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Small Unit Tactics

One of my hobbies is heavy weapons combat in the Society for Creative Anachronism. This is a martial art/sport that is meant to simulate medieval combat, with swords and maces and polearms. We use rattan (like solid bamboo) sticks to wallop each other, and wear armor to keep from getting concussions and broken limbs.

Most PCs go 'round in groups of three to eight. When it's time to fight, each one picks a Bad Guy, and the Bad Guys obligingly line up to attack the PCs. This isn't terribly bright of either side.

Strategy is the planning of an overall military campaign. Tactics are the planning of single battles or encounters. Small unit tactics, as I am familiar with them, involve the movement of around three to five people - about the size of the average adventuring band.

The Basics

The first and most important rule is to stick together. Imagine a lone warrior. He can defend his front pretty well, his flanks not so well, and his rear not at all. Now give him two buddies. Suddenly, they are protecting his flanks, and he's protecting one of each of theirs. They can worry less about getting hit and more about hitting.

Sticking together also increases your chances of doing damage, even against a superior opponent. Even the best warrior can only defend against so many attacks per second. (In real life, anyway: if you want to play Aragorn and kill thirty or fourty orcs at a go, that's all you). This is that "wolf-pack" tactics you might have heard of. Warrior 1, on the left, attacks the Bad Guy. The Bad Guy turns to attack Warrior 1, and Warrior 1 goes defensive. Meanwhile, his two buddies get attacks on the flank and rear of the Bad Guy.

The next Bad Guy decides to be more clever. Warrior 1 attacks him, but he doesn't turn and continues to attack Warriors 2 and 3. So Warrior 1 hits him again on his undefended side. With enough of you, the Bad Guy will have to leave some part of his body unguarded. Whichever part that is, someone in the group should hit!

The Impact of Magic

This is how I see things work in our mock combats. However, many FRPGs have area-of-effect spells. Some, cast by friendly forces, are beneficial. You'd want to fit as many men as possible together to recieve a blessing, for instance. But the enemy also has AoE spells, and being close together is a disadvantage if they are cast. Your magic system and magic prevalence will affect how these tactics work. If you have a GURPS-style, hand-sized fireball spell, that's not too earth-shaking. But a D&D-style 40' diameter fireball will wreak havoc on a group of men.

Incidentally, these things would also affect how wars are fought. A huge fireball can essentially destroy the front lines of an army. You can try to develop a new system of war for your world, or do what many fine authors of fantasy fiction do - ignore it.

Rewriting the Typical Encounter

The GM has been planning a Big Climactic Battle. The villans are the Evil Mage and the Evil Warrior, plus ten Evil Henchmen. The Henchmen are all given the standard Red-Shirt NPC armor and weapons package this GM uses - chain mail, shield, short sword. They won't be particularly ready for the PCs, but neither will they be surprised - they know intruders are in the area.

Let's say the PCs are Fighter 1, Fighter 2, Ranger, Priest, and Mage. Their skills are around those of the Evil NPCs (except the Henchmen, who are hopelessly outclassed).

Normally, the Big Encounter will occur in a room large enough to comfortably fit all parties. Fighter 1 will instantly make a beeline for the Evil Warrior, and Fighter 2 will probably head for the Evil Mage. The Ranger reluctantly hangs back to cover the magic-users of the party. Mage and Priest will probably unleash some sorts of area-of-effect spells on the Evil Henchmen. And like as not, that's what will happen. The Evil Warrior will happily engage Fighter 1. The Evil Mage will probably only get off one spell before Fighter 2 is on him. And the Evil Henchmen who aren't taken out via magic will die on the Ranger's swords.

Instead...

The Evil Henchmen are given instructions to form up into two groups of five. One group will protect the Evil Mage. The other will stay as far away from the first as possible. This way, the whole unit won't be taken out in one clever spell. Also, two Henchmen in each group have polearms.

The PCs burst into the room, which is perhaps not quite so spacious this time. (Even if the villians don't have time for an ambush, they can certainly retreat to a more fortified area if they know they have intruders on the loose). The Evil Warrior orders half the Evil Henchmen to the fore. Fighter 1 still manages to dash by them to engage the Evil Warrior in single combat, but the GM rules that Fighter 2 cannot just walk through the shield-men as if they aren't there, even if he's willing to take damage. They are body-blocking him.

Fighter 2, Ranger, and even Priest start in on the three Henchmen right in front of them. Behind those Henchmen are two with polearms, though, who attack the PCs. And the PCs can't reach them! The PC Mage can't see past the seething mass of men and casts some of his spells on them.

The PCs will still make short work of the mooks, but they've probably taken some damage. The Evil Mage has probably gotten off one or even two spells by now, although he'll have to either target Fighter 1 or throw an AoE spell in amongst the Evil Henchmen (which, being Evil, he may do anyway). It's only fair that, if the PC Mage can't see past the Henchmen, neither can the Evil Mage.

Depending on the battle and the whim of the GM, the five Henchmen with the Evil Mage might stay with him, or might run to the Evil Warrior if it looks like Fighter 1 is besting him - it will depend on their loyalties and fears. The Evil Mage probably won't risk his protection for his ally (again, that whole Evil thing), but if his bodyguards are the Evil Warrior's men... Fighter 1 might find himself attacked from the rear by five Henchmen!

The rest of the PCs will eventually do in the first five Henchmen. If you want, you can send in the other five and repeat the first half of combat. If things are going really poorly, the villians might just throw the Henchmen at the PCs and use them as a delaying tactic as a cover for their retreat. And of course, the Henchmen might surrender (especially if their boss runs away!). Saddle the PCs with some prisoners crying "Mercy!" whom they shouldn't kill in cold blood, but certainly can't trust at their backs.

A Short List of Rules of Thumb

  • Even one or two buddies increases your threat factor exponentially.
  • But groups that are too large risk getting hit by area-of-effect spells.
  • Swords and shields in the front; polearms, pikes, spears in the rear, archers on the flanks.
  • The flank gives spell-tossers a better view of the enemy but is a more open position.
  • The center protects the spell-tosser, but makes seeing targets difficult.
  • Weaker, less skillful fighters can be put front and center, with large shields. Let them do nothing but block for the polearm guy or spelltosser behind them. Plus, their flanks are protected by experienced fighters on either side of them.
  • Strong fighters can go anywhere and be useful.

So that's my small unit experience. Got a beef? Got a question? Go ahead and email me.

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