Rule of Five
One can not attack a unit larger or smaller than any unit.
All units must be the same size to engage in combat, but one can be engaged in combat with up to five same sized units at a time, if they can surround that unit. Each additional same sized unit adds to the attack of the primary attacking unit. A talon must split into five scales to attack a single scale. If they are able to surround the target, the primary unit gets a +4 bonus to attack. All units must be identical.
War is that Skill of Mass Combat
Unless the unit size is single, war is the skill used, because it is about organizing the troops. All rolls are using the War skill. Each point of attack skill the unit has below that commander's War skill adds an attack penalty. If the commander has a lower attack skill or a higher attack skill than War, it does not matter or count. Scene length charms are the only charms that affect Mass Combat. Scene length charms need not be War charms to be affective, but the skill portion of the dice adder is the war skill. So character A has 0 War and a Melee scene length dice adder, the added dice are based on a 0 War. Parry defense and attack is both added.
You Wear your Unit.
All scene length charms affect your unit. Armour, health, DV is based on your character and not the unit. The quality of the troop's discipline adds a bonus equal to the difference of the two unit's discipline. Composition of the troops adds a Might bonus. Your War + Dex +/- bonus is your attack. Your health is the health of your troops.
If you damage your opponent passed their health levels, adjacent units suffer the overflow. All defeated units are incapacitated, not dead. Death occurs if victorious uses an action to kill defeated unit or an hour passes. Stabilization also is an action.
Example Magnus' unit is surrounded by five normal units.
Magnus has a scene length Melee charm and a War of four with Dex of four. His unit has +8 attack dice and +4 DV melee. Otherwise the units are identical. The five units get one attack at +4 dice 4 Dex, 4 War, 12 dice and they need to get more than 8 successes and Magnus has a DV of 4+4 or 8. They fail. Magnus rolls 16 dice and has to get more than three successes 4DV-1 attack. Magnus has a really big weapon and he attacks twice; he hits and causes 13 health levels of damage. His weapon has a higher speed factor so he repeats his manover and does 8 more damage. When they get to attack they only have two units and a +1 bonus now, his unit's DV is 8-2 and they have an attack of 9 dice now. They might need to make a morale check as they have just seen two units die in one round.
Reasoning
Mass combat should be easy, easy is fun. It should be accessible too so although it is governed by War, every Character should have a chance so scene length Melee, Martial Arts and War charms aid melee combat and Archery, Throw and War aid range combat. They are at a disadvantage without War, but not useless and they don't have to be specialized in Mass Combat to be effective. Also if your Character is specialized for Mass Combat, the effect is even greater.
Overrun units alive until they are killed. It also means that even a losing army is not destroyed and the wounded can be recovered
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