This is the battle simulator for medieval fantasy role-playing games. This tool helps to resolve battles when two armies face each other face to face. What good can something like this do? The economy, society and environments are fundamental parts of any story to bring it to life and make it more immersive for players. However, the military section and disputes over land, intrigues, revenge and ambitions are the order of the day. With this simulator you will be able to resolve battles in a totally impartial way, thus developing the history of kingdoms and resolving conflicts between nations as they did in the Middle Ages.
One kingdom invading another can have an impact on the players' story. If an army of wild orcs takes control of the kingdom (after winning a battle), it is very likely that looting will be frequent, that food will stop reaching the big cities and that fear will be evident everywhere. In addition, this simulator also helps to resolve large battles where players are involved, because no matter how powerful they are, an army of thousands of enemies could kill even the most powerful wizard if he is very lucky or is accompanied by magic items that counteract it.
The outcome of a battle will be defined by the simulator, however, if players participate in the contest they can try to tip the balance in their favor. To do this, players will have to choose an enemy factor (e.g. Fortress, Sorcery, Monsters, Artillery or any other) and embark on a mission (either stealthily before the battle or in the heat of combat) and try to liquidate that threat. If the players succeed, resolving the battle will remove this factor from the simulator and will not count. When the battle is resolved the players will have actively participated in the outcome in a fair and impartial way for the Game Master (this will also avoid possible anger on the part of the players if the resolution of the battle is made at the discretion and personal criteria of the Game Master).
To create an army you can access the army builder module. It is fully compatible with this simulator, providing all the necessary fields. If you already have an army created, it is enough to indicate how many soldiers it has and what qualities. This simulator is based on both qualitative and quantitative aspects, and by means of algorithms will decide who is the winner of the encounter, what casualties they have had and what can happen next.
To use this simulator, just set the parameters and press the "Simulate" button. What each of them means and how to use them will be shown below:
- Number of soldiers: The number of soldiers is the total number of effective units. This means that it does not matter if an army is composed of 1000 foot soldiers or 500 soldiers, 250 knights, 200 projectiles, 25 giants, 20 catapults and 5 dragoons; in both cases the number of soldiers will be 1000. Therefore, the number of soldiers is the total number of troops regardless of their sizes or roles.
- Morale: Morale describes three things. On the one hand the majority bravery that the soldiers of the army have, on the other hand the capacity to execute the orders of their general, and finally how tired they are. Therefore, a well-trained professional army in perfect condition may have a Medium morale, but if they are fighters who would rather die than retreat they will have a High morale. Undead, constructs, stubborn monsters or indefatigable warriors usually have High morale. If an army is depleted by many defeats, has few supplies or have no faith in their leader, they may not follow orders and this would be reflected in this parameter.
- Experience: It is the martial and battle discipline of the soldiers. If the majority of the units have never fought and have never been trained in the art of war, they will have a low morale (peasants, merchants, slaves, etc.). If they have been trained by instructors and masters for combat, they will have a Medium experience. This also applies if the majority of the units have already survived other battles. A peasant who has survived several battles already knows better than an initiate what he will face. Longer-lived units such as elves, vampires, dwarves or professional warriors usually have a high experience.
- Advantageous terrain As it is. If one of the two armies is in a position that gives it an advantage over the opponent, it will have to be marked. For example, if one is in an elevated position, is protected by a forest, has stakes in the terrain, there is a river in between and they have shells, it is foggy and the army has only combat units, it is raining and the opposing army has shells, etc. Any environmental factor that gives an advantage to one side over the other will mean that this factor must be pressed in their favor.
- Fortress: If the army is protected by a formidable defensive infrastructure (bastions, castles, fortresses, stone walls, etc.) this factor should be pressed. In addition, if the terrain advantage is very important, this factor should be pressed as well. For example, in the battle of Thermopylae, the strait where the battle took place defended both the flanks and the rear of the Spartans and Greeks. Thus, when an environmental terrain factor becomes something else, this factor will also be pressed, appreciating that this terrain not only gives an advantage, but is also a formidable natural stronghold. Similarly, if a castle has a moat filled with water (for example), the factor "Fortress + advantageous terrain" will be pressed at the same time.
- Ambush: If one of the armies takes the opponent by surprise (either because it attacks at night, or surprises them on a road) this parameter will be pressed. It is important to note that if an army ambushes a fortress, it will be considered that the enemy has managed to penetrate the fortress and open the gates. There are interactions like this that should be taken into account, as pressing "Ambush" will reduce or eliminate other factors such as "Advantageous terrain", "Fortress" or "Artillery", as the surprise will catch the defenders off guard and give an additional advantage over these factors.
- Good armament: This factor represents the quality of weapons, armor and defenses of the army. It should only be clicked if they are really appropriate accoutrements for warfare. If an army consists mostly of standard weaponry (light armor, handguns and shields, conventional bows, etc.) it should not be clicked. This factor is reserved for when an army actually has barded cavalry, heavy armor and heavy shields that charge at the enemy as if they were tanks. Or, for example, when an army carries elite units that are very well equipped and with top quality weaponry: king's guards, elite knights, phalanxes of nobles, etc. It can also be used if an army carries armaments with unusual characteristics: gunpowder, Valyrian fire, black steel weapons, firearms, etc.
- Sorcery: This represents two things: wizards, conjurers, witches, druids, sorcerers (and any magic caster) that the army contains supporting them by their side, be it of whatever discipline; and on the other hand it represents units with magical weapons of any kind or that are magical beings per se. (vampires, elder dragons, liches, etc.). Therefore, this factor should be clicked regardless of the type of magic, since both will bring the fireballs against the opponent as if they can heal the wounds of the fallen. If the magic is really powerful and devastating (for example, you have as an ally a very very powerful old sorcerer who could almost be a deity), you should press several factors simultaneously even if it comes from only one soldier. For example, you will press Best Weapon (if the sorcerer blesses weapons), Renowned Character (if the sorcerer is so powerful), Sorcerer (for being a magician), Projectiles (if it is based on ranged combat by throwing continuous fireball shrapnel), Others and Terror (if these fireballs when hitting with something disintegrate the matter and deplete the morale of the opponent). In this way it is represented that a sorcerer is very very powerful. Note that these additional factors should not be abused, and should only be clicked if the sorcerer is really high level.
- Renowned hero: As with "Wizardry" this factor should be clicked only if among the ranks of the army is a man or woman who has fame and great popularity for his or her actions and power. Either because he is able to raise the morale of his allies, because he is a great archer or because in single combat he has no other equal. The presence of heroes in an army helps to mitigate terror and better face rival monsters, however, they are fragile to enemy projectiles if they are exposed. It does not matter how many heroes there are in the army, one, three or five; however, if the army is joined by a company such as, for example, heroes of great prestige equivalent to "Aragorn, Légolas, Gimli, Glorfindel and Elrond", the factor "Others, Good Weaponry and Cause Terror" can also be added to represent the power of these heroes.
- Allies of convenience: This factor is somewhat confusing but important. Any army that is composed of several factions or units that do not have the same provenance, will have to deal with this factor. This represents the mistrust of any unit that joins an army that is not its brothers, the possible misinterpretation of orders, the pride of the unit with respect to the rest of its companions or, for example, the inaptitude of the recruited units with respect to the rest (because they are for example slaves, indigenous units or mercenaries of dubious reputation).
- Causes Terror: This factor represents a panorama that causes fear, dread or could demoralize the enemy in combat. Monsters are one of the main bases that cause terror, although supernatural beings such as zombies, vampires or animated skeletons can also instill terror.
- Cavalry or Projectiles: No matter how many troops an army has, as long as part of it is made up of cavalry and mounts, or with weapons capable of firing projectiles from a distance, this factor must be taken into account.
- Artilleries: This field should only be checked if the army possesses onagers, trabuchets, cannons, ballistae, or siege weapons such as battering rams or siege towers if a fortress is being assaulted. Note that if an artillery is capable of being used effectively against structures and units, the "projectiles" factor must also be pressed. For example, a ballista will be "artillery" but a repeating ballista will also be "shells and artillery" to represent its versatility.
- Flyers: If a unit is able to fly over the skies, either because it has wings, propellers or is magical, it will be able to click this factor. Flying units give advantage against factors such as Artilleries or fortresses.
- Monsters: This factor represents units that are monsters or huge beasts (trolls, ogres, dinosaurs, dragons, elephants, etc). They are powerful and very effective against infantry, although fragile against heroes and artillery.
- Ethereal: It is an unusual factor but it can occur. Units of ghosts, spirits, spectres or beings capable of turning into gaseous forms or teleporting at will. This represents this factor and is one of the most versatile.
- Others: It represents any other factor not described above. In addition, if one of the factors is really powerful, it can be supported by pressing this one as well. For example: if an army ambushes troops on a road, and huge balls of incendiary straw are thrown at them from a hill, "Ambush" + "Advantageous Terrain" + "Others" can be pressed. If a sorcerer is part of an army, "Sorcery" is pressed, but if he is also much more powerful than anyone else in the realm, "Others" can also be pressed. This factor is a wild card at the Game Master's discretion.