Proposal for a new melee combat option: Evaluate ( combat opening )

This post is a draft of a new combat option for the Evaluate action. Initial thoughts about this was posted here.

The Serendipity Engine

Screen Shot of the alpha version on May 21st 2013

http://serendipity-engine.appspot.com

Objective

Simulate how combats are made of serendipitous opening that perceptive and skilled fighter take advantage of. One can fight according to a plan, or be nimble and go with the flow. This option provides the "flow".

Principle

A skill contest between the Per-based melee combat skill of the attacker against the DX-based melee combat skill of the defender. In case of a success by the attacker, the attacker spot a combat opening with a benefit that is a function of the margin of success. If the margin is negative, but the Per-based skill check was successful, the bonus is applied to the next active defense.

To generate interesting openings, the random "table" is implemented as a web application. This has the potential to generate over a few hundreds different combinations of opening and conditions, and this number of permutations blows up into the thousands if we take into account the range of possible attack bonuses and defense penalties.

Procedure

The phasing player may call an Evaluate(combat opening) as a melee combat move. The skill contest is resolved by the app, determine the success and generate an opening. In case of failure, the phasing player my be compelled to take a Do nothing action. In other cases, the phasing player is free to take advantage of the opening by converting the evaluate into a new action and immediately resolving it to exploit the opening, or take instead a Do Nothing or All-out defense action. The gamble here is that if the opening isn't desirable, the turn will be spent looking  for an opening and deciding not to take it.

1. Declare an Evaluate (combat Opening)
2. Per-skill vs DX-skill (handled by app)
3. Pick Either of:
   1. Immediately convert to attack to exploit opening.
   2. Do Nothing

A critical fail on the Per-based skill check is narrated to the player like a criticl success, but is converted instead into a bonus for the opponent as a bonus to any form of counter attacks.

Discussion

This is not a new idea, if you want a low-tech table instead, try Sean Punch's post of SJG's forum, or +Douglas Cole 's post on Gaming Ballistic. We're going to playtest the idea, but this is out there is anyone else want to give it a go.  Here is what I'm looking for in a playtest:

1. Are players using the the Evaluate (opening)?
2. When presented with an opening, are the players deciding to exploit the opening?
1. If not,
1. is this because of the condition being too restrictive?
2. is it because the bonus doesn't outweigh the limitation?
2. If so,
1. Did it made the combat more fun?
2. Did it incite players to try moves that they usually don't use?
3. Was the bonus conferred too large?
3. Web application, a good idea or would it be better with a much simpler table (see Sean Punch's post linked above).

If you give it a try, by all means, communicate your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below.

Next steps beyond playtesting

• Adding openings that are more contextual:
• rough terrain.
• Multiple opponents.
• Presence of allies.
• Long reach weapons.
• Two-handed vs one handed with shields.

009 - The Palantir that fell out of the sky

October 4th, FA 15

The air was brisk and dry over the gap of Rohan. The company, mounted and ready to set out was waiting for Araliniel to read the signs, find some kind of oracle that could be of use in the journey. All around, the rolling land of Rohan and Dunland could be seen. In the distance, all melted into a steel gray haze with the sky. An eagle was flying low over the land. It was making a broad circle over the company. Araliniel took it as a sign, in a near trance, she picked a pebble from the ground. The pebble slipped upward from her fingers and flew right up to the Eagle. This is when Sir Galdor realized that this was not a low flying Eagle, but rather a high flying giant eagle. The pebble flew so fast and so high that all but Galdor could keep it in focus. It hit the eagle. With a jerk, the eagle let something fall back to the ground. No one could see but Galdor, who picked up a glimmer of a spark as the spherical object started to plummet to the ground. Araliniel called out in her loudest voice to catch the Palantir at all cost.

005 - Crimes and Punishments

I smell burnt toasts...

In the early lights of morning, various members of the company woke up to the acrid smell of smoke and the yelps of distress on the ground floor. The first to arrive on the ground level was Finbert, who ran into the landlady and a wounded stable boy. The young man had a bolt deep into the flesh of his thigh. Shortly after, Arnadil, Galdor and Halin arrived on the ground floor. All three had slipped into their hauberks and grabbed their swords. The landlady told the warriors that a marksman was shooting anyone trying to save the horses from the burning stable. There was no windows to observe the front of the Inn, Finbert climbed back to his room to spot the marksmen.  

There was three men, some 25 yards from the Inn. One of them, the goblet thrower, was bracing a crossbow. There was another ruffian with a sword, and a third one with a club. Halin and Galdor climbed back to their rooms to don the rest of their armors. Galdor bursted into Kasper's room to wake him up. Finbert located the crossbowmen and began aiming for the marksman. Meanwhile, Arnadil slipped by the back of the Inn to exit the building from the back.

Once geared up, Halin, Galdor and Kasper came back into the Tavern. In one hand, Halin grabbed one tresle table and held it like a giant shield (that ST14 has got to pay off at some point). The set was staged.

Going tactical with a tresle table

Kasper kicked open the door so that Halin the elderly hammerdwarf could burst out, table first, running more or less blind. Behind 2" of solid wood,  no bolts would be able to overpenetrate through and hurt Halin (GM Note 1). At the same time, Arnadil began to sprint for the ruffians from the side of the Inn, and Finbert shot a poisoned dart to the crossbowman. The dart hits him in the face, cancelling the crossbowman's aim and throwing off the weapon's bracing from a fence post. The two other ruffians fanned out to get a line of sight beyond the charging table (GM Note 2).  The charge was to be made over about 25 yards, a long way to go when one follow a dwarf that is in medium encumbrance (move 3). Arnadil began to cough and wheeze before he was even arrived to the ruffians (GM Note 3).  Arnadil, shield in front, heard a bold zip by and demanded in vain that the ruffians let down their weapons. Galdor broke from the behind-the-table stack and headed for the ruffian with a club while Halin kept on charging towards the ruffian with a sword. There was a few inconsequential exchanges of blows. Some we inconsequential only because of the players' Hauberks (close calls).

The charge with the table was dodged by the sword-ruffian and Halin overshot the target. Luckily Arnadil was behind and managed to distract the ruffian from striking the dwarf in the back. Halin dropped the table and gripped his hammer with both hands. At the same time, Kasper finally got to the crossbowman and struck him in the leg with his longsword, throwing him on the ground in pain. The marksman was already in a large amount of pain due to the Finbert's "oily sting" poison, and had not been able to shoot again. His crossbow lay on the ground, out of reach while a deep wound in his leg was throbbing.

Arnadil finally abandoned all defenses and struck the sword-ruffian, causing one major wound in each leg and sending the ruffian into a pain-induced coma. Meawhile, Galdor struck the last standing ruffian on his weapon's hand. With his club flung to the ground and both friends neutralized, the last ruffians took off for the nearby woods. Galdor attempted a quick shot at the fleeing ruffian, but the arrow missed and the criminal vanished into the undergrowth.    

Debates on the legality of slaying peasants

While the battle was raging, Finbert had turned his attention to the burning stable. It seemed to be burning from the inside, and the front door was on fire. He found a window opening and jumped inside. The building was filled with smoke. He lost his foot and fell backward, burning his hand on some ambers. By the time that he was back on his feet, Kasper and Galdor were kicking the front door open. Of all horses in the stable, only three could be saved. Kasper's and Galdor's personal horses perished in the fire.  A slain stable boy was also found and pulled out of the building.

Seething with rage, Galdor burst out of the stable and head straight for the once-marksman. He was the goblet ruffian from last night. Bleeding profusely, he was laying on the ground beside his smashed crossbow.  Galdor, accused the ruffian of the murder of the stable boy, and most of all of his horse and took upon himself to execute the ruffian on the spot (GM Note 4). Galdor was also ready to finish off the sword-ruffian, who was laying unconscious on the ground. Arnadil, dissaproving of the such swift justice picked up the unconscious ruffian and took him inside the Inn. While on the table, he applied a tourniquet while Kasper coldly cauterized the other wound with a piece of burning amber. The bleeding was then under control. It was agreed that the ruffian was a murderer, and should be punished for his violent crime with Death. However, Arnadil opposed the execution of a wounded man in the coma. This is when events turned weird.

Kasper went back to his bedroom and came back with a handful of flat and dark stones. He arranged them at seemingly precise positions on the ruffian's body and began something like an esoteric ritual. After a few minutes, Kasper admitted defeat: the ruffian will not come out of the coma as fast as he hoped. The rest of the company scratched their heads and pretended that they had not seen anything unusual. The ruffian was to be taken care of until he came back to his sense, then he'd be beheaded.

And all let out a sigh.

Next encounter.

GM Note 1: GURPS claims that 2" or wood has DR 2. The same as a skullbone or some tough leather. I think that this is probably off and this value should be DR4 (most single sword blow just can't cleave 2" of wood). Anyhow, even if we let the bolt go through 2" of oak, the bolt would get solidly wedged maybe after a few inches of overpenetration.

GM Note 2: I really should have gotten the ruffians to take off: thye were no match for the party and they knew it. Their vengeance was exacted: the barn was on fire and many of the horse were either dead or about to. They did not and here are the reasons (some good, some not): 1) they still believed that the  crossbox would be an effective stand-off threat, 2) they were a bit surprised by the charging table coming out of the Inn, and 3) I wanted the player to try the combat system.

GM Note 3 : We were using Action points, and the rule for Anrnadil is that every time that he expands a FP, he has to roll against HT or state to cough (affliction). Using tactical rules for running 30 yds, keeping track of AP was a bit slow and I should have just abstracted part of the charge, roll to tactics and set the scene closer to when the action started to matter.

GM Note 4 : Much debate erupted around the gaming table here. Galdor argued that, according to the code, in absence of the local lord, he was allowed to exact justice for this violent crime and carry on the punishment right away. Many thought that it should be left to the local sheriff. In the end, Galdor just did it: don't get between a Dol Amroth knight and his mount.