts and messengers, and was
  led by a legate (Rank 7) and the Prefect of the Camp (Rank 6), second-in-
  command of all non-combat matters.
  A large army would consist of several legions and auxiliary units.
  Roman auxiliary cavalry was divided into units called alae, between 500 and 1,000 men
  strong. Each ala was divided into smaller units called turmae, which had about 20-40
  men trained to work in groups of 6-10 men each.
  Alae were led by a tribune; the turmaes were commanded by decurions (Rank 3). There
  were 1-4 decurions on each turma; in theory, they commanded units of 10 men.
  Feudal Armies
  Feudal armies are much more loosely organized. The main constituents are the feudal
  levies. These march to battle under their local leader. Once with the field army (which is
  simply all the troops under a single command for a battle or campaign) they are formed
  into ad hoc units with similar equipment and the senior man in each such unit is
  designated its commander. Such units are usually no more than 100 strong; that is
  about the largest force that one man can control by voice and hand signals. These units
  3/30
  
  are normally called companies and their commander is called a captain. Such
  appointments are only for the campaign; they do not require the Military Rank
  advantage.
  The captain appoints a petty officer for every ten soldiers; these also do not require
  Military Rank.
  In addition to feudal levies, some feudal armies had small, permanent units, usually the
  rulers' elite guards. These would be organized along more modern lines.
  The higher appointments of a feudal army are also ad hoc. The force is usually broken
  into three components: Van or Vanguard (the advance guard, which marches first),
  Main and Rear. Each body is under a commander selected by the king. The commander
  is usually a senior noble or veteran mercenary; again the appointment is only for the
  campaign. Each commander selects a number of aides, ranging from messengers to
  senior advisers.
  Mercenary forces in a feudal setting can be of any size and organization. Anyone who
  can attract a following can set himself up as a sell-sword. They usually ape the
  composition of the armies around them. Commonly any leader who can supply up to
  100 men is called captain, while one who can supply several companies calls himself a
  general.
  Tribal Armies
  Primitive societies fight by tribe, clan and band rather than in any organized formation.
  The only title of command is chief, and may represent anything from half a dozen
  rogues to thousands of warriors. Some tribal armies include female warriors and,
  therefore, can field relatively larger forces.
  NOTE - In order to make life simple, all Perilous Lands armies should be based on a
  unit of 100 men.
  Troop Strength (TS)
  The next step is determining the strength of the soldiers within the army. The Troop
  Strength value of an individual in a unit depends on his type and quality. Multiply this
  value by the number of men (or other creatures) in the unit for the unit's total TS.
  Troop Type
  Each unit is composed of a single troop type. All persons in a unit are similarly
  equipped. Troop types are differentiated by armor, weapons and mobility.
  Usually armor and weapons are lumped together into classifications of "Heavy,"
  "Medium," and "Light." Heavy troops have rigid armor and heavy, or "shock," weapons;
  medium troops usually wear flexible armor (e.g. chain mail) and have somewhat less
  damaging weapons; light units have little or no armor (leather or less) and have less
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  damaging weapons. A final division is whether the soldiers have formal training in
  weapons and other military matters. Soldiers without training (and often with no armor
  and improvised weapons), such as feudal peasant levies, are called "irregulars." Beware
  of underestimating the strength of irregulars, since they can still be battle-hardened
  elite warriors (see Troop Quality and Morale below).
  Issues of troop mobility come down to whether or not the soldiers use vehicles for
  transportation and in combat. Those who walk are called "infantry" and those with
  some vehicle are usually called "cavalry," be it a horse, a chariot, or a flying beast (air
  cavalry).
  If a unit also uses ranged weapons, a bonus to the Troop Strength is added. Those
  troops with specialty weapons, such as artillery, and members of non-human races are
  put into separate units.
  Some units treat a group of soldiers as one unit, usually the crew for a large piece of
  equipment, such as artillery. The TS of these units includes the crew. The crew has no
  separate TS, except when they get separated, such as in a Rout. In this case, treat these
  soldiers as TS 2.
  The following tables provide guidelines for the Troop Strength of various troop types:
  (with codes)
  Equipment
  [3]
  Light Armor (AV 0-1): +1
  [2]
  Medium Armor (AV 2-3): +2
  [1]
  Heavy Armor (AV 4-5): +3
  [+]
  Magical Armor: +1/2 added AV (round down)
  [C]
  Light Weapons (None or WSB -1): +1
  [B]
  Medium Weapons (WSB 0 or +1): +2
  [A]
  Heavy Weapons (WSB +2 or more): +3
  [$]
  Fine or Very Fine weapons: +1
  [+]
  Magical weapons: +1/2 added SB (round up)
  Mobility
  [#]
  Light Horses (Riding I, II): +1
  [##]
  Medium Horses (Riding III, IV; War I, II): +2
  [###]
  Heavy Horses (War III, IV): +4
  5/30
  
  [%%%]
  Flying mount (Pegasi?): +5
  [-]
  No stirrups: -1
  Ranged Weapons
  [>]
  Sling, javelin: +1
  [>>]
  Ordinary bow: +2
  [>>>]
  Longbow, composite bow or crossbow: +3
  Special Weapons
  [O]
  Light Chariots*: +5
  [OO]
  Medium Chariots*: +10
  [OOO]
  Heavy Chariots*: +15
  [K]
  Small Ballistae: +15
  [S]
  Small Siege Engines: +25
  [SS]
  Large Siege Engine: +50
  [X]
  Creature/Monster@: +(OCV+DCV)/4 + CDF + NAV - NWI/2 (round down)
  Other Modifiers
  [~]
  Irregulars: -1/3 TS (round down)
  *Includes crew and horses -- add optional archer of same weight class.
  @Minimum value -- additional physical abilities such as breathing flame or the like
  must be carefully considered. If the creature is intelligent and uses weapons or
  armor, add the proper equipment modifiers.
  The code allows one to compact the information on a unit and is entirely optional. It
  allows one to quickly determine quality and equipment at a glance.
  EXAMPLE - A unit of Marentian Heavy Knights (Heavy Armor, Heavy Weapons, Heavy
  Horse) would have a base TS of 10 and a code of A1###. If they were also equipped
  with spears, their base TS each would be 11 and their code A1###>.
  NOTE - Because of the desire to keep things simpler, feel free to add archers to groups
  in even increments, pro-rating the missile weapon modifier. Thus, a 100 man infantry
  with Med. Weapons and Med. armor (+4) has 1/3 of it's force equipped with longbows
  (+3, x 1/3 = +1), so the "average" man has TS +5 and the unit has a value of 500.
  Changes to mass combat codes: Looking again at the codes, they are not very useful and
  6/30
  
  don't show the unit type like a wargame might. The following may be more useful:
  "XYZ"
  For X:
  L = light
  M = medium
  H = heavy
  If weapons and armor differ, use two letters, weapons then armor.
  For Y:
  F = Footman
  P = Pikeman
  A = Archer/Crossbowman
  S = Spearman/slingman
  C = Cavalry
  CA = Cavalry Archers
  For Z (optional)
  -I = Irregular
  Quality should be in (parenthesis)
  (E) Elite
  (V) Veteran
  (S) Seasoned
  (A) Average
  (G) Green
  (R) Raw
  The Stirrup
  There is some controversy over the value of stirrups for cavalry. The traditional view is
  that stirrups significantly increased the effectiveness of cavalry, while some military
  historians say this claim is overblown.
  For these rules, cavalry troops without stirrups have a -1 TS penalty, as shown in the
  Cavalry table above. They are limited in the weapon tactics they can use and the
  missions they can perform. Cavalry charges using couched lances cannot be performed
  without stirrups. Cavalry without stirrups will generally be used for scouting, raiding,
  flank and missile attacks, and charging broken or shaky formations of infantry. If battle
  plans call for cavalry to charge well-formed infantry, especially pikemen, the GM should
  penalize the Strategy roll appropriately.
  Though Light Cavalry have the same Troop Strength as Light Infantry, there is a Special
  Unit Superiority bonus (see below) for cavalry, so a completely LC force gets a +3
  Strategy bonus against a force composed entirely of infantry, the equivalent of a 2 to 1
  advantage.
  7/30
  
  TL Differences
  When armies of differing TLs fight, a special adjustment is made to compensate for
  advances in tactics, logistics, medicine and other fields, plus the sheer shock value of
  advanced weaponry: the more advanced army's gets a bonus to the Strategy roll equal to
  the difference in TL+2. So, a TL5 army attacking a TL3 army would add +4 to their
  Strategy roll. A small, technically advanced force can still be overwhelmed by superior
  numbers, better strategy, or unlucky accidents like anyone else. GMs who feel this
  adjustment is too unbalancing can ignore it, reduce it or put an upper limit on the
  effects to the Strategy contest contributed by TL.
  NOTE - In P&P terms, most civilized lands are at TL3, barbarian cultures at TL2 and
  wild cultures at TL1 or 0.
  Increases in TL may also increase the effectiveness of soldiers in large numbers.
  Therefore, the limit of 10 to 1 on bonuses to the Strategy roll for relative TS is waived for
  the higher TL army when the difference in TL is greater than 2 (see Relative Troop
  Strengths below).
  Troop Quality and Morale
  Troop quality is determined by the average experience of the men in the unit. This
  directly determines the unit's base Morale (see table below).
  If the campaign situation or adventure does not dictate the quality of a body of troops,
  determine troop quality by rolling three dice on the chart below.
  Use the same chart when determining the quality of a newly-raised unit (see Raising
  Troops) or when recruiting replacements -- in this case, it gives the average quality of
  the replacements you were able to hire.
  Morale is used to determine the reactions of units due to losses and overwhelming
  odds. More experienced soldiers are more likely to hold their position in a bad situation
  than raw recruits.
  Troop Quality Table (roll 2d10)
  Die
  Troop
  Quality
  Battles
  Fought
  Base
  Morale
  Troop
  Strength
  Base Pay & Roll Cost
  to Raise
  2*
  Elite (E)
  15+
  +7
  2 x base TS
  +50%
  3-
  6*
  Veteran
  (V)
  10-14
  +6
  1.5 x base
  TS
  +25%
  7-
  10
  Seasoned
  (S)
  6-9
  +5
  1.2 x base
  TS
  +10%
  8/30
  
  11-
  14
  Average
  (A)
  4-5
  +4
  base TS
  base
  15-
  17
  Green (G)
  1-3
  +2
  .8 x base
  TS
  base
  18-
  20
  Raw (R)(t)
  0
  +0
  .5 x base
  TS
  -20%
  *Roll again if you were trying to raise a new unit, or to recruit more than 10 men.
  (t) No battlefield experience. If troops of this quality are also Irregulars (no military
  training), their morale is reduced by an additional -3. In addition, morale rolls fail on a
  roll of 5 on the dice in addition to 2-4.
  Typical Skill Table
  Typical Skill Table
  Troop
  Quality
  CEL
  Weapon
  EL
  Elite
  10
  7
  Veteran
  8
  5
  Seasoned
  6
  3
  Average
  4
  2
  Green
  2
  1
  Raw
  0
  0
  Unit Commander and Morale
  A unit commander's leadership can affect the morale of his soldiers. Add Leadership
  EL/3 (round down) to the morale of the force. If the unit commander does not have the
  Leadership skill subtract 2 from the morale of the unit.
  The commander with the greatest leadership is considered the leader of the force,
  limited by levels -- military forces will not be lead by irregulars, irregulars will not be
  lead by rabble.
  When a unit gets a new commander (no matter how experienced), drop all troops except
  Raw to the next lowest Quality.
  Leadership:
  Initial: 50 
  NEL: x10 
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  Max: (W+Em)/10
  Strategy:
  Initial: 60
  NEL: x12 
  Max: (I+Em)/10
  Tactics:
  Initial: 50
  NEL: x10 
  Max: (I+Em+W)/15
  Force Commander's Experience Table (roll 2d10)
  Die
  Roll
  Quality
  Battles
  Strategy
  Leadership
  2
  Elite
  15+
  EL6+1d6
  EL6+1d6
  3-6
  Veteran
  10-14
  EL4+1d6
  EL4+1d6
  7-11
  Seasoned
  6-9
  EL2+1d3
  EL2+1d3
  12-16
  Average
  4-5
  EL2
  EL2
  17-19
  Green
  1-3
  EL1
  EL1
  20
  Raw
  0
  EL0
  EL0
  Unit Morale and Troop Strength
  Units that are demoralized (i.e., below their base Morale) often fight less effectively than
  normal. At the GM's option, the Troop Strength of demoralized units can be reduced or
  units whose Morale is above their base Morale may also have their TS increased. A
  unit's Troop Strength can be reduced (or increased) by 10% for each point their current
  Morale level is below (or above) their base Morale.
  EXAMPLE - Due to poor leadership and some serious defeats, a Veteran Heavy Infantry
  platoon (30 soldiers with total TS of 225 and base Morale of +6) has an effective Morale
  of +4, the same as Average quality troops. This unit's TS could be treated as 180 until
  they can regain their base Morale level.
  Changing Troop Quality
  In a continuing campaign, units will lose troops and replace them -- sometimes with
  experienced men, sometimes with raw recruits. Keep track of the number of battles (not
  just days of battle) a unit fights, counting anything over 20 as 20. When a unit adds new
  men for any reason, the new Troop Quality is the new average experience of the men.
  GMs may not want to count battles where there was little resistance, such as
  engagements with odds of greater than 10 to 1.
  10/30
  
  EXAMPLE - Titus of Megalos commands a veteran unit, with average experience of 10
  engagements. It has 87 men. Titus recruits 11 more men, of "green" quality. Average
  experience is computed as follows: 87 x 10 for the old troops. 11 x 1 (use the low end of
  the experience scale) for the new men.
  870 plus 11 is 881. Divide that by 98 men, for an average experience of just under 9.
  Round down to 8. The company is now considered to have an average experience of 8
  engagements, making it merely "seasoned." Two more fights will bring it back to
  "veteran" status.
  Six months of military training will change Untrained troops into Raw quality. A year of
  training will turn Raw troops into Green. No further increases in quality can be made
  without actual battle experience.
  Building and Feeding an Army
  An army travels on its stomach, but it won't go very far if you don't pay it, either. The
  following sections gives costs for raising, feeding and paying troops.
  Raising Troops
  The cost to raise a body of troops is determined by troop type. The general method of
  determining this is to total the cost to purchase equipment and pay a hiring bonus. The
  hiring bonus is usually equal to a month's pay, or about 10% of the equipment cost.
  GMs may modify costs for special circumstances, such as unusually good or bad
  availability of men, horses and equipment.
  For ranged weapons, add the equipment cost and the difference in hiring bonus to the
  total, per man. The hiring bonus is usually considerably higher for trained missile
  troops because of their lower availability.
  Normally, troops of Elite and Veteran quality cannot be "raised" -- there are not that
  many trained men currently unemployed, unless the GM decides that a mercenary unit
  is available.
  The GM decides what sort of troops are available. PC leaders will usually want to raise
  the best troop they can, given their budget. If the GM needs to determine troop quality
  randomly, use the table above under Troop Quality and Morale.
  NOTE - The following section is unconverted since I do not have book 1. If anyone has a
  good idea how much it costs to live at Station 1, let me know.
  Paying and Maintaining Troops
  11/30
  
  The cost to feed and maintain an infantryman is equal to the cost of living for station 1;
  the cost to feed riding animals is generally the Station 1 cost of living times their
  AHP/10, round up. Particularly large animals (e.g., elephants) or those with expensive
  feeding needs (e.g., carnivores) will cost more; how much more is up to the GM. Troops
  must be fed, or a unit will revolt, dissolve or desert.
  Troops also expect monthly pay; unpaid troops can be dangerous to their leaders or
  employers. Morale drops by 1 after the first missed payday, 2 after each succeeding
  missed payday. Make a Morale roll on each missed payday, after reducing morale. A
  failed roll gives bad results, as per the GM's whim. Every second payday made increases
  morale by 1, but only to the extent of eliminating the negative modifiers for previously
  missed paydays. Limit the Morale of Elite and Veteran units to 14 for determining the
  results of no pay.
  Generally speaking, human troops expect to be paid about 10% of the cost-to-raise, each
  month, with the bonuses given in the Determining Troop Quality table for experience.
  An additional 50% bonus will increase morale by 1 for the next month; a 100% or more
  bonus will increase morale by 2 for the next month. Income from looting counts as pay.
  Troops may forego some pay, if the chances of substantial looting in the near future are
  high. If those chances are not fulfilled, though, the backlash from the troops could be
  much worse. In some eras, troops may be paid in lands, citizenship and other
  inducements.
  Conscripts fighting against their will do not need to be paid, though some conscripted
  armies still do pay their soldiers (e.g. the U.S. Armed Forces during the Draft).
  Additional paid security forces will often be needed to keep unpaid conscripts from
  deserting. These forces should be better equipped than the conscripted forces to
  maintain order (e.g. the Republican Guard of Iraq during the Gulf War). Conscripted
  troops generally have lower morale than volunteers; -1 for paid conscripts, and -2 or
  lower for unpaid conscripts.
  The Battle
  This section describes the method for determining the outcome of the battle between
  the armies constructed in the previous section.
  Special Abilities
  In some settings, special abilities (magic, psionics and superpowers) can be used in
  warfare. Before rolling for catastrophes, resolve the effects of special abilities on the
  battle. For more details, see Exceptional Powers in Battle.
  Catastrophe
  When the battle begins, the GM rolls 2d10 on the following table, once for each side, to
  see if something goes disastrously wrong.
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  Catastrophe Roll
  2-
  7
  No catastrophe.
  8-
  10
  Enemy manages some sort of surprise: -1 to Strategy roll.
  11
  Enemy receives unexpected reinforcements or is just lucky. Increase his Troop
  Strength by 10%. (The GM may be creative about what occurred.)
  12
  The battle plans have been partially revealed to the enemy by turncoats, spies,
  magic, etc.: -2 to Strategy roll.
  13
  Dissension among allies or top leaders weakens morale. -2 to Strategy roll, -1 to
  Morale of all units.
  14
  Enemy reveals a terrifying atrocity: -1 to Morale of all units if Morale roll is failed;
  +1 to Morale, in anger, if a 12+ Morale roll is made.
  15
  Ally or unit commander defects to enemy, revealing plans and taking his troops
  with him. Recalculate forces' Troop Strengths; -2 to Strategy roll.
  16
  Miscommunication reduces any special force advantage by 1/2 (round down).
  17
  An important unit leader (rolled randomly among leaders commanding at least
  20% of that side's Troop Strength) is wounded early in battle (2d of damage): -1
  to Morale of all units, -2 to Morale of his unit.
  18
  Commander wounded early in battle (2d of damage): -2 to Strategy roll, -3 to
  Morale of all units.
  19
  Important unit leader (rolled randomly as above) killed (or if a PC, wounded and
  unconscious) early in battle: -2 to Morale of all units, -3 to Morale of his unit. (If a
  PC, he makes no further Survival or Glory rolls.)
  20
  Commander killed early in battle (or if a PC wounded and unconscious). Base
  Strategy roll cut in half (round up). -5 to Morale of all units.
  The Catastrophe table may be altered depending on the culture involved. For example,
  defections are more common than atrocities in Katai, so their positions in the above
  table could be switched.
  Consequences to Player Characters
  The more daring and brave a warrior is, the more likely he is to get hurt!
  Each PC in a battle must make a Battle skill roll. Battle skill cannot be studied or taken
  as a beginning skill. It is equal to the average of the PC's CEL and the EL of his main
  weapon skill. If he uses both a melee and a missile weapon, base Battle skill on the
  melee weapon. Since the battlefield is a very dangerous place, no matter how careful or
  skilled a soldier is, Battle skill rolls are limited to +7. If the PC is rolling for survival at a
  13/30
  
  penalty, due to Risk or being on the losing side, these modifiers are first applied to
  Battle skill before imposing the limit of +7. Therefore, PCs with Battle skill greater than
  +7 can still receive some benefit. Note Battle skill on the PC's record sheet in pencil,
  since it will change if he goes into battle with different weapons or if his CEL or Combat
  skills are improved.
  Risk
  A PC can choose to take more or less Risk in a battle, announcing his choice before his
  Survival roll. He may choose any number from -7 to +7 as a modifier, -7 being very risky
  and +7 being very cautious. This Risk modifier is applied to the Survival roll. However,
  the opposite modifier applies to his Glory roll. No guts, no glory! If Survival is -4, then
  Glory is +4.
  Cowardly PCs and those PCs in units held in reserve or who otherwise were not exposed
  to the full impact of the battle, should not pick a Risk factor below -1. Overconfident PCs
  should not pick a Risk factor above +1. Berserk PCs should not pick a Risk above 0.
  Survival Roll
  If the Survival roll results in damage, take the injury directly off HT -- subtract
  Toughness. Determine hit location(s) randomly. If a PC unit or army leader takes
  enough injury to fall unconscious, his unit's final Strategy roll is affected as per
  Catastrophes (see above). A PC can use Luck to re-roll the Survival roll.
  Roll
  Result
  18+
  Unhurt
  13-17
  1d3 damage
  12
  2d3 damage
  10-11
  2d6-AV damage
  8-9
  4d6-AV damage*
  6-7
  8d6-AV damage**
  5-
  12d6-AV damage***
  *This result applies if you roll a natural 4 on the 2d10 **This result applies if you roll a
  natural 3 on the 2d10 ***This result applies if you roll a natural 2 on the 2d10
  Glory Roll
  A warrior who gains glory will have improved Reputation, and the associated reaction
  bonus, for the specified period. The indicated modifiers to the Strategy roll are used only
  if the PC is a unit leader. This Strategy bonus is 1 point higher (and any penalty is 1
  14/30
  
  point worse) if the PC is force commander. Roll for Glory even if the character dies -- a
  glorious death can inspire the troops.
  Battle Skill Roll and Result
  Roll
  Result
  24+
  Covered in glory; +2 to reputation for 1d6 months, +1 permanently; Roll for
  promotion; +2 to Strategy roll.@
  19-
  23
  Fought with great courage and heroism; +1 to reputation for 1d6-2 months (1
  month minimum); roll for promotion; +1 to Strategy Roll
  16-
  18
  Fought heroicly: roll for promotion; +1 to Strategy.
  12-
  15
  Fought competently.
  8-
  11
  Fought Adequately.
  4-7
  Fought Poorly: -1 to Reputation for 1d6-2 month (1 month minimum); -1 to
  Strategy roll. Superior officer notices your ineptness or caution; make an
  influence roll to see how he will treat you after the battle. A failed result
  indicates a possible demotion in rank.*
  3-
  Fought very badly; -2 reputation for 1d6 months; -3 to Strategy roll. Results
  from superior officer as above. In addition, if you survive the battle, someone
  your equal in rank will publicly name you a coward and, in some cultures, will
  try to provoke a duel. Demotion.**
  @ This result applies if your roll a natural 19 or 20.
  * This result applies if you roll a natural 3 or 4.
  ** This result applies if you roll a natural 2.
  Some results may be different depending on the culture involved. For example, a loss of
  Reputation in Katai may cause a character to contemplate suicide.
  Promotion
  Check the reaction of the character's superior officer after the battle, based on the
  character's improved Reputation (x10) plus his influence chance.
  With a successful roll under 1/3rd the needed number (in some cultures), the character
  may be offered a battlefield promotion of one Rank. If the reaction is under 1/10th, the
  PC may also be offered a transfer to an elite unit. In any period or culture, a favorable
  reaction will dispose the superior to do the heroic warrior some favor; this may well
  consist of an especially dangerous and honorable position in the next battle.
  15/30
  
  Strategy Modifiers
  The GM now takes into account the circumstances of the battle, which may raise or
  lower the effective Strategy skill of each side's commander. All these modifiers are
  cumulative.
  Relative Troop Strengths
  Compare the troop strengths of the opposing forces. Divide the greater TS by the lesser
  one for the "odds factor." For example, a TS of 100 vs. a TS of 50 is an odds factor of 2.
  The greater the odds factor, the greater the bonus to Strategy skill of the stronger force's
  commander.
  Odds Factor
  Strategy skill
  bonus
  1.2 or less
  No bonus
  1.2+ to 1.4
  +1
  1.4+ to 1.7
  +2
  1.7+ to 2
  +3
  2+ to 3
  +4
  3+ to 5
  +5
  5+ to 7
  +6
  7+ to 10
  +7
  greater than
  10
  +8
  When a force is more than 2 TLs higher than the opposing force, the 10 to 1 odds limit is
  waived for the higher TL army. Each additional 10 to 1 odds is equal to another +1
  Strategy. For instance, when a TL 6 force is fighting a TL 3 feudal army, 30 to 1 odds
  would yield a +10 on the Strategy roll.
  Defensive Position
  If one side is clearly the defender, it gets Strategy modifiers based on its position. When
  appropriate, these modifiers are cumulative.
  Attacker attacks downhill
  -3 or worse
  Attacker approaches under cover
  -1
  Attacker must come up a gradual incline
  +1
  16/30
  
  Attacker must come up a steep incline
  +2
  Attacker must come up a steep incline on bad ground
  +3
  *Attacker must force a narrow passage (defile, pass, ford,
  or bridge)
  +2 to +8, depending on
  how narrow it is.
  *Defender is protected by palisade, breastwork, trenches,
  dry moat or unforded/unbridged river
  +3
  *Defender occupies an unwalled town
  +2
  *Defender occupies a walled town
  +5
  *Defender occupies a manor, stronghold, unwalled city or
  fort
  +4
  *Defender occupies a walled city
  +7
  *Defender occupies a castle
  +9
  * Reduce the value of any modifier with an asterisk (*) by 2 if the attacker has seige
  weapons or mining crews. Battles involving the starred modifiers use a different set of
  combat tables (see Resolving the Contest of Strategy).
  These defensive factors can be combined. For instance, a castle on top of a steep hill
  would count as +11.
  Special Unit Superiority
  A force will receive a Strategy bonus if it has at least a 2 to 1 superiority in the numbers
  of certain troop types, regardless of troop quality. In a siege action all cavalry are
  counted as infantry. If the opponent has no troops of the equivalent type, treat as 5 to 1
  or better. There are four types of superiority: artillery (only in siege situations); cavalry
  (only in non-siege situations); air (any situtation) and ranged weapons.
  Other types of units, such as undead, can be considered special units at the GM's
  option.
  Each type of superiority counts separately: if you have a force of mounted archers and
  the foe has no cavalry or missiles, you have 5 to 1 superiority in both missile weapons
  and cavalry. Ratios for determining superiority are rounded down.
  Ratio
  Strategy skill
  bonus
  2 to 1
  +1
  3 to 1
  +2
  17/30
  
  5 to 1 or
  better
  +3
  Neutralizing Special Units
  Some types of units neutralize the superiority of the special units described above. For
  instance, pikemen can neutralize a cavalry charge. When figuring special unit
  superiority, count these neutralizing units as the same type as the special unit for the
  side with less of the special unit. Thus, pikemen cannot give you cavalry superiority, but
  they can neutralize the other force's superiority.
  Special Circumstances
  Add Strategy bonuses or subtract Strategy penalties for any of the following situations.
  All these circumstances are determined by the GM or the group's roleplaying; for
  instance, a unit is unsupplied if the GM says it is.
  Taken totally by surprise
  -6
  Partial surprise -- less than
  an hour's warning
  -2
  Force-marched into battle
  -3
  No supplies
  -3
  Short supplies in a
  besieged city or castle
  -2
  Supplied by forage only
  - 1
  On home grounds
  +2 (not cumulative with Defensive bonus for village,
  temple, city, manor or other fortification)
  GMs may give additional bonuses or penalties from -6 to +6 for other factors as they see
  fit: e.g., a heavy fog when trying to launch a closely coordinated attack might be worth -
  3.
  Battle Plans
  The GM should sketch a map of the battlefield (or perhaps of several, optional
  battlefields) for the players based on their armies knowledge of the area, especially if
  the PCs are unit or force leaders. The GM should then ask the players to give him a
  battle plan for their side (for both sides, if there are PCs on both sides or if there is an
  Adversary Player for the non-PC side). If the GM thinks a plan is especially good or bad,
  it deserves a Strategy roll bonus or penalty of from +3 to -3.
  18/30
  
  If the GM is playing the part of the adversary, he should occasionally spring a tactical
  surprise on the players. Describe what happens realistically. If they handle it well, they
  get a Strategy roll bonus; if they react poorly, they suffer a penalty.
  Special Forces
  If either side has the services of assassins, commandos, scouts or spies, their proper use
  can be an important part of the battle plan. Special forces like these may be sent on a
  variety of missions. The success of each mission depends on the number of personnel
  assigned and (in general) on the Stealth (or in some cases Tactics) skill of their leader.
  Special forces missions can be played out as whole adventures (see GURPS Special Ops),
  or abstracted into the general battle plan.
  Assassination of the enemy leader will be a Catastrophe for the foe, if it works. But it's
  risky, and if it fails, the enemy's morale will be improved, especially if your spies are
  publicly executed before the battle!
  Scouting the enemy forces is much safer and easier, and will usually give a + 1 or, if
  many commandos are used, a +2 on Strategy.
  Security assignments can be given, to protect the lord and generals from opposing
  assassins, or to ambush and kill enemy scouts.
  Other creative uses of spies should be encouraged and rewarded by the GM. If assassins
  are paid well and treated with respect, they will undertake almost anything.
  Diviners
  A careful commander might consult diviners before a battle. The effectiveness of
  divination in general is known only to the GM . . . and even in a campaign where magic
  is real, an individual diviner may be a fake.
  A general may have many diviners, but he must pick just one to believe. A genuine
  diviner who makes his skill roll gives +1 to his lord's Strategy roll, or +2 on a critical
  success. If the diviner is a fake, average his own Strategy roll with the commander's,
  unless the commander either fully accepts (use just the diviner's Strategy) or discounts
  the diviner's advice (use the commander's Strategy). The details of these modifiers, of
  course, must remain secret from the players.
  Resolving the Contest of Strategy
  After determining the opposing commanders' effective Strategy, a Quick Contest of
  Strategy is rolled to determine how well the troops are handled. (For battles involving a
  total of less than 200 men, Tactics skill may be used instead.)
  19/30
  
  The winner of the Quick Contest of Strategy is the winner of the battle. The difference in
  the rolls the commanders make will determine how decisive the victory is. Whether
  defeated troops withdraw in good order or rout depends on their Morale roll (see
  below). Refer to the appropriate table below to find the outcome. Use Tables B or C if
  any of the starred Defensive Position modifiers applied.
  EXAMPLE - One leader makes a roll of 14, the other a 12. The difference is 2; the battle
  was inconclusive. If one leader makes a 14 and the other a 6, the difference is 8 -- a
  much more one-sided battle.
  A. Open-Field Battle
  Won
  by
  Result
  0-4
  Inconclusive battle. Each unit on both sides should make a 12+ morale roll.
  Those who succeed hold position. Those who fail by only 1-5 withdraw in
  good order. Those who fail by 6 or more rout.
  5-9
  Marginal victory. Each unit of the loser withdraws in good order if it can make
  a 12+ morale roll; otherwise it routs.
  10-
  14
  Definite victory. As above, but morale roll task is 15+.
  15-
  19
  Great victory. As above, but morale roll task is 18+.
  20+
  Overwealming victory: the loser routs.
  B. Defender Wins
  Won
  by
  Result
  0-4
  Inconclusive Battle. The attacker is thrown back but holds his former position.
  He may attack again on the next day, at -2 Morale.
  5-9
  Marginal victory. The attacker holds position if more than half its troops can
  make a 12+ morale roll; otherwise the whole force withdraws in good order.
  10-
  14
  Definite victory. As above, but morale roll task is 15+.
  15-
  19
  Great victory. Each attacking unit withdraws in good order if it can make a 12+
  morale roll; otherwise it routs.
  20+
  Overwelming victory. As above, but morale roll task is 15+.
  C. Attacker Wins
  20/30
  
  Won
  by
  Result
  1-4
  Inconclusive battle. The attacker technically won, but the defender will suffer
  no morale penalty on the nex day of battle.
  5-9
  Marginal victory. Both sides hold position. The defender will be at -2 morale on
  the next day of battle.
  10-
  14
  Definite victory. The defender holds position if more than half its troops can
  make a 12+ morale roll; otherwise the whole force withdraws*.
  15-
  19
  Great Victory. The attacker captures the position. Each individual unit of the
  defender withdraws* in good order if it can make a 12+ morale roll; otherwise
  tha unit routs or, if there is no escape, surrenders.
  20+
  Overwelming victory. The attacker captures the position and takes the enemy
  commander alive. Each individual unit of the defender withdraws* in good
  order if it can make a 15+ morale roll; otherwise that unit routs or, if there is no
  escape, surrenders.
  *If defenders get a "withdraw" result and have nowhere to go, make a second morale
  roll for each such unit at +3 over the previous roll. A success means the unit holds
  position and another battle is likely. (these defenders probably have their backs to
  the wall or have retreated to an inner stronghold.) A failure means the unit
  surrenders. If surrender is not an option (no prisoners), the units will hold position
  and another battle is required.
  Some outcomes on these tables may be modified by culture. For instance, losing Katai
  commanders in Table C who cannot withdraw will attempt suicide.
  Sieges
  In an actual siege involving a defender within a walled city or castle, the above rules and
  Tables B and C only apply when the attacker storms the fortifications. The overall siege
  is a long, drawn-out affair, taking months or even years to complete. Many other tactics
  may be employed instead of an all-out assault, which tends to be very bloody. Cutting
  off supplies and water to the area and waiting for starvation, bribing someone to open
  the gate, catapulting diseased animal carcasses and firebrands, and infiltrating with
  spies are all alternate methods of taking a fortification.
  Morale
  Each unit starts with a Base Morale, determined by its Troop Quality. Campaign events
  can affect morale before the battle. Catastrophes affect morale for that battle only. Loss
  of established leaders affects morale until the force wins a clear victory; as long as the
  force is defeated, has inconclusive battles or marginal victories, the morale will stay low.
  21/30
  
  EXAMPLE - Titus of Megalos has a veteran unit -- base morale 15. Loot was good last
  month, so they entered the battle with a +1 morale, for a 16. In the first hour of battle,
  Titus was wounded (-1 morale). So effective morale is back to 15. After the battle,
  morale returns to 16.
  Morale is used to determine whether a defeated unit withdraws in good order, or routs.
  The GM may also require a morale roll whenever a unit is asked to do something
  dangerous or unreasonable (e.g., fight at unreasonable odds, go without food, water or
  pay, scale a castle wall despite the fact that the defenders are dumping sewage over the
  walls, etc.).
  Morale Modifiers
  In a war against a hereditary foe, Morale is always +1.
  Units defending home territory always have +2 morale.
  Atrocities always require a morale roll. On a failed roll, morale drops by 1. On a
  successful roll, morale rises by 1 instead, in anger.
  Morale before a battle is +1 if the unit has defeated the same foe this year. It is -2 if
  the unit has been defeated by the same foe this year.
  A force that knows its position was penetrated by spies will have -1 morale, or -2
  (at least) if important people were killed. It will have +2 if enemy spies were
  caught and slain. Likewise, a force will have +1 morale if it knows its spies have
  succeeded in scouting the foe, and -1 if it knows its spies were killed.
  Bonus payments can increase morale (see Paying and Maintaining Troops).
  Rout
  Units, or even the entire force, may rout, fleeing in panic, on a very bad combat result
  (see Resolving the Contest of Strategy) and/or a failed Morale roll. If a unit routs, its
  casualties are increased. Whether a routed unit will ever reform as a unit is up to the
  GM. The survivors may be able to reassemble under a number of circumstances: the
  battle was in friendly territory, the unit was largely cavalry, there were plenty of places
  to hide, the leader is charismatic, etc. PCs whose units are routed (or totally crushed)
  must make their second Survival roll at -2 (see Second Survival Roll).
  Casualties
  After the contest of strategy, casualties for each force are determined. This does NOT
  affect the PCs; their fates are determined by their survival rolls. Even if a PC's unit is
  entirely wiped out, a PC who makes his survival rolls gets away somehow.
  Each unit makes a casualty roll, rolling 2d10 plus the strategy skill of its leader, minus
  2d10 plus the strategy skill of the enemy force commander. If the unit was a defender
  proteced by his position (modifiers with a * under defensive position) they may add that
  22/30
  
  to their total. If the unit was on the winning side, add 1/2 the combat difference (round
  down) to the roll. If on the losing side, subtract 1/2 the difference.
  A unit's armor type (heavy, medium, light) moves them DOWNWARD on the casualty
  table.
  Heavy Cavalry, Heavy Footman
  Adjust result down by 4
  lines.
  Medium Cavalry, medium footman
  Adjust result down by 2
  lines.
  Light Cavalry, light fotman,
  pikemen
  adjust level down by 1 line.
  Town rabble
  no modifier.
  If a unit routs, roll 1d6 and move up that number of lines. If any combat risk was
  applied, move up that many lines on the table.
  If the GM thinks that the battle was particularly intense, the caualty results for all units
  for both sides may be moved up one or more lines.
  Round all losses up. Half the casualties (round down) are killed or permanently
  maimed. The ther half recover at 5% of the original unit per day in camp, or 2% per day
  on march. If magic healing is available, add 1d% to the recovery rate. One healer is
  required for every 10 injured soldires to get this bonus.
  Lost seige weapons become property of the victor; after an inconclusive battle, each side
  retains half its lost artillary and the others are considered destroyed.
  Casualty Table
  Difference
  Casualties
  -19 or less
  (12d6+60)%
  -17,-18
  (11d6+55)%
  -15,-16
  (10d6+50)%
  -13,-14
  (9d6+45)%
  -11,-12
  (8d6+40)%
  -9,-10
  (7d6+35)%
  -7,-8
  (6d6+30)%
  -5,-6
  (5d6+25)%
  23/30
  
  -3,-4
  (4d6+20)%
  -1,-2
  (4d6+15)%
  0
  (4d6+10)%
  1,2
  (4d6+5)%
  3,4
  (4d6)%
  5,6
  (3d6)%
  7,8
  (2d6+2)%
  9,10
  (2d6)%
  11,12
  (1d6+2)%
  13,14
  (1d6)%
  15,16
  (1d3)%
  17,18
  (1d2)%
  19 or more
  0.5%, rounded
  down
  Second Survival Roll
  Any PCs on the losing side of a battle must make a second Survival roll, using the same
  Risk modifier as for the first roll. Adjust this roll down by -1 for every 3 full points of
  difference in the Contest of Strategy. If defending, adjust up by any bonus for starred
  Defensive Position modifiers. If the PC's unit was routed (see Rout), the second Survival
  roll is made at -2. Any adventuring after that will be directed, at least for a time, toward
  getting home alive or regrouping with other lost battle comrades.
  Roleplaying Battle Scenes
  The system presented here will resolve large combats. It is up to the GM to make these
  interesting for the players -- and vice versa. The GM should always sketch a map of the
  battlefield (or perhaps of several optional battlefields) to help the PCs visualize the
  strategy, especially if they are unit or force leaders.
  Players whose characters are in leadership positions may attempt to give orders to their
  troops once the battle has started and any enemy surprises have appeared. PCs who are
  mere troopers can control only their own fates -- and then, only to a limited extent -- by
  deciding how much bravery (or cowardice) they will show. But they should describe
  their actions anyway: not just "I'm going for a -3 on Survival to get a +3 on Glory" but
  "I'm shouting insults and charging the enemy standard-bearer."
  24/30
  
  Similarly, the GM should present all morale effects with maximum drama -- during
  preparations for the battle, at the beginning of battle and when the troops begin to rout.
  Remember: roleplaying should be fun. Players should be heroic; after all, each character
  thinks of himself as the hero of his own story. GMs should remember that they are
  storytellers; tell the tale well, and reward heroism.
  After the Battle
  When the battle is finished, there will be opportunities for looting, ransoming prisoners,
  and regrouping forces.
  Loot
  Many military units -- not just mercenaries -- depend largely on loot to make life
  worthwhile. The loot available in even a burned-out and picked-over city can be
  immense and is up to the GM to settle.
  But the loot from a battlefield is also very valuable. The force that holds the field after a
  fray will be able to recover the arms and armor of all its own casualties, and most, if not
  all, of the other side's dead. If the foe routed, both its dead and wounded -- all its
  casualties -- will be left for looting.
  Very roughly speaking, the average value of the gear stripped from a killed or captured
  trooper would equal 1/3 of the cost to "raise" that trooper (see Raising Troops). It would
  sell for less -- possibly only 20% of that cost, in cash -- but to an army, most or all of the
  salvage will be useful. Halve these numbers again for cavalry; live horses are expensive,
  dead ones are rations at best.
  Some cultures (e.g., Katai) did not make a practice of looting the battlefield for many
  reasons. Other cultures may take trophies, such as heads, from their dead enemies.
  Battlefields were often looted by the locality's poor (bandits or peasants) before the
  relatives of the dead could make arrangements for burial. Sometimes such scavengers
  also found soldiers who had been left for dead by their comrades and enemies. In such
  a case, check the scavenger's reaction roll; he might kill the soldier, ignore him or nurse
  him back to health.
  PCs who have been wounded, or even those who thought themselves dead, may wake up
  in a peasant's cottage, in the enemy camp, in prison, or as slaves.
  Ransom of Prisoners
  Especially in aristocratic societies, it can be highly profitable to take a noble foe as a
  prisoner rather than slay him outright. Many such lords would carry a ransom of
  hundreds, if not thousands, of coin.
  25/30
  
  Some cultures did not hold captured enemies for ransom. They may be either executed,
  held as hostages for their relatives' good behavior or held for some other fate.
  Multiple Combatants
  Most battles are fought between two sides, though many individual allies may be on
  each side. If more than two forces are fighting independently from each other, a multi-
  party Contest of Strategy can be used with the commander who wins by the greatest
  margin holding the field, while the others take the effects from the tables based on their
  difference from the winner. In this case, the Relative Troop Strength Strategy bonus is
  figured against the average of the other opponents' TS.
  Exceptional Powers in Battle
  Combat in many settings can be affected by exceptional abilities, like magic and powers.
  These powers can be used directly, such as hurling fireballs at enemy troops, or more
  subtly, such as disabling enemy leaders, scouting enemy forces, or bringing a single
  morale-shaking disaster to the enemy. Supers with powerful offensive and defensive
  capabilities should fight as soldiers, using the Troop Strength section to calculate TS.
  Those supers with less battle-oriented skills, along with mages and psis, should use this
  section to determine their effect on the battle.
  Determining Exceptional Power Available
  To determine the exceptional power available to the troops, a Exceptional Strength (ES)
  must be calculated for each practitioner.
  Computing Exceptional Strength
  Compute the Exceptional Strength (ES) for each force by computing the total of MEL
  and all ELs (plus 1 per spell known) of each practitioner. If the total is less than 15, the
  practitioner is not strong enough to affect a mass combat. If the total is 16 or more, use
  the following table.
  16 points = 1/2 Exceptional Strength point
  24 points = 1 Exceptional Strength point
  32 points = 2 Exceptional Strength points
  40 points = 3 Exceptional Strength points
  48 points = 5 Exceptional Strength points
  56 points = 8 Exceptional Strength points
  64 points = 12 Exceptional Strength points
  72 points = 16 Exceptional Strength points
  26/30
  
  80 points = 20 Exceptional Strength points
  Add 1 Exceptional Strength point for each additional 2
  points.
  Exceptional Strength Modifiers
  Mage possesses enchanted item: +1 to +5 (GM's discretion)
  Using Exceptional Powers on the Battlefield
  Each player secretly and simultaneously marks the number of points expended on each
  special effect detailed below (including defense -- see Defending Against Hostile Powers
  below), after the Troop Strength of both forces have been calculated, but before they are
  revealed or any die rolls are made.
  To use a specific effect, a practitioner must have some power or spell that could
  produce the desired effect. If all the mages available have no Healing spells, they can
  not perform battlefield Healing effects. The GM can determine which effects are
  possible for each side.
  Catastrophes
  Special powers can attempt to force a Catastrophe (see above) on its opposition by
  increasing the opponent's Catastrophe roll. Each 2 points expended, will give the foe a
  +1 modifier on its Catastrophe roll.
  Affecting Morale
  Exceptional powers can be used to improve the morale of friendly units, or to reduce
  the morale of enemy units. In either case, one point provides a +1 (or -1) morale
  modifier for 100 TS of troops. Thus, for example, a unit of 20 Green Heavy Infantry
  (Total TS 100; Morale roll of 11+) can have its morale modified by +2, giving them the
  morale of Average troops (13+), or -2, lowering their morale to that of Raw troops (9+),
  for an expenditure of 2 points.
  Healing
  Exceptional powers can be used to improve the survival chances of injured troops. One
  Exceptional Strength point can adjust the result on the Casualty Table down by one line
  for 100 TS of troops. This option counters and is countered by "Striking against the Foe"
  below.
  Scouting
  Exceptional powers can be used to observe enemy forces, and to thereby reduce the
  effectiveness of an enemy's strategy. If the force with the exceptional individual is being
  run by the player, successful use of scouting powers will give him some advance
  27/30
  
  warning of the preparations used by the enemy, and allow him to revise his battle plan
  (GM's discretion as to how much).
  If the force is being run by an NPC, abstract this information to a +1 Strategy modifier,
  costing 3 Exceptional Strength points. More energy can be expended if desired
  (particularly if the enemy has special defenses), but no more than a +1 modifier can be
  gained in any case.
  Confounding the Enemy
  Special powers can also be used to disrupt the enemy's battle plan. If the force leader
  knows the enemy battle plan (through diviners, scouting magic or more mundane
  means), or if he just wants to guess, he can use the exceptional abilities to create
  conditions adverse to the enemy's plan. Such efforts include flooding a river to be
  forded, bringing up a dense fog, or even causing an earthquake in a narrow defile.
  To do this, the player of the force should describe the effect, and how it would be
  produced (what spell or psionic skill would be used, etc.). The GM should analyze the
  effectiveness of the strategy and assign an appropriate Excep-tional Strength cost and
  Strategy roll modifier.
  Striking Against the Foe
  Rather than providing unique capabilities, many of these powers can simply be hurled
  against the foe. These special powers can be powerful weapons, and have made the
  difference between defeat and victory in more than one battle of myth or science fiction.
  Each Exceptional Strength point can adjust the result on the Casualty Table up by one
  line for 100 TS of troops.
  Defending Against Hostile Powers
  Exceptional Strength points can be allocated to defend against hostile powers.
  These points are not allocated to other specific effects; rather, they are used to block
  other effects after the allocations are revealed.
  Each point of power allocated to defense blocks 1 point of the opponent's offensive
  power. Exceptional powers must be blocked in units. It is not possible, for example, to
  block only 1 enemy ES point allocated to Catastrophe modifiers; these must be blocked
  in units of 2.
  Should more points be allocated to defense than the other side allocated to offensive
  capability, all of the opponent's power is blocked, but the remainder of the defensive
  points are wasted.
  This ends the "mechanical" portion of mass combat. Dealing with the outcome in terms
  of the campaign is left to the GM and the players. Below is a completely worked out
  battle and two examples of these rules: the armies of Yrth and World War I.
  28/30
  
  Troop Costs
  NOTE - Unconverted, but retained so that once the lowest level is determined we can
  use ratios to find the rest.
  The cost to raise troops is as follows, per man:
  Heavy Cavalry
  $14,000
  Medium Cavalry
  $9,000
  Light Cavalry
  $5,000
  Irregular Cavalry
  $3,000
  Heavy Infantry
  $9,000
  Medium Infantry
  $5,000
  Pikemen
  $2,000
  Light Infantry
  $1,500
  Irregular Infantry
  $200
  Small Siege Engines
  $15,000 average -- varies widely, includes
  armor.
  Large Siege Engines
  $25,000 average -- varies widely, includes
  armor.
  Add $500 per man if the troops are slingers, $1,000 for ordinary archers, $1,500 for
  archers with composite bows, longbows or crossbows.
  The cost to maintain a soldier in the field is $200; to maintain a knight and horse costs
  $800. Monthly pay is expected to be equal to 10% of the cost to raise listed above,
  regardless of experience.
  Non-Human Races
  Centaurs
  Treat as Irregular Cavalry (IC) of Average or better quality. Centaurs are tribally
  organized. Racial TS modifier is +2.
  Dwarves
  Always Medium or Heavy Infantry (MI and HI) of Seasoned or better quality. Dwarves
  are also supreme miners, and Dwarvish MN troops have a TS of 10 in a siege, and TS of
  Medium or Heavy Infantry in open battle. Use either modern or Classic Greek
  organization. If the Dwarvish mountains are attacked, all adult dwarves, male and
  29/30
  
  female, would fight, fielding a powerful force. Racial TS modifier is +1.
  Elves
  Light Infantry or Cavalry composite or long bowmen (LI or LC), usually of Seasoned or
  better quality. In their home territory, elves are the consummate guerrilla warriors.
  Feudal organization is used by the elves. Because of their racial Combat Reflexes, Elves
  cannot be Irregulars. Racial TS modifier is +0.
  Giants
  Usually Medium Infantry (MI) of Average or better quality. They can throw rocks like a
  small siege engine and they can thus be counted as such. Giants are tribally organized.
  Racial TS modifier is +11.
  Burton Choinski
  Based on Generic Land Battle Rules by Brett Slocum
  30/30
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Powers & Perils/Powers & Perils - Mass Combat [powersandperils.org].pdf