Hi W42,
First let me be upfront, I am not an avid combat role-player (nor do I aim to be). However, I have been around long enough to notice the lack of detail given battlefields during conflicts, which often results in role-players accusing each other of lore-breaking, cheating, making things up in the heat of the moment, etc. And, even when some forethought has been given to the area before a battle, it is usually not shared between groups.
This is a problem.
Battles are usually fought in in-game areas or landscaled areas between them, I have a two-part proposal that will help streamline battle-planning and minimize conflict.
(1) All major lore-based locations are assessed in a pros and cons manner, e.g.: defences (fortifications, armaments, standing forces, etc.), terrain and accessibility (roads, physical barriers, weather conditions, etc.), etc. This gives a common ground for those involved to reference when preparing for the battle. For example, if the roads are bad, the attackers will likely find it difficult to bring supplies for an assault or require rest from the journey.
(2) Landscaled areas are a little more tricky. I suggest that a third-party takes the general description of the area and builds pros and cons for the battle in order to give attackers and defenders realistic challenges and something to build their strategies around.
I think that this systematic examination of areas would benefit from being an in-character manual, so it's available to characters for in-character war planning.
Anyway, these are just rough ideas. I'd love to hear other ideas and suggestions.
- Zrie
24-Nov-2016 18:47:03
