Warfare
These rules provide an abstract system for warfare that lets you play out a complex battle as a downtime encounter using a variant of the Victory Point subsystem. These rules are not intended to accurately represent the complexities of war, but instead seek to incorporate warfare into a campaign that stays primarily focused on traditional, small-scale adventuring and roleplaying while giving the players a sense of agency surrounding their kingdom’s martial prowess and efficacy.
Who's In an Army?
As the majority of citizens within the party’s kingdom are assumed to be average humans, the majority of the soldiers in a basic army are assumed to be average humans as well. Other ancestries may be present, but not so much as to adjust the basic assumptions of the armies’ abilities. Some specialized armies you may eventually have the chance to recruit are made up entirely of ancestries other than average humans.
At the GM’s option, the PCs might be able to recruit a basic army composed entirely of another ancestry. The easiest way to model these armies is to require them to take Darkvision, Keen Eyes, or Low-Light Vision (as appropriate for the ancestry) as their first tactic. (This is not likely in the context of this Kingmaker campaign; civilization in the Broken Lands is extremely human-focused and has been since the Taldan Empire was forced to retreat back to their homeland.)
Army Hit Points
As with creatures and objects, armies have Hit Points. However, an army’s HP cannot be reduced by ordinary damage; they are reduced only as the result of a war action. Typically, a successful Battle reduces the target army’s HP by 1, or by 2 on a critical hit. Army HP doesn’t automatically recover at the end of a battle.
Traveling with an Army
Normally, armies move through the world during kingdom turns via the Deploy Army activity. But, if the PCs wish to travel with armies during hexploration, they can do so. In this case, when the PCs come across a non-army encounter, assume their forces hang back while the PCs play out the encounter. When the PCs encounter an army, they can engage it with their own army in a war encounter. If the PCs leave an army during hexploration, that army remains in its hex until the PCs return to it or until they return to kingdom turn mode. Armies don't move as fast as a small group of adventurers, and are limited to one March activity per day.
Basic Armies
Armies have one of the four type traits listed below.
- Infantry armies consist of soldiers which travel on foot.
- Cavalry armies consist of mounted combatants.
- Skirmishers consist of small numbers of very mobile units.
- Siege armies focus on deployment of siege engines.
Army Statistics
Recruitment This lists the modifier to the Recruitment DC compared to the kingdom control DC for its level. For basic armies, this is typically +0.
Consumption This lists the number of Food commodities the army consumes during the Upkeep phase of the kingdom turn. If you fail to pay an army’s Consumption, its shaken and weary conditions both increase by 1.
Scouting This entry lists the army’s initiative modifier for war encounters. This modifier + 10 gives the Scouting DC required to detect an army lying in ambush.
AC & Saves AC functions similarly to creature AC, but instead of the normal three saves, an army has only two: Maneuver saves apply attempts at complex tactics or avoiding damage and effects from unusual physical dangers; Morale saves apply to attempts to avoid being shaken or to resist effects that undermine cooperation, bravery, loyalty, and such.
HP & RT The army’s Hit Points (HP) are listed here, followed by its Rout Threshold (RT) in parentheses. An army reduced to 0 HP is defeated. An army reduced to or below its RT (but not defeated) must check for routs. An army’s RT is typically half its HP maximum, though if particularly brave or resistant to fear, it may be lower.
Immunity, Resistance, & Weakness If the army is made up of creatures with a common resistance or weakness, the army as a whole will share that feature. (This is only common for specialized armies.)
Melee The name of attack the army uses for a melee Battle, followed by the attack modifier. An army inflicts 1 point of damage on a hit and 2 points on a critical hit.
Ranged As Melee, but for ranged Battle. Also listed is the ammunition for the attack, which is the number of times the army can use the ranged attack during an encounter; the ammunition is replenished automatically after each war encounter.
Tactics Some armies have default tactics they must take; these cannot be replaced with the Train Army activity.
Infantry (Army 1)
Recruitment +0; Consumption 1
A standard army of foot-soldiers. They travel overland on foot and have only melee weapons and basic armor by default, and their training is middling.
Scouting base +0
AC base +0; Maneuver low +0, Morale high +0
HP 4 (RT 2)
Melee base +0
Skirmishers (Army 1)
Recruitment +0; Consumption 1
Skirmishers are comprised of a smaller number of troops with little to no armor, but with more training in mobile or evasive combat. When you Recruit a skirmisher army, choose whether it has melee or ranged weapons.
Scouting base +0
AC base -2; Maneuver high +2, Morale low +2
HP 4 (RT 2)
Melee base +0 or Ranged base +0 (5 shots)
Cavalry (Army 3)
Recruitment +0; Consumption 2
Mounted combatants are expensive but have a significant advantage in speed and tactical power over foot-soldiers. Cavalry are typically mounted on horses.
Scouting base +0
AC base +0; Maneuver high +0, Morale low +0
HP 4 (RT 2)
Melee base +0
Overrun (tactic) Cavalry get a +1 status bonus to weapon attacks against infantry and skirmisher armies, but they suffer a -1 status penalty to Maneuver and Morale saves against area effects and mental effects.
Siege Engines (Army 7)
Recruitment +0; Consumption 1
Some catapults, ballista, and other ranged siege engines make up the majority of these armies, with some support troops within their ranks.
Scouting base +0
AC base +2; Maneuver low +0, Morale high +2
HP 6 (RT 2)
Ranged base -3 (5 shots)
Engines of War (tactic) Siege engines cannot be outfitted with weapon gear. They cannot attack armies engaged with them. They are more difficult to destroy due to their higher AC and HP. A siege engine can attack and deal damage to fortifications with its ranged attacks.
Recruiting Armies
Step 1: Choose an Army Type
Choose a set of basic statistics for the newly recruited army from infantry, cavalry, skirmishers, or siege engines (see above). You cannot recruit cavalry until your kingdom is at least 3rd level, and you cannot recruit siege engines until your kingdom is at least 7th level. You can also recruit specialized armies if you have made an alliance or accepted the fealty of an existing group.
Step 2: Recruit the Army
Take the Recruit Army or Recruit Specialized Army activity during the Leadership step of the Activities phase of the kingdom turn. You typically recruit an army of equal level to your kingdom, using your kingdom control DC modified by the army’s Recruitment modifier. You may choose to recruit an army of a level lower than your kingdom’s level, in which case you use a base DC (before the Recruitment modifier) equal to the kingdom control DC of a kingdom of the same lower level.
Step 3: Record Statistics
Once the army is recruited, record its base statistics for an army of its type and level. See the table below for the standard values for army statistics of varying levels.
The basic army stat blocks list statistics as “base +X”, or “high +X” or “low +X” for the Maneuver and Morale saves. These refer to the base values for the appropriate statistic at a given level. For example, the infantry statistics list “Scouting base +0” and “Melee base +0”; as a 1st level army they would have +7 Scouting and +9 to melee attacks. Skirmishers list “AC base -2”, “Maneuver high +2”, and “Morale low +2”; as a 5th level army they would have AC 20, Maneuver +17, and Morale +11.
Step 4: Choose Initial Tactics
All armies can know at least one tactic. When you recruit a basic army, choose one tactic from any that it qualifies for. Note that basic cavalry and siege engines spend their first tactics on Overrun and Engines of War, respectively; but if recruited at at least level 4, they can choose one additional tactic when they are recruited. A newly recruited army cannot start with an auxiliary squad. Specialized armies are recruited with only the tactics given in their stat block, even if they are recruited at such a high level that they could learn more.
Step 5: Place the Army
A basic army starts in a hex with one of your kingdom’s settlements. A specialized army starts in the home hex of the faction providing them. A settlement can support any number of armies. Armies are moved around on the hex map using the Deploy Army activity.
Step 6: Adjust Consumption
When you recruit an army, your kingdom’s Consumption score increases by the army’s Consumption score. You don’t have to pay Food commodities for the army until the next Upkeep phase.
If you fail to pay the appropriate Food commodities for an army during the Upkeep phase, it increases its shaken and weary condition values by 1.
Step 7: Name the Army
Give your army a unique name and decide on any other flavorful elements for the army at this time if you wish. While quality and magical nature of gear affect army stats, the specific weapons and armor types they use do not.
Leveling up an Army
When your kingdom levels up, or when an army of a level lower than the kingdom level successfully uses Train Army, the army’s level increases. This increase in level is reflected in their statistics (see the table above). If their maximum number of tactics is increased, they may take the Train Army activity to learn a new tactic.
Preparing for War
Before sending armies into battle, you need to gather, train, arm, and maintain those forces within your kingdom. Warfare is generally managed at the end of the Activities phase of the kingdom turn. Each army can take a single army activity during the Army Activities step. The order in which armies take their activities during this phase is determined by the party. Army activities are presented below, and may only be taken during the Army step of the Activities phase of the kingdom turn.
Deploy Army (Army, Kingdom)
Skills Boating, Exploration, Magic (master)
The army attempts to move into position, attempting one of a Boating, Exploration, or Magic control check.
When using Boating, choose an end location within 20 hexploration travel activities along navigable waterways connected to the army start location. (Remember that navigable waterways usually count as roads, so this can be quite far away!)
When using Exploration, choose an end location within 20 hexploration travel activities of the army start location. A hex containing roads requires 1 less travel activity to move through than usual (minimum half an activity).
When using Magic (if you are at least master in Magic), you may choose a destination within 30 hexes, regardless of roadways, difficult terrain, or other barriers.
Special If the army’s deployment causes it to cross your kingdom border, the DC is increased by 5; if it crosses into an enemy kingdom’s borders, regardless of if it crosses your own borders, increase the DC by 10 instead.
Critical Success The army arrives at the destination and becomes efficient until the end of the kingdom turn.
Success The army arrives at the destination.
Failure The army arrives at the destination, but runs into trouble on the way. Increase the army’s weary condition by 1 and attempt a DC 6 flat check; on a failure, the army loses 1 HP.
Critical Failure The army doesn’t arrive at its destination and becomes lost. Increase Unrest by 1d4 and attempt a DC 11 flat check; on a failure, the army loses 1 HP.
Disband Army (Army, Kingdom)
You may choose to disband an army with no check required. A disbanded army no longer contributes to your kingdom’s Consumption.
Garrison Army (Army, Kingdom)
Skills Defense, Engineering, Politics
Requirements The army is in a hex with a Refuge, a Settlement, or a Work Site.
You move an army into a fortification and assign them to guard it. If you're garrisoning the army in a Refuge hex, attempt a Defense control check. If you're garrisoning the army in a settlement, attempt a Politics control check. If you're garrisoning the army in a work site hex, attempt an Engineering control check.
Special This check's DC increases by 5 if the hex is not part of your kingdom, or by 10 if the location is part of an enemy kingdom.
Critical Success As success, and its garrisoning reduces its Consumption by 2 (to minimum of 1) while fortified.
Success The army becomes fortified.
Failure The army becomes fortified until the start of the Army step of the next turn’s Activity phase.
Critical Failure The army clashes with locals, loses their focus, or otherwise leaves themselves open. It does not become fortified and the location cannot be the site of a Garrison Army activity for 4 kingdom turns. If the site was not a Refuge, increase Unrest by 1.
Offensive Gambit (Army, Kingdom)
Skills Intrigue, Warfare
Requirements You have at least one army sharing a hex with at least one enemy army.
You order an attack against an enemy army, causing a war encounter to begin after this Kingdom turn ends. No check is necessary if you wish to engage the enemy without attempting to gain advantage. If you want to gain advantage by surprise, attempt an Intrigue check. If you want to gain an advantage by intimidation, attempt a Warfare check. In either case, the DC is equal to the enemy army's Scouting DC (or the highest Scouting DC, if there are multiple units in the same place).
Critical Success As success, and a foe army is shaken 1.
Success Your armies gain a +2 circumstance bonus to their initiative for the war encounter.
Failure You gain no advantage.
Critical Failure Your armies take a -2 circumstance penalty to initiative for the war encounter.
Outfit Army (Army, Kingdom)
Skills Engineering, Magic, Warfare
You provide your army with better gear. Choose any amount of army gear you wish to provide to the army; the gear level must be less than or equal to the army's level. If crafting or purchasing gear, the level of the gear must be less than or equal to your kingdom level as well.
If purchasing gear, this activity requires a Trade control check and costs the standard RP for the gear; you cannot purchase magic gear unless your kingdom is at least trained in Magic.
If crafting gear, the activity requires an Engineering or Magic control check and costs the standard RP for the gear; you must be at least trained in Magic to craft magic gear. If you critically succeed using one of these checks, you are refunded one-quarter the spent RP.
If distributing gear gained from battle, the GM determines what gear is available (the level of the gear cannot be greater than the highest level of a defeated enemy army); this activity requires a Warfare control check, and it does not cost RP.
Critical Success As success, and the army is efficient.
Success The army is outfitted with the gear.
Failure The army realizes the gear is unusable before they purchase it. If you spent RP, it is refunded.
Critical Failure As failure, but spent RP is not refunded.
Recover Army (Army, Kingdom)
Skills varies
You can use the Recover Army activity to work at removing a condition with a kingdom skill control check (the DC increases by 5 if you are attempting to Recover from the defeated condition); the skill required for the check depends on the condition (see the table above).
Critical Success As success, but the condition value is reduced by 2, or the restored HP increases to 2.
Success Reduce the condition value by 1 (or restore 1 HP to a damaged army). If the condition lacks a value, it is removed.
Critical Failure You fail to remove the condition and increase Unrest by 1. If attempting to recover a defeated army, it is instead destroyed.
Train Army (Army, Kingdom)
Skills Scholarship, Warfare
You train an army in the use of a tactic. Choose a tactic, then attempt a Scholarship or Warfare check against the tactic's Training DC (this is normally a standard DC of the tactic's level). If your army has already learned its maximum number of tactics, the newly learned tactic replaces a previously learned tactic of your choice.
Special You may use the Train Army activity just to increase the level of an army whose level is lower than that of the kingdom. You automatically succeed at this, with no need to make a skill check. Increase the army's level by 1, with a corresponding adjustment to its stats. If this increases the number of tactics it can know, it does not automatically learn a new tactic.
Critical Success As success, and the army is efficient.
Success The army learns the tactic, and if it is lower level than the kingdom, you may increase its level by 1. If this increases its maximum number of tactics, you don't have to replace an existing tactic.
Failure The army doesn’t learn the tactic.
Critical Failure As failure, and the army increases its weary condition by 1.
Train Auxiliary Squad (Army, Kingdom)
Skills varies
Requirement The army is in the influence of a friendly settlement.
You attach an auxiliary squad to an army. Auxiliary squads are granted by kingdom feats. Make a kingdom control check using the auxiliary squad's Skill.
Special An army can only have one auxiliary squad at a time; you can use this activity to replace it if you choose. It's much harder to attach an auxiliary squad to a specialized army without wrecking their special features: increase the DC of the check by 5.
Critical Success As success, and the army can use the special abilities immediately.
Success The army gains the auxiliary squad, granting it access to the squad's special abilities starting at the beginning of the next kingdom turn.
Failure You were unable to recruit enough specialists to form the squad.
Critical Failure As failure, and your attempts annoyed the local populace; increase Unrest by 1.
Army Conditions
Defeated When reduced to 0 HP, an army is defeated. A defeated army cannot act except to Recover or to Disband; if restored to at least 1 HP, the army loses the defeated condition. If a defeated army takes damage, it must succeed a DC 16 flat check or be destroyed.
Destroyed A destroyed army is completely devastated and cannot be restored. Any gear it had is lost.
Distant Armies determine whether they are distant from other armies on an individual basis. Ranged attacks against a distant army take a -5 penalty.
Efficient The army may use a second army activity this turn, though the second activity takes a -5 penalty to any required check. Unless otherwise noted, an army loses the efficient condition when it performs the additional activity, or at the end of the kingdom turn.
Engaged Armies determine whether they are engaged with other armies on an individual basis. Melee attacks can only be made against engaged armies. Attempting a maneuver action which would end this condition triggers reactions from armies it disengages.
Fortified While fortified, an army cannot engage or be engaged and it gains a +4 item bonus to AC and Morale checks to Rally. An army loses this condition if it uses a maneuver war action or Deploys.
Lost A lost army can take no action but to Recover Army. The GM determines the position of the army when this condition is lost.
Mired This condition always has a value. A mired army takes a status penalty to its Maneuver equal to its mired value and to Deploy Army checks. If an army would become mired 4, it is pinned until its mired value is reduced to 3 or less.
Near Armies determine whether they are near other armies on an individual basis. Armies can make only ranged attacks against near armies.
Outflanked While outflanked by another army, you take a -2 circumstance penalty to AC against that army.
Pinned A pinned army is outflanked and cannot use maneuver actions or Deploy Army.
Routed A routed army must Retreat if able; otherwise, it must attempt to Disengage until it is not engaged with any enemies. This condition ends automatically at the end of an encounter. When the routed condition ends, the army increases its shaken value by 1.
Shaken This condition always has a value. A shaken army takes a status penalty to its Morale equal to its shaken value. When a shaken army takes damage, it must succeed a DC 11 flat check or increase its shaken value by 1. If an army would be shaken 4, it is also routed. The condition value is reduced by 1 at the end of each kingdom turn it attempts no actions or activities other than Garrison Army.
Weary This condition always has a value. A weary army takes a status penalty equal to its weary value to its AC, Maneuver, Morale, and all checks made for army activities; it takes double this penalty to Deploy Army. The condition value is reduced by 1 at the end of each kingdom turn during which the army attempts no actions or activities other than Garrison Army.
Army Tactics
Tactics are the features of an army which sets it apart from other generic armies of its type. Every army has at least 1 tactic, though cavalry and siege engine armies each have a special tactic that takes up one of their tactic choices and cannot be retrained. Each tactic has a level prerequisite in its stat block as if it were a feat, and an army must meet the level prerequisite to learn the tactic.
Tactics always have at least one army type trait (cavalry, infantry, siege, or skirmisher) to denote which types of army can learn the tactic. For example, only skirmisher armies can learn the Ambush tactic, while any of the four types can learn the Darkvision tactic.
Common Tactics
Common tactics are available to basic and special armies, and their only prerequisites are level and army type, as denoted by the tactic level and its associated army type traits, respectively.
Ambush (Tactic 8) (Skirmisher)
Your skirmishers are ambush experts. On the first round of a war encounter, if your turn occurs before an enemy’s turn, you can choose to start the encounter with your army already engaged with that army. If you do, your army gains a +2 status bonus on its first Battle action made against the ambushed army during the first round of the encounter.
Bloodied But Unbroken (Tactic 5) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
This army is at its greatest during the most desperate times. When the army’s HP are at or below its RT, it gains a +1 status bonus to AC, Maneuver, Morale, and attack rolls. If the army is at least 10th level, this bonus increases to +2.
Cavalry Experts (Tactic 6) (Cavalry)
The army’s advanced training with mounts increases its status bonus from Overrun to +2. Starting at 12th level, the army ignores the status penalty to Maneuver and Morale saves from its Overrun ability.
Coordinated Bombardment (Tactic 8) (Siege)
Your siege weapons are adept at aiming to the point that multiple engines can target the same spot effectively. You can use the Overwhelming Bombardment tactical war action with the army.
Explosive Shot (Tactic 11) (Siege)
The army's ranged attacks explode and spray fire, shrapnel, or other damaging material in every direction. Whenever the army critically hits a non-distant army with a ranged attack, inflict 1 point of additional damage to another enemy army of your choice which is not distant from the primary target.
Focused Devotion (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
The army is particularly loyal to your cause. The army gains a +1 status bonus to Rally. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level, and +3 at 17th level.
Hold the Line (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
The army has trained to maintain position even in the face of overwhelming opponents. The army gains a +1 status bonus to Morale against becoming routed, and its RT is equal to one-quarter it's total HP (round up).
Keen Eyed (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
The army has specially trained several spotters and scouts who are particularly keen-eyed. The army gains a +2 status bonus on initiative checks.
Keep Up Pressure (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
The commander's swift, decisive directions help the army attack more accurately. If an army attacks the same target a second time in a round, its multiple attack penalty is -4 rather than -5, and if they attack that same army a third time in a round, its multiple attack penalty is -8 rather than -10.
Merciless (Tactic 5) (Cavalry, Infantry)
This army is difficult to escape from. The army gains a +2 status bonus to its Maneuver DC against other army’s attempts to Disengage from it. This army can use the All-Out Assault tactical war action.
Reckless Flanking (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Skirmisher)
Your army is skilled at surrounding their foes and distracting them, at the cost of spreading out too much and being more vulnerable. When your army Advances or Outflanks and successfully engages an army, you can choose for your army to take a -2 circumstance penalty to AC in order to gain a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls. If you do so, these modifiers remain in effect until you are no longer engaged.
Self-Sufficiency (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
The army is trained to be self-sufficient and sustains itself via hunting and gathering while in the wild. If during a kingdom turn's Upkeep phase this army is located in a hex that doesn't include a city or metropolis, it reduces its Consumption by 1 (minimum 0).
Tough Soldiers (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
The army is particularly hardy. Increase its max HP by 1. You can take this tactic multiple times; each time you do, increase the army's max HP by 1.
Varied Weapons (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
The army is trained in both melee and ranged combat. If the army has a melee attack, it gains a standard ranged attack with 5 shots. If the army has a ranged attack, it gains a standard melee attack.
Special Tactics
Special tactics function similarly to common tactics, except they may have prerequisites dependent on the army’s or the kingdom’s abilities or access limitations based on the type of creature which the kingdom can recruit into its armies. For access purposes, the GM determines which creatures you can readily recruit and which might require additional effort to seek out for recruiting.
Aerial Battalion (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
Access significant population with fly Speed
The majority of the army’s troops have flight, and there are enough with the strength to carry those who don’t. While airborne, the army ignores ground-based difficult terrain and cannot be engaged by non-flying armies.
Aquatic Battalion (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
Access significant aquatic or amphibious population
Most of the army’s troops are aquatic or amphibious, allowing them easy aquatic movement and the ability to reach places others cannot. The army ignores difficult terrain due to water and it considers nonaquatic armies as outflanked while in watery difficult terrain.
Darkvision (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Access significant population with darkvision
The majority of the army’s troops have darkvision, and those who don’t are well-trained in taking cues from those who do. The army has darkvision (near).
Defensive Tactics (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites kingdom trained in Defense
The army is especially well-trained in enacting defensive tactics. The army gains a +1 status bonus to Maneuver checks made to Guard. This bonus increases to +2 at 9th level, and to +3 at 17th level. The army can also use the Protected Flank tactical war action.
Field Triage (Tactic 6) (Infantry, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites kingdom expert in Defense
All of the army's soldiers are adept at using emergency methods to treat wounds. The army gains the Battlefield Medicine tactical war action.
Flaming Shot (Tactic 9) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites army has ranged attacks
The army attacks with projectiles treated with alchemical or magical oils that ignite as they are fired. Once per encounter, when your army succeeds at a ranged Strike, the target army must attempt a Maneuver check against your army's attack DC; if it fails, the Strike inflicts 1 additional point of damage.
Intimidating Tactics (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites kingdom expert in Warfare
The army is trained to present a fearsome presence to its foes on the battlefield. The army can use the Taunt tactical war action.
Increased Ammunition (Tactic 5) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites army has ranged attacks
You increase the number of times your army can use ranged Strikes in each war encounter by 2. This tactic can be taken multiple times; each time you do so, increase the army's maximum number of ranged Strikes by 2.
Low-Light Vision (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Access significant population with low-light vision
The majority of the army’s troops have low-light vision, and those who don’t are well-trained in taking cues from those who do. The army has low-light vision.
Opening Salvo (Tactic 1) (Cavalry, Infantry, Siege, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites army has ranged attacks
Your army has trained to take the first shot at distant foes. On the first round of a war encounter, if your turn occurs before any enemy army turns, you can choose to start the encounter with your army distant from all enemy armies.
Opportunists (Tactic 3) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites kingdom expert in Warfare
The army capitalizes on its enemies’ openings. It can use the Counterattack war reaction.
Sharpshooters (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher)
Prerequisites army has ranged attacks
The commander drills the army in precision ranged attacks. You gain a +1 status bonus on attacks with ranged attack rolls, but suffer a -2 status penalty on melee attack rolls. At 9th level, the penalty to melee attack rolls is reduced to -1, and at 15th level the penalty to melee Strikes is removed. The army can use the Covering Fire tactical war action.
Underhanded Tactics (Tactic 3)
Prerequisites kingdom expert in Intrigue
The army uses unconventional tactics. It can use the Feint tactical war action. If it is infantry, it can also use the False Retreat tactical war action. If it is skirmishers, it can also use the Dirty Fighting tactical war action.
Army Gear
When you Recruit a new army, it’s outfitted with basic gear. The exact nature of this gear is largely cosmetic: an infantry battalion which is armed with longswords will do the same potential damage as one armed with clubs or spears or scythes. You can upgrade an army’s gear using the Outfit Army activity.
An army can have only one enhancement for each gear type, except for consumables. If you Outfit an Army with a gear sort it’s already outfitted with, the new gear replaces the old gear. If you are spending RP to replace old gear with new gear that is simply a higher-level type of the old gear, reduce the cost of the new gear by the cost of the old gear. An army may carry a total of 3 doses of consumables.
Transferring Gear
You may transfer gear from one army to another, provided the army receiving the gear is high enough level to utilize the gear in question and both armies are located in the same hex. This transfer requires the recipient army to perform the Outfit Army activity, but no roll is necessary; the attempt automatically succeeds.
If an army with gear is destroyed, all its gear is destroyed.
If an army with gear is disbanded, you can transfer its gear to another army as part of the Disband Army activity; if you do not do so, the gear is lost.
Common Gear
Bottled Courage (Item 2+) (Army)
Gear consumable
The army carries magic oils, elixirs, or some other form of temporary performance enhancement. Before a war encounter, the army can use a dose of Bottled Courage to gain a +1 item bonus to its Scouting, Morale, or Maneuver for the duration of the encounter.
You can buy up to three doses of bottled courage in a single Outfit Army activity.
Type bottled courage; Level 2; Price 15 RP
Type greater bottled courage; Level 12; Price 30 RP
The army may gain either a +1 item bonus to Scouting, Morale, and Maneuver; or a +2 item bonus to one of those stats.
Enhanced Armor (Item 5+) (Army)
Gear armor
This armor is either magical or of very fine craftsmanship, as determined when Outfitting an Army. If the armor is magical, it gains the magical trait.
Type enhanced armor; Level 5; Price 25 RP
The army gains a +1 item bonus to AC.
Type greater enhanced armor; Level 11; Price 50 RP
The army gains a +2 item bonus to AC.
Type major enhanced armor; Level 18; Price 75 RP
The army gains a +3 item bonus to AC. Major enhanced armor must be magical.
Enhanced Weapons (Item 2+) (Army)
Gear melee weapon or ranged weapon
These weapons are either magical or of particularly fine craftsmanship, as determined when Outfitting an Army. If the weapons are magical, they gain the magical trait.
When you Outfit an Army, choose whether these are melee or ranged weapons and apply the benefit only to the appropriate attack modifier. If an army has both melee and ranged attacks, it can be outfitted with both melee and ranged enhanced weapons separately.
Type enhanced weapons; Level 2; Price 20 RP
The army gains a +1 item bonus to the selected attack.
Type greater enhanced weapons; Level 10; Price 40 RP
The army gains a +2 item bonus to the selected attack.
Type major enhanced weapons; Level 16; Price 60 RP
The army gains a +3 item bonus to the selected attack. Major enhanced weapons must be magical.
Medicines (Item 1+) (Army)
Gear consumables
The army is equipped with healing potions, elixirs of life, or other alchemical or magical remedies. The army can use the Instant Healing tactical war action.
When you Outfit an Army with medicines, you may choose to equip it with up to 3 doses, instead of having to use the activity multiple times.
Type medicines; Level 1; Price 10 RP (per dose)
Type greater medicines; Level 11; Price 30 RP (per dose)
The dose restores 2 HP.
Vision Enhancers (Item 2+) (Army)
Gear accessory
The army is broadly equipped with magically enhanced goggles or other visual apparatuses to improve their sight in the midst of battle.
Type lesser vision enhancers; Level 2; Price 20 RP
The army can activate the vision enhancers as a free action at the start of its turn, gaining low-light vision until the start of its next turn.
Type moderate vision enhancers; Level 5; Price 30 RP
As lesser, but the army gains darkvision (near) until the start of its next turn. If the army already has darkvision (near), it gains darkvision (distant) instead.
Type greater vision enh.; Level 8; Price 40 RP
As moderate, and the army always has low-light vision.
Type major vision enh.; Level 11; Price 50 RP
The army gains darkvision (near). If the army already has darkvision (near), it gains darkvision (distant) instead.
War Encounters
War encounters aren’t meant to serve as a precise, detailed simulation of the complexities of a mass combat event, but rather as a quick and engaging way to play out these clashes without detracting too much from the focus of a Kingmaker campaign: the stories and adventures of the PCs themselves.
A war encounter plays out during downtime, as the result of an Offensive Gambit or hexploration.
Offensive Gambit: You can initiate an Offensive Gambit activity (or Strategic Sabotage if you have the feat) against the enemy during the Army step of the Activities phase of the kingdom turn, or an enemy might initiate one against one of your armies. In this case, the war encounter takes place immediately after the rest of the kingdom turn resolves.
Hexploration: During hexploration, if the party travels with at least one army, they can encounter enemy armies. If the PCs or the enemy initiate an attack, it immediately starts a war encounter.
War Encounter Structure
A war encounter takes place over the course of one or more rounds, with each round representing up to 1 hour of battle.
- Step 1: Roll Initiative Each army in the encounter makes a Scouting check to determine its initiative order. On the first round of a war encounter, armies are usually near, though the Ambush and Opening Salvo tactics notably can change this assumption.
- Step 2: Play a Round Each army takes three war actions on its turn, chosen from basic war actions or from any other war actions to which the army has access.
- Step 3: Check for Routs At the end of the round, after every army has acted, there’s a chance that one or more armies may rout. An army whose HP is at or below its RT must attempt a Morale check; the DC for this check is equal to the highest Morale DC among
the remaining enemy armies.
Critical Success The army no longer needs to check for
routs during this war encounter.
Failure The army increases its shaken value by 1.
Critical Failure As failure, and the army is routed.
- Step 4: Check for End Conditions If all armies except those on one side of the war encounter are routed or destroyed, the encounter ends. Otherwise, start a new round and repeat steps 2 through 4 until the war encounter ends.
Victory or Defeat
If all the enemy armies were routed or defeated, the PCs won the battle and the kingdom rolls for Determining Victory. If all the PCs’ armies were routed or defeated, the PCs lost the battle and the kingdom rolls for Determining Loss. In either case, the kingdom gains experience: each defeated army grants kingdom experience appropriate for its relative level to the kingdom’s level using Creature XP and Role table (GM Core p. 57).
Determining Victory
The kingdom’s armies won the battle! Roll a Warfare control check to determine the final outcome.
Critical Success As success, and at the start of your next kingdom turn, gain +1 Fame and reduce Unrest by 1.
Success The damage wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Restore 1 HP to each army damaged or defeated in the war encounter.
Critical Failure Although you won the battle, it took its toll on your armies. Any army damaged in the war encounter increases its shaken or weary value by 1 (PCs’ choice).
Determining Loss
The kingdom’s armies lost the battle. Roll a Defense control check to attempt to minimize the repercussions.
Critical Success Many soldiers escaped the lost battle. All defeated armies are restored to 1 HP, and one army of your choice damaged in the war encounter regains 1 HP.
Success One army escaped the brunt of the battle. Restore 1 HP to one army of your choice which was damaged in the war encounter. Gain 1 Unrest.
Failure Gain 1 Unrest.
Critical Failure The loss crushed your armies’ spirits. Each army that participated in the lost war encounter increases its shaken or weary value by 2 (PCs’ choice). Gain 1d4 Unrest.
Player Characters in War Battles
A war encounter represents a clash among hundreds or thousands of soldiers on a field of battle. Although player characters can be very powerful, there is no straightforward way to represent this. If a player character wants to lead an army personally, the army gains a +1 status bonus to its Morale from having one of the founders fighting at their side. However, it is usually more effective for the PCs to seek out and eliminate or neutralize their equivalents among the opposing army's leadership. This will be a typical (usually pretty hard) tactical encounter that takes place while the war encounter plays out. If the PCs win the tactical encounter, the result of the army's victory or loss determination is improved one degree; but if the PCs lose and are forced to flee, the army's result is worsened one degree.
PCs may also be able to use powerful magic (such as control weather or earthquake) to temporarily alter battlefield conditions, at the GM's discretion. Such powers would need to affect an area of at least 100 feet in diameter for at least an hour to make a meaningful difference to a battle.
Battlefield Terrain Features
Armies can move across the battlefield to engage enemies, to retreat and regroup, and seek terrain advantages during their war actions, but their relative positions on the battlefield remain abstract throughout the encounter. What matters is relative position between armies, as represented by the three distance conditions: engaged, near, and distant.
While some battles take place in open terrain, others contain additional terrain features. Relatively common battlefield terrain features are detailed below. Other specific terrain features may be appropriate from time to time.
Difficult Terrain: A war encounter that takes place in rugged mountains, swampland, or other hexes with difficult terrain impose a -2 circumstance penalty to Maneuver. Armies with the Aerial Battalion special tactic can ignore difficult terrain caused by ground features and those with the Aquatic Battalion special tactic can ignore difficult terrain caused by most water features such as swamps.
Darkness or Heavy Fog: Terrain features which cause visibility to be very low impose a -4 circumstance penalty to Scouting. All armies become concealed, near armies become hidden, and distant armies become undetected. Armies with the Darkvision special tactic can ignore the terrain effects of darkness at a certain ranges (engaged, near, or distant).
Dim Light, Light Fog, Rain, or Snow: Armies in these conditions take a -2 circumstance penalty to Scouting. All armies take a -1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls and distant armies become concealed. Armies with Low-Light Vision or Darkvision special tactics ignore the terrain effects of dim light.
Wind: Ranged attack rolls take a -1 circumstance penalty in strong wind, or a -2 circumstance penalty in windstorms. The penalty for a ranged attack roll against a distant army is doubled (typically to -10); this penalty stacks with the penalty from the wind itself.
Fortification
Some battlefields include a fortification (such as a keep, castle, or wall) that can house one or more armies. An army can't seek defense in a fortification once a battle begins; it must prepare itself and its defenses in advance via the Garrison Army activity on a kingdom turn. Once an army is successfully garrisoned, it gains the fortified condition as long as it avoids using Maneuver war actions.
It's possible to destroy a fortification, but only with the use of siege armies. If a fortification is destroyed, all armies that were fortified within lose that condition and increase their shaken condition value by 1. Typical AC and HP values for fortifications against siege army attacks are listed below, along with how many armies each can contain. If an army is garrisoned in a refuge, settlement, or work site without any specific fortification present, it uses the fortification statistics of a trench.
War Actions
Much like characters in normal encounters, armies in war encounters have 3 actions and one reaction to use each turn as they please. They may choose from basic war actions or any tactical war actions they have access to.
Basic war actions are available to all armies. Because of this, basic war actions do not include army type traits, but instead include the army trait to indicate they are war actions.
In addition to the basic war actions listed here, armies can use the Delay and Ready basic actions.
Advance (1 action) (Army, Maneuver)
Your army attempts to close distance with a target enemy army it is not engaged with. Attempt a Maneuver check against the target army.
If the target is engaged with another army hostile to it, increase your degree of success by 1 step; you become engaged with all armies the target is engaged with. If you fail but do not critically fail, a target can choose to allow you to succeed instead.
If an allied army on the battlefield is not engaged with any enemies, you can use this action to automatically engage the allied army (if for some reason you want to be engaged with an allied army).
Critical Success You engage the target.
Success If the target was near, you engage it. If it was distant, you both become near to each other.
Critical Failure Your army is mired 1 until the start of its next turn.
Assist (2 actions, reaction) (Army)
Requirements You are engaged with an allied army.
Trigger Your allied army is about to attempt a check which you prepared to assist.
Your army focuses its efforts to help their allied army succeed at a task. Your army spends two actions on its turn to prepare its assistance, then uses its reaction when the trigger is met.
When you use your reaction to Assist, attempt a Maneuver, Morale, or Scouting check depending on the type of help you provided (at GM discretion). The DC is usually a hard DC for the target army's level.
Critical Success As success, but the bonus is +2.
Success You grant your allied army a +1 circumstance bonus to the triggering check.
Critical Failure Your army interferes, imposing a -1 circumstance penalty to the triggering check.
Battle (1 action) (Army, Attack)
Your army attacks an enemy army. Melee attacks can only be made against engaged armies. Attempt an attack roll against the target army. Note that this suffers a multiple attack penalty if an army uses it several times in the same round.
Critical Success You deal 2 points of damage.
Success You deal 1 point of damage.
Disengage (1 or 2 actions) (Army, Maneuver)
Your army attempts to disengage from enemy armies it is engaged with. Attempt a Maneuver check against one target army with which you are engaged, or, if you spend two actions, attempt checks against any number of target armies your army is engaged with.
Critical Success As success, and you may become distant instead of near. If attempting to disengage from multiple armies, you may instead choose to succeed against each other target army you have not yet rolled against.
Success You and the target are near instead of engaged.
Critical Failure You cannot attempt to Disengage again until the start of your next turn. If you were attempting to disengage from multiple armies, you automatically fail any remaining checks and this action ends.
Guard (1 action) (Army, Maneuver)
Your army adopts a defensive formation, raising shields, focusing on parrying attacks, or seeking cover. Attempt a DC 20 Maneuver check; this maneuver action does not trigger reactions.
Critical Success As success, and once before your next turn, you may use your reaction triggered when you would take damage to reduce the damage by 1.
Success As failure, but the bonus is +2.
Failure You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
Outflank (2 actions) (Army, Maneuver)
Requirements You aren’t engaged with any enemies.
You send your army around an enemy’s flank to get a better attacking position and to push your enemy into disorder. Attempt a Maneuver check against a target.
Critical Success As success, but you may choose to be near the target instead of engaged.
Success The target is outflanked until the start of your next turn and you engage the target.
Critical Failure Your tactics are reversed and you are outflanked until the start of your next turn. The target may choose to engage with you.
Rally (2 actions) (Army, Mental, Morale)
Your leaders attempt to bolster the soldiers’ morale and fight back the effects of fear and panic. Attempt a Morale check. The DC for this check is the highest Morale DC of any enemy army with which you are engaged or which damaged you within the last round, or DC 20 if no enemy army meets these conditions.
Critical Success Reduce your army’s shaken condition by 2. If your army is routed, it loses the routed condition and does not become routed again if its shaken value would increase to the threshold by losing routed.
Success Reduce your army’s shaken condition by 1.
Critical Failure Your attempt to rally backfires. Increase your army’s shaken condition by 1.
Retreat (3 actions) (Army, Maneuver)
Requirements You aren’t engaged with any enemies.
Your army tries to escape from the battlefield. If it was already distant from all enemies, it exits and is no longer part of the war encounter. Otherwise, it becomes distant from all armies in the encounter.
Tactical War Actions
Tactical war actions are not generally available, but they can be gained through army tactics or equipment.
All-Out Assault (2 actions) (Cavalry, Infantry, Attack)
Access Merciless tactic
Requirements You’re engaged with an enemy.
Your army attacks with frightening vigor. Attempt a melee attack roll against a target army.
Critical Success You deal 3 damage. If your army’s next war action this turn is an attack war action against a different engaged target, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to the attack roll.
Success You deal 2 damage.
Critical Failure You become outflanked until the start of your next turn.
Battlefield Medicine (3 actions) (Infantry, Skirmisher, Healing)
Access Field Triage tactic
Your army attempts to triage its own wounded or those of an engaged allied army. Once you have used this action on an army, the army becomes temporarily immune to its effects for the remainder of the war encounter. Attempt a DC 20 Scouting check to sort the army’s wounded and provide swift aid.
Critical Success You restore 2 HP to the target.
Success You restore 1 HP to the target.
Critical Failure You cause chaos within the ranks and increase the target’s weary condition by 1.
Counterattack (reaction) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher, Attack)
Access Opportunists tactic
Trigger An engaged enemy army attempts a maneuver war action.
Your army lashes out at the enemy when their focus on defense is lessened. Attempt a melee attack roll against the triggering target. Counterattack doesn’t count toward or apply your multiple attack penalty.
Critical Success As success, and you increase the target’s shaken value by 1.
Success You deal 1 damage.
Covering Fire (2 actions) (Cavalry, Infantry, Skirmisher, Attack)
Access Sharpshooters tactic
Your army’s ranged fire provides cover for allied armies’ maneuvers. Attempt a ranged attack roll against a target.
Critical Success As success, but you deal 2 damage.
Success You deal 1 damage and the target cannot take reactions triggered by maneuver war actions until the start of your next turn.
Dirty Fighting (1 action) (Skirmisher, Attack)
Access Underhanded Tactics tactic
Requirements An enemy army is outflanked to you.
Your army uses trickery, deception, and unfair tactics to cripple an outflanked army’s capabilities. Attempt an attack roll against an engaged or near enemy army which is outflanked to you.
Critical Success As success, and you deal 1 damage.
Success The target becomes weary 1.
Critical Failure Your attempt at clever attacks backfires and leaves you outflanked to the enemy until the start of your next turn.
False Retreat (reaction) (Infantry, Mental, Morale)
Access Underhanded Tactics
Trigger Your army takes damage from an enemy army or successfully Disengages from one or more enemies.
Your army feigns defeat and injury to provoke reduced defenses from their enemies. Attempt a Morale check against the enemy army which dealt the triggering damage or Morale checks against each enemy you successfully Disengaged from with the triggering action.
Critical Success As success, and the target cannot use reactions until the end of your next turn.
Success The target army is caught off guard when you return to the fight, becoming outflanked to you until the end of your next turn.
Critical Failure The enemy sees through your tactics and takes advantage of your charade. You are outflanked until the start of your next turn.
Feint (1 action) (Infantry, Skirmisher, Maneuver)
Access Underhanded Tactics
Your army maneuvers in a feigned telegraph of an attack from one quarter while preparing an assault elsewhere. Attempt a Maneuver check against an engaged enemy army’s Scouting DC.
Critical Success The target is outflanked to you until the end of your turn.
Success The target is fooled momentarily. It is outflanked to the next attack roll you make against it.
Critical Failure The target anticipates the feint and presses their advantage, making you outflanked by the target army until the start of your next turn.
Instant Healing (1 action) (Army, Maneuver)
Access Medicines gear
Your army uses a dose of medicines to heal its wounds instantly. Regain 1 HP, or 2 HP if you used greater medicines.
Overwhelming Bombardment (2 actions) (Siege, Attack)
Access Coordinated Bombardment
Your siege engines focus all their fire on a fortification. This war action counts as using two ranged attacks for the purpose of depleting the army’s ammunition. Attempt a ranged attack roll against the target fortification.
Critical Success You deal 3 damage to the fortification. You also deal 1 damage to up to two armies of your choice within the fortification.
Success You deal 2 damage to the fortification and an additional 1 damage either to the fortification or to one army within the fortification (your choice).
Critical Failure Your siege engines get stuck when they are aimed. Your army increases its mired condition by 3; it can spend up to three war actions on its subsequent turns to reduce its mired condition by 1 for each action spent, until it has reduced its mired condition by 3.
Protected Flank (2 actions) (Infantry, Maneuver)
Access Defensive Tactics
Your army raises tower shields, presents pole arms in a wall of blades, or otherwise moves into position to protect a near or engaged allied army. Attempt a Maneuver check. If the target allied army is outflanked by one or more enemy armies, the DC for this check is equal to the highest of their Maneuver DCs; otherwise, it is DC 20.
Critical Success As success, and if you use the Guard action while the effect persists, your allied army gains its benefits as well.
Success You engage your allied army and any other armies engaged with them. Until the end of your next turn, your allied army cannot be outflanked as long as it remains engaged with you. You can Sustain this effect for one action with no need for an additional roll. You can provide this benefit to only one allied army at a time; using this action again ends any previous effect.
Critical Failure You become outflanked as you fall into disorganization. If the ally was engaged with any enemy armies, those enemies may choose for you to become engaged, in which case you also engage your allies.
Taunt (1 action) (Army, Mental, Morale)
Access Intimidating Tactics
Your army attempts to frighten and cow an engaged or near enemy army. Attempt a Morale check against the target army. Regardless of the result, the target becomes temporarily immune to your Taunt for the rest of the war encounter.
Critical Success As success, but the target increases its shaken value by 2.
Success The target increases its shaken value by 1, but it reduces its shaken value by 1 at the start of its next turn.
Critical Failure You appear comical and bolster the enemy’s spirits against you. The target reduces its shaken value by 1.