imo the standard RM combat rules make having a large entourage problematic due to slow combat resolution.
How many NPC's do you allow to join he party and go on e=adventures with them?
As few as possible, due to the problem you mentioned of slower combat. But sometimes the party needs a healer.
this seems to be a common theme. Slow combat resolution = battles with large number of combatants = snail pace combat.
i dont know if ive cracked the code on this exactly but ive been using the super fast combat system from RMCIII.
we also play on Roll20 platform now so we have marcos which allow you to programme in weapon OB and roll damage at the click of a button.
Iv eliminated the three main issues that slowed large scale combat (8+ combatants).
1) table referencing
2) adding up damage dice
3) numerous crits and lag caused by ongoing crit effects (penalties, stun, hits per round etc)
Roll20 also has a hand initiative tracker so you it orders all the initiative scores and you go down the list, click on each combatant and away you go.
i only allow crits on open ended rolls rules u are using ambush. Its not to everyone taste. Its just how my group play. we have tried a few variants and have come up with an interesting blend of table combat and Super Fast Combat.
We are actually going to use table combat again but only for 1-1 battles. I quite like this idea as thats when the table referencing is manageable and it makes the 1-1 battles different and slower and more detailed. Just like they would be in an epic movie where the villain has an epic showdown with the hero
The biggest benefit of using the super fast combat is that you CAN more easily manage larger battles with more combatants. Right now we have 5 player characters. They typically hang our with a handful on NPC allies, especially on dangerous missions.
The odd NPC dies in combat, thats expected but they can also advance in levels and upgrade skills similar to PCs can. Its a bit like a company. You have new guys arrive and some stick it out and some leave (or die), the stalwarts the glue guys hang in here and eventually get promoted up the ranks. They become part of the furniture and add to the setting. I quite like that. They are seen as an important element and help drive the story although they are in the background and when they do die, its a little sad when they are gone. This is how it should be. They shouldnt be used as JUST fodder for enemies. They might even become a villain or henchman of a villain if they are mistreated
that happens all the time in the real world, but more commonly in movies... the worker who is mistreated vows to have their revenge, the last laugh.
it would be busy as but i could run a combat of 16 characters, maybe more with a little practice. As long as the players are making decisive decisions themselves. We have a player who is notorious for slow rolling his decisions. If he had his way he would take 15minutes to decide what OB/DB he was using and ask at least 5 questions about the surrounding environment... in the heat of battle! dont worry i speed hi up. he misses his opportunity if he doesnt think faster. one-on-one? now thats different we play as slow as you like. Its your show too.