Very simple mass combat system.

[S W Dickson]

Yep, to make things all kinds of easy, I thought I'd create a simple ruleset for very large battles - preferably to be played with 5-10mm models or thereabouts - obviously more than one per base.

Each model (base) is given a rating of Anti-Infantry (INF), Anti-Armour (ARM), and Efficiency (EFF)

Each model is designated as INF or ARM.

Each model is also designated as Fixed, Slow, Standard or Fast for speed of movement. With a subset designation of "Flyer".

Standard movement rules as previously discussed apply - D6 Difficult Terrain test - 1 no movement, 2-5 half movement, 6 full move.

Some bases will have one or two ranges indicated for shooting attacks.

INF indicates a dice roll required to harm enemy Infantry.

ARM indicates a dice roll required to harm enemy Armoured troops/vehicles.

EFF is a conglomeration of Damage, Morale and Initiative. They may not all "die" but down to 0 and theiy're off the field.


This is a mass-combat game - or at least a more epic scale of game than the standard tabletop affair. I'm imagining square bases for fantasy/historical settings that you can actually do a close numbers recreation of some crazy battle formations.

Heroes can play both the "marauding loony" role, as well as more support roles.

The turn sequence is something I'm unsure about and want to see various methods - but primarily I see most troops to have an EFF of 1 - being a high bodycount and large numbers game - book-keeping is best avoided. However, bigger, stronger or more noble units will not turn tail at the first sight of trouble. I'm currently thinking an activation system of "Name unit to move, activate unit, pass and carry on, fail and turn ends".

Also thinking of two (three really) types of unit. "Stand to shoot" and "Move and shoot". (the third being the always immobile objectives or fortifications).

Two types of maneuvre over just "moving" - Charge! and Covering Fire!

You may also place units into various states of readiness. Alert, Recover and Fortify. Alert will keep your guys' attention and ready for action. Recover will allow tired units to regain some EFF. Fortify will allow you guys to make a stand where they are.

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Quite basic I know, but hopefully easy to pick up, and with enough difference in the model types to make it count. I'm actually gonna flesh it out some more. No more than a double sided A4 page this time - promise!

[S W Dickson]

Oh yeah, apart from big machines and regimental facings, shooting will have no minimum range and "shooting vs CC" won't be generally discussed - it's overall combat effectiveness here - more a strategic game.

S'not to say there won't be more rules later - but that's enough I think to get a good game down.

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Other concepts - failing a roll whatsoever results in turn end. No casualties/funky magic/movement = your guys suck. Some units may even have rules that allow them to do something automatically - such as move through DT unhindered. If you didn't do that first then it's still turn over.

General concept for EFF and "activation"- most bases have EFF of 1, roll D6 and add your current EFF. Any roll of 1 or 2 is turn end (1 always fails). You may continue to act in this manner for each unit on your side until Turn End or your fail a roll. If you wish a unit to continue past their normal limit, they may do so once more, however it must be activated again but with a -1 modifier. It may only have one more go.

Fortified units add +1 to their EFF for the duration they remain in their hastily built/found cover. Use a marker to identify fortified units - I recommend modelling some sandbags or a brick wall.

Fortifications remain on the battlefield unless destroyed. (there will be an entry for this) Fortification count as DT.

Recovering units must remain still for a whole turn and take no other action. They must however roll for activation to recover lost EFF (1 per turn up to their unit maximum). It is good to mark recovering units with perhaps a token with a red cross on it.

Alert units may not do anything if they wish to remain "active". If an enemy unit crosses within their shooting range, they will immediately be allowed to shoot at that unit. Once a unit uses its Alert skill, it is returned to normal unless continued in the next turn. It is best to mark these units with a target token or something similar.


Bases are sometimes allowed to form up into "Regiments" or even "Brigades" (why not?) and as such create a fearsome display and dangerous enemy. A "Regiment" composed of several bases moving together will be hard to break, but can be whittled away. They are also hard to move through terrain as they must move as if they were one. Shooting attacks are always from the direction they are facing, and may only be the first rank that does so. However, enemies may only target the "regiment" and not individual bases for shooting, and as the central "command" base will usually have a high EFF, this unit can withstand a lot. For each successful attack against it however, it will lose an EFF point from one of its "regular" bases (usually still EFF 1) - and lose that base. This gives a good indication of how well that unit is doing.

EFF more than 1. Command bases (EFF +3) Heroes, Monsters, Tanks, etc. will generally have an EFF of 2 or more. This is great news as they can now withstand great deal more punishment and be able to activate with no hassles. It does however mean you must now keep track of it (boo).

Fortified in a Fort! - The siege - this is always a contentious one, but what does one do when your enemy is in a building? Well, he's fortified, so +1 EFF for you matey!

Attacking. You must charge if you want to damage the enemy and you have no ranged weapons. Simplage. You don't have to travel more than your normal movement as a full charge, but it must be declared "Charge!!!" with a suitably gutsy growl for good measure. Difference is - a charge must be EFF checked - yep - 1 or 2 and you fall flat and tell your commander to go to hell. Turn over. Because of this, the enemy gets no recourse to hit you back until their turn. ("Countercharge!!) but, no-one is locked into combat, there's always the "run away" option (someone once said it was tactical retreat...)

p.s. There is a few units who will charge anyway and forego this rule - pick them, they rock.

Shooting. As shooting people is "War for wimps", no EFF is required, just your roll on the dice (so long as you can see your enemy, are in range of them and stuff)

INF - ARM

An INF weapon cannot hurt an ARM model. An ARM weapon can smoke an INF base. In fact an ARM weapon causes 2 points of EFF damage if the base it's shooting at is INF. Done. Next rule.

Stealth. Erm, no. I've not yet found a good or workable method for stealth in a game where your opponent can see the board. It's just no good.

Siege equipment. Yep, you're gonna get the castle. It's an ARM thing y'know. That you can climb. You need "Siege Equipment" which costs per base. Think ladders and grappling hooks. If you need some explosives, you'll probably find someone has some of them already in the army roster. If you want a siege tower then that'll be there too. But really, attacking fortified troops again is it - make sure and bring some cannon or trebuchet.

Monsters/Vehicles. Attack as if a Regiment - forward unless specified otherwise. EFF. It's all easy.

Dangerous terrain. You're in a minefield. Do you want to a) keep going till you die? Yep, EFF check at -2.

Okay getting flippant now. I need to work on a few lists. Always my downfall. Keep checking.

[Lanrak]

Hi.
I have been developing a straight forward combat resolution that may be of interest to you perhaps?

Its based on very straightforward and simple modeling of actual real world interaction.

ALL units are given a rating of how hard they are to damage.
Armour-resistance to damage.AR
And how much damage the unit can take.
(Wounds for organic units, structure points for mechanical units.)

Weapons are given a damage rating,(how much damage they do.)

And the amount of hits/area of effect.(Effect.)

And bonuses for specialised types of weapon.(An aditional dice roll to boost armour penetration for 'antitank' type weapons and a boost for supresion for anti personel type weapons,ignore cover for chemical weapons etc.)

EG A unit composed of 10 infantry models wearing light armour
W10, AR 2.

Is fired upon by a units with 7 laser rifles (Dam 7,Effect 1.)
A heavy machinegun (Dam 8 Effect 3, supression D3.)
And a energy beam projector.(Dam 12 ,effect 1, penetration D6.)

The targeted units takes 7 saveing rolls from the laser rifle hits.
(Dam 7 - AR2= 5+ save.)

Then takes 3 saving rolls from the heavy machine gun.(damage 8 -AR 2=6+ save.)

The energy beam projector is designed to fire at large slow moving targets, so is not used to resolve damage vs infantry targets.(It has an armour penetration bonus.We assume the operator saves his limited shots for suitable targets.)

The target unit fails 5 saving rolls.(The unit looses 5 models.)

Then the target units remaining W+AR is thier supression rating.(7).
This is compared to the amount of fire the attacker put on the target.
1 for each small arms (laser rifle)
3 for the HMG ,(+D3.)


For a total of 7+3+2= 12.

As the attackers volume of fire is over the target units supression rating the unit becomes supressed.
(If the attackers volume of fire was over DOUBLE the units supression rating the target unit would become neutrtalised.)

Its just straight forward maths....(If you dont mind that sort of thing?)

If the same attacker fired at a vehicle with AR of 12.
ONLY the energy beam projector can cause damage .
(This weapon is developed specificaly to defeat large slow moving targets.)

(The attacker rolls for bonus armour penetration .( D6 )and adds it to the damage value of the EBP.4 + 12 =16.
Dam 16- AR 12 =4+.
The target rolls to save the hit.
On the rolls of 5 or 6 the target vehicle takes no damage.
On the roll of 4 the target vehicle is supressed.
On the roll of 3 or 2, roll on the damage table.
On the saving roll of 1 roll on the damage table (add 2 to the result for critical damage.)

Roll over basic save number no damage.
Roll equal to basic save(supressed.)
Fail save by 1 or 2 , normal damage.
Fail save by 3 or more ,critical damage.

Damage table for Vehicles /Monsters.
D6 roll of.
1, Supressed.
2 neutralised.
3 neutralised , loose 1 point of armament,
4 neutralised , loose 1 point of mobility.
5 destroyed.
6 aniahlated.

In short weapon damage - Armour value = save roll required.

For the 2 types of units , discrete and indescrete.
We use damage tables (physical and morale) for singular models with multiple wounds/structure points.

And simply remove models to show physical damage in multiple model units.
And compare threat to confidence to determine morale damage.

I may need to explain that better.
Please feel free to sak any questions and comments as necissary.

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