Hippogriffs and the Battle of the Queens

[Arcadiagt5]

I've been looking at this thread (very useful, recommended) re the Battle of the Queens, and I'm wondering how to handle it when a good number of the PCs have Hippogriffs from The Pegasus Plateau. 

Does anyone have any particular thoughts or suggestions? 

I mean, I could just go with "You muster with the tribal militia and leave the hippogriffs behind because they don't work in formation", but that seems like cheating somehow. 

[Squaredeal Sten]

What happens if you play it straight?  The hippogriff riders being a non canon resource will make the battle slightly different. 

If the players think of it they could do aerial reconnaissance, and what they learn will depend on Scan and Battle skill rolls.  Then they have to get that info back to the commander.  Who may or may not change plans. 

The hippogriff riders can throw down javelins, or even rocks, which probably get a plus to damage from falling from a height; and cast spells, which they could have done on foot anyway.  Then they and their mounts are subject to be hit with all kinds of magic from Disrupt on up.  

This is a battle after all, so large troop units.  And these riders are clearly visible in the sky, unless they say they intend to fly nap of the earth.   What happens when the Hippogriff rider is seen by 100 enemy, of whom 10 have Disrupt, and who cast it in the same round?  Assume 50% target the mount, 50% the rider. 

What happens if someone on the ground casts Befuddle and succeeds? Now the hippogriff is essentially unguided to follow his or her own wishes, which may not be to participate in a battle. 

What happens if ... Darkwall (do they fly on instruments?) , Demoralize, Firearrow, Multimissile...   now go though the list of rune spells.  The possibilities!

 

[David Scott]

First there are couple of straight forward factors - range:

spirit magic - 50m

rune magic - 160m

If you want the adventurers swooping down to attack, then just use the (pendragon) Battle rules unmodified as they will get into weapon range.

If the just want to skirmish and stay further than 50m, then it's only rune magic that can affect them. Modify the attack accordingly with just ranged weapons that could reach.

The rules are about involving the players not making it one sided in their favour. They will attract the attention of the specialist units that can reach them. 

[Minlister]

I would have them fight wyvern riders. The important point is for them to live an epic fight, changing the tide of the battle is probably beyond the means of a group of PCs considering the heavy weights involved in the event. They could also serve as "Valkyries", swooping to fetch back dead heroes' bodies in order to allow for their later resurrection. This is a very important task, I think. 

[Rodney Dangerduck]

1 hour ago, Minlister said:

They could also serve as "Valkyries", swooping to fetch back dead heroes' bodies in order to allow for their later resurrection. This is a very important task, I think. 

Great idea to allow player agency.

In our campaign, the Battle of the Queens happened before our PCs obtained hippogriffs.  But, they were quite rich, and spent many thousands of Lunars hiring Chalana Arroy healers from Nochet.  Many of the Colymar slain or wounded survived thanks to their efforts.

[Arcadiagt5]

18 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

What happens if you play it straight?  The hippogriff riders being a non canon resource will make the battle slightly different. 

If the players think of it they could do aerial reconnaissance, and what they learn will depend on Scan and Battle skill rolls.  Then they have to get that info back to the commander.  Who may or may not change plans. 

The hippogriff riders can throw down javelins, or even rocks, which probably get a plus to damage from falling from a height; and cast spells, which they could have done on foot anyway.  Then they and their mounts are subject to be hit with all kinds of magic from Disrupt on up.  

This is a battle after all, so large troop units.  And these riders are clearly visible in the sky, unless they say they intend to fly nap of the earth.   What happens when the Hippogriff rider is seen by 100 enemy, of whom 10 have Disrupt, and who cast it in the same round?  Assume 50% target the mount, 50% the rider. 

What happens if someone on the ground casts Befuddle and succeeds? Now the hippogriff is essentially unguided to follow his or her own wishes, which may not be to participate in a battle. 

What happens if ... Darkwall (do they fly on instruments?) , Demoralize, Firearrow, Multimissile...   now go though the list of rune spells.  The possibilities!

 

Definite possibilities there, thanks.

15 hours ago, David Scott said:

First there are couple of straight forward factors - range:

spirit magic - 50m

rune magic - 160m

If you want the adventurers swooping down to attack, then just use the (pendragon) Battle rules unmodified as they will get into weapon range.

If the just want to skirmish and stay further than 50m, then it's only rune magic that can affect them. Modify the attack accordingly with just ranged weapons that could reach.

The rules are about involving the players not making it one sided in their favour. They will attract the attention of the specialist units that can reach them. 

Good thoughts there too. The biggest problem is that I’ve never been entirely happy with the Pendragon battle rules, they just never seemed to quite work for me for either the macro scale or the individual experiences. 

13 hours ago, Minlister said:

I would have them fight wyvern riders. The important point is for them to live an epic fight, changing the tide of the battle is probably beyond the means of a group of PCs considering the heavy weights involved in the event. They could also serve as "Valkyries", swooping to fetch back dead heroes' bodies in order to allow for their later resurrection. This is a very important task, I think. 

Ooooh, nasty. That might happen. I might allow them to tie themselves into their saddles first though.