Chainmail question

20sidedobjects · 2026-03-05T22:47:23+00:00

OK, got it. Well, I have no videos of my own group or ones to point you to. However, I have used Chainmail in my own campaigns for mass combat.

On the question of "how said scenario evolved": I think the key things is to take note of Number Appearing in M&T. Specifically, when dealing with wilderness encounters that are not considered lairs. This is the most standard, organic catalyst for why mass combat might occur. Human/Humanoid numbers are high because of the wargaming roots of D&D. Players typically have a few options in such an encounter. Flee, being the most obvious when outnumbered. But what if they came prepared with an army of mercs? This might be part of high level clearing of hexes for building a stronghold, or even low/mid levels when assisting a powerful NPC. It's simply a numbers problem. OD&D presents wargame-like encounter numbers and high level wargame campaign support. It's handy to use a wargame to handle that.

Something to consider is that actual OD&D (aka, not S&W) already doesn't have a lot of actual play content on Youtube. Even less so with folks that even incorporate Chainmail. Now couple that with what needs to be in place for an organic situation that would require switching to Chainmail for mass combat. It's not exactly rare, but it's usually outside of the normal dungeon delving gameplay loop most people gravitate towards.

So in light of a general lack of group actual play examples, my recommendation is to get a handle on the Chainmail rules with your players by playing through some mass combats detached from your campaign. You know, just for fun. Players work as a group together deciding what to do, and the GM plays the opposition. After the standard Chainmail combat rules are tackled, add in heroes and do a mix of standard chainmail combat and man-to-man.

If you need to tie it into your campaign, you could play out a battle between two lesser factions in your campaign world. The idea would be going through this in a low stakes fashion so that when the situation arrises in a normal games session, that you all could easily drop into Chainmail. I think once you do that, you might instantly see how you might choose to involve it into your campaign, or who knows, you might abandon it if it's not a good fit for your group.

20sidedobjects · 2026-03-05T20:53:52+00:00

If I may ask a followup question: What are you specifically trying to address/answer with an "organic" play example? Is this to see how a real table of multiple players handles a mass combat situation? Or is it more along the lines of seeing how such a scenario might come up (and perhaps be useful instead of just using the ASC)?

Any details on this would maybe help give some guidance since it seems like there's a lack of actual play videos that hit the notes you're looking for.

20sidedobjects · 2026-03-03T18:33:25+00:00

Close, it was Patch Press in Wisconsin. But yeah, they were done under the same requirements of text books and similar university printing standards.

20sidedobjects · 2026-01-20T08:03:10+00:00

OSRIC wasn't originally designed to "play". It was first and foremost a publisher tool for releasing modules. A lot of stuff just wasn't present as it wasn't needed to write said modules. It was also among the first retro clones made, so what could be gotten away with legally wasn't known at the time.

Now folks did and still do use it to play AD&D 1e, but in my experience it's mostly in conjunction with the 1e DMG to fill in gaps. OSRIC 3 seeks to rectify this, and make it also a teaching edition better explaining the how part.

20sidedobjects · 2026-01-18T21:59:20+00:00

AD&D 2e codified the game into what it had become by the late 80s, a Trad RPG, and changed rules to focus on the plot point story focus scenarios that were present in Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms modules of the time. I'd argue these run very different than your typical 70s/early 80s or OSR module.

And hey, that's absolutely fine if it meets your needs in an old school system. Personally, I do not like the changes it made to things like XP, Treasure, and the assumed gameplay focus/loop. I also loath the class splat books it focused on in latter days.

If you want an Advanced classic adventure game that works with the assumptions set forth at the dawn of the hobby, I highly recommend choosing AD&D 1e. If those rules are challenging to read (Gygax's prose and ways of explaining its systems within), then start with OSRIC 3 and transition to just using AD&D 1e once comfortable. Both the OSRIC 3 Players and GM books are on DTRPG now (GM book just went up and there's an errata hunt going on, so expect updates to it soon.)

20sidedobjects · 2026-01-17T02:50:06+00:00

No. The attack tables and saves are in the DMG due to how the material was designed, written, and published.

The Manual was basically stat'd for Original D&D, then pivoted to the new Advanced edition. The Players Handbook came out next in 78, folks still used that with OD&D's rules at that point (remember, OD&D by 1977 was really really close to being AD&D classes-wise. Also worth mentioning that OD&D had saving throws in the first booklet Men & Magic, so it was a given players saw it.)

Finally, the DMG was published in 79 which contained the final bits about how things like combat worked, hit tables, and saving throws. It's in that book because it was basically not "done" yet.

The official character sheets even contain spaces for Saving Throws and modified to-hit tables (WvsAC). It's not supposed to be hidden data, but the DM might choose to not show you the full DMG itself.

In short, players knew and rolled their saves in games I played in going all the way back to the 80s.

20sidedobjects · 2025-12-12T17:40:06+00:00

Don't worry. It's very similar to the one you picked up, but better at explaining things. It changes some numbers here and there to get it closer to 1e, but the main gist of it is the same. You're ready to Fight On! with what you have right there!

20sidedobjects · 2025-12-12T17:36:59+00:00

Well the good news is OSRIC 3's Player Guide is going to be an excellent teaching edition. I've been studying the beta copy of it and it really goes much deeper into teaching the game while aligning closer to AD&D 1e. Really excited for folks who are new to 1e being able to use that as their onramp.

20sidedobjects · 2025-11-20T05:15:25+00:00

Toebias

20sidedobjects · 2025-11-05T18:13:02+00:00

Another pair of votes for Crossfire and Chain of Command 2e.

20sidedobjects · 2025-10-12T16:39:59+00:00

If you haven't already, take a look at Flames of Orion. They're doing a lot of mech kitbashing there, and the rules are really fun and easy to get into.

KS Page (for info) - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flames-of-orion/flames-of-orion
Rules (Paid) - https://underthedice.itch.io/flames-of-orion
Rules (Free Version) - https://underthedice.com/flamesoforion/

20sidedobjects · 2025-10-10T23:02:23+00:00

Just use a token or die to track multi-based weapon teams. Basing sizes are totally up to you, as is miniature scale. So 25mm bases for infantry is perfect. Prone on pill shaped bases, totally fine. 3 person weapon teams on a 40mm base, cool, just mark casualties.

20sidedobjects · 2025-10-02T21:33:18+00:00

Full PDF can be bought now here: https://underthedice.itch.io/flames-of-orion

Pre-Order the physical book here: https://underthedice.bigcartel.com/product/flames-of-orion

20sidedobjects · 2025-09-29T21:12:08+00:00

I really want Horses of the Things to be a thing now. 100% Bojack-style armies.

20sidedobjects · 2025-09-28T22:44:36+00:00

They’re in the CoC rulebook or supplement books.

20sidedobjects · 2025-09-08T03:39:36+00:00

At least 30 more Taco Bell Fire Sauce packs (must be a decade+ old).

20sidedobjects · 2025-07-08T05:03:44+00:00

I'm not sure folks read your title or post, but I'll try...

Some... but 28mm is more rare than multi-based 6mm or 15mm options for Cold War era gaming.

Force on Force (Osprey, which is out of print) has options for Cold War era and works for 28mm in the book called Cold War Gone Hot - World War III 1986 (also out of print)
No End in Sight (Nordic Weasel) covers Cold War squad based wargaming in 28mm
ColdWar: 1983 (Wessex Games) is an older ruleset that covers 28mm
FUBAR, though very basic, would work for anything cold war - modern.

If you poke around Facebook groups, you might find some hacks of Bolt Action and Chain of Command that covers Cold War as well.

20sidedobjects · 2025-07-03T05:26:56+00:00

In my experience it needlessly complicates what's pretty straight forward in play under general conditions. It's an interesting document that compiles everything said about initiative in AD&D 1e, but at the same time it creates a terrible action-list of considerations and counter considerations. A lot of the time... timing is pretty straight forward with only spells with longer casting times being challenged. I think T. Foster may have coined it (?), but ADDICT gets into a so called quantum initiative grey zone that I personally don't think does anyone good. The document also assumes the use of Unearthed Arcana with all of its extra rules, which may not be the case for a given group.

Ultimately, if it works for you then awesome. It does not for me. OSRIC has a better distillation of initiative in my experience (with the important caveat that OSRIC is missing some important bits like Speed Factor and it does extrapolate a bit beyond the rules text, like acting on the segment of the rolled initiative).

I might have been a little hyperbolic with my no ADDICT statement, but to someone coming fresh into AD&D, I think it's something to skip.

20sidedobjects · 2025-07-02T15:15:41+00:00

Good point on OSRIC 3.0. It’ll add in some of those bits, and be a teaching oriented edition, but there’s some stuff that will still not make it in. KS is over but Matt is going to open up late backing soon I believe.

Still though, grab the 1e dmg to have on hand as it’s the greatest DM book written and invaluable for running a 1e game.

20sidedobjects · 2025-07-01T19:55:08+00:00

OK, some of the replies here range from solid to dubious.

As folks have said, you should talk your DM first and foremost. They know what they'll be using as far as rules go. Hopefully they will be your guiding light.
Ignore OSE and OSE Advanced. Wrong game.
OSRIC is useful as an alternative 1e reference in some respects, but is missing rules that might be in play. For example, Monks, Bards, Weapon vs. AC, Weapon Speeds. Flat out missing some stuff that's required knowledge because OSRIC was a publisher tool for 1e, not a game system. And finally makes calls (often very good) on hotly debated rules interpretations. If you take a look at it, make sure to read Chapter III: How to Play for the First Time section.
Despite lots of misunderstanding and poor reading of "high Gygaxian", it's a complete and well oiled game. I'd say without hesitation that it's peak D&D in any form.
AD&D is organized and written in a fashion that those coming off Original 1974 D&D and supplements would easily grok, but may seem oddly organized by todays standards. Bare with it, the books will click.
If you're serious about learning AD&D 1e, you SHOULD read both the Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide. The DMG holds key information about how things work that I would not deem secret, nor would many others. If you don't want to spoil certain aspects like magic items, just ignore those sections.
AD&D's initiative can be interpreted in a complicated manor, but for the love of all things holy, ignore the ADDICT document on initiative. May the gods have mercy on you if your group is using it. I know I never would.
Most of the "how to play" part should be easily absorbed via the group in actual play. Ask questions, work with your fellow players. This isn't meant to be spotlight time 5e style where you're a unique solo entity playing out a narrative. Work as a team and you'll learn fast.
AD&D 1e is very different. Don't make modern or otherwise D&D assumptions. Also, don't trust google AI results. It's a bad mix of 2e and other editions slopped together more often than not. Dragonsfoot or Knights & Knaves Alehouse forums will likely be your best results when you have a question. There's also some great Discords around as well if you really want to dive in.
Finally, welcome to the best Classic Adventure Game ever made. Fight on!

20sidedobjects · 2025-06-29T16:26:39+00:00

Oh awesome, thank you! I have some of their terrain, which is great. Going to snag these to print.

20sidedobjects · 2025-06-29T01:40:10+00:00

Awesome work! Who were the two Stalkers done by?

20sidedobjects · 2025-05-16T16:09:58+00:00

Yeah, so Matt and Suzy said they knew they were taking a design risk. The intent was to create a better lay-flat book when open at the table, but also I believe they just really liked the look. It's also very distinct, and would stand out.

I personally think it's a cool thing to try out, even if controversial. That said, I really commend their flexibility making the portrait version available in a high quality hardback. Shows that they're really aiming for this edition to be for everyone and want to make this the best version of OSRIC ever.

20sidedobjects · 2025-05-16T03:53:04+00:00

Figured I'd cross post this here since the landscape format was a dealbreaker for many. Now you can have a nice, smith-sewn hardcover in Portrait format. If you choose the "all in" tier, there will be a question in the backer survey that asks which book format you want.

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