ThreefoldStrategicMethodology

Threefold Strategic Methodology

Or: Land Air And Sea Understanding

This is a system that abstracts together dramatic military, horseback, airship, or naval battles. If you are using this system, do not use the rules for:

• Ambushes, where at least one side qualifies for a strategy roll
• Battle Groups, unless they are encountered on their own
• Command Actions
• Naval Combat

Mortals and other nameless hordes act, instead, as a backdrop for the excitement of Exalt-on-Exalt combat.

This system uses the Crunchy Merit Methodology rules.

Order Of Events

1. All commanders decide on their intended Stratagem and make strategy rolls, if they qualify for them.
2. The commander with the winning strategy roll implements their intended Stratagem (if they have enough threshold successes).
3. The Exalts involved roll Join Battle and face off against one another using normal combat rules, modified by the Stratagem.
4. The consequence of fleeing battle (depleted Command merits + any effect from Stratagems) is applied.

Strategy Rolls

Strategy rolls are made before forces join battle, if combat is planned ahead of time. To make a strategy roll, you must be the commander of your side, be aware that conflict is going to break out, and have qualifying merits:

• Your side is bringing the Command Merit to bear on a land battle (Command).
• All Exalts on your side is mounted (have the Mount Merit) in a land battle, or have flying mounts in a sea or air battle (Mounted).
• Your side is bringing a cavalry-type Command Merit to bear on a land battle (Mounted).
• Your side control at least one Ship in a sea battle (Naval).
• Your side control at least one flying Ship in an air battle (Naval).

Each commander decides on a desired Stratagem, then makes a strategy roll. Strategy rolls are subject to the following modifiers:

+1 Difficulty if you do not know who the opposing commander is.

+1 Difficulty if you do not know what forces the opposing commander is bringing.

The highest result subtracts theirs from the highest result from a hostile commander. If they have enough remaining successes to meet the threshold of their desired Stratagem, it is applied to the subsequent battle. If not, no stratagem is in effect.

If you do not qualify for a strategy roll, you may not make one; your opponent's roll, if they qualify for one, will go uncontested. If you qualify for more than one type of strategy roll, you may choose which one to make.

Merits

Command strategy rolls are made with Intelligence+War. Anyone can contribute their Command Merit(s) to their Commander, and the bonuses stack (up to the normal maximum of five Merit dice). If you apply a Command Merit and are subsequently forced to flee the battle, the Command Merit is reduced by one due to casualties and desertions. If a cavalry unit is reduced below a rating of two, it becomes a regular Command unit.

Mounted strategy rolls are made with Intelligence+Ride. Anyone can contribute their Mount or cavalry Merit(s) to their Commander, and the bonuses stack (up to the normal maximum of five Merit dice). If you apply a Mount or cavalry Command Merit and are subsequently forced to flee the battle, the Merit is reduced by one due to injury, casualties and desertions. If a flying mount is reduced below a rating of three, or an amphibious mount reduced below a rating of two, it is killed.

Naval strategy rolls are made with Intelligence+Sail. Anyone can contribute their Ship Merit(s) to their Commander, and the bonuses stack (up to the normal maximum of five Merit dice). If you apply a Ship Merit and are subsequently forced to flee the battle, the Command Merit is reduced by one due to battle damage. If an airship is reduced below a rating of three, it is destroyed.

Stratagems

Stratagems are listed below. You must stunt a stratagem to make it clear how you are accomplishing the effects described.

Threshold 1

• Pinned: If the opposing forces flee the battle, any Command Merits they have brought have their ratings reduced by two rather than one. Alternatively, you may force them to leave behind a Mount or Ship.
• Strategic Placement: You dictate where in the vicinity the battle takes place, for environmental advantage and stunting benefits.
• Hidden Approach: The battle starts with both sides at short range from each other.
• Keep Your Distance: The battle starts with both sides at long range from each other.

Threshold 2

• Fortifications: The battle starts at long range, and the opposing force consider the battlefield to be difficult terrain.
• Mire Them: The battle starts at short range, and the opposing force consider the battlefield to be difficult terrain.
• Skirmish: If you are forced to flee the battle, your Command Merits are not reduced (Command rolls only).
• Fusillade: Your opponents have their starting Initiative reduced by the rating of the Merit used in your strategy roll.
• The Runaround: Your opponents start with a fatigue penalty to Athletics checks equal to your Mount merit (Mounted rolls only).

Threshold 3

• Ambush: Your attacks in the first round of battle, against opponents with lower Initiative, are considered ambush attacks.
• Attrition: The opposing commander's highest applicable Merit rating (Command/Mount/Ship) is reduced by one before the battle begins. If your highest Merit is equal to or lower than the reduced rating, your Merit's rating is also reduced by one.
• Hold At Bay: Each Exalt on your side may make a single social influence check against one of your opponents. If they try to interrupt, you may make a reflexive ambush attack against them before Join Battle is rolled.
• Not Today: The battle is avoided altogether.
• No Escape: The battle takes place in a three-by-three range band square, from which your opponents cannot escape without use of appropriate Charms.
• Ram: The battle begins with ships alongside each other. If your opponent's Ship has a lower merit rating than yours, it is crippled and loses its merit dice bonus until repaired (Naval rolls only).
• Sea Of Blades: Your opponents have a -1 onslaught penalty for the duration of the battle.

Ride, Sail, and War Charms can be created and used to increase the effects of these. STs should allow players to invent their own Stratagems, and agree the effects and threshold for them.