Post by Zyraen on Oct 18, 2013 10:02:56 GMT 8
NOTE : reading this is OPTIONAL. Nonetheless, feel free to read it.
It helps to provide a check-and-balance if some of the rules slip my mind.
SQUAD ATTACKS
A Squad usually comprises 1 Commander and 4 "Members". The "Members" are usually Mooks (for opposed side and also for allied side if they are considerable fewer than the enemies) or Minions (for an numerically evenly matched allied number).
Commanders are usually Standards or Elites, and their attacks are resolved normally, usually after their Squad Members attack. Note that you can vary this composition, a squad may function without a Commander.
1) Roll One D20 for 4 Member's Attacks. If the D20 is a natural 20, simply resolve as if all squad members hit, and add 1 more hit, jump to step 6
2) Add +2 for every Attacker, ie +2 +4 +6 or +8. Apply the usual Attack modifiers, but ignore Superior Cover / Total Concealment (see step 5)
3) Deduct the target's Defense, ie AC FRW
4) Divide the result by 4 (rounded down) for number of Hits, ie 0-3 no hits, 4-7 is 1 hit, 8-11 is 2 hits, 12-15 is 3 hits, 16-19 is 4 hits. However, the number of hits cannot exceed the number of attackers.
5) If there is Superior Cover / Total Concealment, halve the number of Hits (round down as usual)
6) Deal Damage. Each hit deals Damage equal to average Mook (or Minion) Damage.
7) Resolve Interrupts etc as usual. A reroll can be forced upon the whole squad, but it reduces by no more than 2 hits from the original result. An interrupt that evades (assuming there is room to evade) causes only 1 hit to miss, and the rest may switch to other abilities, such as charging or ranged attacks.
Unlike usual game, Crits can be affected by Interrupt Reroll and Defense up abilities. Rerolls reduce 1 hit automatically (no need to reroll), Defense up affects based on Sec Trait, and for a Critical hit the number of hits reduced is equivalent to Sec Trait divide by 4 (round down as usual).
When a Hero is rendered unconscious by a D20 attack, only use just enough hits to render the Hero unconscious. Remaining Hits either involve
a) Redirected to another Target of similar (or lower) AC and in similar Reach. In general, the Hits are transferred automatically, unless the new Target has significantly higher defenses.
b) Picking up then Binding the unconscious Character (treated as 1 hit per step). If a character that is picked up is healed, he automatically starts encircled (see below)
At Lower Levels or without many Area Attackers, using 8 Minions instead of 4 Mooks is more effective and prevents the Squad from being too hard to kill. Note that Area Attacking Heroes can obliterate an 8 Minion squad per Standard Action. You can simply limit it to max 4 down.
REMARKS: Mathematically, Step 4 equates to the average hit rate of about 56.25%, ie as if attacking AC equal to Atk + 9. For simplicity, this will be the ratio used to target a squad of the same level as the attackers.
AOE ON A SQUAD
To save time, targeting a squad with an AoE (usually an Area 1 or so) is resolved against 4 squad mooks/minions at the time, with a similar setting.
1) Roll One D20 for the Attacker. If the D20 is a natural 20, simply resolve as if all squad members get hit, and 1 is a crit, jump to step 6
2) Add 2 for every squad member targeted, ie +2 +4 +6 or +8. Apply the usual modifiers, but ignore Superior Cover (see step 5)
3) Deduct the target's Defense ie AC FRW
4) Divide the result by 4 (rounded down) for number of Hits, ie 0-3 no hits, 4-7 is 1 hit, 8-11 is 2 hits, 12-15 is 3 hits, 16-19 is 4 hits. However, the number of hits cannot exceed the number of targets.
5) If there is Superior Cover, halve the number of Hits (round down as usual)
6) Deal Damage.
7) Resolve Interrupts etc as usual.
=============
SQUAD SIZED MAP
Each square on the grid is 3x3 squares. A Squad cannot occupy more than 1 square.
Speed / Ranged / Reach translates as follows
1 square for 1-3
2 squares for 4-7
3 squares for 8-10
1x1 square for Blast 1-3 / Burst 1
2x2 squares for Blast 4-7 / Burst 2-3
3x3 squares for Blast 8-10 / Burst 4
Note that Close Burst X must include your own square.
Although the squares are 3x3, Flanking and benefits still applies based on the larger squares.
Due to the 3x3 square size, for simplicity, you cannot shift out of any square, but after you shift, you can then move without provoking OAs until End of your Turn.
Normally, you provoke OAs from half the Squad (rounded down) and the Commander. That can be quite a lot of attacks, and you provoke even OAs from the ENTIRE squad if you are Encircled! (see below)
NOTE: For GMs trying this out for the first time, take care to warn Heroes of the danger of provoking OAs from a Squad.
Generally speaking, Squads Cannot Shift. Hence do they not generally disengage from Melee, but fight until the Enemy is completely eliminated.
(Note that under Optional Rules on Squad Types, there is a type of Squad called Skirmishers that can leave Melee engagement with a single Move Action, without provoking OAs and without having to shift)
===============
OTHER NOTES
Movement Effects
Squads ignore ALL Forced Movement effects that does not apply to the whole squad.
In principle, you can pull/push/slide a squad member anywhere but he must end in the same square as his Squad.
A Squad Commander cannot be pulled/pushed/slid out of his Squad.
Leaving / Rejoining the Squad
Most Commanders should have Ranged attacks.
But otherwise, the Commander can leave the squad with usual Actions, eg. Move Action to leave the squad, or charging out of the Squad.
Usually the next Turn, his Squad will rejoin him, or otherwise do their best to catch up (eg. if the Commander is some sort of flying Angel and moves then charges beyond the speed of the Squad)
This Rule saves a Commander that has no legal targets from having nothing to do other than to attack or coup-de-grace an unconscious player.
Encirclement*
- Enemy Squads in an adjacent square can use a Move Action to enter the same square as an Individual to encircle an Individual.
- While encircled, you grant CA due to Flanking
- While encircled, you provoke OAs for any action that normally provokes an OA. This includes making Ranged or Area attacks, even if you have equipment or feats that state otherwise.
- While you are encircled, you provoke OAs from all members of the Squad
- While encircled, you cannot shift.
Targeting the Commander in a Squad*
- While the Commander is in a Squad that has more than 50% members of its members left, it is difficult to attack the Commander effectively except with Burst/Blast/Area attacks.
- Commanders do not provoke OAs while they are in their Squad. This means they can make Ranged, Area attacks without provoking OAs, and they can leave their squad behind in a Melee engagement without provoking OAs.
- If you're Melee, you have to spend a Move Action while adjacent and be affected by Partial Cover. If you do not Move adjacent, you are affected by Superior Cover or -3 penalty for Melee Attacks (whichever is worse)
- If you're Ranged, you are either affected by Superior Cover or take -3 penalty for Ranged Attacks (whichever is worse)
- Any Squad that attacks an Enemy Commander while he is in his squad suffers penalty as if affected by Superior Cover / Total Concealment. Feats do not circumvent this.
- If any Enemy squad is subject to Morale, once their Commander is down, they can make a saving throw, failing which they all flee. Thereafter, whenever they take damage or at the end of their Turn, they have to make a saving throw or flee.
* - Note that Encirclement and Targeting a Commander no longer apply when a Squad has 50% or less surviving Members.
It helps to provide a check-and-balance if some of the rules slip my mind.
SQUAD ATTACKS
A Squad usually comprises 1 Commander and 4 "Members". The "Members" are usually Mooks (for opposed side and also for allied side if they are considerable fewer than the enemies) or Minions (for an numerically evenly matched allied number).
Commanders are usually Standards or Elites, and their attacks are resolved normally, usually after their Squad Members attack. Note that you can vary this composition, a squad may function without a Commander.
1) Roll One D20 for 4 Member's Attacks. If the D20 is a natural 20, simply resolve as if all squad members hit, and add 1 more hit, jump to step 6
2) Add +2 for every Attacker, ie +2 +4 +6 or +8. Apply the usual Attack modifiers, but ignore Superior Cover / Total Concealment (see step 5)
3) Deduct the target's Defense, ie AC FRW
4) Divide the result by 4 (rounded down) for number of Hits, ie 0-3 no hits, 4-7 is 1 hit, 8-11 is 2 hits, 12-15 is 3 hits, 16-19 is 4 hits. However, the number of hits cannot exceed the number of attackers.
5) If there is Superior Cover / Total Concealment, halve the number of Hits (round down as usual)
6) Deal Damage. Each hit deals Damage equal to average Mook (or Minion) Damage.
7) Resolve Interrupts etc as usual. A reroll can be forced upon the whole squad, but it reduces by no more than 2 hits from the original result. An interrupt that evades (assuming there is room to evade) causes only 1 hit to miss, and the rest may switch to other abilities, such as charging or ranged attacks.
Unlike usual game, Crits can be affected by Interrupt Reroll and Defense up abilities. Rerolls reduce 1 hit automatically (no need to reroll), Defense up affects based on Sec Trait, and for a Critical hit the number of hits reduced is equivalent to Sec Trait divide by 4 (round down as usual).
When a Hero is rendered unconscious by a D20 attack, only use just enough hits to render the Hero unconscious. Remaining Hits either involve
a) Redirected to another Target of similar (or lower) AC and in similar Reach. In general, the Hits are transferred automatically, unless the new Target has significantly higher defenses.
b) Picking up then Binding the unconscious Character (treated as 1 hit per step). If a character that is picked up is healed, he automatically starts encircled (see below)
At Lower Levels or without many Area Attackers, using 8 Minions instead of 4 Mooks is more effective and prevents the Squad from being too hard to kill. Note that Area Attacking Heroes can obliterate an 8 Minion squad per Standard Action. You can simply limit it to max 4 down.
REMARKS: Mathematically, Step 4 equates to the average hit rate of about 56.25%, ie as if attacking AC equal to Atk + 9. For simplicity, this will be the ratio used to target a squad of the same level as the attackers.
AOE ON A SQUAD
To save time, targeting a squad with an AoE (usually an Area 1 or so) is resolved against 4 squad mooks/minions at the time, with a similar setting.
1) Roll One D20 for the Attacker. If the D20 is a natural 20, simply resolve as if all squad members get hit, and 1 is a crit, jump to step 6
2) Add 2 for every squad member targeted, ie +2 +4 +6 or +8. Apply the usual modifiers, but ignore Superior Cover (see step 5)
3) Deduct the target's Defense ie AC FRW
4) Divide the result by 4 (rounded down) for number of Hits, ie 0-3 no hits, 4-7 is 1 hit, 8-11 is 2 hits, 12-15 is 3 hits, 16-19 is 4 hits. However, the number of hits cannot exceed the number of targets.
5) If there is Superior Cover, halve the number of Hits (round down as usual)
6) Deal Damage.
7) Resolve Interrupts etc as usual.
=============
SQUAD SIZED MAP
Each square on the grid is 3x3 squares. A Squad cannot occupy more than 1 square.
Speed / Ranged / Reach translates as follows
1 square for 1-3
2 squares for 4-7
3 squares for 8-10
1x1 square for Blast 1-3 / Burst 1
2x2 squares for Blast 4-7 / Burst 2-3
3x3 squares for Blast 8-10 / Burst 4
Note that Close Burst X must include your own square.
Although the squares are 3x3, Flanking and benefits still applies based on the larger squares.
Due to the 3x3 square size, for simplicity, you cannot shift out of any square, but after you shift, you can then move without provoking OAs until End of your Turn.
Normally, you provoke OAs from half the Squad (rounded down) and the Commander. That can be quite a lot of attacks, and you provoke even OAs from the ENTIRE squad if you are Encircled! (see below)
NOTE: For GMs trying this out for the first time, take care to warn Heroes of the danger of provoking OAs from a Squad.
Generally speaking, Squads Cannot Shift. Hence do they not generally disengage from Melee, but fight until the Enemy is completely eliminated.
(Note that under Optional Rules on Squad Types, there is a type of Squad called Skirmishers that can leave Melee engagement with a single Move Action, without provoking OAs and without having to shift)
===============
OTHER NOTES
Movement Effects
Squads ignore ALL Forced Movement effects that does not apply to the whole squad.
In principle, you can pull/push/slide a squad member anywhere but he must end in the same square as his Squad.
A Squad Commander cannot be pulled/pushed/slid out of his Squad.
Leaving / Rejoining the Squad
Most Commanders should have Ranged attacks.
But otherwise, the Commander can leave the squad with usual Actions, eg. Move Action to leave the squad, or charging out of the Squad.
Usually the next Turn, his Squad will rejoin him, or otherwise do their best to catch up (eg. if the Commander is some sort of flying Angel and moves then charges beyond the speed of the Squad)
This Rule saves a Commander that has no legal targets from having nothing to do other than to attack or coup-de-grace an unconscious player.
Encirclement*
- Enemy Squads in an adjacent square can use a Move Action to enter the same square as an Individual to encircle an Individual.
- While encircled, you grant CA due to Flanking
- While encircled, you provoke OAs for any action that normally provokes an OA. This includes making Ranged or Area attacks, even if you have equipment or feats that state otherwise.
- While you are encircled, you provoke OAs from all members of the Squad
- While encircled, you cannot shift.
Targeting the Commander in a Squad*
- While the Commander is in a Squad that has more than 50% members of its members left, it is difficult to attack the Commander effectively except with Burst/Blast/Area attacks.
- Commanders do not provoke OAs while they are in their Squad. This means they can make Ranged, Area attacks without provoking OAs, and they can leave their squad behind in a Melee engagement without provoking OAs.
- If you're Melee, you have to spend a Move Action while adjacent and be affected by Partial Cover. If you do not Move adjacent, you are affected by Superior Cover or -3 penalty for Melee Attacks (whichever is worse)
- If you're Ranged, you are either affected by Superior Cover or take -3 penalty for Ranged Attacks (whichever is worse)
- Any Squad that attacks an Enemy Commander while he is in his squad suffers penalty as if affected by Superior Cover / Total Concealment. Feats do not circumvent this.
- If any Enemy squad is subject to Morale, once their Commander is down, they can make a saving throw, failing which they all flee. Thereafter, whenever they take damage or at the end of their Turn, they have to make a saving throw or flee.
* - Note that Encirclement and Targeting a Commander no longer apply when a Squad has 50% or less surviving Members.