Squad Goals

Battle of Kilrush Woodcut

Basic D&D allows characters to have a bunch of retainers (leveled hirelings that accompany PCs on dungeon adventures). With average Charisma, you can have 4. With max, 7.

Standard Charisma Chart

I've never played at a table where players ran anything like that number of retainers. It's almost impossible for a DM to resolve actions for 3 to 5 players, each with up to 8 characters. Players with manners don't try it. 

The game offers high charisma characters a coterie of retainers. The realities of play make it impractical, and that sucks.

My fix: run a small group of fighters as a single unit. 

Handmade sheet. Sections are sized for post-its & index cards. Printable version.

Making a Squad

Raising a squad is an alternative to regular retainers. Players can only have one or the other. 

Forming a squad requires a minimum of three individuals. Size is capped at the leader-PC's Max Retainers as determined by their Charisma score. 

I wrote this for my Ultra Bastard ruleset, but I've tried to keep it mostly compatible with Basic flavors of the world's most popular roleplaying game.

Recruiting: In a settlement or town, a player can attempt to recruit retainers once per visit. Roll 2d6 + charisma modifier. The DM may impose modifiers based on the settlement size and the party's reputation.

• 9+: Get enough recruits to start your squad (3 + charisma modifier) unless your charisma is below average.
• 6-8: One 0-level recruit. They'll act as a normal retainer until you have enough guys to form a squad.
• 5 or less: No suitable recruits.

Alternatively, three existing 0-level retainers can be converted into a squad. 

By default squads start as a 0-level Rabble with 4 hit points each:

• No armor and d4-damage improvised weapons

All squad members must be equivalently equipped. 

Filling Out the Sheet: 

Loyalty is initially set by the Leader's charisma score (according to the chart above)

Damage is determined by the squad's weapons.

Movement is determined by Encumbrance. 

Saves are +1/level in Ultra Bastard or use the Saves for Fighters in your preferred system.

Add a line for each guy in your squad on the Hit Point Grid and shade out unneeded squares based on their Max Hit Points.

The THAC0 chart helps resolve multiple attacks quickly. 

• For the To Hit line, subtract your + to hit from the Enemy's armor value in the row above.
• For the To Defend line (for Ultra Bastard), subtract your Armor Value from the enemy's Attack DC from two lines above. 

Fill out your squad's equipment in the Loadout section and determine how many portage slots the squad has for carrying extra stuff (empty slots per guy x number of guys).

Loyalty

The squad's Loyalty score represents their overall devotion to their leader.

When circumstances turn badly against the party, roll 2d6 vs. Loyalty. If the roll is lower than or equal to their loyalty they remain steadfast, on a failure they retreat or refuse to proceed. 

• Check loyalty the first time a PC or squad member dies during an encounter, again if the squad is reduced to half strength. Check again if their leader dies or flees. 
• The DM might call for a loyalty check when the squad encounters particularly fearsome monsters or unexpected dangers.
• A penalty or bonus to the roll could apply, depending on circumstances at DM discretion.
• After two successful loyalty checks, the squad doesn't need to make any more for the rest of the day.

Roll 2d6 vs. Loyalty after an unsuccessful adventure (humiliation, high casualties, low treasure etc.). If the roll is lower than or equal to their loyalty they remain steadfast. On a failure, a guy leaves the squad.

Combat

Each round the squad can move and perform one action (usually attack). 

Initiative: The squad moves on the leader's initiative.

Positioning: Squads move as a single mass and must remain in contact with each other, but the shape of their formation can adjust to fit available space.

• If it matters, movement distance is calculated from the front of the formation.
• Within the unit, individual positioning doesn't matter
• In melee, three guys can attack per 10' of contact with the enemy. 
• Spearmen (and similar) can attack from the second rank.
• Archers and crossbowmen can fire 3 abreast per 10' and shoot over a single rank.
• Units engaged in melee cannot make ranged attacks.

Making Attacks: 

• The squad makes one attack roll per guy that can engage the enemy.
• All attacks must be against one enemy or group of enemies (e.g. "the ogre" or "the goblins") and are rolled together (e.g. roll 4d20 if 4 guys can attack).
• The player can use the "To Hit" line on their THAC0 chart to quickly identify how many of the rolls are hits.
• Roll damage all together (e.g. if 3 hits with spears, roll 3d6). The DM assigns the damage to monsters as they see fit.
• I recommend applying damage to the lowest HP enemy until dead, then the next etc. 

Taking Damage: 

• The Squad Sheet shows a hit point grid: Each row is one squad member, with a number of columns equal to their hit points. As they take damage, tick it off in the squares.
• When the squad is attacked, they roll to defend, a d20 for each incoming attack. Roll all attacks from a single group together. The player can use the "To Defend" line on their THAC0 chart to quickly identify how many of the attacks get through. For multiple attackers with different Attack DCs and/or damage, roll separately or use a different dice color for each group.
• This assumes you're using Ultra Bastard, if your system has the DM roll attacks, do that instead.
• Damage for each hit must be assigned to a specific guy. If it equals or exceeds their remaining HP, they're dead. Any excess damage is wasted.
• Area effects hit each guy in the affected area (often the whole squad). Roll a save (as appropriate) for each affected guy and assign each success/failure result to a different guy. A fireball (or similar) can wipe a squad in a single go.  
• Squad members can be healed and recover hit points as normal. Each healing act must be applied to a specific squad member and any excess healing is wasted. 
• If a squad is reduced to one or two members, the DM may allow it to continue operating as a squad briefly until they can recruit new members.
• You can replace losses to the squad with further recruiting. Recruiting rolls subtract your squad's current level and joiners come in at the squad's level. 

Arming The Squad

I am using the Ultra Bastard armor and weapons statistics but you might need to tweak for your system. This doesn't show weapon/armor pricing because that differs from campaign to campaign but heavier armor & better weapons should be much more expensive.

You can buy equipment to make your squad more formidable:

Light Footman: 

• Light body armor (+2 armor max) and, if desired, small shields (+1 armor)
• Light weapons, one-handed (deal d6) or spears in two-hands (d6 and can fight from second rank) 
• Movement speed 40' (with two empty slots per guy, otherwise 30'). Can move quietly.

Heavy Footman:

• Heavy body armor (+3-5 armor) and, if desired large shields (+2 armor). 
• Heavy weapons (d8 damage in one hand, d10 in two-hands). Can use spear one-handed (d6 damage) along with a shield.
• Movement speed 20'. Movement is always loud.

Archers:

• Light body armor, no shields.
• Bows (d6 damage) or Crossbow (d10 damage, fire every-other round) and knives in melee (d4 damage)
• If engaged in melee combat, the unit will drop their ranged weapons and can't retrieve them until combat ends.
• Movement speed 30'.  Can move quietly.
• Ammo is tracked collectively. All archers carry the same number of quivers
• Track one shared quiver at a time. Each time the squad fires (even if not everyone has a shot) check off an arrow. 

Inventory & Portage Capacity:

• Each guy has 10 available inventory slots
• Armor & shields fill slots equal to their value (e.g. +5 armor takes 5 slots)
• Hand weapons take one slot, spears and two-handed weapons take two
• Quivers for archers take one slot and hold ten arrows.
• Each guy will carry a bundle of rations (x3) that takes one slot.
• Add up the number of slots each guy uses (e.g. a Heavy Footman with +4 body armor, shield +2 and a spear is using 9 slots including their rations)
• Multiply unused slots by the squad size for total extra inventory capacity
• Track it all together, in the Portage section on the sheet don't assign to individuals.

Pay, Treasure Share & Advancement 

I haven't covered costs in this post because every campaign runs a different economy. Generally, squads should receive a flat salary per guy and a share of the treasure.

The squad collectively receives one treasure share. Each level up requires the usual XP for a fighter, multiplied by squad size. 

When leveling up the squad gains:

• 3 hit points / guy every level
• +1 loyalty every level unless they have been mistreated
• +1 to hit every odd level (e.g. levels 1, 3, 5 etc.)
• +1 to saves every even level (or saves equivalent to a Fighter in your system)

Design Discussion

The goal with this project was to make larger retainer groups practically manageable at the table. 

This unlocks a handful of cool benefits:

• Gives high-Charisma characters a real pay-off
• Allows extra combat mass for smaller player groups
• Provides a novel mini-game for experienced players looking for a new challenge
• Adapts well for in-game allies. Befriend the goblins? Take a squad for a couple sessions
• Scales up for (modestly) big fights. Everyone gets a squad! This is war!

My players are amped for squads. Give them a try with yours, and please report back. I'd love to hear what's working and where this hangs up for other DMs.