Advanced Group Combat

Group Combat is an important concept in Ars Magica Fifth Edition, and the principle role of grogs in many stories. The rules in this section expand the Group Combat rules in ArM5 to add a bit more tactical depth. Feel free to use group combat when it makes sense, or have characters fight independently whenever drama or troupe preference dictates. These rules were first printed in Chapter 9 of Lords of Men.

A group leader can make one command-related die roll per round without using his action for that round. The leader acts at the same point in the combat sequence as the rest of

the group. In cases where it matters whether the group acts first, or the leader makes the Leadership roll first, the leader gets to decide the order in which the dice are rolled.

If the leader (or any member of the group, for that matter) wants to remain in the group, but do something other than attack, that's permissible. Simply don't count that individual as part of the group when calculating the group's combat bonus or resolving Damage. For example, if a group of two grogs plus a leader is fighting, and the leader chooses to spend his action doing something else besides attacking (say, casting a spell), then the group's combat bonus would be capped at +X (instead of +Y), and when the group hits, it only would inflict Damage two times, not three times.

These optional rules somewhat weaken the effectiveness of groups, but they make the role of the leader more important. A leader becomes significant even in an untrained group.

Effective group tactics require both discipline and morale. In battle, both of these will be tested.

A Discipline roll is required whenever the group is tempted to break formation, either because the group is executing a tricky maneuver or because the enemy seems vulnerable (tempting the group's members to pursue them). Discipline rolls do not take an action to make. If a Discipline roll fails, the group temporarily becomes Disordered.

GROUP DISCIPLINE: stress die + Leader's Presence + Leader's Leadership

If everyone in the group has a positive Loyal personality score, the group gains an additional bonus equal to the lowest Loyal score among the members.

Example discipline Ease Factors are given below:

EASE FACTOR: 3

EXAMPLE EVENT: Group moves across difficult terrain.

EASE FACTOR: 6

EXAMPLE EVENTS: Group runs (without charging); Or, enemy Disengages (without routing); Or, group changes between melee and missile combat.

EASE FACTOR: 9

EXAMPLE EVENTS: Enemy routs; Or, group Disengages.

All groups need to make morale rolls when bad things happen to them on the battlefield. Morale rolls do not take an action to make. A group that fails a morale check becomes Disordered. If the group is already Disordered and then fails a Morale check, it routs.

GROUP MORALE: stress die + Leader's Pre + Leader's Leadership

If everyone in the group has a positive Brave personality score, the group gains a bonus to the Morale roll equal to the lowest Brave score in the group.

Example morale Ease Factors are given below:

EASE FACTOR: 6

EXAMPLE EVENTS: Taking wounds from missile fire when having no missiles of its own; Or, charged by approximately equal force.

EASE FACTOR: 9

EXAMPLE EVENTS: Charged by obviously superior force; Or, ambushed or attacked from rear; Or, all members of group reach Wound Penalty of –3 or worse; Or, the vanguard or leader killed, Incapacitated, or disabled by magic.

A group that fails a Discipline or Morale check becomes Disordered. This is a bad state of affairs that leaves the group vulnerable in combat.

• A trained group that is Disordered functions as an untrained group. If it fails a second Discipline check, it functions like a Disordered untrained group.
• An untrained group that is Disordered can't attack effectively: only half its attacks (round up) can hit, and the others automatically miss. That is, instead of inflicting damage once per member of the group, it only inflicts damage half that many times (round up).
• If a group that is Disordered fails a Morale check (but not a Discipline check), it becomes Routed.

A routed group has lost its will to fight and attempts to Disengage from all opponents and flee to safety. Once Disengaged from the enemy, it's not uncommon for the members of a routed group to scatter.

A group can become Routed if it is already Disordered and then fails a Morale check.

If a group becomes Disordered or Routed, the leader may attempt to

rally it as an action. Rallying improves a routed group to being merely Disordered, or restores a Disordered group to normal status.

RALLY ^A GROUP: Presence + Leadership + stress Die

The Ease Factor to rally a group depends on whether the group is Engaged in combat, and how many casualties it has taken. A casualty is a member of the group who has a Medium or worse wound, or is unconscious or unable to fight due to magical effects.

Example Ease Factors to rally a group are given below:

EASE FACTOR: 3

EXAMPLE EVENT: Group is not engaged in combat.

EASE FACTOR: 6

EXAMPLE EVENT: Group is taking enemy missile fire.

EASE FACTOR: 9

EXAMPLE EVENT: Engaged in melee.

EASE FACTOR: 12

EXAMPLE EVENT: Routed and being hotly pursued.

EASE FACTOR: +1 to Ease Factor EXAMPLE EVENT: Group has sustained casualties.

EASE FACTOR: +3 to Ease Factor EXAMPLE EVENT: Group has sustained 50% casualties or more.

Ordinarily, a group that loses its vanguard or leader splits into individuals (see ArM5, page 173). Under these optional rules, a group that loses its vanguard or leader can still fight, though it is likely to become Disordered.

A group with no vanguard can't

attack, but uses the Defense score of its best member. The leader of a group can designate a new vanguard in the middle of battle. If successful, this takes effect immediately, and the group's future rolls are based on the new vanguard's statistics. The leader can automatically choose a new vanguard (no roll required) if the group spends a round without attacking or defending.

REPLACE ^A VANGUARD IN COMBAT: Leader's Presence + Leadership vs. Ease Factor 9

A group with no leader automatically fails any future Morale or Discipline checks. A new leader can assume command automatically if the group spends a round without fighting (making no Attack or Defense rolls). Alternatively, a member of the group may assume command in combat; if successful, this takes effect immediately.

ASSUME LEADERSHIP IN COMBAT: Presence + Leadership vs. Ease Factor 9

If more than one character succeeds at this roll in the same round, the one with the highest total becomes the leader.