Warband Rating System

Warband Rating System

The current warband rating system counts a mutant with four mutations, a lucky charm, gromril armor and weapons, and a measly verminkin standing there in his jockey shorts with a dagger and sling as the same. That just isn't right. A warband's rating should rise if it either gains more warriors or buys better weapons & armor. Both make a warband more dangerous and the rating system should reflect that. I propose to use the following equation:

Warband rating = (sum of warband experience) + 0.20 * (cost of all models and all equipment).

Equalizing Warbands

Even with the +1 Experience / 50 points difference in warband rating, a high-powered warband will pretty much always stomp a lower one into the ground. Sure, a rating-100 warband will get +3 experience for fighting a rating-250 warband, but it'll probably lose several models (dead and gone, costing from 20 to 85 gc each). The experience just doesn't make up for the probable losses - and it's not a lot of fun, either.

I propose a system where the weaker warband gains some temporary help to balance out the battles. This equalizes things in the immediate situation (with more warriors), as well as in the long run (with extra experience). I've got several dozen "big warrior with axe and shield" and "little guy with sword & bow" models I'm willing to let folks use.

For every full 25 points of difference in warband ratings, your models gain +1 experience and you may take a roll on the following table. It isn't required and your surviving models gain the experience after the battle either way. If you're in a multiplayer game, average the warband ratings of everyone else and compare that average with your rating. These extra models become part of your warband (for Break Point calculations), don't gain experience and go away at the end of the battle, win or lose.

1: Nothing.
2-3: 1 large warrior, WS 4, S 4, T 4, W 2, I 3, light armor, axe, shield.
4-5: 2 small fighters, stats of 3, sword & a short bow.
6: Something cool like an Ogre Bodyguard or Dark Elf Assassin. If you have multiple rolls and roll this again, you get nothing.

On the down side, if you accept the help your patron expects a little extra from you, too. I've yet to think of something other than "You cannot voluntarily rout", and if I do it'll go here. It'd also be nice if you role-played the situation.