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Brian and I are planning something similar in nature for The Cathyle Project but the 'mass combat' is remarkably more detatched then the ideas the have been envisioned above. Because we're a roleplaying focused game and the most common roleplaying experiences occur from one player to another or from staff to player, we wanted to step away from characters forming massive groups of NPCs (mobs) and marching them throughout the countryside.
However, conflict is key in any roleplaying environment and I feel that it is important for a game to enrapture as many types of conflict as possible. One of these is the conflict of nations or powerful political factions within these nations.
We still have quite a bit to do before we encorporate our system and as such it's very rough. But stealing from AD&D's Birthright Campaign as well as numerous other systems, we're planning to have a mass-combat battle grid (think: a giant chess tournament) where units can be moved from one area to the next, though this takes a great deal of real time.
Depending on the type of unit, the amount of money a regent or monarch has locked in the treasury and other varying statistics: terrain, weather, morale, skill and attributes of player 'unit leaders' troops will engage in battle.
Mundane characters may see these troops as they pass by, but interaction with units will be limited.
War can provide interesting roleplaying opportunities, but not nearly as many as the effects that the war brings. That's how we intend to focus.
Thoughts?
Best,
Edward
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