Mass Combat

Quickie Rules for Mass Combat

Multiple Attacker's Charts

These charts are meant to speed up combat, by allowing multiple attackers to "pool" their chances of a hit, in cases where rolling for everybody would be too time consuming. Although the table uses a percentage dice roll, chances to hit were calculated using the standard Hero system, so the outcome should be roughly comparable to rolling all those dice.

Scoring hits on targets

The Combat Table below shows the percentage chance of multiple attackers scoring a hit on a single target.

Calculate OCV and DCV as normal - if the targets final DCV (including range mod.s cover etc) is lower than the the attacker's final OCV, then use the -DCV half of the table. If the target's final DCV is higher than the attacker's final OCV, then use the +DCV column. In each case the number is the difference between the two CVs. A percentage chance to hit of 100 or greater means one certain hit. Thus a score of 225 means two hits and a 25% chance of a third hit. If a group of attackers is firing at multiple targets, you can either aportion the hits randomly among the targets if all they all have the same DCV, or simply assign subgroups to attack targets with the same DCV. If there are more than 10 attackers simply use multiples of the table (ie 34 attackers use 3X the 10 attackers row plus the 4 attackers row. Remember that only a limited number of attackers can normally see or reach a given target!

To Hit DCV

-7

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

1

even

+1

+2

+3

+4

+5

+6

+7

+8

Number of attackers
Number of Hits

1

100

99

99

96

90

83

75

62

50

37

25

16

9

4

1

0

2

200

199

198

196

180

166

150

129

100

75

50

32

18

8

2

1

3

300

298

297

288

270

249

225

190

150

112

75

48

27

12

3

1

4

400

398

396

384

360

332

300

250

200

150

100

64

36

16

4

2

5

500

497

495

480

450

415

375

312

250

187

125

80

45

20

5

2

6

600

597

594

576

540

498

450

375

300

225

150

96

54

24

6

3

7

700

696

693

672

630

581

525

437

350

262

175

112

63

28

7

3

8

800

796

792

768

720

664

600

500

400

300

200

128

72

32

8

4

9

900

895

891

864

810

747

675

562

450

337

225

142

81

36

9

4

10

1000

995

990

960

900

830

750

625

500

375

250

160

90

40

10

5

Examples.

Given below are several examples, showing how to use the table in different situations.

20 archers (OCV 6, including levels and weapon bonuses) are shooting at an approaching group composed of 15 footmen (DCV 6) and 5 knights (DCV 7). The attacker waits until the targets are in close range (-1 range mod) and then shoots. He decides to fire half the archers at the footmen, half at the knights. So, 10 archers at OCV 6 vs DCV 6, -1 for range is a total of minus 1, so using the +1 DCV column, 10 attackers score 500%, or 5 hits. Against the Knights, the archers use the +2 DCV column, since the Knights are DCV 7, and thus score 375%, or 3 hits and a 75% chance of 1 more.

Here's the table, with the 10 archers shooting at the footmen as described above, and the appropriate column and row marked with red text:

For autofire attacks, use a single check on the table and a single die roll, but check for multiple hits by moving 2 columns up the table for each extra hit.

5 mobsters are holding off the encroaching G-men with tommy guns (autofire 5). They are OCV 5 (including weapon bonuses) and the range mod is -2 for a total of OCV 3, their targets are DCV 4, so the attackers are at a total of -1, and use the +1 DCV column. 5 attackers would normally score 250%, or 2 hits and a 50% chance of 1 more, but since they are using autofire weapons, they have a chance of scoring more hits for every +2 they make their roll by. Moving to the +3 DCV column gives a 125% score, so at least one mobster hits his target twice, and there is a 25% chance that a second does so. Finally, there is a 45% chance that one mobster hits his target 3 times (using the +5 DCV column) and a 5% chance that he hits 4 times. You don't want to roll mass of dice, so you can speed things up by apportioning the hits using the following rationale - a target that is hit four times is obviously also hit 3 times and two times - so this must be the same target. Thus you can roll a single percentile dice roll if the total is under 100%. If the roll is under 5% then one target got hit 4 times (you don't need to roll the 45% chance for 3 hits, because obviously the target took 3 hits). If the roll is 06 to 45% then the target took 3 hits. If you roll 46 to 70% then this is the extra 25% chance for 2 hits. So the attack goes like this:

5 gangsters shoot and the GM rolls percentiles twice. On a roll of 50 or less, 3 G-men get hit once, on a roll of 51 or more, two get hit once. One of these G-man is actually hit twice. A second roll is made. On a 5 or less a second of the G-men who has been hit once is hit 4 times, if the roll is 06-45 he is hit three times, 46-70 he is hit twice and higher than 70 he is only hit once.

It sounds more complicated than it is....

Here's the table with the appropriate columns marked in red again:

Alternatively, the mobsters can decide to spray-fire at multiple targets. In this case they take a -1 for each hex fired into, but resolve combat using the number of potential attacks as the number of attackers.

In the example above, the G-Men are spread out with one hex between each man. The mobsters decide instead to fire into three hexes so they have a chance of hitting 2 G-Men each (and one empty hex). Now they attack using the +4 DCV column, since they gain a -3 OCV penalty for spreading their fire into three hexes. However, they are each attacking 2 targets at this OCV, so they count as 10 attackers, not five. However, they only score 160% using this approach, getting one hit and a 60% chance of a second. Better leave spray-fire attacks to the heroes!

Estimating damage for multiple hits

Once the number of hits are established, you still need to roll damage. You could use the average damage, but this leads to a problem. Since the average damage is normally about half the maximum, armour becomes much more effective, since there is no chance of a high damage hit sneaking through the defences. Thus it is better to roll damage individually, if there are not too many hits. If there are too many for this to be practical, then group the hits and roll for groups. In other words, if there are 15 hits on a number of targets, then you could assign 5 hits to a roll and simply make 3 rolls, with all the hits assigned to that roll taking the damage rolled. This approximates the actual outcome of rolling 15 hits, but saves time. The fewer the number of rolls, the poorer the approximation.

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To Hit DCV	-7	-6	-5	-4	-3	-2	1	even	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8
Number of attackers		Number of Hits
1	100	99	99	96	90	83	75	62	50	37	25	16	9	4	1	0
2	200	199	198	196	180	166	150	129	100	75	50	32	18	8	2	1
3	300	298	297	288	270	249	225	190	150	112	75	48	27	12	3	1
4	400	398	396	384	360	332	300	250	200	150	100	64	36	16	4	2
5	500	497	495	480	450	415	375	312	250	187	125	80	45	20	5	2
6	600	597	594	576	540	498	450	375	300	225	150	96	54	24	6	3
7	700	696	693	672	630	581	525	437	350	262	175	112	63	28	7	3
8	800	796	792	768	720	664	600	500	400	300	200	128	72	32	8	4
9	900	895	891	864	810	747	675	562	450	337	225	142	81	36	9	4
10	1000	995	990	960	900	830	750	625	500	375	250	160	90	40	10	5