Mass Combat

It is possible to use these rules for Challenges and Contests, but the most common is a Conflict. These rules allow for massive battles to take places where the action is more than just a backdrop for the players. The rules allow for PCs to directly enter the conflict.

Zones

Just as with regular Fate Zones the area is divided into zones. Although they may be larger in terms of physical area and distance in all other respects they function exactly as normal Fate zones.

Quality

Each participant in mass combat will have a Quality and Scale rating. Their Quality is represented on the Fate Ladder, while their Scale represents power. For most mass combats it is assumed that everyone will be operating at the same scale. In most cases a leader or unit with a higher scale can be better represented by increasing their quality.

A Leader is represented by a number of Stunts equal to the level of their Quality. A Leader cannot act on their own, as they have no skills or approaches. Instead they must be attached to a unit and only act through that unit. Not all of their stunts must be applicable to their current unit as leaders can change to different units during combat. A leader can move up to 1 zone during their turn. They cannot influence more than one unit during a turn.

Normally a leader is defeated when the unit they are attached to is defeated. For each stunt left open the controlling player may escape from a unit that has been defeated. If a leader is defeated their fate is in the hands of the player that defeated them.

Only a single leader can be attached to a unit.

A leader, while notable, is not a Player Character.

Example Winifred True-Eye is a Superb(+5) leader known for her skill in archery. She has the following stunts.

  • Dead-Eye: Attached unit gets +1 when using Forceful at a target not in its zone.
  • Dance in the Shade: For the cost of 1 Stress a Unit gains Weapon:2
  • Eye for Detail: The unit is +1 when defending vs Trickery on a battlefield
  • Open:
  • Open:

She has left two stunt slots open so that she can survive 2 units under her being defeated before she suffers defeat herself.

The mass part of mass combat is identified by units. A unit does not have to be a huge number of individuals, but instead these are entities that function together as a team. A ten man engineering unit operating a pair of catapults and a regiment of light infantry could both be considered units.

Aspect

Each unit has an high concept aspect that functionally describe the unit.

Approaches

All units use the following approaches to define themselves.

  • Discipline: Order, morale, and security
  • Force: Arms, size, and artillery
  • Influence: Propaganda, diplomacy, and intimidation
  • Mobility: Speed, navigation, and tactical maneuvers
  • Planning: Logistics, strategy, and reconnaissance
  • Trickery: Spies, deception, and ambushes

The values of these approaches depends on the Quality of the Unit on the Fate Ladder. No unit can have a skill less than Terrible(-2) regardless of their Quality. The maximum Quality of a unit is Superb(+5).

  • 1 at Quality
  • 2 at Quality-1
  • 2 at Quality-2
  • 1 at Quality-3

Example A Good(+3) Unit, the Pikemen of the Far Hills, might have the following approaches. Discipline+3, Force+2, Mobility+2, Planning+1, Influence+1, and Trickery+0

Example 2 The Peasant Militia of Roving Rock is a fair Fair(+2) unit. It has the following approaches. Force+2, Discipline+1, Trickery+1, Mobility+0, Planning+0, and Influence-1.

Stress and Consequences

A unit has a number of stress boxes equal to its Quality Rating. Each Stress box only absorbs 1 shift of damage, but you can mark off as many Stress Boxes as you want during a single turn. A unit does not have any consequences.

Example The Pikemen of Far Hills have a Good(+3) Quality. This gives them 3 Stress Boxes.

There are Units that are not just Superb, but the stuff of Legends. It gains the following benefits.

  • An elite unit cannot be destroyed by any non-elite unit when it is Taken Out.
  • One (1) free invoke on their aspect for each Quality Level above Superb(+5).
  • Condition: Battered (lasting)[ ] Mark this condition to absorb up to a unit's Quality rating in shifts of damage. An aspect it put on the unit representing its danger with the opposition give a free invoke. If an Elite unit is taken out, even by a non-elite unit, while Battered, destruction is on the line.

Example The Pikemen of Far Hills have battled for over a decade and become known throughout the lands.

  • Aspect: Pikes of the Black Fist (1 free invoke)
  • Quality: Epic(+6)
  • Approaches: Force+5, Discipline+4, Trickery+4, Mobility+3, Planning+3, and Influence+2
  • Stress: [ 1 ][ 1 ][ 1 ][ 1 ][ 1 ][ 1 ]
  • Battered: [ 6 ]

A Player Character can act as a leader. While doing so any of their stunts and aspects that would apply to the unit they are attached to can be used. In addition a PC may use their Consequences to absorb damage for their attached unit. If a unit is defeated while a PC is attached to attached to it death is never on the line. A PC is far too important to be killed during Mass Combat.

As Units have approaches different from the skills/approaches of a player character, the GM will adjudicate which stunts are applicable based upon the fiction.

A Leader can be attached to a unit with a PC attach, but cannot confer any of its own abilities to the unit.