Heroes of Battle for DS - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Heroes of Battle for DS

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
the_peacebringer
May 19, 2006 7:09:23 I'm currently converting Road to Urik and I was wondering if Heroes of Battle would be any help for the war battles. Is there any well-made rules on these in that book usable for DS or is it just stuff that revolves around the war (without actually being in it)?

I'm looking for something like 2nd ed's BATTLESYSTEM rules for 3.5, is this it? Is it worth it?
#2
mystictheurge
May 19, 2006 7:43:14 I'm also going to be doing a Crimson Legion parallel to start out my campaign. I'm definitely going to make heavy use of the Heroes of Battle rules. They are however, nothing like 2E battlesystem.

HoB is more focused on how you can continue to have regular encounters in a war campaign. It doesn't really have rules for large armies. The main system suggests using "Victory Points" which your heroes earn through certain encounters on the battlefield (They captured this barricade, they defeated these elite units, etc.) which go to turn the tide of the battle. Then depending on how many, and which, victory points your PCs earned, you can determine how successful their side was.

However, if you just want some extra little tidbits for your war, or some suggestions on how to plot and run a war, HoB is a pretty good book.
#3
dirk00001
May 19, 2006 10:17:56 This was discussed in a different thread, and one of the suggestions (which I strongly back) is to purchase Cry Havoc from Malhavoc Press. It's written by Skip Williams, and does an extremely good job of converting "regular" 3e combat rules scaled-up to ~10-creature units, allowing for decently-paced battles with upwards of 200 creatures on a side quite easily, and also includes rules for doing army-vs-army battles (with each "turn" lasting 1 day) and even month-long campaigns. I've used the unit-scale rules in my DS campaign and it worked out very nicely, was quick to learn, and the players all enjoyed it. So, one of the guys in the group decided to use it for a large battle in his campaign (with a couple different players than were in my group) and they liked it just as much. Since it's scaleable and based on regular D&D rules, it also means that you can "convert" from one scale to another as necessary - so for instance you could start with the day-long army rules, then based on how your characters roleplay it (which units they say they're fighting along side, etc.) scale down to unit-level combat between the units that the PCs are with and the enemies that end up facing them, and then from there scale down to regular combat when the PCs make contact with, say, the HQ unit of the badguys.

Definitely worth buying - IIRC it's only ~$20 direct-ship from Malhavoc.
#4
the_peacebringer
May 19, 2006 12:15:46 Thanks, guys. Much appreciated!
#5
ruhl-than_sage
May 19, 2006 16:03:36 Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D
#6
dirk00001
May 19, 2006 18:56:21
Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D

Hehe I always forget about the miniatures rules.
#7
Zardnaar
May 19, 2006 20:32:14
Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D

Guilty as charged. Have to use your imagination a bit. That Orc savage is a Mul really/
#8
ruhl-than_sage
May 19, 2006 20:47:58
Guilty as charged. Have to use your imagination a bit. That Orc savage is a Mul really/

Yah, exactly. There are guidelines in the Miniature's Handbook, for converting characters into miniature's rules, which could be used to represent specail characters involved in the combat, or units for which there is no close equivilient.

A lot of the figures make good DS stand-ins. The hill giants all make good half-giants, there are a couple of thri-kreen figures already (even if they don't have thoraxes like they are supposed to in DS), Warduke makes an awesome gladiator or champion. You can do a pretty good job on most types of characters.
#9
Zardnaar
May 20, 2006 1:33:55 Last week our y PCs fought some elite Half Giants from Urik. Wading into battle came 6 Skullcrusher Ogre minis while the dozen archers or so were Graycloak Rangers. I've got a Thri Kreen Barbariand and 4 Hill Giant Barbarians on the way from the states. My PCs use.

Templar=Cleric of Dol Arrah
Halfling Ranger= Skull Clan Hunter
Water Cleric= Cleric of Hextor
Hammanu-Valoriouos Prince

I figured they were close enough.
#10
the_peacebringer
May 22, 2006 8:05:56
A lot of the figures make good DS stand-ins. The hill giants all make good half-giants, there are a couple of thri-kreen figures already (even if they don't have thoraxes like they are supposed to in DS), Warduke makes an awesome gladiator or champion. You can do a pretty good job on most types of characters.

Coupled with a few good 'ol DS Ral Partha miniatures... :D
#11
the_peacebringer
May 26, 2006 6:54:33 I have acquired Cry Havoc and I liked what I read. Thanks for the suggestions.
#12
dirk00001
May 28, 2006 23:27:53
I have acquired Cry Havoc and I liked what I read. Thanks for the suggestions.

#1 suggestion - attach a "hero" NPC (squad leader) to every unit (or formation of units), so that they all get at least 1 free command action each round. If you don't do that it gets pretty silly.
#2 - unless you've got some specific reason for doing so, always make spellcasters and psions "hero" NPCs and just attach them to other units so they don't get picked off right away.
#13
the_peacebringer
Jun 02, 2006 15:52:51 Thanks for the suggestions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 the_peacebringer May 19, 2006 7:09:23	I'm currently converting Road to Urik and I was wondering if Heroes of Battle would be any help for the war battles. Is there any well-made rules on these in that book usable for DS or is it just stuff that revolves around the war (without actually being in it)? I'm looking for something like 2nd ed's BATTLESYSTEM rules for 3.5, is this it? Is it worth it?
#2 mystictheurge May 19, 2006 7:43:14	I'm also going to be doing a Crimson Legion parallel to start out my campaign. I'm definitely going to make heavy use of the Heroes of Battle rules. They are however, nothing like 2E battlesystem. HoB is more focused on how you can continue to have regular encounters in a war campaign. It doesn't really have rules for large armies. The main system suggests using "Victory Points" which your heroes earn through certain encounters on the battlefield (They captured this barricade, they defeated these elite units, etc.) which go to turn the tide of the battle. Then depending on how many, and which, victory points your PCs earned, you can determine how successful their side was. However, if you just want some extra little tidbits for your war, or some suggestions on how to plot and run a war, HoB is a pretty good book.
#3 dirk00001 May 19, 2006 10:17:56	This was discussed in a different thread, and one of the suggestions (which I strongly back) is to purchase Cry Havoc from Malhavoc Press. It's written by Skip Williams, and does an extremely good job of converting "regular" 3e combat rules scaled-up to ~10-creature units, allowing for decently-paced battles with upwards of 200 creatures on a side quite easily, and also includes rules for doing army-vs-army battles (with each "turn" lasting 1 day) and even month-long campaigns. I've used the unit-scale rules in my DS campaign and it worked out very nicely, was quick to learn, and the players all enjoyed it. So, one of the guys in the group decided to use it for a large battle in his campaign (with a couple different players than were in my group) and they liked it just as much. Since it's scaleable and based on regular D&D rules, it also means that you can "convert" from one scale to another as necessary - so for instance you could start with the day-long army rules, then based on how your characters roleplay it (which units they say they're fighting along side, etc.) scale down to unit-level combat between the units that the PCs are with and the enemies that end up facing them, and then from there scale down to regular combat when the PCs make contact with, say, the HQ unit of the badguys. Definitely worth buying - IIRC it's only ~$20 direct-ship from Malhavoc.
#4 the_peacebringer May 19, 2006 12:15:46	Thanks, guys. Much appreciated!
#5 ruhl-than_sage May 19, 2006 16:03:36	Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D
#6 dirk00001 May 19, 2006 18:56:21	Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D Hehe I always forget about the miniatures rules.
#7 Zardnaar May 19, 2006 20:32:14	Or if you have D&D miniatures you could use those for mass combat :D Guilty as charged. Have to use your imagination a bit. That Orc savage is a Mul really/
#8 ruhl-than_sage May 19, 2006 20:47:58	Guilty as charged. Have to use your imagination a bit. That Orc savage is a Mul really/ Yah, exactly. There are guidelines in the Miniature's Handbook, for converting characters into miniature's rules, which could be used to represent specail characters involved in the combat, or units for which there is no close equivilient. A lot of the figures make good DS stand-ins. The hill giants all make good half-giants, there are a couple of thri-kreen figures already (even if they don't have thoraxes like they are supposed to in DS), Warduke makes an awesome gladiator or champion. You can do a pretty good job on most types of characters.
#9 Zardnaar May 20, 2006 1:33:55	Last week our y PCs fought some elite Half Giants from Urik. Wading into battle came 6 Skullcrusher Ogre minis while the dozen archers or so were Graycloak Rangers. I've got a Thri Kreen Barbariand and 4 Hill Giant Barbarians on the way from the states. My PCs use. Templar=Cleric of Dol Arrah Halfling Ranger= Skull Clan Hunter Water Cleric= Cleric of Hextor Hammanu-Valoriouos Prince I figured they were close enough.
#10 the_peacebringer May 22, 2006 8:05:56	A lot of the figures make good DS stand-ins. The hill giants all make good half-giants, there are a couple of thri-kreen figures already (even if they don't have thoraxes like they are supposed to in DS), Warduke makes an awesome gladiator or champion. You can do a pretty good job on most types of characters. Coupled with a few good 'ol DS Ral Partha miniatures... :D
#11 the_peacebringer May 26, 2006 6:54:33	I have acquired Cry Havoc and I liked what I read. Thanks for the suggestions.
#12 dirk00001 May 28, 2006 23:27:53	I have acquired Cry Havoc and I liked what I read. Thanks for the suggestions. #1 suggestion - attach a "hero" NPC (squad leader) to every unit (or formation of units), so that they all get at least 1 free command action each round. If you don't do that it gets pretty silly. #2 - unless you've got some specific reason for doing so, always make spellcasters and psions "hero" NPCs and just attach them to other units so they don't get picked off right away.
#13 the_peacebringer Jun 02, 2006 15:52:51	Thanks for the suggestions.