Chapter Eight:

Siege Warfare

Small frays between bands of adventurers and their foes are not the only battles fought in a fantasy world. Companies of brigands roam the countryside, and there might be scores of troops in a town guard or castle garrison. In times of war, armies numbering in the thousands might take to the field.

Nor are hand-held weapons such as swords and spears the only deadly implements a hero is likely to face. Well-prepared opponents often employ war machines of ingenious design and fearsome potential. Likewise, defenders need not depend solely on the local terrain for protection; instead they might employ all manner of constructions and fortifications.

This chapter’s first section, War Machines, discusses fighting equipment that generally is larger than typical hand-held weapons. Bombardment engines, vehicles, and miscellaneous devices are included. Escalades covers a wide variety of actions, including battering down common portals and scaling walls. Sieges and Fortifications discusses the lengthy processes of smashing through fortifications through brute strength. Mass Combat provides a way to quickly determine the outcome of a battle too large to play out using the Player’s Option combat system. Finally, Proficiencies gives details on two new warrior proficiencies introduced in the previous sections.

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