From: rorice@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu (rosalyn rice) More spring cleaning. This section includes more melee combat rules. Actually, in my original file, this section went ahead of the file I have called "Combat 2". Mea Culpa. This section includes rules on weapon quality and facing in melee. Part 3 - Melee Combat MELEE WEAPONS REACH A one-hex weapon can strike into the user's hex and into an adjacent hex to the front or side. A two-hex weapon can strike into the either the user's hex or a visible, accessible hex to the character's 30 front arc two hexes away. A three-hex weapon can strike into any of the hexes a two hex weapon can strike into or a visible, accessible hex to the character's 30 front arc three hexes away. A user two- or three-hex reach weapon can change the hex it will strike into in one turn (using the ready maneuver). USING TOO HEAVY OR TOO LIGHT A WEAPON Heavy Weapons: A too heavy weapon will take longer to ready and will be less effective at parrying. Readying: If you are sufficiently strong enough, weapons that would normally require a turn or more to ready can be readied faster. Likewise, if you are very weak, weapons that an "average" person could ready every turn require more time to ready. Heft: The "heft" of a weapon or shield is equal to the Minimum ST required to use it +5 if the weapon has a parry score of at least 2/3 skill, and +10 if it has a poor parry score. This number is subtracted from the character's ST to determine the penalty to attacks and defenses if the weapon isn't readied between uses. The reloading times (but not the attack and defense modifiers) for Crossbows also use this table. (ST - Heft) EFFECT => -11 The weapon can't be used effectively. -10 to -6 -1 penalty to all attacks and defenses per each point of strength under the minimum needed. -4 cumulative penalty to all attacks and defenses each turn if the weapon isn't readied. Double time needed to ready the weapon. -5 to -1 -2 cumulative penalty to attack or defend if the weapon isn't readied. 0 to +9 -1 cumulative penalty to attack or defend if the weapon isn't readied. Subtract 1 second from the time needed to ready the weapon, to a minimum of 1 second. => +10 No penalty if weapon isn't readied, unless the weapon normally takes 2 or more seconds to ready, then there is a -1 cumulative penalty to attack or defend if the weapon isn't readied. Subtract 2 seconds from the time needed to ready a weapon, to a minimum of 1 second for weapons that normally need 2 or more seconds to ready. BIG WEAPONS Very strong or large characters can take advantage of their strength or size by using larger, massier weapons. In most cases, though, the advantage gained by using a heavier weapon is offset by the fact that you can't swing or push it as fast, so there is no real advantage to using a heavier weapon, while there are many advantages to using a "normal" weapon that you can weild handily. In some case though, a character might want a larger than normal weapon. In most cases this can be simulated by using the damage of the next largest weapon of the same type, e.g. knife > dagger > shortsword > broadsword > bastard sword > two-hand sword. In other cases the weapon might be so massive the GM will need special rules. Maxmimum Damage for Normal Weapons: Most swinging weapons of a normal size will do maximum damage equal to 5 times what a person of minimum ST to weild that weapon could do. So a weapon that requires a 10 ST to weild and does Thrust-1 damage could do a maximum of 5d6-15 points of damage. A larger weapon will increase the maximum damage by increasing the "minimum ST" required to use that weapon. Reach of Large Weapons: Most very large weapons will have extra reach. For every 5 ST over the minimum required to use a melee weapon the "reach" of a special weapon can be extended by 1 hex, to a maximum of 3 hexes. Over this limit, each 10 points of ST over the minimum needed will allow a special weapon to be extended to 6 hexes, and so on. Thus, super strength super-heroes could use telephone poles as clubs! Practically, weapons much over 3 hexes are clumsy to use. -1 to skill per extra hex of reach beyond 3 hexes for a swinging weapon or 4 hexes for a thrusting weapon. Damage Resistance: This is the only place where using a heavier weapon makes sense. Each 1 point over the normal minimum ST required to use a weapon, a weapon is, gives +1 DR to the weapon to a maximum of double DR. This is cumulative with the effects of weapon quality. LIGHT WEAPONS For whatever reason, a character might want to use a too-light weapon. In general, a light weapon will do the same damage as a normal weapon, what is gained in speed is lost in mass, so the damage done remains the same. However, weak characters might want to use a "light" version of weapon that would otherwise be too heavy for them. In some cases this can be simulated by using the range and damage of the next smaller weapon of the same type. Decreased Damage: A light weapon will do -1 point of damage per 2 points or less under the "Standard" Minimum ST it is. Furthermore, its Maximum damage, in the hands of a very strong character will be similarly reduced. Decreased Damage Resistance: A light weapon has -1 DR per 2 points under the standard Minimum ST it is, to a minimum of 1/2 normal DR. This is cumulative with the effects of weapon quality. A cheap, very light weapon is likely to break the first time it hits anything solid. GETTING STUCK: THE PROBLEM WITH PICKS Weapons that are swung for impaling damage - picks and the like - do a great deal of damage. The drawback is this: they may get stuck in the your foe. Any time you hit with such a weapon and your blow penetrates the foe's armor, it may stick. On your next turn, roll against your ST. A successful roll means your weapon is not stuck, and you may re-ready it on the following turn. A failed roll means that it is stuck. You cannot use it or ready it. You may roll again at the beginning of each turn to try to unstick it, but you can do nothing until you succeed. A critical miss on this roll (a 17 or 18) means the weapon is permanently stuck, and you might as well drop it; you can recover it after combat, if you survive. When the pick does come free, it does half as much damage as it did in the original wound. For example, if the final damage done by the wound was 4 or 5 hits, it does another 2 hits when it is pulled free. If you cannot pull your pick free during combat, your attempts do your foe no extra damage (for game purposes). After combat, you will be able to recover the pick if perchance your foe is lying around the battlefield. If your weapon is stuck in a foe, and he tries to move away, roll a quick Contest of Strength. If your foe wins, he pulls the weapon out of your hands. If you win, your foe can't move. If you tie, the weapon comes loose and does damage as above. Weapons with this drawback include picks, warhammers and (when swung to impale) halberds. USING UNFAMILIAR WEAPONS OF THE SAME TYPE A character is at -1 to skill with an unfamiliar weapon of the same type until he familiarizes himself with it. This takes 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the weapon. WEAPON TYPES Flails: A weapon with two or more pieces of rigid material with a short length of chain or rope between the sections is a flail. Because of the flexibility of the weapon it can "wrap around" a foe's weapon or shield when he tries to parry or block it. Therefore, any parry against a flail is at -3, and any block is at -2. Light weapons, such as foils, rapiers or knives, can't parry flails at all. Chain Weapons: A piece of heavy rope or chain with or without some sort of weight at the end is a chain weapon. Whips differ from chains only in mass and method of attack. The flexibility of a chain allows it to wrap around a weapon or shield. Therefore, any parry against a chain weapon is at -4 and any block is at -3. Light weapons, such as foils, rapiers or knives, can't parry chain weapons at all. Knives and other small weapons: Knives and other small weapons are at -1 to parry with. When thrown they are at -2 to be parried. They can be used in close combat. Barbed Weapons: Barbed weapons such as barbed spears, harpoons and arrows stick in wounds as if they were Picks. If they are forcibly pulled out, they do 1 point of damage per die of damage they did going in. Boar Spears: Boar spears are spears with lugs at the bottom of the spear head which keep the spear from penetrating too far into the body. This limits damage, but keeps a berserk opponent at a distance. Boar spears take 1/3 any stop thrust damage as breakage, and can't do more than maximum basic damage when stop-thrusting. Their advantage is that the foe is at -6 to Slam or Close Combat while stuck on an intact boar spear. Bottles: A bottle can be used as an improvised club or knife. Whole: Thrust-3, Swing-2, Crushing. 2/3 chance of breaking after a hit. Broken: Thrust-2, Swing-2, Cutting, 1/2 chance of breaking after a hit. If parried or blocked a bottle might break as above. It is treated as a cheap weapon for other purposes. On a Critical Miss, the bottle breaks doing 1d6-3 to the attacker's hand. USING A SWORD LIKE A SABRE A broad sword can be used one-handed in a "fencing" stance as if it were a sabre. This gives the weapon +1 Reach and +2 Parry, but -2 to hit, and -1 per die of damage to swing damage. You can't use a shield or Parry on the turn you attack (unless you use the Beat and Attack, or Counter-Attack maneuver). WEAPON QUALITY The weapon table prices assue weapons of "good" quality. Weapons of other qualities are possible: KNIFE AND SWORD QUALITY Swords and good knives are costly. This is because, especially with medieval technology, it is no mean feat to temper a piece of steel to make it thin, light, yet strong and capable of holding an edge. Thus there is a wide range of quality among blades. Very Cheap Quality: A very cheap blade has a 2/3 chance of breaking when it parries a heavy weapon and will break on a critical miss. It costs 10% of list price. Such weapons will never be made by reputable craftsmen, they are either improvised weapons or old, badly-maintained weapons on their last legs. Such weapons do -1 to damage, since they don't hold an edge at all. Cheap Quality: A cheap blade has a 1/2 chance of breaking when it parries a very heavy weapon and is likelier to break on a critical miss. It costs 40% of list price. Good Quality: A good blade is as listed on the table. It has a 1/3 chance of breaking when it parries a very heavy weapon. All weapons mentioned will be of this quality unless specified otherwise. Fine Quality: Fine blades have only a 1/6 chance of breaking when they parry a very heavy weapon. It also does +1 damage because it holds an edge better. Very Fine Quality: A Very Fine blade will not break on a parry. If it breaks on a critical hit, roll again to verify the result. Only if breakage is rolled again a second time does it really break. It does +2 damage. It costs at least 20 times the listed price - and very fine blades just aren't seen in most places. With medieval technology such blades are virtually impossible to achieve. Super-Fine Quality: Super Science or Magic can produce weapons of Super-Fine quality. They will not be found in non-magical low-tech settings. A Super-Fine weapon acts like a Very Fine weapon in all respects, except that it does +3 damage. If a Super-Fine weapon is unique or magical it will be very expensive and very rare. At least 50 times the listed price. The products of super-science will allow such blades to be produced more cheaply, but at never less than Very-Fine costs. AXE AND POLEARM QUALITY Axes, polearms and other cutting and impaling weapons of fine quality may be found, but they are rare because the armorer must, in effect, use sword steel). They do +1 damage and cost 10 times the normal list price. Very fine, cheap and very cheap weapons of this sort are not usually found. MACE QUALITY Maces and other crushing weapons may be of fine quality; they are resistant to breakage as above, but do no extra damage. They cost 3 times the listed amount. Very fine maces are occasionally found. BOW AND CROSSBOW QUALITY Fine quality bows and crossbows will shoot 10% farther than ordinary weapons, but do no extra damage. Very Fine bows shoot 20% farther. Fine and Very Fine Bows are no more resistant to breakage than normal bows if used to parry. Howver, they are more resistant to breaking on a critical hit. Any result that has the bow breaking must be verified, as above. OTHER HAND WEAPON Other weapons will follow the guidelines above, but probably will not do any extra damage, unless they have a blade. Some weapons just can't be improved above Fine quality - like slings. Some weapons just can't be improved one way or the other - like brass knuckles. MAGICAL WEAPONS Magical weapons can be as high or as low quality as the GM or the enchanter wants them to be. As a rule of thumb, an enchanter will start with an excellent weapon or item and make it magical, rather than trying to ensorcel a cheap item. DECORATION Most Fine or Very Fine weapons will be decorated in some way, since they were probably made for rich people. This can add to the cost (or value) of a weapon, but has no effect on its effectiveness. Of course, you can't tell the qualtity of a weapon by its decoration. The prettiest sword could be of cheap quality underneath the gilt and jewels. DETERMINING QUALITY It takes 5 minutes and a roll vs. the appropriate Armory skill or the appropriate weapons skill-5, tactics skill-10, or Merchant or Appraisal-5. MECHANICS OF THE COMBAT SYSTEM FREE FORM COMBAT SYSTEM The Free-Form Combat System lets fighters choose weapons, shields and armor and use them according to their strength and skill. It is abstract in that it uses no map. The GM regulates movement, using a few simple guidelines and his own common sense. Anyone can attack anyone else, unless the GM rules otherwise. TACTICAL COMBAT SYSTEM This system uses a hex-map to regulate movement. It can also be used as a stand-alone board-game of man-to-man combat. SCALE Figures represent individual combatants (represented by miniature figures or some other token). Each hex equals one yard (although the hexes are a bit larger to make it easier to handle the figures). Each Turn equals about one second. A fractional hex is considered to be a full hex, unless the GM rules otherwise. SPACING OF COMBATANTS Each figure must occupy one hex. Exceptions include close combat and any situation in which people are crowded close together but are not trying to DO anything. You could crowd up to 4 ordinary-sized people into a single hex, if they were friendly. You can also move through a friendly character's hex, though the movement cost is higher. ARC OF VISION IN MELEE Unless the character chooses the Look Around maneuver, he can only see directly to his front, if he is wearing a helmet, hood, gas mask or other restrictive gear and 30 to either side if he is not. Furthermore, in a large melee, he generally won't be able see more than 50-100 hexes ahead of him unless he looks around, or there is nobody in his field of vision. (Even friends count as impediments to vision). In a very tightly packed battle, or in dark, smoky, or dusty conditions this distance might be considerably less, say 5 to 25 hexes. TACTICAL KNOWLEDGE IN MELEE Unless the character Looks Around, a roll vs. IQ or tactics skill is required to pay attention to anything other than an active enemy in the character's line of sight. A character can't respond to anything he can't see. A roll vs. Tactics skill is required to assess the situation in a melee (+4 if the character takes a turn to Concentrate and/or Looks Around). Thus a player who sees a huge hole in the enemy line can't allow his character to take advantage of the situation unless, his character can see the hole and interpret it's meaning.