The Battle of Cliffwall

[tomcat]

  OOC:

Hello all!

I want to re-introduce my hybrid combat system and how the characters will participate (we used this method in the Battle of Eldanar way back when):

First, we will be using the mass-combat system from the Helm's Deep Sourcebok. I will be carrying out the actual battle on the Battle Map page on the control bar above - each combat round will be 1/4 hour. You guys will interact with your characters in the combat using the following rules:

1. Roll 1d3 to determine number of opponents around the character for that round. This number will change every round giving the feel that enemies are constantly moving about the character - some may attack, some may not. This allows the characters to interact and also be wounded, as they might be in battle. The kills will count in the main melee and for XP, but it is also there to give the character a bit of bragging rights. 

I may introduce a captain or lieutenant or some other semi-major NPC that steps up to fight you. If that happens, I will let you know. In this case, we would revert to standard combat for your character.

2. Enemies will roll 2d6 per attacker and hit on a die result of 1 or 2 for 2d6+2 damage minus any armor protection

3. The number of Enemy attackers above does not imply that that is all of the soldiers the character may attack on his turn. It implies that in the fray of combat, that is how many attackers took a swing at the character.

4. Characters then may roll 3d6 per round and will kill one enemy soldier per die based on the results of each die roll and their current Health/Weariness (consult the chart below)

Healthy/Hale: 1-5
Dazed/Winded: 1-4
Injured/Tired: 1-3
Wounded/Weary: 1-2
Incapacitated/Spent: 1
Near Death: Cannot combat

5. The characters will skirmish two times for each Battle round (perform steps 1-4 twice each round) and must make a Weariness Test TN 10 at the end of the two attacks. Skirmishes are considered simultaneous combat in regards to results.

If a character wishes to get out of the heat of battle, you must announce it and I will then determine what it takes for him to retreat.

Any questions, just ask...

[tomcat]

Harizän the Easterling rode at the fore of his wainriders. It was early morning and patches of fog still clung to the low-lying areas of the plains that surrounded. Above, the sky was blue and the sun would shine on the field - a perfect day for bloodletting.

The Sagath had been harried by small units of Éothraim Cavalry for the last two days, drawing them southward towards the Dinvuld Hills. Harizän knew what was happening and let the straw-hairs bring him to where they wanted to battle. It mattered not to him. The field would be his once engaged.

Before the Easterling army, a cliff rose from the plains; a precursor to the rocky Dinvuld Hills that continued south. Before the cliff was a large flat field and a road that merchants had cut into the grass. There was even a small homestead, with crops beginning to show in the fields.

Harizän knew that the Éothraim would have bowmen atop the cliff - a very strategic position that would be tough to assail. Arrayed before him on the large battlefield to come was the bulk of the host of Thuidmar, his colorful banners fluttering in the early morning breeze.

Dirnhael also rode before a host. Beside him was his friends and the captains of the Ilanin guard. Their troop were mostly on foot, and it had been a slower march than desired, but still they hoped to meet up with the Easterlings before long. The trail left behind by the wainriders was quite clear to see and thus they knew they were going in the right direction.



[OOC:] Okay... here is how this will go.

The Ilanin guard, though on foot, still moved faster than the whole host of wagons of the Easterlings (primarily because they did not skirmish along the way, and also because you guys have little in the way of support wagons or men to slow you down). This said, what took almost three days for the Sagath to cover took only a day and a half for the Company. You guys will arrive at the battlefield 1 1/4 hours after the battle begins (or 5 rounds).

I will be starting  a series of Battle - Rounds next that will give details of each round of combat and also where you will make your posts. Feel free to give me narrative and dialogue throughout to make the battle take dimension!

Have fun!! 

Lastly, should Fengel decide to challenge Harizän when he arrives on the field, let me know and we shall see what happens. It will be interesting to see what Harizän is thinking then.

[GandalfOfBorg]

OOC:   Leeeeet's get ready to RUUUMMMMMMBLLLLLE!!!   (D

[Palandil]

OOC: Hey if we're going to stop for a while, this will be one heck of an end!  Looking forward to it!
And we've all said it before but, thanks for narrating so awesomely Tomcat!

[tomcat]

[OOC:] It is my pleasure Paul! Thanks to you guys for roleplaying so awesome! It takes all of us to make this thing work the way it does.

Just remember that the hiatus is not a long one and you will be due back to continue your role as Fengel. Don't let life get too involved that you forget about us here! 

Also, I have added a new series of links that will allow you to see the battlemaps in progression (on the Battle Map page)... just me tinkering as always. Anyway, you will be able to see a graphical flow of the combat.

[sdrotar]

OOC: I'm looking forward to using this system; it seems sensible and straightforward.

[GandalfOfBorg]

FYI: On my website, you can get the mass combat maneuver on cards to reference from.