Quote Originally Posted by Sir Tiamat View Post
Your other points also deserve a reply



Actually, states balance against power, or threat through a delicate and unstable system of alliances. And though the costs of military units should be balanced, state power should not be… The big fish in the pond with the biggest army will still win by overwhelming force.



I aimed to achieve two things…

First I wanted my players to be able to design their own elite units, as fitting their characters and domains… how would one create the “Protectors of the Erebannien”, my players can also take ten soldiers to accompany them on a diplomatic mission.

Second I desired to abandon the abstract war-game-like birthright combat system and have my players be present at the field of battle. This system allows me to zoom in on the surrounded count Luqian and his routing army... That when all fails and his attempts to rally fail miserably he is joined by his loyal company of knights, well the three knights that are left of it…. Now Luqian and his three companions can attempt to break through the enemy lines consisting of 100 warriors with chain shirts and Halberds…
Oh, I agree, in the spirit of having elite units, although in our game these almost always being a part of a regents household, because such groups or individuals tend to come to a regents notice or are given such posts as rewards.

In our campaign, we pretty much chucked the card system as designed, and used the stats of the units to create stands of miniatures. regents and players get their own command stands, and we play battles out on a board, while simultaneously role playing incidents the characters are involved in.

We have generals write orders, and deliver them to the armies simultaneously, then work out the actual course of the movements by initiatives as modified by stats, and then come into contact. Any fights that don't have a player present are abstracted, but fights they are present at and can influence, we roleplay out. I tend to give verbal snapshots of the action, when a character isn't fighting, and can look around, he gets a bigger picture of what is happening, as a unit he or she is with moves into contact, the focus narrows to a mid-range, and when the melee is happening, the characters have their hands full keeping themselves alive. When unexpected events occur, it can be funny to watch players reactions as they step back to take in the big picture once more.

Nothing sucks more to me than turing a perfectly good roleplaying opportunity into nothing more than dice rolling or a card game.