Prepare long-range weaponsAT the end of the discussion about long-range weapons we want to make some comments as usual. An archer who wants to shoot at a target which is turning up very suddenly has to prepare her weapon accordingly (i.e. the dagger or the axe is already in hand, bow or crossbow is bended).On the other hand nobody can keep up the preparation time for ever (the power to bend a bow or to raise a crossbow is too high and it would ruin its inherent tension and therefore its further use). So a bow is always transported with the bow string hanging loose. A wet bow-string has to be substituted and the bow has to be dried carefully, before employing it again. To exchange a bow-string will take about 15 fighting turns. To bend the bow and take another arrow will take 2 fighting turns. A quick release like that will, however, be far from being simple and so a test on long-range weapons would be hardened by an additive of +1 still. If somebody wants to fight with the values noted, she should wait 5 fighting turns before releasing the arrow. (But who would that in a critical battle situation ?) There are two different crossbow, the light one is bended by a so-called goat-foot and may fire every 8 fighting turns, the heavy-one needs turning around some time and will take at least 15 fighting turns to release. To throw a weapon and drawing it before will take only
1 fighting turn. Spears are usually carried around in hands, so nobody
will have to wait to throw them, just toss the dice.
Changing weaponsSometimes it happens that a hero looses a weapon by mischance or by shear force of the enemy. In that case she will want to change to another weapon if she got one. Sometimes she just wants to change it, because there is no luck in that damn blade. To put it back where it belongs will take 2 fighting turns, to let it tumble to the floor not even half such a turn. To draw the new weapon will take 1 fighting turn only, to take something from the back, a two-handed sword or shield, however, will take 3 fighting turns. To take a potion from a belt, open and drink it will usually take the same amount of time. If the potion is inside a rucksack, do not bother but escape... |
"There is not just one, there are thousands of them..."That is what will happen to you when you move to Tobria in these times, a province of the Middlerealm at the East Coast that went lost about one year ago against a fierce black magician and his troups. But this will also happen in any regular gaming situation, you will not bother around with just one hero and one enemy, your whole room at home will be full of people crying: "I'll chop his head off". In this situation, the gamemaster will have to listen carefully to all players where they are and what they are doing, a plan of any battle site and a schedule is advisory. If your head is enough, use it to the max. Nobody can fight and do something else like opening a treasure at the same time. They will have to perform some tactical manoeuvring.Particular combat situationsThere are situations in combat when special modifications are essential to realize the particular situation. These could be special attributes of the environment or an usual position of enemies or your group of heroes. As an example, we might give a fight in total darkness. This will lead to AT and PA additive of 7 for anyone fighting somebody in the darkness. Similar modifications might be advisory for transparent or flying creatures, for battle over, under or at water.Additionally, our rules might proof sensible in a showdown for two armed humanoid beings. If one of the fighters is an animal things get worse, because animals have very different kinds of armament, horns, teeth and so on. In those cases a parade is not rationally motivated, so good role-playing would need sort of avoiding the strike in these times. If you want to know more about this, there is a box that I do not own, which tells about it, it is called "Dragon, griffins, black lotus" and I think it is quite too early ti translate it into english. Perhaps you will see it in the distant future. |