War, like it or not, is often the catalyst for change at a national level, changing borders and Kings. Naturally, that makes it a frequent component of RPGs, whether the threat of it, or being in the thick of battle. And your players will want to be involved, so don’t leave them out! However, unless you’re playing Warhammer, pushing regiments of miniatures around the table isn’t what you want to be doing, as your players will end up feeling left out and very short on time spent. So what you want is to find a way of making war, and large battles, interesting but not overwhelming. Depending on your players’ influence and level, this means it’s a good idea to have different types of scenes for them. So, at lower levels, and in grim and dark settings, your players might find themselves not interacting with a large battle directly, instead seeking shelter, carrying messages, or scampering through big set-pieces and trying to stay out of the way. Once they’re past the first few levels, they’ll likely want to play a role- taking out specific enemy units (ogres are good for this, generally) or defending a bridge or small building. As their power grows, their capability will grow- a warrior can generally take on multiple skilled opponents, a spellcaster can obliterate vast groups of enemies, and rogues can plant traps and ambushes, removing elite enemies. This means that the adventuring party may be capable of accomplishing goals much like a larger regiment, as each has the capability and powers of many lesser soldiers. At even higher levels, the players may have the capacity to handle entire armies alone- and let them! Sometimes, getting to fight lots of low-level soldiers is a great experience which allows the players to throw everything they’ve got at an enemy- and have it work! So, remember to think about your players’ capabilities, and challenge them appropriately. Everyone wants to enjoy their experience, including the GM. So make it fun for everyone! (Originally posted on 14 February 2018) Categories All Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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