Module description

Here you will be able to make two armies fight: Battle Simulator

This is the Army Generator for role-playing games set in fantasy worlds. This module shows a complete army, with the name of the leader that commands it, his entourage and the units that compose it. It is a generic creator, so it is a setting that can be used for any type of medieval fantasy. The composition of the army will be qualitative, giving as the only quantitative data the number of troops that compose it. 

Why is it important for a role-playing game to generate armies? Just as there are the political, social and environmental aspects to bring the fantasy world to life, war is another point to be taken into account to improve immersion. Countries vie for land, resources and power. Armies are the ultimate exponent of the war equation. Rulers use these armies to defend themselves or to attack their enemies. This module is closely linked to the Battle Simulator. Between the two modules a Game Master will be able to simulate battles between countries and give results, which will have an indirect but relevant effect on the life of the players in the plot.

Furthermore, an army is the ultimate power of a ruler or villain. There are powers superior to the player characters (such as gods, ancient monsters, avatars, demons and angels), but an army should never be underestimated, since even the mightiest hero can fall before the thrust of a trained army, with specialized combat strategies and weapons to defeat them. 

Another fundamental use for this module is to set the scene for battles so that the players feel immersed in the variety of troops that exist in fantasy. For example, whether in narrative mode or playing it with a dice system, the scene of a Giant breaking through the orcs to charge head-on at the players is a more engaging scene than if they are only facing greenskin infantry.  Part of the database used is a modification and adaptation of the one available at Honga. 

How does this module work?

Simply choose the size of the army and click on "Generate". All the qualitative information of the army will be displayed. In the following we will describe each variable:

- Name of General: This is the caudillo, the leader or chief who leads the army into battle. He is not always the one who recruited him, but he is the highest authority who rules over the soldiers. He is responsible for victories or defeats, and is the one to whom the players would have to turn to reach agreements or exterminate.

- Army Type: It is the name by which the composition of the army is known. As a general rule, it describes the origin and size of the force.

- Number of soldiers: It shows how many troops make up the total army. It is the sum of all of them, so if the army corps is mixed (for example cavalry + archers + infantry, the proportion of the army corps will be at the Game Master's discretion). For example, if an army has 1000 soldiers and carries giants, it does not mean that there are 1000 giants, but that among all of them there will be some giants. For the Battle Simulator what is important are the qualities of the army and its total number, since differences in the proportion of the composition will not be as decisive in the result as the type of armament, training, morale, combat terrain, commander's experience, etc.

- Moral: It determines not only the bravery of the soldiers but also their ability to interpret and execute their leader's orders. It can be Low (for very decimated armies, slaves or cowards and with little war experience), Medium (which corresponds to a brave and determined morale, able to understand what is happening around them) and High (composed of soldiers who do not fear death, or even seek it. Beings who are not alive but continue to walk the earth or who are fanatical). As a general rule, low morale is synonymous with slaves and glebe, medium with professional soldiers and high with fanatics, long-lived beings or monsters.

- Experience: Determines how skilled these units are in combat. Low experience means they have never been trained for combat, being trained on the fly. Medium experience means that they are combat-trained units, versed in military tactics, professional soldiers or have survived a battle or encounter. Finally, High experience means that they are veteran troops, well trained by masters of war and have survived lethal encounters. As a general rule, low experience is synonymous with slaves and glebe, medium with professional soldiers and high with war veterans.

- Retinue: No general goes into battle alone. He is accompanied by his trusted officials, who do not necessarily have to be the best people on the planet, but those who best help their general in some way. This entourage does not have to be a direct part of the army in battle, some are bodyguards who will accompany the general wherever he goes, while others are sages, sorcerers or companions who serve as advisory positions. The entourage are the secondary characters that follow the General and that will interact with the players directly, as they will often be the voice and the sword of their general.

- Units:  They are divided into Infantry (foot troops), Projectiles (troops with ranged weapons), Cavalry (mounted troops), Artillery (heavy projectile weapons) and Monsters (beings of various fantastic nature). Heroes and wizards are also incorporated, and unlike the entourage, they do have an important role in the battle and will stand up to the enemy, tipping the balance in their favor. There are mixed units, for example, Projectile Cavalries or Artilleries that also act as Projectiles. These are special units of the faction. For example, a dwarven missile launcher is capable of launching a large projectile that would bring down a dragon, however, an elven repeating missile launcher could trade its strength for rate of fire and skewer several enemy ranks with a single volley, giving it greater versatility.

It is possible that the entourage has a powerful sorcerer or a formidable warrior/monster, however, unless they are among the "units" of the army, the army does not have to participate in the battle. The entourage are key pieces that are more important than the units marching into battle, and a general does not have to risk their lives. For the Battle Simulator only the "Units" will be taken into account, leaving the "Sequitos" only as a narrative part or for secondary missions with the players.

Category

Generic Role

Tags

Campaign