Mass Combat

Although it is theoretically possible to run a combat with dozens or even hundreds of active participants, such battles last interminably and quickly stop being fun. As a result, Exalted uses the following rules to abstract mass combat into the existing system by making battle a clash of units rather than individual characters. Units do not fight in the standard one-tick increments of individual battle. Instead, they track time with long ticks that last approximately one minute each. Storytellers should keep in mind that these rules aren’t appropriate to every engagement, particularly if the clash of armies only serves as a dramatic backdrop to smaller-scale personal combat. Once protagonists become involved in the direction of mass combat or the Storyteller wishes to leave a battle’s outcome to dice rolls and strategy rather than a plot device, use these rules. Moreover, mass combat in Exalted assumes that unit leaders fight at the vanguard, leading from the front rather than the safety of the rear. Those who wish to direct a battle from the rear are not unit leaders. Instead, they take the role of generals, using relays and standard bearers to communicate orders to the unit leaders under their command. Therefore, a distant general can direct an entire force but cannot personally rally troops to victory through her own prowess.

Units

Every unit on a battlefield falls into one of two broad categories. First, there are solo units, who are individual characters that are not part of any group. However, most units are complementary units, made up of a commander and all those who directly follow her orders. Statistically, a complementary unit is its commander, with trait bonuses awarded according to the numbers, equipment and training of her troops. The special traits of complementary units include:

Magnitude: The size of a unit.
Drill: The trained discipline of a unit.
Endurance: The physical reserves of a unit's members. Solo units also have this trait.
Might: The overall mystical power of a unit, factoring inmagical equipment.
Close Combat/Ranged Attack Rating: The skill of the unit members at attacking.
Close Combat/Ranged Attack Damage: The lethality of unit members when attacking.
Armor: The average protection provided by unit members' armor.
Morale: The overall bravery of a unit.
Special Characters: A non-numerical listing of important characters within a unit's ranks.
Formation: A non-numerical trait that describes a unit's current tactical arrangement.

Magnitude

The Magnitude of a unit is a direct assessment of the number of characters that are part of it. High Magnitude confers the advantages one would expect; such units inflict more damage and can take more damage (as expressed through casualties). However, large units have trouble executing orders with any speed. Consequently, most professional militaries strike a balance, breaking their forces into manageable unit sizes, each led by a different commander. The following table assumes that a given unit is made entirely of extras (apart from the commander). If this is not the case, then the appropriate number of health levels indicates how many standard combatants a character type qualifies for. For example, heroic mortals have seven health levels instead of three. This means that every heroic mortal is worth a little more than two unit members.

Since heroes have a substantial advantage, Magnitude rounds up to a factor of 3. Exalted and other magical beings might qualify for substantially higher factors. Each Magnitude value over 9 has a maximum member size double to the previous rating.

Magnitude	Members	Equivalent
0	1	Solo
1	2-10	Fang
2	11-75	Scale(s)
3	76-150	Talon
4	151-300	Wing
5	301-650	Dragon
6	651-1,250	—
7	1,251-2,500	—
8	2,501-5,000	Legion
9	5,001-10,000	First Age Legion

Drill

While sheer numbers can win a battle, disciplined training is what separates an angry mob or a howling barbarian horde from professional soldiers. The Drill trait represents the degree to which rigid military discipline, marching and formation practice and individual combativeness have been instilled into the unit. Drill provides flexibility, allowing units to rapidly change formation as needed to respond to threats. It also enhances the survivability of troops, keeping them together and their formation dressed even in the press of battle.

Drill is not a function of average personal prowess, but rather, a cooperative spirit ingrained through intense training. As such, the trait cannot be precisely calculated based on the average statistics of unit members. To determine this value, consult the following table for reference examples.

Drill	Description	Example
0	Undrilled	Solo units; mobs, throngs, rabbles, warbands, thugs in uniform
1	Barely Disciplined	Poor village militia, gendarmes, low quality troops
2	Disciplined	Good militia, mediocre troops, Imperial peltasts, Lintha pirates
3	Crisp	Excellent militia, good troops, Imperial medium foot, Seventh Legion reservists
4	Crack	Excellent troops, Imperial heavy foot, Seventh Legion line troops, Immaculate monks, Mountain Folk warriors
5	Flawless	Superb troops, the Legion of Silence, tiger warriors, Seventh Legion veterans, brass legionnaires, brides of Ahlat, veteran Mountain Folk warriors

Endurance

Although units composed of automata or the walking dead might be functionally tireless, mortals cannot march and fight indefinitely. Therefore, every complementary unit has an Endurance rating equal to its (Drill + Stamina). For solo units, Endurance equals (Stamina + Resistance). This trait decreases precipitously over the course of a battle. If Endurance drops to 0, the unit is at -2 on all actions from fatigue effects.

If unit members have not rested for several hours before a battle, subtract the fatigue value of the troops' armor from their starting Endurance.

Might

Instead of figuring out every power that supernatural forces bring to the battlefield and trying to figure out the complex interactions thereof, Exalted mass combat abstracts such capability into a single rating. To figure out a unit's Might, use the following table, adding the best equipment bonus (if any) that applies. Keep in mind that the following numbers assume that the overwhelming majority of unit members possess the listed powers and/or equipment. A handful of Exalted scattered among a throng of their followers do not impart Might to the whole. Instead, such individuals qualify as special characters. Few units outside of the Army of Heaven qualify for Might greater than 3 in the Second Age.

Might	Unit Composition
0	No supernatural abilities; strictly mortal troops.
1	God-Blooded, trained thaumaturges, young Dragon Kings, average ghosts, Mountain Folk warriors.
2	Younger Terrestrial Exalted, neomah and other non-combative First Circle demons, weak gods and elementals, ghost warriors, young faerie nobles, elite Mountain Folk warriors.
3	Older Terrestrials or younger Terrestrials with numerous Charms for enhancing one another, Immaculate monks, young Celestial Exalted, erymanthoi and combative First Circle demons, lesser combative deities such as lion dogs and scarab guardians, veteran nemissaries or war ghosts, experienced faerie nobles
4	Experienced Celestial Exalted or very old Terrestrial Exalted, Immaculate masters, Second Circle demons, Dragon King elders, warlike divinities such as celestial lions.
5	Lesser elemental dragons, elder Celestial Exalted (Essence 6+).
Bonuses	Equipment
+1	Thaumaturgical talismans and alchemical potions.
+2	Basic magical armor and weapons, powerful thaumaturgical artifacts such as gunzosha armor.
+3	Essence-discharge weapons, magical power armor such as warstriders or dragon armor.
+4	Powerful First Age artifacts or divine weapons.