...which is exactly how D&D style game engines evolved. There is little logic in using statistics & die rolls for individual troops but that is the weird D&D combat system.
escapadesRPG
joined 3 days ago
Vibe coding for TTRPG design.
...yes?
I actually really enjoy the boardgamey crunch of D&D Actions in Combat because I am seriously steeped in tabletop wargaming and to me it feels fast, especially if you allow some flexibility and basically free successes.
And if you fully use the terrain, plausible outcomes, and improvisation there's no reason to have a slog fest. I regularly round damage to the nearest 5 or 10 to just provide creatures with a simple Street Fighter energy bar rather than worry about 2 or 7 HP.
Another favourite of mine is to make players describe in excruciating detail what their tactics are so that the tension builds enourmously and then play out the results. This can then take a long time but there is already investment.
So, I'd ask what result you want and work back from there. There are not only 2 possible combat systems. I've designed a TTRPG purely around duel combat.
Weclome to the cult! :-)