This file covers from Skill and Stat Increases through the section on Combat.
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COMBAT, replace most of with:
A melee round is divided into four phases: Statement of Intent, Move, Melee, and Post Melee Move
The melee round is a short flexible period of time, the amount of time required to plan and execute two actions in the course of the melee round. For the purposes of keeping track of time, each melee round lasts 5 seconds, but in reality a melee round might range anywhere from 3 to 12 seconds.
1) STATEMENT OF INTENT: The players and gamemaster state for each player and non-player character, from lowest INT to highest, what actions each will take in the coming round. Resolve ties by a die roll.
Selecting two Melee Attack actions lets a character attack all
out in one of two ways. The character can attack with two weapons
(one in each hand) at their normal strike ranks. Alternately, the
character can attack twice with a single weapon at -10% skill,
with the second attack coming 3 SR after the first attack (or on
SR 10 if the first attack occurred on SR 8 or later).
Creatures with more than two possible sources of attacks (i.e.,
multiple limbs, breath weapons) can attack with all of them if
they select two attack options.
Selecting two Parry options lets a character parry all out in
one of two ways. The character can parry all attacks in the
course of a melee round from two sources. (There is a -20% skill
modifier to all rolls if the character tries to parry two
attackers with the same 1H weapon.) Alternately, the character
can ignore the modifier for parrying multiple attacks from a
single source.
Creatures with more than two possible means of parrying (i.e.,
with two or more arms) can choose to parry with all of them if
they select two parry options.
Selecting two Dodge options lets a character try to Dodge all attacks directed against him or her during the melee round. There is a -10% cumulative skill modifier when rolling against each opponent after the first (-10% on the second opponent, -20% for the third opponent, etc.). The penalty for Dodging attacks landing on the same SR remains in effect.
Selecting two Cast Spell actions lets a character cast two spells in the same melee round. This is only possible if the total SR spent casting the spells adds up to 10 or less. Add the SR of the first spell to that of the second spell to determine the SR at which the second spell is cast. If a spell takes more than 10 SR to cast to cast, the excess SRs carry over to the next melee round, where the character must select another Cast Spell action to complete the spell. Otherwise, it is aborted.
A character can combine a melee or missile attack and cast spell action where the spell would enhance the effect of the weapon. If the character wants to take advantage of the spell enhancement (for example, a Speedart), the attack must take place at its normal SR or the SR the spell went off on, whichever occurs later.
A character in spirit combat can choose to attack twice, in which case he or she can take no other actions, including defending him or herself from the attacking spirit, or can choose to take two defensive actions but no other actions (see Spirit Combat).
ALTERING STATEMENT OF INTENT A character can always abort a declared action, but can not alter a declaration for another melee action option. One unused melee action per melee round (even if two are available) can be aborted to one of two possible special abort actions:
1. DEFENSIVE ABORT: A character can abort a single unused melee action to perform either a Dodge or Parry action at a -20% skill modifier instead.
2. MOVEMENT ABORT: A character can abort a single unused melee action to increase his or her movement rate by one category, to double or triple speed in the upcoming Post Melee Move Phase. This allows one to flee or to chase after a fleeing character at higher speed.
2) MOVE PHASE
1. MOVEMENT INITIATIVE: Movement initiative is determined by the DEX of all characters involved in the combat situation. Higher DEX characters can decide to move first, or delay their movement up to and until all characters with a lower DEX have moved. Resolve ties by a die roll. The order of movement initiative determined in the Move Phase of a Melee Round remains in effect through the Post Melee Phase of that Melee Round.
Once hostile characters come within a range where they could conceivably reach each other, the gamemaster and each player alternate moving the non-player and player characters 1/3 of their current movement rate in order of movement initiative until all movement is completed.
2. MOVE: Any unengaged characters move no further than they have declared to move, in order of movement initiative. A character who becomes engaged must stop at the point he or she became engaged, unless the character succeeds in a contest of Maneuver skill. In that case the character can continue to move normally, and gains movement initiative over the defeated target if he or she did not already have it.
A character who begins the Move Phase engaged (see below) can only move 1/3 of his or her normal movement rate (1 to 3 meters for humans) and must remain adjacent (in an adjoining hex) to all figures he or she is engaged by unless he or she succeeds in a contest of Maneuver skill. In that case, the character can move normally, and gains movement initiative over the defeated target if he or she did not already have it.
A character cannot pass directly through another figure (or hex occupied by a figure) in the Move Phase, regardless of Maneuver skill success. The character can knock the intervening character down or aside in the Melee phase, however, and then continue his or her movement in the Post Melee Move Phase.
If using a hex map grid (with 1 meter hexes), a character can shift one hex facing and then move one meter. A character can use one meter of movement to stand still but change facing to any orientation. Backwards movement is at half the speed of forward movement. To move 1 meter backwards take two meters of normal movement. At the end of each Move and Post Melee Move Phase, every character receives a free one hex facing shift.
Mobility spells add to one's total movement in each Move Phase, not to one's basic movement. A human with Mobility 4 taking a one action, two move melee round will move 10 meters in each Move Phase, not 14 meters.
In any melee round a character concentrates upon an already cast active spell (the concentration does not require an action) or wishes to use a Draw Weapon melee action to draw a missile and reload a missile weapon with it, his or her movement in the Move and Post Melee Move Phases is limited to 1/3 of his or her normal movement (1 to 3 meters for humans).
A character that moves within 1 meter of an enemy character that has declared a Melee Attack using a weapon under 2 meters in length (Weapon SR 3, 2 and some 1) becomes engaged, and must end his or her movement immediately unless the character can succeed in a contest of Maneuver skill. On a hex map using 1 meter hexes, the characters would have to enter one of the three front or two side hexes of such a hostile figure to become engaged.
A character that moves within 2 meters of an enemy character that has declared a Melee Attack using a weapon of at least 2 meters length (long spears, thrust halberds, naginatas or great swords) becomes engaged, and must end his or her movement immediately unless the character can succeed in a contest of Maneuver skill. On a hex map using 1 meter hexes, a character would have to enter one of the five secondary front hexes of such a hostile figure to become engaged, and would stop with a hex in between the character and the hostile figure. At such a range, only characters with a weapon of at least 2 meters length can attack each other. Characters with shorter weapons can still parry and dodge, but could only attack the longer weapon, not its wielder. If the character manages to move within 1 meter (an adjacent hex) of the longer weapon wielder, they are now at a range that both can attack and parry normally.
A character that moves within 3 meters of an enemy character that has declared a Melee Attack using a weapon of at least 3 meters length (pikes and sarissa) becomes engaged, and must end his or her movement immediately unless the character can succeed in a contest of Maneuver skill. On a hex map using 1 meter hexes, the character would have to enter one of the seven tertiary front hexes of such a hostile figure to become engaged, and would stop with two hexes in between the character and the hostile figure. At such a range, only characters with a weapon of at least 3 meters length can attack each other. Characters with shorter weapons can still parry and dodge, but could only attack the longer weapon, not its wielder.
A Lance charge is a special case, and is resolved by allowing the charging character to move adjacent to the figure it is attacking, regardless of whether the figure is using a pike, long spear, or shorter weapon. At this point normal rules of engagement go into effect. If the figure that was charged was wielding a pike, the pike would strike before the lance in the upcoming Melee Phase. The lance attack would take place before any shorter weapon attacks, at which point shorter weapons can attack at their normal strike ranks. This rule only applies in an all out charge with a lance where the riding animal's damage bonus is used instead of that of the rider.
If the character with the lance is maneuvering and thrusting with the lance as if using a spear, normal rule of engagement remain in effect, with the normal exception that a mounted figure substitutes Ride skill for Maneuver skill when moving in combat.
Once engaged, a character can no longer move in the Move phase except for the free facing shift at the end of the Move phase without winning a contest of Maneuver skill (see below). He can, however, move without restriction in the Post Melee Move phase.
This Agility skill (Base 25%, Hard), governs movement in melee situations. It is normally only studied by warriors, martial artists or duelists. It covers the art of combat movement, engaging, disengaging and closing. In any Move Phase where two or more characters disagree about their state of engagement or their fighting distance, they should each roll Maneuver as a skill vs skill roll. If they achieve the same level of success, nothing changes. If one character achieves a higher level of success than the other, he or she acts as if disengaged, with the loser remaining engaged.
If a character begins a Move Phase adjacent to an opponent using a longer weapon, such as a long spear against a sword, Maneuver skill can be used to close with the longer weapon wielder. A success in a contest of Maneuver skills (as above) allows the winner to close with his or her opponent, moving into the opponents hex, with the normal effect for closing against a long weapon.
A character that is already closed can move back to a normal range if he or she succeeds in a contest of Maneuver skill. Note that with a very long weapon, such as a pike or sarissa, characters within 1 meter (in an adjacent hex) should be treated as closed. They do not need to enter the pike wielders hex to gain the effects for closing against a long weapon.
A character fumbling a Maneuver roll must stop all movement at that point, and is not even entitled to the free one hex facing shift normally available at the end of the Move Phase. Every meter of basic movement rate higher than an opponent adds +5% to Maneuver skill rolls made against that opponent.
Note: 'Movement Rate' is your character's normal movement rate, NOT the modified movement rate (for example, if Mobility 1 is cast on a character with movement rate of 3, his unmodified movement rate is 3, not 4).
Crossing over a dead or unconscious fallen body of human size, or a conscious fallen friendly figure is a Difficult test (DEXx5). Crossing over stacked dead or unconscious fallen bodies of human size, or a conscious fallen unfriendly figure is a Very Difficult test (DEXx3).
Jump or Acrobatics skill can be used to cross difficult terrain instead of Maneuver skill or a DEX roll, but only if the difficult terrain feature is narrow enough to be cleared by the distance covered by a single Jump or Acrobatics attempt. Otherwise immediately test DEX or Maneuver skill as above at the completion of the Jump or flip.
Fumble: The character falls down, loses any remaining actions that round, and takes 1D6 falling damage (with a possible modifier for the type of terrain). Failure: Character falls down at the point they entered the terrain (or half-way through movement, if already in the terrain). Special: The character uses the terrain to advantage, and gets a 10 percentile bonus to all attacks and defenses that round. Critical: The character uses the terrain to advantage, and gets a 20 percentile bonus to all attacks and defenses that round.
A character that falls in the course of a melee round cannot stand up until the next melee round's Move Phase. A successful Acrobatics or Breakfall skill roll allows the character to stand in that melee round's Post Melee Move Phase, and can move and engage normally in next melee rounds Move Phase. Otherwise, moving from a prone position to a kneeling position takes a single move action (3 meters of movement for a normal human), moving from a kneeling position to a standing position takes another move action.
In other words, a character going from a prone position to a standing position will only have a single melee or move action left to use. A fallen character cannot force engagement on other characters while he or she remains on the ground. A character that fell in the course of a Move or Post Melee Move will normally be unable to stand until the next movement phase, either Move or Post Melee Move. A successful Acrobatics or Breakfall skill roll will negate the effects of the fall. If the character succeeds in the roll, they may ignore the fall and proceed normally (rolling or flipping out of the fall).
3) MELEE PHASE Resolve all melee actions in Strike Rank order.
4) POST MELEE MOVE PHASE All characters can move again as in the Move Phase, except that engagement rules do not apply (Rules of Engagement are not in effect). A character still cannot pass directly through a space occupied by another character unless that character is prone or the moving character pushed the target aside in the Melee Phase.
A critical attack will normally ignore all armor, including that from protective spells. As it is also a special success, it will typically have an additional effect depending on the weapon and mode of attack used.
COMBAT OPTIONS Characters may choose to fight in one of the following offensive or defensive modes. One must specify the exact mode in the character's statement of intent. Some special fighting modes allow one to replace the default results for a special success with the special result specific to the mode. Modes marked with an "@" sign are unusual, and are not normally available without special training.
Standard Parry: The normal parry result. If used with a bladed weapon, it will damage an attacking weapon if the attackers attack roll was a failure. Hafted bladed weapons (axes) and long hafted bladed weapons (halberds) will only damage attacking weapons on a special or critical parry result, respectively. The parrying weapon will normally suffer 1 armor point of damage from any attack it parries that does damage in excess of the parrying weapon's armor points, and the excess damage passes on to strike the parrying character. A special parry will cause the parrying weapon to take no damage from normal or special attacks that exceed its armor points, although the excess damage will still pass on to strike the parrying character normally. A critical parry stops all damage from an attack, even a critical attack or an attack that exceeded the parrying weapon's armor points, and the parrying weapon takes no damage.
Dodge is a (Base 15%, Hard) Agility skill. A normal dodge causes a normal hit to miss, a special hit to become a normal hit, and a critical hit to become a special hit. A special dodge causes a special or normal hit to miss, and a critical hit to become a normal hit. A critical dodge causes a critical, special or normal hit to miss. A fumbled dodge improves an opponents attack by one degree of success: Only a fumbled attack misses. A missed attack hits, a hit specials, and a critical hit does maximum damage.
Special tactics for dodging:
@Counter: An offensive dodge. A special dodge using Counter is treated as a normal dodge, but the counterer is set up for a free attack with the ready weapon. This blow comes on the SR following the countered attack, or SR 10, whichever comes first, and does not count as an action. Characters being hit by a counter may parry or dodge the counter if they have a parry declared against the countering weapon or a dodge declared against the counterer that round. A critical dodge using Counter is treated as a special dodge, but the counterattack that follows automatically hits. Roll the attack anyway, to check for specials or criticals, but the blow hits, even if the attack roll misses. A fumbled attack roll is treated as a simple miss. It takes 400 hours of training to learn to use Counter with a specific weapon (or set of related weapons).
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Thrown weapons and missile weapons can be dodged if the dodger is aware of the attack and ready to dodge.
At point blank range: (will be defined for each weapon, for now approximate using one tenth the weapon's effective range). A dodge is at one fifth percentage against a projected missile weapon such as a bow or crossbow (effectively, you need a special dodge success to counter a normal hit, or a critical dodge success to counter a special hit), and at half percentage against a thrown missile weapon, such as a rock or thrown knife. Note that even though missiles and thrown weapons are harder to dodge at point blank due to a decrease in the reaction time available to the dodger, the penalties to hit a moving target are doubled, due to the increased difficulty of tracking a target at closer range.
Firing a missile weapon while engaged is considerably more difficult. If a character with a missile weapon starts the melee round adjacent to an opponent, missile attacks are at half percentage. Thrown weapon attacks are at normal percentages. However, if the opponent chooses to dodge the missile or thrown weapon attack, his or her dodge skill is at full. It is easier to dodge a missile weapon or thrown weapon when directly adjacent to the source of the attack.
Small thrown weapons that are difficult to parry, such as knives or shuriken, are parried by a weapon at only the normal chance of success. Any shield will parry them normally. Projected missiles at normal ranges are parried by a weapon at 1/5 normal percentage, or a hoplite or larger shield at normal percentage, and at point blank range they can only be parried by a critical weapon parry or a hoplite or larger shield at 1/5 normal percentage. Instead of parrying, shields can be used to cover locations.
Very large creatures, such as giants, will have trouble dodging much smaller opponents if they are physically attacking them in such a way as to expose themselves to a counterattack. A large giant kicking or punching a human will not be able to dodge an attack directed at the attacking arm or leg. This is also true for humans trying to kick or punch a rubble runner. When using a weapon that lets them stay out of reach, the larger creature can dodge normally, even though this will generally more represent skillful footwork on the larger creature's part than weaving and dodging.
Missile or thrown weapons fire directed at a very large creature by a much smaller one should be treated as point blank range fire even out to normal weapon ranges for the purpose of being dodged by the larger creature, and the normal doubling of movement penalties at point blank range should not be used if the larger creature is moving. These rules generally come into play only when a creature has at least three times the SIZ of its opponent.
Parrying a flexible or chain weapon such as a whip or flail with a weapon or buckler parry is at parry skill. Parrying a flexible or chain weapon with a shield parry is at 3/4 parry skill, assuming the shield used is larger than a buckler. Flexible or chain weapons have a double normal chance of a fumble.
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If the amount of damage done by a weapon equals or exceeds a targets SIZ, it will cause knockback, moving the target back by 1 meter and forcing the target to make a DEX X 5 roll to remain standing. Every 10 points of damage above the targets SIZ adds an additional meter of knockback and reduces the DEX roll by one multiple (i.e., DEXx4 for 2 meters of knockback, etc.).
Weapons that do not penetrate armor (all crushing weapons, or a slashing or impaling weapon that did not penetrate armor) do double damage for the purposes of knockback. Impaling weapons that impale and do damage do no knockback.
If the target of knockback is mounted, and succeeds in a Ride roll, the SIZ of the mount is added to that of the target's for determining knockback. If the Ride roll is unsuccessful and the DEX roll is failed, or if more than 1 m of knockback was inflicted, the target will be knocked off his or her mount.
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BRACING AGAINST KNOCKBACK, replace with:
It is possible to brace oneself against knockback prior to an opponent's attack. One cannot dodge while braced, and a character that braced in a melee round cannot move in the Post Melee Move Phase of that melee round. Once braced, damage done must be higher than the STR + SIZ of the braced figure to cause knockback.
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KNOCKBACK INTO SMALL OBJECTS, PEOPLE AND SOLID OBJECTS, replace with:
If the target of knockback travels far enough to hit something behind him, he must make another DEX x 5 roll to remain standing, as must the object, if it is a living or animate creature. If the target was knocked back and hit a creature or free standing object, both take 1d6 damage to a random location for every two meters of knockback incurred (the full distance need not be traveled). If the object hit was a solid, unyielding object (wall, boulder, rock cliff), the amount of damage is doubled.
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Mounted characters fighting footmen also get the advantages of high ground (page 54).
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Two handed hacking weapons used while mounted are used at 3/4 their normal attack and parry skills.
Page 54:
A character that is standing at least half again higher than his or her target has a high ground advantage. This means that the character rolls 1D10+10 for all hit location rolls for his attacks with one-handed melee weapons, and can choose to do so with a two-handed melee weapon as well. The higher character also has 10 percent added to all of his or her attacks and parries against a lower character. Mounted characters fighting footmen gain the advantage of high ground.
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A successful Grapple attack grasps a random hit location of an opponent. A successful dodge evades the attack. A successful parry with a weapon means that the weapon was caught instead; a successful shield parry indicates that the shield has been caught. A shield or hafted weapon that is caught can be held for a further grappling attempt to immobilize the weapon or throw the opponent. A bladed weapon that is caught can not normally be held.
If the grapple attack roll was a special success, the parrying weapon or shield arm was caught instead. A successful Grapple parry will block the attack. After the first successful Grapple attack, subsequent Grapple rolls can be used to attempt to immobilize an opponent, throw an opponent, or inflict damage upon them.
To immobilize an opponent (using the hit location grappled) one must succeed in a second Grapple attack at DEX SR in the next melee round. If the second roll fails, the opponent is released. If the second Grapple roll succeeds, roll STR vs. STR/2 on the resistance table to immobilize the opponent/location. If the resistance roll fails, the opponent is not immobilized, but the location is still held. An immobilized opponent can free themselves in subsequent melee rounds if they succeed in a STR/2 vs. STR roll (one attempt each a round at the held character's DEX SR).
To throw an opponent one must succeed in a second Grapple attack at DEX SR in the next melee round at +10%. If the second roll fails, the opponent is released. If the second Grapple roll succeeds, roll STR+DEX vs. SIZ/2+DEX of opponent on the resistance table to throw the opponent, he or she takes 1d6 damage (+ thrower's damage bonus) to a random hit location, more if the fall is from a greater height, armor protecting, at best, at half value. If the opponent succeeds in a DEXx1, Acrobatics/2, or Breakfall roll, the damage is halved. If the resistance roll fails, the opponent is not thrown, but the location is still held.
To damage an opponent one must succeed in a second Grapple attack at DEX SR in the next melee round at -10%. If the second roll fails, the opponent is released. If the second Grapple roll succeeds, roll 1d4 damage plus damage bonus versus the hit location held. Armor has no effect. Protective spells have half value.
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All daggers impale, naginatas slash instead of impaling Page 64:
Javelin damage is 1d10, not 1d8. Page 68:
As described above, it is possible to wear soft or leather armor under another armor to provide added protection. When overlapping any armor, only half the armor points of the lower valued piece are added to the higher valued piece, rounding up (i.e., soft leather under plate will add 1 point of protection, bezainted 2 points, ringmail 3 points, and chainmail 4 points). After all, wearing padding under Chainmail was historically standard, it couldn't have been too bad.