|
Cry Havoc
is an event book that follows in the d20 system footprints of Requiem
for a God and When the Sky Falls (all published by Malhavoc Press).
An event book basically focuses on a campaign-changing event and tries
to present various angles on using it to its best effect. Cry Havoc
spends about ten pages discussing the event of war before launching
into a break down of the mass combat system that this book seems more
geared to be about. I guess I would have liked more space given to the
event of war, rather than the mechanics of unit and army combat (two
chapters in the mass combat system).
Cry Havoc
spends most of its time on unit combat, the basis of the mass combat
system. Unit combat happens when two or more forces meet each other
on the field of battle. A unit consists of one to ten creatures, of
either mixed or "homogenous" make-up. A mixed unit is a unit
of different creatures; a homogenous one consists of the same creature.
(A unit of ten ogres and a unit of 3 goblins, 3 wargs, and 4 conscripted
kobold sorcerers are examples of both homogenous and mixed units.)
Regardless
of the actual make-up of the unit, combat takes place over a one-minute
"battle round," in which a unit may perform up to two standard
actions (like move than attack, attack than move, double move, move
and cast a spell, etc.; not counting any commands given by unit commanders
to do otherwise, like spellcasting over three actions). Once these units
meet, attacks (as attacks of opportunity rarely exist on the battlefield)
are dealt with in initiative order (as determined by a commander-in-chiefs
command check).
To make
unit combat better than rolling massive amounts of dice for each creature
in a unit, a unit has an attack bonus that it adds to its attack roll.
(Melee attack bonuses are based on the average base attack bonus added
to the average strength modifier added to the creature's size modifier
added with the weapon's damage modifier and any additional miscellaneous
modifiers. Ranged attack bonuses use dexterity instead of strength and
add a range modifier to the calculations.) The unit then uses a large
chart to determine the number of strikes against its enemy, and then
does a number of damage factors worth of damage based on their blow.
(Damage factors are the hit points of unit combat, five hit points equal
one damage factor [Cry Havoc has the creature's hit points divided by
five to get the total number of damage factors (one minimum) that a
creature may take.]) While units are in melee contact, the units may
try to just hit each other until one or another unit is destroyed. If
a unit breaks melee contact, an attack of opportunity may take place.
Cry Havoc
takes its time detailing the mechanics of the unit combat system, making
an attempt to cover most the bases that could come about during a combat
round. (Covering free actions, entanglement, actions of a unit without
orders, trying to take command of a unit that a hero-commander [mainly
the player's character] has trained with, and more.) Not included in
the unit combat chapter are battlefield magics-it gets a chapter to
its own, and Cry Havoc spends most of that space detailing the changes
to the spell to match unit combat. The combat round spell basically
acts like a regular round spell, except is casted by a unit of like-spell
equipped spellslingers. Spells that take longer than a minute to cast
may still be casted, it just takes an action of the following battle
round.
After
spending time covering unit combat-the core of the mass combat system-Cry
Havoc turns to army combat. Army combat is not meant for on the fly
use in a campaign, unless you have plenty of time to appoint players
to the tasks of calculating the army stats of one army or another. An
army's statistics are determined by taking the defensive power ([armor
class + all saving throw bonuses totaled + hit points]/three, rounding
down) and multiplying the offensive power ([base attack bonus + Str
mod(or Dex mod or whichever spellcasting key ability-the highest value)+average
weapon damage(or highest level spell available-whichever is highest)]/two,
rounding down) to equal the creature power which one creature adds to
the army it's in. After doing this for all creatures in the army, the
total army power and total army defense numbers can be calculated. Using
the power change (differences in power values) in the two armies that
are at war, the length the conflict can be determined. Using a difference
resolution system, the battles between armies can be dealt with.
After
all the new systems are lodged in your head, and the mere thought of
calculations make you weary, Cry Havoc returns to the d20 system stand-by
of prestige classes for your campaigns. Three of them, in fact: a death
dealer, knight commander, and shieldmate. Death dealers are vicious
foe, capable of rendering enemies quickly with its death blow (think
coup-de-grace while both characters can do something about it) ability.
Knight Commanders are warriors geared for the Cry Havoc battlefield,
getting benefits to command checks and battlefield orders. Shieldmates
are the best defenders on a battlefield.
Cry Havoc
offers a lot, but provides it in a dull package. The writing is bereft
of the tone that has the other events books coming to the gaming table.
Cry Havoc is mostly text and charts, little to do with diagrams and
illustrations, making it a packed book. While sometimes that's a good
thing, in Cry Havoc, it leaves little for the eye to rest on and makes
the work feel longer than it is.
Overall,
Cry Havoc provides mass combat for those desiring one and kind of deals
with the logistics of war (but not much on the event of war). Several
referees may wish to think twice before dropping the system into their
campaigns, as it'll bog down the action until the system is better learned
by those at the table. The army combat system is a good tool for between
games to help supply some action points for the player characters to
work with (like a key battle at S'al Rh'imn F'aln where decisive action
will turn away the dark army, etc.). Cry Havoc offers the form of war
in the d20 system, but not its spirit.
|
