Mass Combat

^{Source: LbE:70}

• A Mass Combat check represents the climax of a portion of a battle between the acting force (generally PCs' side) and enemy force (PCs' adversaries)
• Mass Combat is broken into a series of phases, with a Mass Combat check roll being made by the GM at the end of each phase
• During a phase, the PCs may have “regular” encounters / rolls that will affect the next Mass Combat check and/or trigger a "Turning Point"
• A Mass Combat check uses ability dice based on the acting force's strength (upgraded by commander's ranks in Leadership), difficulty dice based on the enemy force's strength (upgraded by enemy commander's ranks in Leadership), and boosts / setbacks based on circumstances.

A Mass Combat scenario is broken into a series of Phases (similar to rounds of combat, but more fluid in the length of time they represent based on individual circumstances and the sizes of the forces involved). There are 2 main ways the GM can break a battle into phases:

• Time: GM chooses amount of time (10 minutes for smaller battle to an hour or longer for larger battles) for each phase to last. After this amount of time lapses in the game world, the GM rolls a Mass Combat check to determine how the battle phase resolved.
• Events: A GM already having a more structured idea of how the battle should develop can break it into a series of notables events, each event marking a change in the battle. (For example, at the Battle of Hoth, phases delineated by events might include the landing of the Empire, the approach of the AT-ATs, the breaching of the base, and the escape to space.) Here the GM rolls a Mass Combat check at the transition between each phase to determine how the battle has unfolded and may affect the phases to come.

When planning a mass combat, the GM should determine what constitutes a victory or defeat for the active force during each phase. As success or failure on a Mass Combat check will narrate the outcome of that phase, what those outcomes are should be defined beforehand. The GM should also consider what the PCs can do in each phase to facilitate a victory for their own side and prepare encounters for them accordingly.

Only the objective of the final phase should be the final victory or defeat outcome of the entire battle, with each preceding phase modifying the final check. Such phase objectives could include holding off an enemy advance long enough for an evacuation to begin / for reinforcements to arrive, taking down the shield generator of an enemy strong point so the final attack can begin, or even simply driving the enemy line back.

Ability dice are added based on the makeup of the acting force (all infantry, vehicles, and starships working together on the acting side of the conflict) that are actively participating in the battle during this phase (not force in bases, hangars or on other fronts). Likewise, difficulty dice are added based on the size & quality of the enemy forces actively participating in the current phase.

The actual number of / dice added is based on the Force Strength & Difficulty table (as always, these are general guidelines; the presence of mixed (ground/air/space) forces in a combat can complicate matters and is left to the GM's discretion).

After adding / dice, they can be upgraded based on how well each side is being controlled & led. Each side is upgraded a number of times bases on the corresponding force's commander's ranks in Leadership. The leader must actually be in a position to command forces in the current phase to get this upgrade (communications knocked out, disabled command ship, severe injury, etc can negate this upgrade).

In some cases even if the leader is cut off, they may have left orders that forces can continue to act on. This results in an upgrade equal to half the commander's Leadership ranks, rounded down. Such upgrades only last as long as said orders are applicable to the current situation.

Each phase a new character may take the role of leader if the situation calls for it and said character has the authority/ability to do so. In this case, the upgrades may be based on the new character's Leadership ranks.

and may be added to the pool based on other elements that may be affecting the battle, such as morale, battlefield circumstances, PC actions, and anything else the GM & players can come up with. See the Boost & Setback Table for more ideas & guidelines.

At the end of a given phase, players construct & roll the Mass Combat dice pool for that phase, with the results determining success or failure of the acting force during that phase and likely having repercussions on later phases of the combat.

A successful check represents the acting forces accomplishing its objects for that phase of the battle or preventing the enemy force from achieving their goals. Objectives could range from pushing back an enemy advance, maintaining a defensive perimeter against an invading enemy, or buying time for civilians/noncombatants to evacuate the battlefield. Additional can be spent to achieve further goals or to increase the magnitude of the success. In some cases, such as with the civilian evacuation example, the GM may wish to determine success in degrees. For example, each additional may mean a set number of civilians escape the conflict ahead of schedule, which could lead to the battle lasting fewer phases than planned.

A failed check means the enemy forces completed their objectives for that phase or the acting forces were stymied. Enemy objective could include things such as breaching the outer defenses of a hidden Rebel base, destroying a shield generator protecting the acting force, or successfully implementing a counter-ambush against an attacking Rebel fleet.

, , , or can be spent narratively or by using the suggestions in the "Spending Advantage & Triumph" table and the "Spending Threat & Despair" table.

PCs are the wild cards in mass combat, filling many vital roles on the field of battle – especially since they are typically the most skilled members of a force within their own specialties. Aces/Soldiers provide firepower & combat support, along with experience & knowledge on the shifting front lines. Commanders/Diplomats can take command or aid NPC Commanders, or even influence enemy forces. Engineers can offer technical support, such as fortifications and undermining the enemy. Spies can provide intel to the acting force and disrupt the intel ops of the enemy.

When planning a mass combat, it's up to the GM to determine what events the PCs will be able to take part in during each phase, and plan encounters appropriately (as mentioned in the Planning & Phases section). Such encounters should provide ways for the PCs to influence the outcome of each phase, giving players smaller objectives of their own or simply interpreting the actions they chose to take and modifying the Mass Combat check pool accordingly.

If PC actions significantly affect the quality & number of troops fighting on either side, the GM should represent such success or failure by modifying the or dice of the next Mass Combat check accordingly. Raising/lowering the acting force strength should be represented by either increasing or decreasing the number of dice in the Mass Combat pool once. Similarly, if PC actions increase enemy forces or eliminate a significant number of enemy troops, increase / decrease the number of dice in the Mass Combat pool once accordingly.

PCs also often make the most obvious candidates for leadership in a mass combat, and if a PC takes command then their ranks in Leadership are used for upgrading the Mass Combat pool as mentioned in Upgrading. Conversely, if the PCs managed to take out the leadership of the enemy forces, the difficulty of the next Mass Combat check won't be upgraded as enemy forces suffer from a lack of leadership & direction.

Finally, PCs might perform less defined tasks, turning the environment or circumstances to their advantage or failing in their minor objects and turning fortune against their cause. In these cases, the GM should add or as appropriate to represent the outcomes of the PC's actions. They may also try to remove an existing hindrance, and if they succeed, remove any that hindrance added to the pool.

As Mass Combat is as much about the PCs & their actions as it is about the forces clashing around them, PCs can affect the world around them in ways far exceeding their ability, experience, or rank.

When PC actions cause extreme results on the battlefield, the GM can call an end to the current phase and roll a Mass Combat check for the phase immediately, circumventing the predetermined end of the phase. This is called a Turning Point, and the GM is encouraged to use them sparingly. In this way, truly heroic & epic actions performed by the PCs can shape the course of even a massive battle.