fleetwar

Assign each side a "Fleet Value" to represent Size. For normal battles, I reccomend that this value be close to 100 for the smaller side.. The D20 roll determines how to modify the Fleet Values for both Side A and Side B.

20          A-9
19          A-8
18          A-7
17          A-6
16          A-5
15          A-4
14          A-3
13          A-2
12          A-1
11      No Change
10    Both Sides -1
9            B-1
8            B-2
7            B-3
6            B-4
5            B-5
4            B-6
3            B-7
2            B-8
1            B-9

I should mention that an army or navy is considered "Defeated" when it reaches a numerical value of Zero. At this time, the Fleet or Army has suffered significant enough damage or losses that they are likely to give up here.

The Fleetwar System (tm)

Okay, You're running a game. You have these two armies, or two navies, or two intergalactic starfleets. In essence, you have this epic battle. Lets say that your plotline doesn't specify that either side should be a winner. Who wins?

As the GM, your story may change depending on this winner, maybe you want to figure that out as you go, especially if you're like me, and you don't usually have plans for a future story, the characters are jumping in at the current point, the future not quite certain.

To solve these dillemmas, you need to have some method of determining this "background" event. After discussions on the Palladium Books Forum, I have developed this simple system. This is also one of the very few ideas I've seen from someone else... The original idea came from Q99, and although I've modified it significantly, I feel it's right to give credit where it is due.

Advanced option: The Tactical Value.

If one particular side has superior technology, then that side should get a modifier to reflect a combat advantage. Additionally, the officers of one side might be better trained. The Tactical Value reflects this.

Start with a Tactical Value of 0. This assumes that both sides have equivalent skills, and equal technology.

An advantage for side A results in a negative modifier to the Tactical Value. An Advantage for side B is a positive modifier to the Tactical Value. Consider 5 points to be a very large modifier.

Consider the following for each side and assign a point value. This should reflect their comparative differences.

                           |     Side A     |     Side B    |
                          |   (Subtract) |     (Add)    |
Equipment quality |                   |                  |
Training               |                   |                  |
Dedication            |                   |                  |

Construct a chart like this if it helps. Lets say a Company of angry Marines from Recon get caught up in some bizzare nuklear experiment. These bizzare energies open up some sort of a tear sending them to a field of mongol hoards in an alternate dimension. (Hey, it happened in the movie "The Final Countdown")

There are a thousand mongol warriors, hell bent on destruction. There are two hundred marines, armed to the teeth, with shitloads of ammo, 7.62 rifles, 50 cals, AT4's, a couple tanks, and a few cases of MREs.

The Mongols get a size value of say, 500. (Arbitrary number) Marines get the base 100. For some reason, the mongols say "gee, looky there. An army of wierdos have been sent by the gods so that we may kill them" Yes, in reality the Mongols would probably think that marines WERE gods and start worshipping them, but that would be bad for my example, as combat wouldn't occur.

The marines are heavily outnumbered. The mongols are grossly outclassed. Our chart looks like this:

                           |   Mongols    | Marines    |
                          |   (Subtract) |     (Add)    |
Equipment quality |   0 points     | 13 points |
Training               |   3 points     |   0 points   |
Dedication            |   3 points     |   0 points   |

Starting with a Value of Zero, we factor in equipment. We see that our Marines with vastly superior technology, automatic weapons, powerful long range ammunition, and explosives. I think that a 13 point modifier is appropriate. HMMWVs vs Horses. Kevlar/Ceramic plates Vs leather barding. Abrahms Tanks vs Catapaults. Mortars vs Slings. Night Vision vs Torches. YO-YOs vs Machine guns. In all cases we can see that there is no contest.

Training. Marines go through boot camp, and get beaten by R Lee Ermey. While cool, it is nothing compared to the mongols, who were taught to kill with their bare fists as boys. A mongol warrior at the age of 20 has had 18 years of combat training and experience. A 24 year old marine has had 2 and a half months of combat training, plus some additional training time. Maybe he's had 3 or 4 years of combat experience. Marines don't get 18 years of combat experience until they are ready to retire. 3 points to the mongols.

Dedication: The marines here are saying "WTF?" Our mongol hordes with low intelligence scores are saying "Death to the Others". The mongols care about death. The marines will be a bit startled until combat starts. Then they'll get down to business, But the Mongols? Right from the get-go, they want blood. 3 points to the Mongol Hordes.

We add the +13 points for the Marine's Technology advantage. We subtract 3 points for the Mongol Training, and subtract another 3 points for mongol dedication. We are left with a +7 modifier to our d20 rolls. As we can see, this combat will result in heavy losses to Side A, our mongol friends.

But seriously, what are they gonna do? Bleed on the Marines profusely... in a threatening manner? Charge until the Marines until the Marines run out of bullets? That's really their only option.

It's the same reason we American's will never get in a war with China. They have more people than we have bullets. They don't even have to give their people weapons. Armed with butterknives, they have the population to simply overrun us. After we've run out of bullets, bombs, missiles, and grenades, there'll still be 5 times as many of them as there are of us. THEN they would use THEIR bullets, Bombs, Missiles and grenades.