Things to Avoid
PCs as foot-soldiers - Player characters do not belong with the rank-and-file of any nation's army. A character with 2 or more levels in a PC class is much more powerful than a conscripted soldier of any common race and will mop the floor with enemy footmen in battle.Super-large battles - Going along with the above point, an infantry charge might involve dozens of combatants in the PCs general vicinity alone. Adjudicating a battle using the normal Pathfinder or D&D rules with that many participants takes an absurdly long time and puts incredible mental strain on the GM, not to mention crowding up the battle grid.
Hopeless Scenarios - Defeats happen. While a crushing defeat can be great for a dramatic storyline, being on the losing side with no hope of surviving isn't fun for players. Remember that as a GM your ultimate duty is to provide an enjoyable and engaging experience for your players. Your players should always be able to figure out a way to escape if they try. If your players give up hope, have an NPC or contrivance of luck ready to give them a way out.
Pointless Wars - Wars have causes. Armies have objectives. History may call a war pointless but for the people living through it on either side there is always a goal. Even an army of demons massacring everything in sight with no apparent goal or direction has someone at the top who knows what they're doing it for, and it's usually not "for the lulz".
Types of Wars
No two wars are alike, but they can be grouped into a few categories based on the scope of the action and the parties that are involved:Border Skirmish - Two neighbouring states who are unfriendly start attacking each other. These conflicts are usually small compared to other wars and involve just two participating states. Often they are started by a perceived insult or provocation and end with no territory gained by either side. This kind of conflict is often used as a background element unless it grows into a full-on invasion.
Rebellion/Insurrection - Often called differently depending on which side you're on. This involves a small force attacking a larger force from within. It often lends itself to guerrilla warfare, espionage, and acts of terror by both sides. It can evolve into a regional conflict if either force gains allies. Of all the different types of war this is the one with some of the best potential as a central plot.
Invasion - One state attacks another state with a weaker army and manages to gain territory. The invaders may simply be seeking resources in some of the invaded territory or may be seeking to completely annex the state. This is often a very active kind of war with battles cropping up frequently as the invading army pushes into new territory. It can start as a looming background threat and suddenly surge to the foreground. A common dramatic plot shift is to have a sudden invasion completely derail the PC's plot train and have the fleeing for their lives until they get a chance to regroup.
Occupation - The part that happens to an invasion-type war after the invading army has passed through and claimed an area. Typically the invading forces will leave behind weaker numbers to quell any chance of rebellion. PCs in an occupied state may have to hide their identities and gather up forces to start a rebellion, or try to break through enemy lines back into their own territory. Resources in occupied areas are usually scarce as soldiers pillage the land for food and goods.
Regional Conflict - A war involving several states in a geographic region. These are the largest and most complex. Often belligerent states may have webs of alliances dictating who they attack and who they support, with the ever-present threat of backstabbing. This kind of large-scale conflict again belongs more in the background, as events are often simply too big and too spread out to give the PCs a significant part in them.
Player Character Roles in War
If you decide to have your player characters close to the action in a war, there are several roles they could take:Elite Commandos - The most common role and for a good reason. Heroic characters performing daring operations behind enemy lines makes for an engaging and straight-forward plotline.
Lone Survivors - The opposite of commandos in a lot of ways; this role requires characters survive on their wits and skills. Stealth, mobility and subterfuge are key to evading enemy forces. Because of the power gap between high-level PCs and soldiers, this role is best reserved for low-level characters.
Messengers/Arbiters/Diplomats - The player characters act as go-betweens between important parties in the warzone. As messengers it is their duty to get valuable information to its intended parties in a timely manner. As arbiters or diplomats they must unravel the web of relationships between warring parties. These roles are best suited to roleplay-heavy campaigns as there tends to be lots of talking.
Neutral Parties - People not actually part of the war, but who choose to operate in a warzone. Arms dealers looking to make a buck, treasure hunters seeking to loot still-burning ruins, healers helping both sides, and scholars seeking to preserve culture and take records are some roles player characters can play as neutral parties.
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