Mounted Combat

[Scott]

How do you handle mounted combat? Mounted vs. mounted and mounted vs. foot?
Say the combat is against some unintelligent monster, would you assign chances to hit the mount and rider?
What about an intelligent foe that specifically wants to hit the rider, from both the foot and mounted positions?

[ariochelruin]

Oct 30, 2010 6:46:28 GMT -5 Scott said:

How do you handle mounted combat? Mounted vs. mounted and mounted vs. foot?
Say the combat is against some unintelligent monster, would you assign chances to hit the mount and rider?
What about an intelligent foe that specifically wants to hit the rider, from both the foot and mounted positions?

I would just select which one the unintelligent monster would select, unless the mount and rider had the same AC.

I also give mounted combatants bonuses To Hit and Damage (when charging), plus I'll let their mount make attacks if applicable.

Mounted warriors should have a distinct advantage against the unmounted.

[Scott]

Been thinking about this somemore. I feel that mounted combatants should have some advantage when fighting opponents on foot. Would the same bonus for striking a prone opponent be oo much?

[GRWelsh]

Yes, that seems like too much. What about the striking from higher ground modifier?

[Scott]

I didn't think there was one. If there is, that seems like what I was aiming for.

[Scott]

The bonus to hit prone opponents is +4, and that is definitively too much. Maybe +2.

[GRWelsh]

That's weird, I can't find it now. Maybe it was from a later edition or other game. I thought there was a +1 to hit modifier for having higher ground.

According to a search in the DMG, higher ground only gets you "a few clumps of brush and tamaracks sprouting here and there."

[Merkholz]

The higher ground bonus comes from 2E. I can't find it in any OAD&D sources anyway.

Cavaliers strike as one level higher when mounted which basically equals a +1 bonus.

The real bonus effect from a mounted charge would be some sort of trampling effect, sort of like a stampeding herd. I cannot remember what rules MM gives for herd animal stampedes, just damage or stun effects as well?

M

[Scott]

The UA has a few blurbs about mounted combat. One states "... characters trained in mounted combat. Such characters include cavaliers, paladins, fighters, barbarians, and rangers. These classes can use the additional attack forms of their mounts, and can control them fully in melee."

[ariochelruin]

Aug 31, 2011 20:23:51 GMT -5 Scott said:

The bonus to hit prone opponents is +4, and that is definitively too much. Maybe +2.

I think +4 is a good "to hit" bonus. I think a damage bonus would be in order as well.

Hitting down is much easier than hitting up, maybe +2 damage.

That would be 20% greater chance of hitting and anywhere from 50% to 20% greater damage. That would be about right.

Calvary was very feared in medieval warfare. Of course which such great bonuses you'll have PCs wanting to take their mounts into dungeons.

[danomau]

Though the game system is different, the bonus given for fighting mounted against foot troops in mythus is 15% that is a +3 on d20.

[Scott]

You beat me to it. I meant to check out a few other systems as a reference. I know there's a mounted combat section in the WHFRPG that I meant to read to see how it was handled there.

[Lord Kjeran]

Chello!

The following is taken from Conley's "Majestic Wilderlands" supplement for 0E.

Mounted Combat:
1/2 move or more is considered a charge.
Charge automatically wins initiative.
+2 to hit targets on foot
Anyone on foot is at a -2 to hit a horseman
+4 to hit when charging
On a charge the rider might opt to do a knockdown. If successful, the target s knocked prone and must save vs. paralyzation at +2 to avoid unconsciousness. Damage is the better of 2d6.
The horse may attack separately from the rider. It may not attack if charging (exception--knockdown attack). It may only attack opponents on foot. If an opponent attacks the horse on the rider's shield side, the horse gets the benefit of the shield.