Large Unit Engagements/Tactical Combat a la Squad Leader

[Rosisha]

Hello Everyone,

Is there any interest on a basic fantasy squad leader type game as a supplement to help GMs handle larger scale combat?

[Bumblepig]

Interest? Yes.
Relevant abilities, knowledge, or helpful ideas? Ehhhh....
I do at least know what Squad Leader is.. played it as a kid.

[Rosisha]

I am actually working on some ideas for a module I'm writing - "Shadows over Pineford". It would have an option where the players can rally a goblin tribe to help them attack the bbeg, but I don't want to handle that through normal combat rules

[Bumblepig]

Sounds like a really cool idea.
In similar situations I've cobbled together a system for "stacking" individuals with identical stats. Working individual PCs into that was a little awkward.
But that's my version of Squad Leader.

[Clever_Munkey]

There are a few relevant things buried around here somewhere... A search for "mass combat", or "domain rules" might prove fruitful. I also recommend checking out either S&W's mass combat rules, or By This Poleaxe which is either free, or really cheap (it's been a few years since I got my hands on it). I'm unfamiliar with Squad Leader, but I've run a skirmish or two with rules I cobbled together from a hundred different sources.

[Rosisha]

Oh! Thank you for the recommendations!

Yeah I loved Squad Leader as a kid. I still love it to be honest. For table top tactical war games, I consider it a "best in class" and strongly recommend it. I'm not sure if there is an open source version. Le Wiki on Squad Leader gives a really good overview.

I'll check out what you suggested!

[Seven]

Squad leader--never actually played it--is for small units.

Morale is the key thing in large engagement.
Historically, most of the fatalities happened after one side was routed.
Players don't have Morale but won't necessary fight to the death either.

Goblins are generally not well suited for large scale combat.
They are really skirmishers, good for scouting, lying down ambushes, hit and run tactics, etc.
The Morale of goblins is 7. There is an HD 3-3 warrior for 8 normal goblins, so that's probably your squad size. A squad has a morale of 8.
A King might venture out of their lair to improve the Morale to 9, but would probably not take part in combat and would keep a large portion of its forces back.
A Chieftain, however could be put in charge or several attack squads but wouldn't provide a Morale boost.
Goblins might use horn blowers or drummers to carry out battle orders.

Goblin cavalry ride on Dire Wolves--but are uncommon.
Shamans don't usually take part in military offenses, but Moblins might.