Attrition

[bradius]

A number of expeditions into Africa, before the 20th century, suffered heavy losses due to such things as disease, animal and native attacks, starvation, heat exhaustion...

There may be a situation soon where my players, who are fairly high level, will be leading a large group of lower level folks into the jungles of the Black Kingdoms.

I was wondering if anyone knew of any game mechanic that would simulate the attrition that would take place in such an endeavor.

 

[Clovenhoof]

D20 is not very well suited for that kind of simulation.

In fact there are official rules/guidelines found in the D&D DMG, covering effects like subdual damage suffered from heat, but I _strongly_ advise against those rules, they are complete b/s.

If you want to simulate the attrition among the NPC host, it would also be entirely too much work to roll saves for everyone. Instead, roll a die every day to get the percentage of characters that fall sick.
The die size may vary with the hostility of the environment and the skill and wits of the adventurers. (For example, if the ranks are ordered to boil all water before drinking it, that vastly reduces the risk of falling ill.)
Generally the die size might be something like d4 to d10 or so.
Or you might use a straight d6 and use modifiers (+3, -2...).

In practice it would work like this: If you roll a 3 on the d6, 3% of your entourage falls ill or suffers some other misfortune. If you start with an entourage of 30, 3% is one person.
You're down to 29 healthy, 1 sick. Now's the dilemma: do you want to abandon the sick guy? Aside from moral implications, this may lead to mutiny if the remaining guys start figuring out what will happen to _them_ if they fall ill. So, have him taken back to safety or carried along? Fine, but you need at least two people to carry one. So those two can't do their normal job anymore (likely carrying more stuff). So you're down to 27 guys doing the job of 30. With every additional loss, the situation aggravates.

 

[Teriudin]

I would make it some sort of survival DC check using that system - I think there is a way to benefit others with a positive check.

I would also allow creative use of the heal skill to protect against adverse affects.

The part shouldn't have too much trouble in my eyes, at least so much that it takes a lot of die rolls. Some adversity though is probably called for. I think one of the books had diseases in it?

 

[Hervé]

I think one of the books had diseases in it?

I don't have my books at hand, but I seem to remember Stygia, Serpent of the South and Across The Thunder River had fairly complete disease lists.

 

[decker423]

Keep it simple and use a Fort check when they are in the vicinity of malaria infested swamps, special heat/humidity conditions (monsoons, this particular day had a heat index of 120+, etc.).
There are lots of old school books (AD&D, Oriental D&D, RIFTS has some cold & hot weather rules) out there. I can't remember if Mutant Chronicles had rules, I think they did since Venus was a large jungle planet with 2 frozen polar caps.
If anything, look around for inspiration.

 

[David St-Michel]

...aaand let's not forget the various beasties, ambushes and other fun stuff laying around in the black kingdoms.

Run into a lotus patch? Oops. That's (x number) of rank-and-file down for the count.

 

[bradius]

Thanks!
I understand that Dark Continent has an interesting take on this as well.