[Master_Sarevok2021]

//these are the rules and themes of this event chain. They can be changed to smooth them out as needed but we will start with a basics

First the setting: Recent events have caused a stir in Conch and the lands abroad. While the Arcanists above have their games, it seems one has taken to involving the ground dwellers in their games.

In recent days, sightings of strange mutant warriors in roaming bands have taken to raiding the roads and villages from the Myconid forest to near Conch and Southbank. Mercenaries have arrived in droves and it seems that the lands are ripe for battles a plenty…what is the meaning of this and will the people be safe?

Rules: Armies are a tricky thing for NWN so I’ve settled it down into numbers then actual spawns

All armies will have one Commander who leads the entire army. Commander is a special title class with a beginning lvl of 1 and a max lvl of 10.

Commander lvls determine how much your troop multiplier is. Your number strategies bonus and the number of unit blocks you’re Army can have max. (More on this later)

Commander class also plays a role and your charisma stat/score

Commanders and officers can be PC or npc. Preferably I’d like PCs to be the commanders till we get more use to this system

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Armies. Armies make up two key stats, Morale, and Troop strength.

Troop strength: this is determined by the make up of the army. Armies of high grade warriors will have higher troop strengths. It is determined by the troop blocks scores added together x 10

An army is divided into three types of units:

Tier 1: these are usually conscripts, or some other form of cannon fodder. They can fight, sometimes even decently but they are not the greatest and can break easily if pushed. (All tier one units are between lvls 1-10)

Tier 2: these are trained troops who know how to fight well and tend to be a bit tougher mentally as well as physically (Tier 2 units are usually between lvls 11-20)

Tier 3: these are special units. Dragons. Giants. Outsiders. Golems. Animated furniture maybe. These are always rare troops and most armies won’t have them. But when they do, you know it’s an army that’s a threat. (All tier 3 are lvl 21-30)

Army block limits is based on Commander lvl.

1: Tier 1 - 4, tier 2 - 2
2: Tier 1 - 5, tier 2 - 2
3: Tier 1 - 5, tier 2 - 3
4: Tier 1 - 6, tier 2 - 3
5: Tier 1 - 6, tier 2 - 4
6: Tier 1 - 7, tier 2 - 4
7: Tier 1 - 7, tier 2 - 5
8: Tier 1 - 8, tier 2 - 6, Tier 3 - 1
9: Tier 1 - 9, tier 2 - 6, Tier 3 - 1
10:Tier 1 - 10, tier 2 - 7, Tier 3 - 2

I’ll make a list of what can count for each troops later.

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Battles:

Battles take place in rounds. The first part of the round will be troop placement to the three fronts. Commanders will assign unit blocks, officers and elites as they see fit to each front. Some unit blocks can be held out of the fighting to make use of their strategy abilities, or as reserves.

Once troop placement Is finished, the next step is strategy choice. From the deck of strategies you create from the strategy list you first pick 3, one to use for each front, at the start of the battle. After combat begins, focusing from left to center to right. Each front will be run individually but will be rp’d and icly considered to be happening all at the same time.

Fronts will have a troop strength and morale assigned to each that is calculated in the same way an armies total strength and morale is. Strength is 4 x the units CR x the commanders multiplier(starts at x2 and gets 1 added at lvl 3-10 to a max 8 multiplier)

This strength is then divided by 3 and the commander, and officers add their charisma score to determine max morale. These are then the strengths and morale for the fronts and after strategy effects are taken into account then the fighting begins.

The battle plays out in normal nwn style on the fronts with the modes fighting each other to the best of their abilities. Combat ends when one side destroys the others models. Damage is then applied to the losing sides troops and morale by 5 points per living model of the winning armies soldiers still alive.  Then the next front goes through the same thing.

After all the fronts have had their combat we go to the overview where commanders can get a general idea how well their army is doing and plan accordingly.

Then the next round begins only instead of three strategies the commander can only play one strategy from their pool to a front of their choosing and then the front battles begin again. The losing side gets fresh models to replace the lost ones. Then battle takes place.

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Elites:

Elites are champions. Individual warriors who have proven themselves in battle or are known for their mighty power. They are always individual units but are always between lvls (20-32) they can be a fill in for armies who want an extra powerhouse to their army when their forces are lacking. An army can have a total of 3 Elites and can be placed on fronts to fight or kept out of the fronts and instead add damage to the enemies troop and moral scores after the fronts rounds are done to stimulate their fighting in the main throng and terrorizing and slaying the chattel.

PCs naturally count as elites. So if a pc is attached to an army they might prevent an npc to fill their place.

Elites can be found and hired or even raised from the soldiers at times. A Warlords charisma score helps in attracting Elites

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Necromancy:

The art of raising the dead is a mixed bag in times of war. Does the cost of victory outweigh the moral sides of using the dearly departed as arrow fodder? Does the ability to raise massive blocks of forces in a short time worth the risk of the allied necromancer deciding to go rogue with an army at their back?

Only the generals of war can decide this one can suppose. But the art of necromancy is a powerful magic none the less.

To raise undead forces for an army a mage must gave spell focus in necromancy and be at least lvl 8 or be able to cast Animate Dead naturally.

Spell focus: Necromancy allows the mage to summon 2 tier 1 blocks of zombies per week.

Great spell focus: allows three tier 1 blocks and one tier 2 block of undead

Epic focus allows 4 tier 1 blocks, 2 tier 3 and one elite or tier 3 block (the necromancer decides)

Necromancy can build an army fast, but the initial troops are weak. But as the necromancer gains power, they can raise more and more undead (Still working on these rules)

Addendum: Pale Master increases these abilities by one for tier 1 and two and allows the special dracolich unit

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Magic:

Magic plays a big part in Netheril, with might Archmages wielding the power of gods. It’s only natural that magic would play a larger role beyond blasting things with fire balls.

Spell foci thus will play parts in an armies abilities, allowing various benefits.

In order to use spell foci as a bonus Tom your army, you must have the feat and be sufficient lvl.

Abjuration: spell focus: allows the army to apply stoneskin to all soldiers on one front. Great focus increase this to two fronts. Epic increases it to all three.

Conjuration: spell focus: allows an allied lesser planar being to fight on your side on one front as a free extra soldier based on alignment. Greater allows a stronger planar ally on one front. Epic allows a high lvl planar ally. Again all based on alignment and only to one front.

Divination: Spell focus allows an army to get an idea of how strong an enemy army is and one type of soldier it has. Greater allows a diviner to get an idea of where the army is going and two types of soldiers it has. Epic reveals what the army will do during the battle; aka you will know the troop placement ahead of time before finalizing your own troop deployment

Evocation: Better Arcane Barrage strategies

Enchantment: Cast greater heroism to the troops on one front. Great focus: cast greater heroism on two fronts. Epic: cast on all 3 fronts

Illusion: spell focus, disguise a troop for spies and divination as something else. Greater, disguise 2 units. Epic, counters epic divination ability.

Necromancy: see Necromancy

Transmutation: spell focus can allow bull strength, cats grace or endurance cast on all troops in one front. Greater 2 fronts and epic all 3 fronts.

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Strategies:

This system is not just troops and spells, but strategies and using planning of how to use what you got to best effect. In this course Strategies are how we do that.

Consider this the deck building portion. Each strategy is its own card and can be played once per battle. Some strategies can be played outside of combat and both types are to be rp’d as an army devoting significant resources, time and men/women to a desired goal.

The first are the basics, all commanders regardless of class get these:

Redeploy: Allows one unit block, elite, the commander or officer to move from one front to the one next to it(so from center to right or left. Left to center or right to center), back to the war camp or into the throng of battle. A useful ability to be used after the first rounds of combats on the front and you feel you need to reinforce one front over another.

Hold in Reserve: a unit block can be held in reserve at full field strength and morale and can be sent in at any point in battle to any front.

Patrols: Patrols requires an army to “leave behind” forces to patrol an area of designation. The main body can still March and the patrols will be considered part of that army but those patrolling troops will not be selectable in battle. To use patrol at least 2 tier 1s or 1 tier2 troop block must be assigned.

Why would you do this? Some factions will want you to patrol in exchange for coin, resources or favors maybe even troops free of charge. It’s a bartering strategy, and making nice with factions who have agendas can be beneficial to the armies and their targets of defense.

Example: The West Netheril trading company had trading posts that they would no doubt like defenses from raids and war bands. A few patrols would keep the trade flowing and the coin coming. And in thanks they might offer help in some goals for the army like providing weapons or resources. (New tiers to recruit for free without having to wait for the replenishment time to go down or help in rp tasks that will arrive as the war rages on. More on this later)

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Strategies by class: this is up for change and additions as we pan out the goods.

Cleric: Healing, plus one special based on god

Wizard: Arcane barrage, fire wall, Counterspell

Sorcerer: arcane barrage, fire wall, counter spell

Barbarian: Warcry, Devastate

Bard: Inspire troops, devious tactics

Fighter: duel to the death, hold the line

Rogue: “fooled you!”, devious tactics, improvised trap

Druid: Nature’s wrath 2 types

Assassin: Assassinate, Devious Tactics

Weapon master: Dazzling display, duel to death

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Troops:

Troops represent the forces gathered. Rather then troops being treated as individuals, they are given as blocks and each block offers a number of spawns during the front battle

Tier 1:

Conscripts: This are the weakest soldiers, and the easiest to get. Either ragged refugees wanting revenge, poor souls with nothing left to lose and seeking a shot at glory and gold. Or any other possible reason. Conscripts are 1d8 spawns. One block offers 1d8, two offers 2d8 and so on.

Hunters: Hunters are the tier 1 archer unit and can be used as scouts instead of being used in battle if so chosen. If used it battle they offer 1d4 for each block. If selected as scouts, they must be assigned and taken out of the rooster of available troops to be used in battles.

Scouts allow an army to gain information about enemy movements and make up; determined by an Intel roll launched prior to a battle. (See Intel) Hunters offer an Scouting effectiveness of 1 per block.

Tier 2:

Mercenary fighters: these are battle hardened mercs, and can be gained in hiring and recruitment, or by a Tier 1 unit taking part in a number of battles and not being destroyed and this leveling up. These blocks offer 1d6 per block

War Priests: warrior priests of Targus the Netherese god of war. They wield their divine power to wade into battle with spells to heal and strengthen. Each block offers 1d4 and can count as a Caster(Cleric) unit which also allows them to grant access to one cleric strategy at the cost of not being assigned to the front. It can useful to keep priests in the back as their ability to offer healing can restore troop strength before the final battle tally is rolled.

Armoured Cavalry: Men on horse back, these armored knights spawn 1d4 per block and allow access to the Charge strategy. Using this strategy, requires at the block be assigned to a front and does immediate troop damage to the enemies troop strength before combat on the front begins and adds 1 cavalry unit to an adjacent front for free. If you don’t have a unit that counts as Cavalry you cannot use Charge strategy.

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Troops continued:

Undead:

Tier 1:

zombie Conscripts: the weakest soldiers a necromancer or other form of undead magic user can summon. They are slow and armed with basic weapons, but make up for it in being deployed in greater numbers.

Skeleton archers: skeleton archers are the ranges fighters of the undead and their bone structures allow they to act as a form of scout. (We might change this and add in a spectre, a weak but excellent scout troop) they are quicker then zombies and are deposited in about equal numbers to their living counter parts.

Tier 2:

Skeleton fighters: the tougher and better melee counter parts for the undead to the merc fighters.

Skeleton sorcerers: what do the undead need gods for. Instead they have arcane fighters who wield negative energy to maim and heal all at once.

Undead armored cavalry: the undead version of the living counterpart with all the same tactics. Just you know…undead.

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Special troops:

Hins only:

Hins of hilltop are not too trusting of outsiders currently, given recent events. So they will only follow their own kin to war. You want these troops either ally with a hin or be one.

Tier 1:

Hilltop Militia: trained by Pear Lindenbrook herself these dual wielding warriors are not the best fighters now but they will meet to defend their home. Deploys like conscripts

Hilltop Slingers: the hin version of hunters, they can scout or battle. They get to deploy slightly more then hunters or archers due to their small size and relatively cheap weapons.

Priestess of Yondella: the clerics of the hin goddess are eager to protect hilltop. They will have the same spells as the war clerics do currently. Might change later.

Factions:

Nebular:

Tier 1
Master Kliment apprentices has generously offered a few blocks of his more outgoing apprentices who need to get a little field experience. Why he alone has done this is unsure, but he seems to at least be willing to help somewhat. Your first arcane spell caster that can be hired in any army mix of you pay the upfront fee for ONE block and each commander only gets one block for the present time.

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Strategies:

Strategies will be divided into types:

Arcane
Leadership
Cunning
Martial
Divine
Performance

Strategies can do lots of stuff from restoring lost troop strength or morale, damaging the enemy armies morale and troop strength before battle or even block enemy strategies as a counter or even counter the counter.

Arcane Strategies:

Arcane Barrage: deals automatic 1d6 damage to the enemy army before combat. Increases by one for every two lvls of sorcerer or wizard after lvl 2.

Darkness: Blocks the enemy battle strategy

Fireball: does 1d12 damage to troop strength before combat. Increases by 1d every 3 arcane spell caster lvls after lvl 3.

Wall of fire: counters a charge strategy and deals 3d6 damage to enemy army strength.

Leadership Strategies:

Stand and fight: Restores 1d6 morale plus half commander or officers whole charisma score. Can’t be blocked.

Warcry: Restores 1d8 morale plus half intimidate score. Deals that much as morale damage to enemy.

Reposition: Can move a single unit block to a different front before combat starts. Blocks one enemy strategy.

Incite violence: roll 3 1d12s + 1/2 strength score of commander or officer. Use the highest and lowest and inflict that as damage to the enemy army strength. Take the middle as damage to your own army strength

Inspire forces: Your army heals 1d12 + 1/2 charisma score. One flank can’t take morale damage for one turn of combat from any source

Fire Volley: (requires archer unit) does 1d10 per unit block with ranged spec to enemy troop strength

Hold the line: blocks enemy strategy. Heals the army 1d6 morale

As predicted: blocks an enemy strategy.

Cunning Strategies:

Agile maneuver: can be used at anytime to nullify an enemy block of a strategy. Roll 1d6(1-3) the strategy fails (4-6) this strategy succeeds.

Deploy potion reserves: Can be used after combat on a front. Heals 2d6 + (potion making skill rank) to troop strength.

Devious tactic: deals 2d4 casualties. Deals half even if blocked.

Exposed plans: View the opposing armies available strategies before putting them into play. May select one tjat MUST played by the opposing commander

Explosive trap: (requires chemistry) deal 1d8 + chemistry skill rank to enemy troop strength on one designated front

Outflank and destroy: can only be played once during the entire army battle. Destroy one whole unit block assigned to the targeted front before combat.

Martial strategies:

Devestate the field: Deal 1d12+ 1/2 str score casualties.

Duel to the death: challange an enemy elite or officer to single combat. If they agree, the two fight before battle but is icly assumed to be occurring while battle rages around them. The two battle and the winner deals 50 morale damage to the enemy fronts forces. Their army recovers 25 morale. The loser rolls a d20 1-10 they die(PCs will stay in purgatory until raised by an ally or cleric after the battle is over). 11-20 they are seriously wounded and must pull back from the battle and wait in the medical tent till the battle is over.

Heroic charge: Deals 1d8 plus 1/2 str score casualties to the enemy troop strength and restores that amount to your fronts morale.

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Divine strategies:

Castigate: deal 1d8 + 1/2 wisdom score damage to morale. If you worship a god who has the pain domain, you deal the damage to troop strength as well.

Lay on hands: Restore 1d8 + 1/2 wisdom score to troop strength. Healing domain doubles this.

Litany: Restores 1d8 + 1/2 wisdom score morale.

Raise/animate dead: If a front is lost, this will ensure that at least one unit block will survive and be retained by the army instead of being permanently destroyed. Clerics to elect to do either raise dead or animate which will instead spawn an undead unit block of equal tier to the one lost. (Mages can use this strategy too as an arcane but need spell focus necromancy and can only elect to use the animate dead version.)

Surge of faith: Recharge a strategy immediately. Takes 3 turns to recharge this strategy after use

Performance strategies:

Heroic ballad: All fronts regain morale at 1d6 + performance skill total.


There will be more to come as we go forward but here is a rough summary of what you have available

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Troop spawns:

Unit blocks will spawn a number of their respective units on the front assigned. This will likely be a set amount for tier 1s based on 1d cr/1.2 + commander lvl rounded up. But we will probably change this. Still considering tier 2.

More info to come

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Attrition:

While we focus on one part of the battle it is to be assumed that all around you there is battle of soldiers fighting and dying. In order to replicate the attrition of war we have a few ways of running.

The current  is what’s calculated immediately after the fighting in the fronts are done. For each remaining spawn, does a base set of damage per tier type. This amount is totaled and done as damage to the enemy armies troop strength and 1/3 for it to morale for the unit strength and morale assigned to that block. The damage is also divided by 1/3 and that 1/3 damage is done to your army to represent attrition from battle.

This system piece is up for debate to ensure fairness