Surviving in the wild, exploring, running out of water in the desert and drawing your last arrow when a horde of undead surround you... all of those are part of the adventure. Let’s see how to make it fun, and work with your DM to find the right balance of realism and fun !
Resources
Camping Supplies
Food
Water
Ammo
First Aid
etc...
You can buy, trade or steal these to make your travels easier. No need to track individual units, but when the time calls for it their absence can be a problem.
Stress
Different situations will put a strain on these resources, and that’s when you need to consider how you use them.
Ration your water when walking in a burning desert.
Hunt and Scavenge when you’ve been walking for miles.
Count your arrows when you’ve been fighting all night.
Depending on the mood of the game, these can either be serious problems or simple narrative devices.
Realism
A little dose of realism can reinforce immersion, but too much can ruin the fun pretty quickly.
Examples of optional rules regarding realism
Localized damage
Counting Food, Water and Ammo precisely
More armor and weapon damage
Penalties and bonuses regarding weapon types
Spears in close quarters vs firmly planted in the ground
Consideration of armor types
Soft and Hard armor vs slashing and blunt weapons
Status effects like burning, shock, poison, concussions.