16.0 CAMPAIGN RULES
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The BATTLESYSTEM game can be played in the
context of a grand AD&D or D&D
role-playing
campaign. The special Campaign Rules are used for that
purpose.
CASES
The "kills" in a BATTLESYSTEM
battle represent actual kills, wounds that
immobilize or disable, and routed or
fleeing characters.
If you are playing a campaign battle,
you can recover some of your "killed"
forces when the battle is over.
On that part of the battlefield your
forces hold when the battle is over, you
can recover 2/3 of the "dead" troops. You
can also recover 2/3 of any forces routed
off the tabletop (the remainder are
assumed to have run away, never to
return).
You can also take prisoner 1/3 of the
enemy forces that fell on that part of the
battlefield you hold. (Alternatively, you
can kill them or let them escape.) Dealing
with the prisoners you have captured is
part of the on-going campaign, and is not
dealt with here. Possibilities incl.
holding them for ransom, charming them
into joining your side, or trading them
for your forces that the enemy took
prisoner.
In addition to all normal experience
awards under the AD&D and D&D
game systems, the following experience
points apply to BATTLESYSTEM
engagements.
If the soldiers in the unit are capable of
earning XP, they earn the
total XP kill value of all enemies their
unit killed || routed off the tabletop
divided by the # of soldiers who
survived the battle. A unit that earns
enough XP can raise all its
members in level, but must be able to
raise all its members simultaneously in
order to do so.
If a Unit Commander is capable of
earning XP (even if his unit
is not capable of earning XP),
he receives 25% of the total XP
kill value of all enemies his unit killed ||
routed off the tabletop, minus 25% of
the XP value for all figures in his unit
that were removed from the battle.
(There is no penalty for wounded figures,
and there is no benefit for figures
recovered after the battle under [16.1],
above.) In +addtion+, of course, he
receives any XP for
individual combat in which he
participated.
If a Brigade Commander is capable of
earning experience (even if his
subordinate commanders and troops
cannot), he receives 25% of the XP
earned by each subordinate Unit
Commander (or what that Unit
Commander would earn if capable of
earning experience), and 25% of the XP
earned by each subordinate skirmish ||
mob unit, as well as any XP earned
through individual combat.
If an Army Commander is capable of
earning experience, he receives 50% of
what each of his Brigade Commanders
earn (or would earn if they could earn
XP), in +addition+ to any XP
earned through individual combat. If an
Army Commander has no subordinate
Brigade Commanders, his XP is
calculated in the same way as a Brigade
Commander.
Regardless of the battlefield losses, a
commander can never receive a negative
XP award for command. If
the XP award is a -negative- #, the
commander receives an XP award of 0.
There are several different ways to
fight a BATTLESYSTEM battle: you
can use a published BATTLESYSTEM
adventure or scenario from TSR, Inc.,
you can work a major battle into your
campaign, or you can create your own
battles and fight them as a miniatures
wargame.
At some point you find that you
must create an army to fight the forces of
your PCs. How do you create
an army that is challenging but not
overwhelming?
This section is designed to provide
guidelines for creating armies that are
roughly equal so that you can put
together your own battles. It is a
guideline only, since such factors as
terrain, generalship, and military
objective can have as much to do with
victory and defeat as the strength of the
armies themselves.
First, calculate the strength of the PCs
and their forces to determine the number
of Points and the Power Level of those
forces. Determine whether one side has a
terrain or defensive advantage. Then,
using the system below, begin to build
the opposing army.
You can also use this section to create
two armies that are roughly equal in
order to just fight a battle.
The following Power Levels govern the
type of game and the amount of magic
that can be used.
BASIC GAME: Only Basic Game
rules are allowed; forces that have
Intermediate or Advanced Game abilities
cannot use them.
INTERMEDIATE GAME: Only Basic
Game and Intermediate Game rules are
allowed; forces htat have Advanced
Game abilities cannot use them.
ADVANCED GAME/LOW MAGIC: In the
AD&D game, all
BATTLESYSTEM rules are allowed;
spells and spell effects higher than 2nd
level are not permitted; no magic item
worth 1,200 XP or more is permitted. In
the D&D game, all D&D Basic Game
rules and items are permitted.
ADVANCED GAME/MEDIUM MAGIC: In the
AD&D game, all
BATTLESYSTEM rules are allowed;
spells and spell effects higher than 5th
level are not permitted; no magic item
worth 4,000 XP or more is permitted. In
the D&D game, all D&D Basic and
Expert Game rules and items are
permitted.
ADVANCED GAME/HIGH MAGIC:
In the AD&D game, all
BATTLESYSTEM rules are allowed; all
spells and spell effects are allowed; each
side can have no more than one wish
spell for each 50,000 points it has;
artifacts are not permitted. In the D&D
game, all D&D Basic, Expert, and
Companion Game rules and items are
permitted.
ADVANCED GAME/ANYTHING GOES:
In the AD&D game, all
BATTLESYSTEM rules are allowed; all
spells and spell effects are allowed;
unlimited use of wish spells and artifacts
permitted (within cost limits). In
the D&D game, all official rules and
items in any boxed game or module are
permitted. Special or custom items
permitted with the approval of the
referee.
Each side receives a set number of points
it can spend on troops, magic, and
equipment. You can give a total #
of points or you can give different totals
for troops and commanders.
Each side can spend points according
to the costs on Table 18. The referee has
final say on how points are to be
calculated, decides what is legal, and sets
any special conditions for the battle.
(Alternatively, the players can decide this
among themselves in advance.)
Table 18: Point Costs.
Creature/Item Cost
| SPELLS | Pay 50 points per level of the spell (e.g., a 4th level spell costs 200 points) |
| MAGICAL ITEMS (AD&D game) | 50% of the XP value from the DMG or other official source. If item has charges and also has spell capabilities above 3rd level, pay spell costs for each charge. (Scrolls cost only the value ofthe spell(s) they contain.) |
| MAGICAL ITEMS (D&D game) | Varies by type. All plusses on wewapons and armor cost 50 points
per plus. Items that simulate spell effects cost 100 points per charge
per spell level, or 1000 points per spell level if use is unlimited.
Miscellaneous magic items cost 500 points each if they are in the Basic set, 2,500 each points if they are in the Expert set, 5,000 points each if they are in the Companion set, and 7,500 points each if they are in the Masters or higher sets. If the level of the item is unknown, consider it to be a Companion item. The referee can adjust these figures for game balance if he so desires. |
| ARTIFACTS/CURSED ITEMS | Cannot be purchased.
OPTIONAL RULE(AD&D game only): Can be purchased for 50% of the GP sale value. |
| CHARACTER TYPES | Pay 1% of the max. XP value for the level and class of the desired
character type. Multi-classed characters pay the total cost for all classes.
In
+addition+, pay spell costs for all spell levels the character is capable of casting, and pay for all magic items the character possesses. |
| MONSTERS | AD&D GAME: Pay the XP value for killing
the creature, using the official AD&D game value or as calculated by
the DMG method, p. 85, whichever is higher.
D&D GAME: Pay three times the XP value for killing the creatures. BOTH GAMES: If monster has spell-use, pay spell costs for all spell levels monster is capable of using. If mosnter has innate spell abilities, pay 50 points per spell level. If the monster's innate spell abilities are improved (usable at will, no save, extra range, no error, etc.), pay 100 points per spell level. |
| CATAPULTS AND BALLISTAE | 200 points apiecee. |
EXAMPLES (AD&D game):
An 18th level fighter/18th level
M-U w/ chain mail +3, shield +1,
sword of dancing, a wand of fire,
a ring of invisibility, and a scroll of
5 5th level spells costs the following:
| F 18 (2,750,000 XP) | 27, 500 pts. |
| MU 18 (3,375,000 XP) | 33,750 pts. |
| Spells (139 spell levels) | 6,950 pts. |
| Chain mail +3 (2,000 XP) | 1,000 pts. |
| Shield +1 (250 XP) | 125 pts. |
| Sword of Dancing (4,400 XP) | 2,200 pts. |
| Wand of Fire (4,500 XP) | 2,250 pts. |
| Ring of Invisibility (1,500 XP) | 750 pts. |
| Scroll of 4 5th level spells (25 spell levels) | 1,250 pts. |
| TOTAL | 75,775 pts. |
100 ghouls (65 XP per ghoul) = 6,500 pts.
100 1st level fighters (2,000 XP each) with swords +1 (400 XP each) = 22,000 pts.
1 Iron Golem = 14,550 pts.
1 Lich (10,500 XP), abilities as 18th level Magic-User (139 spell levels @ 50 pts. each) = 17,450 pts.
1 Efreeti (1,950 XP), capable of 3 wishes per day (27 spell levels=1,350
pts.), has
innate spell abilities (14 spell levels=700 pts.), can enter gaseous
form (use potion
cost), since there is no direct spell equivalent, <cf. smoky form
in OA>
300 XP = 150 pts.), has
unlimited use of produce fire and pyrotechnics (3 spell levels @ 100
pts.
each) = 4,450 pts.
If there is any disagreement about how to
calculate the point cost of a particular
creature or item, always use the method
that gives the highest total cost.
Q: When figuring the
BATTLESYSTEM
supplement point cost for
heroes,
what do you charge for psionics?
How much for each major
and minor
ability?
A: There is no fixed
cost for major or minor
psionic disciplines. The
referee (or the
players, if there is no
referee) must decide
which spell or magic item
each ability
approximates; the point
cost for the ability
is the same as the equivalent
spell or magic
item. Since most disciplines
are usable as
long as the character possessing
them has
psionic strength, treat
them as innate spell
abilities (100 points per
spell level).
(127.67)
The BATTLESYSTEM rules govern
only the most basic elements of mass
combat. Because of the profusion of
strange monsters, magic spells, and
magical items in both the AD&D and
D&D games (and the likelihood of
much more to come!), and because of the
different playing styles that each player
can adopt, it is inappropriate of us to tell
you what ist he only "correct" way to
play.
However, we can tell you that the use
of common sense will greatly improve
your enjoyment. For example, although
the rules don't forbid it, elves
commanded by a half-orc should
certainly suffer some sort of morale
penalty. And before you equip 2,000
kobolds with longbows, remember that
<can kobolds even use longbows?>
the longbow is a difficult weapon that
requires strength and many years of practice.
Creatures of widely differing alignment
are unlikely to work together
in harmony. Of course, there's nothing to
stop you from putting together an
arbitrary and silly battle for an evening's
pleasure. But there is more pleasure to be
found in a well-designed, well-balanced
scenario where the individual
components all make sense in medieval
fantasy, the use of powerful magic is kept
within reasonable bounds, and the whole
battle is integrated into an ongoing
campaign.
Reduce - Reuse - Recycle