when to use mass Combat?

[psychoph]

As a new storyteller i am trying to figure out what to switch from Power Combat or regular combat to Mass combat.  


Currently i have 6 solars in a group and I am planning on having them defend a caravan of 100 slaves.  at first they will be attacked by Fae using glamor to entice teh 100 peopel to come to them, if a fight breaks out, which is part of the plan it won't be more thna 3 or 4 Fae and i am assumign single handed combat is going to happen.


later on i will have 50 or so bandit attackign the group with a Dragon-Blooded Sorcer hidding some where casting spells as needed to assist the bandits.  Since it is 50 humans against 6 solar and a group of 100 or less slaves is it time to bust out mass combat or am i still in Power Combat.  the bandits are only going to be extras so they aren't anythign extrodinarily tough and the slaves will not be fighting in anyway, if anyhting they will be running to try to gain freedom in the ensuing battle.

 

[Halfdead Frodi]

Mass combat...


Any time that the amount of dicerolling is going to bog things down, then Mass Combat rules are good. Usually once you get above say 10-20 people on the field who will be taking combat actions some form of mass combat system is beneficial...unless say your sorceror is going to cut down 15 of the pathetic extras with a quick Death of Obsidian Butterflies... though in the scene you've described, well, if the DB is one of the bandits, slaughtering either such or the slaves isn't profitable... the regular bandits would likely be good to put in units, while the sorceror stays solo and uses things like Flight of the Brilliant Raptor or Flying Guillotine...