D&D 5E War Machine for 5e

Lyxen

Great Old One
Following a discussion in another thread, here is some information on the War Machine, the system from BECMI (actually the Companion Set, later improved in the Master Set), that I have ported to every single edition of the game except 4e.

I have a file about in the Homebrewery, but unfortunately, the original war machine is still under copyright, see below. That being said, for personal use, I can share things like the excel workbook that I use for computations, etc. contact me privately.

"This is an attempt to refresh the only mass combat system that worked for me throughout all the editions of D&D. It first came out with the Companion Set and was then developed in further expansions of the BECMI rules. It is a fairly abstract system, which - amongst its many advantages - does not require any investment in map space and figurines, it can absolutely be played using Theater of the Mind (TotM). It also scales extremely well, from skirmishes to battles involving thousands of troops on each side. Last. but not least, it gives a large part to PCs who can not only lead troops and choose tactics, but greatly influence the results of the battle by proper planning, spying, and doing heroic actions on the battlefield."

"Due to copyright, I will include the bare minimum from the original text to understand the intent, but if you want to read and understand it fully, you can get the rules either from the original expert set or from the D&D Rules Cyclopedia (which I recommend as it is more complete and updated and also contains some expansions in particular for Siege, but not the naval one - which also works for Spelljammer, by the way) in particular from DRiveThruRPG, here:"

A few more words from a post on another forum:

This system is absolutely brilliant, basically from a few elements about the type of troop that you have in units, you compute a Basic Force Rating (a bit like in Unearthed Arcana), and this never changes for a given unit. You find the Troop Class (from Untrained to Elite). You then add a modifiers (mounted troops, flying troops, magic or magical support) to get your Battle Rating. You then take into account the ratio , morale, environment, terrain, immunities, fatigue, etc. and (and this is brilliant) a tactics modifier, you roll d20 for each force and add the total and it gives you who wins, and how many troops you lose.

To give you some example:

Example: An elven prince has a force of 500 elves, all 2nd level and equipped with bows and longswords. The BFR is 96, and troop class is "Good." One hundred of his elves are mounted on pegasi, and all the elves can cast spells. However, only 12 elves have magical items. The bonus is 10% of 96: 9.6, which rounds up to 10. The prince adds 10 to the BFR eight times: for a. (20% are mounted), c. and d. (more than 20% can fire missiles, and the maximum range is greater than 100'), h. and i. (the entire force can cast spells), j. and k. (20% of the force can fly), and 1. (the average movement rate is well over 100' per turn). The total bonus of +80, added to the BFR, gives a total BR of 176.

Where it is brilliant is the small bit about tactics, because you can choose your tactic and so does the opponent, and when they are revealed, you get bonuses:

Attack + = forceful attack to overrun
Attack = close and combat
Envelop = attempt to encircle foe
Trap = lure foe to an ambush
Hold = stand fast at all costs
Withdraw = retreat rather than fight

There are also other optional factors about whether you want to be merciful, whether the PCs have an impact or not, surprise, effect of the loss of a leader (probably due to PC actions).

It also works really well for sieges, as well as for naval battles. I actually remember a huge campaign in D&D "Into the Maelstrom" where my players managed huge fleets and their tactics at the empire level. Absolutely brilliant, and really simple. I am planning to resurrect it for 5e for Descent into Avernus to manage the battles in Avernus, so happy to discuss further if you are interested.
 

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I am familiar with the war machine, but never had a chance to use it.

One question: do make a BFR for a whole army, or smaller portions, or can you do it either way?

it would seem a little anti-climactic if a huge battle was decided by a single die roll.
 

Lyxen

Great Old One
I am familiar with the war machine, but never had a chance to use it.

One question: do make a BFR for a whole army, or smaller portions, or can you do it either way?

You do it per force, but after that nothing prevents you from splitting that force. For example, in our upcoming Avernus battles, there is a large force of 6000 lemures with a very low BFR and BR (usually even the BR does not change that much), but it will probably be split up.

For example, if the elf force in my original post encounters orcs and goblins, let's say 100 orcs and 200 goblins, the elven prince might split up his force of 500 elves equally, or he might allocate 300 to the orcs which are much more dangerous and only 200 to the goblins. The BFR and BR stay the same, which makes it much easier for computations.

it would seem a little anti-climactic if a huge battle was decided by a single die roll.

It's not, here is a quick roster of the forces that might come into play in the next phase of the campaign, for example, there will be many dice rolls as, for example depending on their mobility and performance in battle, some forces might have to split up.

PCs77th Blizzard StrikeInfantry
236​
58​
600​
77th Infantry - Herlekins with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
Sappers
34​
96​
200​
77th Sappers - Ice Stalkers with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
Cavalry
15​
175​
800​
77th Cavalry - Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)
Profanator
1​
187​
60​
Raggadragga - Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Wereboars / Wereboars)
AlliesMaggie'sMadcaps
200​
69​
600​
Mad Maggie's - Madcaps with Redcap Officers and Nighthag Commander
Raggadragga'sGoreguts
120​
75​
400​
Goreguts - Wererats with Wereboar Officers and Wereboar Commander
Bitter Breath'sMarauders
500​
92​
2500​
Bitter Breath's Marauders - Hobgoblins with Hobgoblins Captains Officers and Horned Devil Commander
Crushers
12​
191​
800​
Bitter Breath's Crushers - Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Hobgoblins / Hobgoblins Captains )
ZarielInfantryLemures
6000​
27​
6000​
Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
713thInfantryNupperibos
1500​
42​
2500​
Nupperibos with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
345thScoutsImps
250​
84​
1000​
Imps with Spined Devil Officers and White Abishai Commander
698thHeavy InfantryMerregons
100​
166​
4000​
Merregons with Boned Devils Officers and Horned Devil Commander
349thSkirmishersSkirmishers
100​
106​
650​
Light War Machine Units (Devil's Ride / Bearded / Barbed)
285thLight CavalryLight Cavalry
10​
175​
500​
Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)2
193thHeavy CavalryHeavy Cavalry
10​
272​
1500​
Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Merregons / Bone Devil)
BelInfantryLemures
4000​
27​
4000​
Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
375thInfantryNupperibos
1500​
42​
2500​
Nupperibos with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
398thScoutsImps
250​
84​
1000​
Imps with Spined Devil Officers and White Abishai Commander
165thHeavy InfantryBearded Devils
600​
95​
3000​
Bearded Devils with Barbed Devils Officers and Bone Devil Commander
487thSkirmishersSkirmishers
50​
106​
350​
Light War Machine Units (Devil's Ride / Bearded / Barbed)
865thLight CavalryLight Cavalry
30​
175​
1500​
Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)2
124thHeavy CavalryHeavy Cavalry
5​
272​
500​
Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Merregons / Bone Devil)
49thHeavy InfantryHeavy Infantry
160​
107​
1000​
Buerozas with Barbed Devils Officers and Bone Devil Commander
Special ForcesAssassins
10​
222​
1000​
Dogais with Dogai Officers and Dogai Commander
Graz'ztInfantryDretches
10000​
25​
10000​
Dretches with Rutterkin Officers and Babau Commander
InfantryRutterkins
3000​
42​
5000​
Rutterkins with Bulezeau Officers and Babau Commander
InfantryBulezeaus
500​
68​
1500​
Bulezeaus with Babaus Officers and Shadow Demon Commander
InfantryBabaus
350​
101​
2000​
Babaus with Shadow Demon Officers and Glabrezu Commander
Heavy InfantryBarlgura
400​
107​
2500​
Barlguras with Armanite Officers and Glabrezu Commander
Heavy CalvaryArmanites
150​
145​
3000​
Armanites with Shadow Demon Officers and Glabrezu Nalfeshnee Commander
NeutralFeonor'sGolden Gloom
300​
109​
2000​
Feonor's Golden Gloom - Ghouls with Ghast Officers and Archmage Commander
Princeps'KovikEight Remnant
2300​
28​
2300​
Princeps Kovik's Eight Remnant - Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Chain Devil Commander
Big Chief DemoneaterDemoneaters
800​
44​
1500​
Big Chief Demoneater - Ogres with Hill Giant Officers and Commander
The Court of FilthCranium Rat Pods
300​
137​
5000​
The Court of Filth - Cranium Rats
ShemeshkaLight Infantry
180​
124​
1800​
Mezzoloths with Nycaloth Officers and Arcanaloth Commander
Heavy Infantry
90​
143​
1700​
Dhergoloths with Nycaloth Officers and Arcanaloth Commander
 

S'mon

Legend
I am familiar with the war machine, but never had a chance to use it.

One question: do make a BFR for a whole army, or smaller portions, or can you do it either way?

it would seem a little anti-climactic if a huge battle was decided by a single die roll.

For a big on-screen battle I find BECMI War Machine works best to split the forces up into detachments, eg left flank centre & right flank. On the march those would typically be vanguard, centre and rearguard. You might also have a reserve force that can plug a gap if one of those three gives way.

If you are rolling for an off-screen battle just use one force per side.
 

Lyxen

Great Old One
For a big on-screen battle I find BECMI War Machine works best to split the forces up into detachments, eg left flank centre & right flank. On the march those would typically be vanguard, centre and rearguard. You might also have a reserve force that can plug a gap if one of those three gives way.

If you are rolling for an off-screen battle just use one force per side.

Yes, it's really interesting to see that even though it's what, 40 years old, you can still play it completely in the spirit of 5e, with few high level rolls if you just have a large off-screen battle, but that you can also create complex order of battle, splitting forces, and arranging them properly, including the role of scouts, cavalry, sappers, reserves, etc.

Yesterday, as a test of their fledgeling coalition of Avernus Warlords, they have defeated a large force (800) of Fiendish Ogres and Hill Giants with an assortment of various forces, splitting the giants after drawing them out in a chasm, engaging with various units in turn, and them smashing the fleeing ogres with their infernal war machines.
 

hahnd

First Post
I am looking at an old module called "Vengeance of the Alphaks" and it uses this system but I am totally unfamiliar with it. What level would this Dwarf army be?
Number of troops: 1000
BR 115
Troop Class: Excellent
 

S'mon

Legend
I am looking at an old module called "Vengeance of the Alphaks" and it uses this system but I am totally unfamiliar with it. What level would this Dwarf army be?
Number of troops: 1000
BR 115
Troop Class: Excellent
Do they break down the stats with the base hit dice of the dwarf soldiers? That would be their level.

I'm guessing they're probably 3 hit dice.
TC Excellent is good, but BR 115 isn't that great. You see that with armies of all-infantry, they work out to have a high Basic Force Rating, but don't get bonuses to BFR from cavalry, magic, spells, & archers that would give a high BR.
 

hahnd

First Post
Do they break down the stats with the base hit dice of the dwarf soldiers? That would be their level.

I'm guessing they're probably 3 hit dice.
TC Excellent is good, but BR 115 isn't that great. You see that with armies of all-infantry, they work out to have a high Basic Force Rating, but don't get bonuses to BFR from cavalry, magic, spells, & archers that would give a high BR.
They give little details about ground troops but seem to give more about ship troops.
 

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Lyxen

Great Old One
Do they break down the stats with the base hit dice of the dwarf soldiers? That would be their level.

I'm guessing they're probably 3 hit dice.
TC Excellent is good, but BR 115 isn't that great. You see that with armies of all-infantry, they work out to have a high Basic Force Rating, but don't get bonuses to BFR from cavalry, magic, spells, & archers that would give a high BR.

BR of 115 is actually quite good for a very mundane infantry troop. I think it reflects well the type of army that you can get from dwarves.

As comparison, here are the troops involved currently in by Avernus campaign:

SideForceUnitTroopsBattle
Rating
Lemures
Equivalent
Description
PCs77th Blizzard StrikeInfantry
227​
58​
600​
77th Infantry - Herlekins with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
Sappers
33​
96​
200​
77th Sappers - Ice Stalkers with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
Cavalry
15​
175​
800​
77th Cavalry - Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)
Profanator
1​
187​
60​
Raggadragga - Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Wereboars / Wereboars)
AlliesMaggie'sMadcaps
194​
69​
600​
Mad Maggie's - Madcaps with Redcap Officers and Nighthag Commander
Raggadragga'sGoreguts
114​
75​
400​
Goreguts - Wererats with Wereboar Officers and Wereboar Commander
Bitter Breath'sMarauders
495​
92​
2500​
Bitter Breath's Marauders - Hobgoblins with Hobgoblins Captains Officers and Horned Devil Commander
Crushers
12​
191​
800​
Bitter Breath's Crushers - Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Hobgoblins / Hobgoblins Captains )
Feonor'sGolden Gloom
266​
109​
2000​
Feonor's Golden Gloom - Ghouls with Ghast Officers and Archmage Commander
Crimson Tide
384​
50​
750​
Feonor's Crimson Tide - Zombie Ogres with Zombie Hill Giant Officers and Archmage Commander
Princeps Kovik'sEight Remnant
2135​
28​
2300​
Princeps Kovik's Eight Remnant - Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Chain Devil Commander
ShemeshkaTrident Four
180​
124​
1800​
Mezzoloths with Nycaloth Officers and Arcanaloth Commander
Whirlwind Claw
90​
143​
1700​
Dhergoloths with Nycaloth Officers and Arcanaloth Commander
49thHeavy InfantryHeavy Infantry
160​
107​
1000​
Buerozas with Barbed Devils Officers and Bone Devil Commander
Special ForcesAssassins
10​
222​
1000​
Dogais with Dogai Officers and Dogai Commander
ZarielInfantryLemures
6000​
27​
6000​
Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
713thInfantryNupperibos
1500​
42​
2500​
Nupperibos with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
345thScoutsImps
250​
84​
1000​
Imps with Spined Devil Officers and White Abishai Commander
698thHeavy InfantryMerregons
100​
166​
4000​
Merregons with Boned Devils Officers and Horned Devil Commander
349thSkirmishersSkirmishers
100​
106​
650​
Light War Machine Units (Devil's Ride / Bearded / Barbed)
285thLight CavalryLight Cavalry
10​
175​
500​
Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)2
193thHeavy CavalryHeavy Cavalry
10​
272​
1500​
Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Merregons / Bone Devil)
BelInfantryLemures
4000​
27​
4000​
Lemures with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
375thInfantryNupperibos
1500​
42​
2500​
Nupperibos with Bearded Devil Officers and Barbed Devil Commander
398thScoutsImps
250​
84​
1000​
Imps with Spined Devil Officers and White Abishai Commander
165thHeavy InfantryBearded Devils
600​
95​
3000​
Bearded Devils with Barbed Devils Officers and Bone Devil Commander
487thSkirmishersSkirmishers
50​
106​
350​
Light War Machine Units (Devil's Ride / Bearded / Barbed)
865thLight CavalryLight Cavalry
30​
175​
1500​
Light War Machine Units (Tormentors / Bearded / Barbed)2
Heavy CavalryHeavy Cavalry
5​
272​
500​
Heavy War Machines Unit (Demon Grinder / Merregons / Bone Devil)
Graz'ztInfantryDretches
10000​
25​
10000​
Dretches with Rutterkin Officers and Babau Commander
InfantryRutterkins
3000​
42​
5000​
Rutterkins with Bulezeau Officers and Babau Commander
InfantryBulezeaus
500​
68​
1500​
Bulezeaus with Babaus Officers and Shadow Demon Commander
InfantryBabaus
350​
101​
2000​
Babaus with Shadow Demon Officers and Glabrezu Commander
Heavy InfantryBarlgura
400​
107​
2500​
Barlguras with Armanite Officers and Glabrezu Commander
Heavy CalvaryArmanites
150​
145​
3000​
Armanites with Shadow Demon Officers and Glabrezu Nalfeshnee Commander
EnemiesThe Court of FilthCranium Rat Pods
300​
137​
5000​
The Court of Filth - Cranium Rats
DefeatedBig Chief Demoneater'sDemoneaters
800​
44​
1500​
Big Chief Demoneater - Ogres with Hill Giant Officers and Commander

As you can see, there are many troops less powerful than the dwarves. I use the "Lemure Equivalent" concept to be able to balance the troops, although in the end, the resistances but also the tactical positioning and options make a huge difference.

Yesterday evening, the PCs had some of their troops descend into the lava tubes where the Court of Filth was thriving to try and clear a path to the other side of the spikes Range protecting the flank of the town of Darkspine, so that they could assess the situation where two armies of devils from Zariel and Bel are "besieging" an army of demon under Graz'zt. It was nasty fights in tunnels, with the PC main objectives was preventing pods of cranium rats from joining together and becoming more powerful. They cleared about 20000 rats but decided not to complete the work as the rest of the rats had regrouped and the PCs just wanted passage. Then it was mostly politics and embassies with the leaders of the three factions... :D
 

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