Thursday, March 24, 2011

Adventurer Combat Update.....

Strange, I seem to have fallen off of the edge of the world.......
So, a new and excellent job strikes hard at gaming time...sigh.

That said, the remaining question for combat in adventurer is: is it simple enough ?  Or has my natural tendency to add details created a same-old same-old miniatures gameist system ?

I have an idea of using a very simple line em up and roll for range system, as used in many board wargames to give a tactical feel to a more strategic boardgame.

Roughly, something like:

Adventurer Abstract Combat System (AACS)

  • Line up the two sides: players and  the encounter facing each other.
  • Roll for range; 
    • Details about the roll go here. 
    • Ranges would be the same as the weapons matrix: 1=close, 2=sword, 3=pole , 4=medium, 5= long, 6=very long. 
    • Mark the range with a d6 
  • Roll a contest to see who gets initiative (gm or player leader). 
    • Details about the roll go here. 
    • Probably a simple opposed roll using tactics with some mods.(poltroonery)
    • Winner is the "moving side"; loser is "non moving side".
  • Movement
    • Each side always moved together, and is assumed to be at the same range as all team members (exception: evading)
    • In movement, Characters always remain fixed, only the encounter is moved (or not moved) in or out by one range by the leader of the moving side (who simply increments or decrements the d6).  
    • After the moving player alters the range (or not), either side may declare (or have to declare, see morale) a charge or poltroonery, non-moving side declaring first.  
    • each side declaring a charge reduces the range by one, each side declaring poltroonery increases it by one.
    • Characters on a charging side will attack before all non charging. 
    • Poltroon characters may not attack this round, and are attacked at +2.
  • Once the encounter is moved, characters may roll to attempt to flank or infiltrate, non-moving side making all such rolls first. 
    • Infiltrating: 
      • Details about the roll go here. Easier at longer ranges, etc etc. 
      • Characters successfully infiltrating  may make an attack against any (including protected) characters.
      • Range can be counted as increased or decreased by one for infiltrating attacks for any attacks by or upon the infiltrator.
      • An infiltrating character may be attacked normally by other characters.
      • A character making an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate cannot attack in the current round.
    • Flanking:  
      • Details about the roll go here. Easier at shorter ranges (???), etc etc.  
      • Characters who have successfully flanked, and who have not been attacked this round gain a +2 against any one non-protected figure. 
      • If the flanker is attacked before he acts, a normal attack is allowed . 
      • A character making an unsuccessful attempt to flank may not attack in the current round.
  • Characters are declared as protected or guarding. 
    • a protected character can only be physically attacked if every other guarding character is attacked; 
    • protected character can only attack if all guarding characters are attacked.  
    • A protected character can attack using spells , and be attacked by spells. 
  • Attacks:
    • Sequence: Make attacks at the current range in the following order.
      • Infiltrating attacks are resolved before all other attacks 
      • Any missile attacks are resolved in order of individual DEX
      • All charging attacks are resolved  in order of individual DEX
      • Regular and flank attacks are resolved in individual DEX order, with initiative breaking ties. 
    • Any attack at range is a missile attack, all other attacks are classed as Hand to hand (HTH). 
    • In all steps,  initiative breaks DEX ties. 
    • Damage from an attack and all effects are applied immediately, before any other attacks are resolved.
  • Escape occurs immediately  when the range is Very Long and  the moving side increases the range 
    • When range is Very Long, the moving side may opt to escape  individually, and remaining characters may either stay at long range or reduce range as per a normal movement.
    • If the final range is Very Long after all changes are made to the range d6, (including regular movement, charges, dual poltroonery, etc)   the non moving side may declare poltroonery and escape.
  • Go home, tell friends, drink beer. After the moving side alters the range d6 (or not),

Combat itself is as standard rules: 8+ to hit plus minus all modifiers (such as range and weapon type).

Its short, and very abstract.  Thoughts ?  Hello ?  Hello ? Bueller ?

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