When war rages through the land, it can be difficult to adjudicate battles of differing importance. I created these rules in order easily play out key battles in detail while skimming over peripheral ones, all while keeping a sense of equilibrium and structure.

Much thanks to Sam Sorensen for Cataphract, which provided great inspiration for the core resolution table.

Armies

An army is the will of one man, carved into the hands of many. All members of an army share at least two strengths and one weakness based on their training, experience, and cultural background. Once these have been noted, determine the number of troops an army has available.

Troops

An army wears not a single face. Most troops serve a general purpose, but some may serve special purposes, such as the following.

• Heavy troops are armored combatants meant to withstand attack and hold position. They move twice as slow as others, but suffer half the casualties in battle.
• Shock troops are dangerous combatants meant to break enemy positions with overwhelming force. For the purposes of determining whether a side is outnumbered, they count as twice the number of combatants in battle, except when retreating.
• Mobile units are combatants that move with great speed in order to flank and pursue enemies. These units move twice as fast as others. They may retreat without penalty, and automatically break retreating units they are victorious against.

For each additional purpose a soldier serves, they count as twice their size for the purposes of determining the troops available to the army, reducing its real body count as needed.

Morale

The power of the army is in the hearts of its men. An army's morale begins at zero, and is modified in battle.

Between battles, there is a 2-in-6 chance that events occur that will decrease morale if they are left unchecked, such as reduced supplies, sickness, poor leadership decisions, seditious members, paranoia, etc.

Once morale reaches +5, it cannot increase any further. Each time it would increase beyond that, 10% of the army pledges their life to the commander. They will never break in battle.

If morale would decrease beyond -5, an army finds themselves in a moment of crisis. Unless drastic changes are made, mutiny and mass desertion are inevitable.

Battle

War may be conducted at whatever scale deemed suitable for the moment. When opposing armies meet to conduct battle, determine together the importance of the conflict and draw up the battlefield to the desired level of detail accordingly. Key conflicts can be acted out in detail, while side conflicts can be resolved in a single roll.

Fronts

The points of contact between opposing armies are each separate fronts, and should be adjudicated separately. Each front has an attacking side, which has an objective they are trying to seize, and a defending side, whose objective is to stop them.

Rounds

Battle proceeds in rounds of an appropriate length, depending on the scale of war being conducted.

At the start of each round, each front resolves its movement. The side with the initiative moves its troops first, followed by the other side. The attacker is assumed to have the initiative, unless they willingly give it up or are surprised by defenders.

Then, the armies clash.

Clash

When forces meet at a battlefront, each commander should decide the number and type of troops they would like to commit to the clash.

Roll 2d6 for each side involved. Each side adds their morale to the roll, then adjusts the roll by the following modifiers.

• Add +1 when fighting with the initiative.
• Add +1 for each time the enemy is outnumbered two-to-one.
• Add +1 for each strength that takes advantage of an enemy’s weakness.
• Add +1 when fighting with the high ground.
• Add +1 when defending a barrier (i.e. river, ditch, etc.)
• Add +1 when defending a minor fortification, or +2 if defending a major fortification.
• Add -1 when defending in poor terrain, or -2 when attacking in poor terrain.
• Add -1 when fighting while flanked, or -2 if surrounded.

The outcome of the clash depends on the difference between the results. Adjudicate the results at your discretion, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of each army and the situation at hand. Casualties affect all troop types equally.

Diff.	Outcome
0	Both sides suffer no casualties. No side wins.
1-2	Both sides suffer 10% casualties. No side wins.
3	Both sides suffer 20% casualties. No side wins.
4	Victor suffers 20% casualties, and wins the objective. Loser suffers 20% casualties.
5	Victor suffers 10% casualties, and wins the objective. Loser suffers 20% casualties.
6+	Victor suffers 10% casualties, and wins the objective without question, gaining an additional +1 morale. Loser suffers 50% casualties.

When the objective of a clash is won, the victor’s army adds +1 morale. The loser retreats for 1d4 rounds, adding -1 morale; if attacked while retreating, add -2 to the clash roll.

Leaders

Each front requires a leader, to guide the men to victory or defeat. Experienced or skilled leaders may grant special effects.

When a leader risks themselves by joining the fray, the troops involved in the front gain +2 morale temporarily. Each round, the leader has a 2-in-6 chance of being captured or killed.

When a leader is lost in battle, their army adds -1 morale. A front without a leader retreats on a 4-in-6 chance, joining another front. Otherwise, they hold their ground.

Leaders may fight one another in single combat. Each rolls 2d6, adding +1 for each advantage they hold over the other. The higher result indicates a win.

Ending a Battle

A battle is considered concluded when one army’s troops are all actively retreating. Either side’s commander may choose to end the battle early by declaring a surrender.

Afterwards, the winning army adds +2 morale, while the losing army adds -2 morale.

Example of Play: The Battle at Fort Strain

(This battle is a small one, which only has a single front, however it is played at a more detailed scale. The Ilien army is swift and loyal, but lacks stamina. The Shalemen are relentless and psychically-linked, but simple.)

Along the road that cleaves through the grey mountains, a tower stands, black as steel under the overcast sky. A white army marches.

Edrian Whitehawk, the aged commander of the Ilien army, received word from his scouts in the early morning that the tower was empty of its usual guard. They had expected rest and reprieve after hard days on the road. Yet, now Edrian suspects there is treachery afoot. He is correct. (Due to this event, the army lost morale before the battle even began.)

Fort Strain has been taken by the Shalemen — children who pierce their skin with stones for armor and know no pain (As such, all their units are heavy by default). Iron-hand leads the army stationed here, more wily and cunning than others of their kind. (He may give up the initiative without taking any penalty, when attacking.)

Edrian prepares for battle, splitting his army and taking his falling-stars (mobile troops) to the hills east of the fort while the main column continues down the path.

At noon, Shalemen issue from the fort in silence to meet the white army on the road. They number a quarter of the Iliens' strength, and the Iliens rejoice, as Edrian orders his falling-stars to charge down the high ground, crashing into the Shalemen's flank.

Yet the Shalemen hold. (Despite the overwhelming odds, the Shalemen rolled high, and the Iliens rolled low.)

The first clash is a stalemate, giving time for Iron-hand to lead the rest of his forces from the fort, mounted on stone-headed horses (mobile troops). They are an avalanche, and the Iliens are crushed beneath their hooves.

Edrian's forces retreat with great speed to a small hill to the south, cresting it as their enemy closes in around them, but to no avail. (Edrian is a slippery fellow and his armies may retreat without penalty)

The Iliens hold off the Shalemen, retreating east up the slopes of the ridge. Doggedly, the Shalemen pursue. Yet they are the slower army. The footsoldiers fall behind, while the horsemen ride up the hill. They do not see the currents change until it is too late.

Edrian blasts his golden trumpet, and the white army turns on its heels, following their command as he leads his last charge down the slopes of the Serenmount.

They wash away the horsemen beneath their feet, and the foot soldiers flee before them. They turn north, back towards the road, leaving their enemy scattered. (Edrian gained the advantage by separating the two armies enough that he could take them one-by-one. Putting himself in harm's way was unnecessary — they rolled insanely high.)

Their old captain does not leave with them. Iron-hand stands over him, spear in hand, coated in the Whitehawk's blood. He looks north, as the white capes disappear into the valley beyond.