With Arms and Sorcery

With Arms and Sorcery is a mass-combat supplement for By Blade And Spell.
It gives you rules for running battles involving lots of combatants.

Design Notes:

  • PC as Hero units
  • Keep 2d6 resolution
  • Alternating Activation
  • Magic is not a superweapon

Units

AV: Light Armor (9) Medium Armor (7) Heavy Armor (5)
2d6+Attack <= AV -> Hit

Experience:

  • Elite -> +2 Attack, High Morale
  • Veteran -> +1 Attack, High Morale
  • Regular -> 0 Attack, Medium Morale
  • Inexperienced -> -1 Attack, Low Morale
  • Levy -> -2 Attack, Low Morale

Cavalry:
-> +1 Charge Bonus
Anti-Cavallery (Pikes!):
-> Negate Charge Bonus, +1 Attack

Flanking: +1 Attack

Morale:
2d6 <= Morale Value -> Pass

HIt -> 1d6 Damage
Each Unit has X Hit Points (corresponds to its size)
Fall below Half HP: Pass Morale or flee

Half the army destroyed or fleeing: Morale test for all units

Heroes

1v1 each other with normal combat rules

Fight as part of units -> +1 Morale, +1 Attack

Take damage last

Unit vs hero: Unit does 1 attack per HP remaining.

Magic

Area spells can affect one unit.

Single target spells can only affect heroes, or always just do 1 damage.

Use referee judgment for environmental spells.

Turn Order

  • Roll Initiative: 1d6 per side, re-roll ties, sides go in order
  • Each side activates 1 unit:
    • Unit moves, charges or fires ranged attacks
  • Melee is conducted:
    • Each side (in order of initiative) picks one melee to conduct
    • Go around the table, until all units in melee have fought.
  • Morale for losing half the army is checked
  • Next turn!