Empire Skirmish Combat

Empire Skirmish Combat

One and a half years ago, I wrote a review of a D&D 3.0 rulebook called Empire by AEG. In this review, I wrote the following: "After that, there’s an appendix with optional rules that are mostly concerned with skirmish combat, but I don’t really care for that." But now I do care about that, because I'm really struggling with my semi-abstract GURPS combat system, and I am interested in seeing how others have done it. So, let's take a look at these skirmish rules and see if there is anything useful for my GURPS project.

Abstract Fast Combat System for GURPS

Abstract Fast Combat System for GURPS

As was outlined several posts ago, GURPS lacks an abstract fast combat system that can be used to resolve engagements, especially ones that have a scale between individual combat and mass combat. I thought about it, and I believe that the best option would be to combine parts of GURPS Mass Combat with the mass combat from ACKS II RR / Domains at War: Campaigns. For that, we will have to calculate the BR (Battle Rating) values for each combatant, which isn't actually that difficult.

The design goal of this system is to have a way to resolve combat quickly between almost any numbers of combatants. While I absolutely adore the nitty-gritty detailed combat system of GURPS, I realize the need for abstraction because resolving, for example, a random encounter between 5 PCs and 20 mercenaries on one side and 60 orcs on the other side is practically impossible on the standard GURPS scale. Let's see if I manage to write something that makes sense.

Abstract Combat Statistics: Heroes on the Mass Scale and ACKS

Abstract Combat Statistics: Heroes on the Mass Scale and ACKS

Not long ago, I was thinking about the necessity of abstracted combat resolution and remembered that GURPS Mass Combat exists, and that it probably can be applied to small-scale combat with some minor adjustments. However, one of the questions remains - how do you derive abstract combat statistics from the non-abstract combat characteristics of a creature? In my GURPS Monstrous Compendium, I calculated the Combat Effectiveness Ratings for all creatures but for a slightly different reason. And now I remembered about the existence of Heroes on the Mass Scale from Pyramid #3-84 that is... basically 90% the same thing, but I believe that these 10% of difference make it much better. I've already dabbled with this article in the past, but I had much less experience back then, so now let's revisit it.

Review: Empire (by AEG)

Review: Empire (by AEG)

You probably noticed that lately I’ve been in the mood for some domain management rules. Today, I’d like to briefly review a third-party supplement for D&D 3.0 titled Empire. This book was published by AEG – Alderac Entertainment Group – I already talked about one of their books before titled Evil. I remember saying that AEG produced poor books in terms of D&D mechanics and character options, but good books for ideas and generic advice. The book was written by Mike Mearls, who later became one of the lead designers of D&D 5e, and I can say that his writing definitely degraded with time. So, let’s see what Empire is all about.

GURPS-to-ACKS: Unit Building

GURPS-to-ACKS: Unit Building

ACKS, including ACKS II, focus on advancing the characters from adventurers to conquerors and then to kings. The system devotes a lot of attention to domain management and mass combat, because how else would you do the C and K parts of ACKS? Despite GURPS and ACKS being built on very different frameworks, the underlying simulationism paradigm makes them surprisingly compatible when it comes to non-combat stuff, such as domain management. (Of course, you can remove the simulationism from GURPS, but why would you?) ACKS domain management rules seem to be usable almost without any changes in GURPS, but I will explore that topic in more depth in the future. However, mass combat as it is described in Domains at War: Battles and Domains at War: Campaign does require some changes. There are two ways to go about it: to work out how to derive ACKS unit statistics from GURPS stats, or to rework D@W:B to use GURPS resolution mechanics. In my opinion, the first option is the way to go here, even though you technically have to learn two systems, which is something many will balk at. However, D@W:B is actually rather simple, but at the same time deep and robust - learning it doesn't require that much effort. So, let's outline the work we have to perform here:

Mass Combat: Manticore

Mass Combat: Manticore

Heroes on the Mass Scale from Pyramid #3-84 allows us to convert characters and monsters into mass combat units. I've never tried that before, so let's try creating a unit based on the manticore.

Eggplant Strategy Update v0.2

Eggplant Strategy Update v0.2

A long time has passed since the test game using my play-by-post strategy system (this post). The update was delayed, but I finally managed to pull myself together and make one.

Changelog

            v0.2

-          Turn resolution order changed – income rolls and maintenance subtraction are moved to the start of the turn.

-          Troops and characters being recruited and buildings being constructed may be given orders that are carried out immediately after they are recruited/built.

-          Wealth was reworked, now the income is static.

-          Increased resource costs of buildings and units.

Eggplant Strategy

Eggplant Strategy

by Enraged Eggplant

Play-by-post turn-based strategy system

Version 0.2

The rules you see below are not tested, and do not have enough content. It's just a framework, that will be expanded if I ever find somebody to test it with.