TEXT:  
   
   
   
   © 2020 Stefouch Gaming Lab 
   
   
  MASS COMBAT 
   
  VERSION 1.0 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  PLACE IMAGE HERE 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  All Your Base Are Belong To Us! New set of rules for managing attacks against the Ark 
  and military campaigns in the Zone. 
   
  by Stéphane Van Cauwenberghe 
  (Stefouch) 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  ii 
   
  AUTHOR 
  Stéphane “Stefouch” Van Cauwenberghe 
   
  COVER ART 
  The Battle of Avaí (Pedro Américo, 1877) 
   
   
  PREFACE 
  Thank you for your support! 
  By acquiring this document, you prove that this work is appreciated and worth improving. 
   
  Please, don’t hesitate to share your feedback. 
   You can reach me under the following social platforms: 
  Twitter: 
  twitter.com/stefouch 
  Facebook: 
  facebook.com/stefouch 
  Reddit: 
  u/Stefouch 
  Discord: 
  Stefouch#5202 on the Year Zero Worlds server 
  Website: 
  stefouch.be 
   
   
  SEE ALSO 
  Sebedius. A Discord bot with command utilities for several Year Zero games. 
  https://github.com/Stefouch/sebedius-myz-discord-bot 
   
  Find My Path. A web application for managing the map of the Zone. 
  https://stefouch.github.io/myz-zonemap 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  © 2019 Cabinet Licensing LLC. MUTANT and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof 
  are trademarks of Cabinet Licensing LLC unless otherwise noted. Used with permission under the Community Content 
  Agreement for Free League Workshop. All rights reserved. 
   
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Stefouch Gaming Lab and published under the 
  Community Content Agreement for Free League Workshop. 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  1 
   
  This document is an expanded set of rules for 
  managing attacks against the Ark and military 
  campaigns in the Zone. A mass combat typically 
  opposes two factions. To see how the battle 
  unfolds, the players roll dice and perform actions 
  for one faction against the GM for the other 
  faction. Mass combat takes longer than regular 
  conflicts, both in real time and game time, and is 
  therefore played out in Waves instead of Turns. 
   
   
  PLAYERS POSITIONS 
  Typically, the PCs are divided into the following 
  positions during a mass combat. For very small 
  party, a single person can fill two or even more 
  positions. 
   
  K Leader: In overall command of the force in 
  battle. Gives orders, appraises reconnaissance 
  reports and chooses the battle strategy. In an 
  Ark, the leader is usually one of the Bosses. If 
  they’re a NPC, a player can still assist them 
  and roll their dice. 
  K Assailants: Get inside a combat unit, using a 
  large panel of skills to contribute to the battle. 
  K Engineers: Make emergency repairs, using 
  the JURY-RIG and MANUFACTURE skills. 
  K Medics: Mend the wounds and get the 
  fighters back on their feet using the HEAL and 
  SENSE EMOTION skills. 
   
   
  BATTLE POOL 
  Each leader gathers a pool of dice made of 
  K Battle Dice, O Strategy Dice and G Support 
  Dice. It’s called the Battle Pool. 
   
  K Battle Dice (Base Dice): Represent the 
  relative strength of the faction. The leader gets 
  a number of Battle Dice equal to the Battle 
  Level of their side. These dice are the bread 
  and butter of the Battle Pool. 
  O Strategy Dice (Skill Dice): Denote any 
  strategic advantage the faction has over the 
  other. These dice allow additional roll pushes 
  for the leader. 
  G Support Dice (Gear Dice): Symbolize the 
  relative logistic support and defensive 
  structures. These dice can be “repaired.” 
   
  Default Battle Level: Outside of its Ark, the Battle 
  Level of an army is roughly equal to 1 per 20–50 
  fighters. 
   
  Combat Ready: If the Ark is alert and combat-
  ready, its Battle Level is increased by one. If it 
  wasn’t, it’ll become it on the next Wave of battle. 
   
   
  RECONNAISSANCE 
  The opposing factions may get into each other 
  proximity without knowing their foe’s exact 
  location. In this situation, a Reconnaissance roll 
  determines if a faction achieves to catch its 
  enemy. The factions’ leaders make an opposed 
  COMPREHEND roll, which reflects their abilities to 
  sift through constant reports from patrols, scouts 
  and spies. 
  Each of the following factors gives a +1 
  modification to the leader: 
   
  K The faction has a scout or recon unit. 
  K The faction is on its home territory. 
  K The faction is on a defensive position. 
   
  Each of the following factors gives a −1 
  modification to the leader: 
   
  K The faction has no scout or recon unit. 
  K The faction has only flying units. 
  K The faction uses many motorized vehicles. 
  K The faction performed a forced-march. 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  2 
   
  RESULT 
  The leader who rolled the most ☢ wins the 
  Reconnaissance and achieves a surprise attack. If 
  their margin of success equals or exceeds the 
  rating of the Zone sector’s environment (see table 
  below), they can choose to prepare an ambush 
  instead. 
   
  SURPRISE 
  The faction who achieves a surprise attack gains 
  OO (two Strategy Dice) for the first Wave of 
  battle. 
   
  AMBUSH (OPTIONAL) 
  The faction who achieves an ambush gets the 
  surprise effect above and gains an extra G 
  (Support Die) for the remaining of the battle. In 
  addition, the ambushers cause CONFUSION to the 
  enemy’s ranks. However, an ambushers’ leader 
  can’t choose a defensive strategy on the first 
  Wave. 
   
   
  ENVIRONMENT RATING 
  The Environment Rating is halved (rounded up) at 
  night and decreased by 1 in bad weather conditions. 
  For both, first halve then decrease. 
  ENVIRONMENT 
  RATING 
  Jungle 
  2 
  Marshlands 
  2 
  Mountain 
  2 
  Thick Woods 
  2 
  Dead Woods 
  3 
  Arctic 
  3 
  Ark or Settlement 
  3 
  Huge Crater 
  3 
  Ruins or Derelict 
  Industries 
  3 
   
  ENVIRONMENT 
  RATING 
  Ash Desert or 
  Glasified Field 
  4 
  Scrublands 
  4 
  Underwater 
  2 
  Ruins in Sea 
  3 
  Island, Beach or 
  Coastal Sea 
  3 
  Open Sea 
  4 
   
   
   
  CONFUSION 
  A CONFUSED force can’t choose any battle strategy 
  except for Rally or Full Retreat (see page 4). 
   
   
  BATTLE MODIFIERS 
  These basic modifiers are the most fundamental 
  adjustments to a leader’s Battle Pool. 
   
  SPECIAL CLASS 
  A faction gains G (one Support Die) for each 
  special class it has at least a few units (maximum 
  one die per class). There are six classes of special 
  units for armies: 
   
  K Aerial: Hoverdrone, Elysium Attack 
  Hovercraft. 
  K Armored: Truck, Steam train, Sentinels, Class 
  III & IV Avengers, Armored Drone Vehicle 
  Rhinoceros Model C, Artillery Drone MRS-E, 
  Annihilator Class Colossus Robot, Elysium 
  HBW-700 Karzer, Scrap ship, Rotzilla. 
  K Artillery: Scrap cannon, Artillery Drone MRS-
  E, Annihilator Class Colossus Robot. 
  K Cavalry: Automobile, Motorcycle, Buggy, 
  Steam car, Bitterbeast mounts, Elysium 
  Hoverbike, Elysium Patrol Hovercraft, Jet Ski. 
  (Only relevant in non-siege situations.) 
  K Engineering: Gearheads, Technicians, 
  Manufacture robots, Mining robots. (Only 
  relevant in siege situations.) 
  K Naval: Scrap sloop, Scrap ship, Motor boat. 
  (Only in Zone sectors with a connection to a 
  sea or river.) 
   
  If the GM deems relevant, other types of units, 
  such as Zone monsters or high-tech mobile 
  infantries, can be considered special class on their 
  own. Very powerful special units can also increase 
  the faction’s Battle Level and the number of Battle 
  Dice the leader will get. 
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  3 
   
  SUPERIORITY 
  A faction will gain an extra O (Strategy Die) if it 
  has at least a 2-for-1 superiority in the numbers of 
  special units. Multiple superiority bonuses are 
  cumulative. 
  A faction with superiority in both Armored 
  and Artillery elements grants O for Armored 
  Superiority and O for Artillery Superiority, for a 
  net OO (two Strategy Dice). 
   
  ARK PROJECTS 
  Some Ark projects grant extra mass combat 
  related bonuses: 
   
   
  ARK PROJECT 
  EXTRA EFFECT 
  Arsenal 
  +1 G Support at the Ark. 
  Defenses 
  The Ark is protected by a mere palisade. 
  Explosives 
  Lab 
  Grants a special artillery unit for each four 
  points of Battle Level, but only if the Ark is 
  besieged. 
  Hunting Party 
  Grants a scout unit for Reconnaissance. 
  Shelter 
  If the Ark is besieged, the Full Retreat strategy 
  is allowed and a rout doesn’t cause a total 
  surrender. A successful retreat means escaping 
  the battle. The leader suffers one less damage 
  from Retaliation. 
  Ship 
  Grants a special naval unit for each three 
  points of Battle Level. 
  Stables 
  Grants a special cavalry unit or a friendly 
  monster for each two points of Battle Level. 
  Steam Car 
  Grants a special cavalry unit for each two 
  points of Battle Level. 
  Watchtower 
  If the Defenses project is also completed, the 
  Ark is considered walled. 
   
   
  SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES 
  The GM may give additional O (Strategy Dice) 
  bonuses or penalties from −3 to +3 for any other 
  factors as she sees fit. (E.g. for a brilliant – or 
  stupid – plan described by the PCs; or a low Ark’s 
  Food DEV Rating; etc.) 
  DEFENSIVE ADVANTAGE 
  The Defensive Advantage only applies to the side 
  who chooses a defensive strategy. The bonus 
  depends on terrain, with O (one Strategy Die) in 
  hills or OO (two Strategy Dice) in mountain, 
  underground bunkers or large urbanized areas 
  (ruined or not). 
  Notably strong positions such as walled arks 
  and fortresses provide a greater Defensive 
  Advantage and require a Siege (see page 7). 
   
  NEGATIVE STRATEGY 
  After applying all modifiers, if a faction comes up 
  with a negative number of O (Strategy Dice), 
  instead the opposing faction gets that many extra 
  dice. 
   
   
  INITIATIVE & PHASES 
  When the battle is about to begin, roll initiative. 
  This works just like in regular conflicts, but only 
  the leader of each faction rolls the initiative. 
  Each Wave of mass combat has six phases, 
  and each faction gets to perform one action in 
  each phase. All factions perform their action in the 
  phase, in initiative order, before moving on to the 
  next phase. 
   
  1. 
  RISK PHASE 
  2. 
  STRATEGY PHASE 
  3. 
  ACTION PHASE 
  4. 
  BATTLE PHASE 
  5. 
  SUPPORT PHASE 
  6. 
  END PHASE 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  4 
   
  1. RISK PHASE 
  Each leader and participating PC has to choose a 
  Risk Modifier between −3 and +3. The higher the 
  modifier, the greater the risks that player is taking 
  in the battle. The Risk Modifier is added to all skill 
  rolls attempted by the player during this Wave of 
  battle. 
  However, the Risk Modifier also applies to the 
  Retaliation (see page 7). (Cowardly PCs and those 
  PCs in units held in reserve or who otherwise were 
  not exposed to the full impact of the battle should 
  not pick a Risk above +1. Overconfident PCs should 
  not pick a Risk below −1. Berserk PCs should not 
  pick a Risk below 0.) 
   
   
  2. STRATEGY PHASE 
  Every Wave, the leader secretly chooses one battle 
  strategy 
  among 
  four 
  categories: 
  offensive 
  strategies, defensive strategies, retreat strategies 
  and harass strategies. 
   
  Choice Restrictions: A leader of an ambushing 
  force can’t choose a defensive strategy. A leader of 
  a CONFUSED force can only choose Rally or Full 
  Retreat. 
   
  Stalemate: If both leaders chose a defensive 
  strategy apart from Parley, instead switch both 
  strategies for Skirmish. 
   
  Null Battle: If both leaders chose a retreat 
  strategy, or if one chose a retreat strategy and the 
  other chose a defensive strategy, instead the 
  retreating forces fall back and the battle ends. 
   
  OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES 
  K Attack: A default option with no special 
  modifier. 
  K Total Attack: Gain OO, but your faction 
  suffers double casualties. If you win this Wave, 
  you inflict +1D6 more casualties to the enemy. 
  K Planned Attack: Gain O, and another O if 
  you have Artillery Superiority. Foe’s Strategy 
  Dice from Defensive Advantage are halved 
  (rounded down). 
  K Feinted Attack: Lose OO, but if you win your 
  margin of victory is doubled. (E.g. if the 
  attacker succeeds by three ☢ and the defender 
  by one ☢, the margin of victory is 2, then 
  doubled to 4.) This strategy exemplifies the 
  leader carrying out some risky but rewarding 
  move with their force. 
   Repeated Feinted Attacks have 
  diminishing returns as the foe becomes 
  more vigilant. On the following Feinted 
  Attacks, the margin of victory is only 
  increased by one. Moreover, you lose an 
  extra OO if you choose a Feinted Attack 
  after another on the very next Wave. 
   
  DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES 
  (Defending factions also gain the  
  Defensive Advantage.) 
  K Defense: Gain O. 
  K Total Defense: Gain OO, but your faction 
  suffers double casualties. 
  K Planned Defense: Gain O, and another O if 
  you have Artillery Superiority. Can only be 
  chosen during the first Wave of battle and 
  only by a force who benefits from a Defensive 
  Advantage and who isn’t surprised. If you win 
  or tie, you inflict +1D6 more casualties to the 
  enemy. 
   
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  5 
   
  K Rally: Only used when a faction is CONFUSED. 
  If your force survives this Wave, you may 
  attempt a COMMAND or MANIPULATE roll 
  modified by your Risk Modifier during the 
  Support Phase. If you succeed, your faction 
  rallied and is no longer CONFUSED. 
  K Parley: You try negotiating a truce in the 
  battle to talk with your opponent. They decide 
  whether to agree after all battle strategies 
  have been chosen. 
   Accept: If the opponent accepts, a cease-
  fire is declared and the battle momentarily 
  stops. Talks between the opposing leaders 
  can start. All factions skip their remaining 
  phases for this Wave of battle. 
   Decline: If the opponent declines your 
  offer, the battle proceeds as normal. Your 
  own strategy is switched for Defense, but 
  you lose O as you weren’t attentive to win 
  this Wave. 
   
  Example: The Ark is besieged by the Helldrivers. 
  Boss Marlotte wants to negotiate and chooses 
  Parley. Ilona, the Helldrivers’ leader, accepts and 
  the battle pauses. Both leaders have a talk at the 
  edge of the Ark’s fortifications. They agree to settle 
  the issue of this war on a duel between their 
  respective champions. 
   
  RETREAT STRATEGIES 
  K Fighting Retreat: Gain OO, but you skip 
  your Support Phase, can’t win this Wave and 
  your foe’s casualties are halved (rounded 
  down). If you win or tie, your faction escapes. 
  Otherwise, it’s still fighting. 
  K Full Retreat: Gain OOOO, but you skip 
  your Support Phase, can’t win the battle and 
  your foe suffers no casualties at all. Regardless 
  of who wins this Wave, your faction escapes 
  and suffers −2D6 less casualties. 
   The Strategy bonus is reduced to OO if 
  your faction is CONFUSED. (A Full Retreat 
  is not a rout.) 
  HARASS STRATEGIES 
  K Raid: Gain O per Aerial Superiority, Cavalry 
  Superiority and Naval Superiority. If you win, 
  the enemy must skip their Support Phase. 
  K Skirmish: Gain OO and another O if you 
  have at least Aerial Superiority and/or 
  Artillery Superiority. Your faction suffers −1D6 
  less casualties. If you win, your margin of 
  victory is halved (rounded down). 
   
   
  3. ACTION PHASE 
  PCs actions may also affect the battle, much like 
  their rolls help the Ark’s projects. One assailant 
  for each faction makes a Remarkable Action roll 
  with one of the following skills: 
  ASSAULT, 
  CALCULATE, COMMAND, FIGHT, INSPIRE, SHOOT or 
  SNEAK. Other assailants may help, even if they 
  don’t have any of these skills. Each ☢ rolled is 
  worth O (one Strategy Die) for their leader’s 
  Battle Pool during this current Wave of battle, 
  with a maximum of ☢☢☢. 
   
  Commando Operations: Assailants may instead 
  carry out a hit and run operation to decrease the 
  opponent’s strategic advantage or impede their 
  logistic. This must be chosen before rolling the 
  dice. Each ☢ rolled remove O from the 
  opponent’s Battle Pool, but it can’t cause that 
  number to go below zero. In addition, a ☢☢ pair 
  rolled may be spent to destroy G from the 
  opponent. (Turn the Support Die on its 💥 face and 
  set it aside until the Support Phase.) However, 
  accomplishing a commando operation increases 
  by one the Retaliation of all players involved in it. 
   
  NPC’s Remarkable Actions: Instead of making 
  Remarkable Actions rolls for NPCs, the GM may 
  just give any number of extra Strategy Dice as she 
  sees fit, usually one die. 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  6 
   
  4. BATTLE PHASE 
  Determine each leader’s Battle Pool with the 
  following: 
   
  K The faction’s current Battle Level. 
  K Reconnaissance bonus (if any). 
  K Basic battle modifiers (special class units and 
  superiorities, special circumstances, etc.). 
  K Defensive Advantage (if apply). 
  K Modifiers from the chosen battle strategy. 
  K Assailant’s bonuses from their Remarkable 
  Actions. 
   
  Then the leaders make an opposed roll with their 
  Battle Pool. Every ☢ means that something goes 
  right for the faction – it advances, a key position is 
  taken, enemies are killed. All players and the GM 
  should cooperate to describe the scenes of battle. 
  Every ☣ rolled means that the faction suffers 
  losses and loses morale. Every 💥 means that the 
  faction suffers damage to its defensive structures 
  or loses a special class unit. 
  When both sides have rolled, each leader can, 
  in initiative order, settle or push their Battle roll – 
  reroll all dice that don’t show ☢, ☣ or 💥. A leader 
  can push their Battle roll any number of times 
  they like – irrespective of whether the enemy 
  faction pushes its Battle roll or not – but they must 
  first remove O (one Strategy Die) from their 
  Battle Pool to do so (they can remove one with ☢). 
  Keep this up until neither leader can nor 
  wants to push their Battle roll anymore. The 
  winning faction is the one who rolled the most ☢. 
   
   
  5. SUPPORT PHASE 
  In this phase, one engineer and one medic for 
  each faction can perform one of the below actions. 
  Other engineers and medics can help their active 
  peer. 
   
  G Emergency Repairs: An engineer can hastily 
  repair a damaged support structure or unit. 
  They roll for JURY-RIG or MANUFACTURE. Each 
  ☢☢ pair rolled restores one 💥. (Turn the 
  Support Die on a numbered face.) 
  K Mend the Wounds: A medic can hastily mend 
  wounds and comfort. They roll for HEAL or 
  SENSE EMOTION. Each ☢☢ pair rolled restores 
  one ☣. (Turn the Battle Die on a numbered 
  face.) 
   
  DAMAGED SUPPORT 
  When a faction owns multiple sources of G 
  (Support Dice), it can be hard to differentiate 
  which one is damaged by 💥 rolled. The rule of 
  thumb is to first consider damage on fortifications 
  and the ambush bonus, then Special Units. 
  When it comes to identify which specific 
  fortification or Special Unit is damaged, the 
  choice is left to the opponent. 
  Of course, the GM has the final say. 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  7 
   
  6. END PHASE 
  The difference in the amounts of ☢ by which the 
  leaders achieved (or failed) their Battle roll 
  determines how decisive the victory is. 
   
   
  MARGIN OF VICTORY: BATTLE RESULT 
  ±0 
  Inconclusive Battle: Each faction holds position and 
  suffers +2D6 more casualties. 
  +1 
  Marginal Victory: The winner suffers +1D6 more 
  casualties and the loser suffers +3D6 more casualties. 
  +2 
  Definite Victory: The winner suffers no additional 
  casualties and the loser suffers +4D6 more casualties. 
  +3 
  Great Victory: As above, but the losing side also 
  becomes CONFUSED. 
  +4 or 
  higher 
  Overwhelming Victory: As above, but the losing side 
  routs and its leader is captured. 
   
   
  RETALIATION 
  Each PC who participated in the battle suffers an 
  attack of a number of Base Dice equal to six plus 
  the Risk Modifier they chose. 
  In addition, each of the following factors gives 
  an extra Base Die of damage to the PC: 
   
  K He participated in a Remarkable commando 
  operation. 
  K His faction lost this Wave of battle. 
  K His faction is routed. 
  K The opposing faction has at least one Artillery 
  unit left. 
   
  Each ☢ inflicts one point of damage to the player. 
  Armor offers protection. PCs that only helped 
  another player are inflicted the same amount of 
  damage that player is suffering. 
  If a PC becomes broken, he might be left for 
  dead, brought back by his comrades, or possibly 
  captured. The GM should decide according to 
  which side won the Wave of battle. 
  If a leader becomes broken, the person who is 
  next in command must make an immediate 
  COMMAND or MANIPULATE roll modified by −3 and 
  his Risk Modifier. Failure means the faction is 
  immediately CONFUSED. 
   
  CASUALTIES 
  The faction’s force is decreased by 2D6 for each ☣ 
  and by 1D6 for each 💥. Sum the dice and adjust 
  the total according to the chosen battle strategy’s 
  effect and the margin of victory. The result tells 
  how many fighters were killed in action. 
   
  Ark Projects: If one of the factions is defending 
  its Ark and it lost this Wave, roll a Gear Die. On a 
  💥, one random project in the Ark is destroyed. 
   
   
  NEXT WAVE 
  For the next Wave of battle, recalculate the Battle 
  Pool as follows: 
   
  K All dice with ☣ or 💥 are discarded. 
  K Adjust the factions’ current Battle Levels 
  along with the suffered losses and the 
  destroyed Ark projects. Add or remove K 
  accordingly. 
  K All O are discarded since strategic 
  advantages are reevaluated for each Wave. 
  K The winning faction gains O for the next 
  Wave if it used an offensive strategy. 
   
  END OF COMBAT 
  The Mass Combat ends when all opposing 
  factions routed, escaped the battlefield, or have no 
  K left. 
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  8 
   
  SIEGES 
  A siege is an assault on a notably strong position. 
  The defenders occupying such a place get a 
  Fortification Bonus to their Defensive Advantage 
  (see page 3) in the form of a variable number of 
  additional G (Support Dice). These dice can be 
  repaired in the Support Phase if they are 
  damaged. 
   
   
  FORTIFICATION 
  BONUS 
  Mere palisade, trenches 
  G 
  Walled Ark or settlement, strong entrenchments (such 
  as those from WWI), fortified urban area (ruined or 
  not)  
  GG 
  Fortress or castle, underground bunker complex 
  GGG 
   
   
  Allowed Battle Strategies: In siege situations, the 
  defending leader can choose only the following 
  strategies: Defense, Total Defense, Fighting 
  Retreat, Parley or Raid. 
   
  Retreating from a Stronghold: When the 
  stronghold’s defenders escape the battle, it ends 
  the siege and starts a new ordinary battle outside 
  the walls. It causes the defenders to lose the 
  Fortification Bonus. 
   
  Rout: If the defenders are forced to rout and have 
  no way out, they surrender instead. 
   
   
  MUTATIONS IN MASS COMBAT 
  Relevant mutations and animal powers can 
  substitute for skill rolls attempted during the 
  Action Phase and the Support Phase. It costs two 
  MP or FP to get a single ☢. 
   
   
  EXAMPLE: GHOUL STRIKE 
  A large force of Zone-Ghouls attacks the Ark in the 
  dead of the night. They beat the Ark for the 
  Reconnaissance roll with a comfortable margin of 
  two ☢. Since the area’s dominant environment are 
  urban ruins with a rating of 3, it’s large enough to 
  settle an ambush by night. The Zone-Ghouls bypass 
  the mere palisade and swarm into the Ark without 
  warning. The Boss Marlotte is awaken by many 
  outside screams and quickly understand that the 
  Ark is under attack. She gets his gang members out 
  of their beds and hastily organizes a defense. 
  The Ark has a Warfare DEV of 14, giving it 
  Battle Level 2. The attackers are many and have 
  Battle Level 3. The Ark possesses a scrap cannon 
  built by the Gearhead Angus, earning the 
  defenders a Support Die for this special class unit 
  and a Strategy Die for Artillery Superiority. The 
  GM doesn’t allow any Defensive Advantage for the 
  Ark since the Zone Ghouls are already inside. The 
  Zone-Ghouls gain two Strategy Dice for their 
  surprise attack and an additional Support Die for 
  their planned ambush. 
  Marlotte’s first strategy is to Rally the Ark’s 
  fighters since the sudden Zone-Ghouls intrusion 
  caused total confusion among their ranks. The 
  Zone-Ghouls are here to strike the Ark hard and 
  use a Total Attack strategy, granting them two 
  Strategy Dice. 
  The Stalker Dora wants to accomplish a 
  Remarkable Action to help Marlotte in her 
  strategy. She wants to raise the alarm by ringing 
  the old bell from above the decrepit church tower. 
  She chooses a Risk Modifier of +1. With the GM’s 
  consent she makes a SNEAK roll. She gets two 
  successes and therefore grants two extra Strategy 
  Dice to Marlotte. 
  Both leaders roll initiative. Marlotte begins 
  and rolls her Battle Pool of KKGOOO. She gets 
  one ☢ and one ☣. She decides to push her roll, 
  removing a Strategy Die before rerolling the dice, 
  and gets a second ☢. The Zone-Ghouls roll their 
  Battle Pool of KKKOOGOO. They push twice 
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  9 
   
  their roll, removing two Strategy Dice in the 
  attempt, and get ☢☢☢☣💥. The Zone-Ghouls 
  win this Wave of battle with a margin of 1 success. 
  During the Support Phase, Marlotte now 
  succeeds at her COMMAND roll (with a Risk 
  Modifier of +3) and successfully rallies the Ark’s 
  forces. The GM considers there are no other action 
  during this phase and proceeds to the Retaliation. 
  Marlotte rolls ten base dice (six + three for the Risk 
  + one for the defeat) and luckily suffers no damage. 
  Dora rolls eight base dice (six + one for the Risk + 
  one for the defeat) and gets two ☢. She suffers two 
  damage but still survives this Wave. 
  Then the GM proceeds to the casualties’ sum. 
  The Zone-Ghouls won by +1 and therefore suffer 
  only 1D6 casualties. However, they rolled one ☣ 
  and one 💥 on their Battle roll, which adds 3D6 
  more casualties. The result is 13 but since the Zone-
  Ghouls chose a Total Attack strategy, their 
  casualties are doubled, for a total of 26. Their 
  force’s Battle Level is reduced by 1. Concerning the 
  Ark, they suffer a total of 5D6 casualties, with a 
  result of 16. The Ark’s Battle Level is not reduced. 
  The second Wave of battle starts. The Ark is 
  now battle-ready and its Battle Level increases 
  by 1. Marlotte decides a Skirmish strategy since she 
  has Artillery Superiority. The Zone-Ghouls suffered 
  too many losses in the previous Wave and their 
  leader orders a Full Retreat. Dora performs a 
  Remarkable Action with a SHOOT roll modified by a 
  Risk Modifier of −3. She wants to snipe the Zone-
  Ghouls’ leader from above the bell tower. 
  Unfortunately, she fails her skill roll and gives no 
  additional Strategy Die to her leader. 
  Marlotte rolls KKKGOOOO for the 
  second Wave. She gets no ☢ on her first and 
  second rolls. She pushes one last time and finally 
  gets ☢☢☣. The Zone-Ghouls roll KKOOOOO 
  (four Strategy Dice from the chosen strategy and 
  one from the victory in the previous Wave after the 
  use of an attack strategy) with a result of ☢☢☢☣ 
  after two pushes. The Zone-Ghouls are – once 
  again – victorious for this Wave of battle and 
  achieve to escape the area. 
  Marlotte & Dora each gets 1 damage from their 
  Retaliation and the Ark suffers no casualties since 
  the enemy was executing a full retreat. The Zone-
  Ghouls suffer 1D6 casualties with a result of 4. Not 
  enough to wipe them, so they achieve to flee the 
  battlefield.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  MASS COMBAT 
  10 
   
  MASS COMBAT MEMO 
  K Battle Die (
   Base) 
  O Strategy Die (
   Skill) 
  G Support Die (
   Gear) 
   
  BATTLE SEQUENCE 
  1. Risk 
  2. Choose battle 
  strategy 
  3. Remarkable 
  Actions 
  4. Battle roll 
  5. Support 
  6. Retaliation & 
  Casualties 
  SPECIAL CLASS 
  Gain G per class. 
  Gain O per Superiority. 
  K Aerial 
  K Armored 
  K Artillery 
  K Cavalry 
  K Engineering 
  K Naval 
   
  DEFENSIVE ADVANTAGE 
  TERRAIN & FORTIFICATIONS 
  BONUS 
  Hills, dry moat or unforded/unbridged river 
  O 
  Mountainous or urbanized (ruined or not) 
  OO 
  Mere palisade, trenches 
  G 
  Walled Ark or settlement, strong entrenchments (such 
  as those from WWI), fortified urban area 
  GG 
  Fortress or castle, underground bunker 
  GGG 
   
  RETALIATION 
  6 + Risk Modifier  
  + Commando operation* 
  + Losing side*  
  + Rout*  
  + Artillery* 
  *If true = +1 
  CASUALTIES 
  ☣ = +2D6 
  💥 = +1D6 
   
  NEXT WAVE 
  K Discard all ☣ and 💥. 
  K Adjust Battle Level and K. 
  K Reevaluate O. 
  K Gain O if you won with an offensive strategy. 
   
   
  BATTLE STRATEGIES 
  STRATEGY 
  CATEGORY 
  O 
  SPECIAL RULES 
  Attack 
  Offensive 
  ±0 
  — 
  Defense 
  Defensive 
  +1 
  — 
  Feinted 
  Attack 
  Offensive 
  −2* 
  Double margin on win. 
  Fighting 
  Retreat 
  Retreat 
  +2 
  Escape on win/tie. 
  Skip Support Phase. 
  Halve enemy casualties. 
  Full 
  Retreat 
  Retreat 
  +4* 
  Escape. 
  Suffer −2D6 casualties. 
  Skip Support Phase. 
  Inflict no casualties. 
  Parley 
  Defensive 
  ±0 
  Defense at −1 if rejected. 
  Planned 
  Attack 
  Offensive 
  +1* 
  Halve defender’s Defense 
  Bonus. Slow. 
  Planned 
  Defense 
  Defensive 
  +1* 
  Inflict +1D6 casualties on 
  win/tie. 
  Raid 
  Harass 
  ±0* 
  Cause Support Phase 
  skipping on win. 
  Rally 
  Defensive 
  ±0 
  Allow a skill roll to end 
  CONFUSION. 
  Skirmish 
  Harass 
  +2* 
  Halve margin on win. 
  Suffer −1D6 casualties. 
  Total 
  Attack 
  Offensive 
  +2 
  Inflict +1D6 casualties on 
  win. Suffer double 
  casualties. 
  Total 
  Defense 
  Defensive 
  +2 
  Suffer double casualties. 
  Defensive strategies allow the Defensive Advantage. 
  * Modified by Special Units Superiority or other factors, see 
  description. 
   
  MARGIN OF VICTORY: BATTLE RESULT 
  ±0 
  Inconclusive Battle: Each faction holds position and 
  suffers +2D6 more casualties. 
  +1 
  Marginal Victory: The winner suffers +1D6 more 
  casualties and the loser suffers +3D6 more casualties. 
  +2 
  Definite Victory: The winner suffers no additional 
  casualties and the loser suffers +4D6 more casualties. 
  +3 
  Great Victory: As above, but the losing side also 
  becomes CONFUSED. 
  +4 or 
  higher 
  Overwhelming Victory: As above, but the losing side 
  routs and its leader is captured. 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Mutant Year Zero (Year Zero Engine) [multi]/Core/Workshops/MYZ Mass Combat v1 EN US-printer-friendly.pdf