From: tbarnes@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: GURPS: Combat as a Quick Contest
Date: 26 Sep 92 19:23:18 GMT
Organization: Indiana University

>	Well, under GURPS Martial Arts rules (and from Roleplayer 22 (?)),
>katanas get 2/3, rather than 1/2 skill, if used to parry in the same situations
>that  fencing weapons and the staff get a 2/3 parry. Under your system, a mace
>and rapier are effectively equal at parrying blows.
>	My suggestions:
>
>	(1) weapons that normally get a 2/3 parry give a +1 PD per 5 full
>levels of the defender's skill when parrying
>	(2) weapons that take a second or more to ready after being used get
>only half skill to parry (exception: polearms use normal  skill).
>
>Brandon Cope
>
This posting echoes my complaints with a really neat variant. Swords,
staves, knives and some light polearms (essentially "balanced" weapons)
parry pretty well (based on my attempts at SCA style weapons cbt. and
observations). A katana/bastardsword/greatsword defense often depends
soley on the user's ability to parry. (Hence the 2/3 rule). Other
weapons (especially those that are heavy, short and/or unbalanced - like
maces, flails and axes) parry horribly, all that weight on the end of
the shaft makes the weapon move slowly and it's hard to hold the weapon
out while you wait for the enemy to make his attack (so you can parry it
and counter attack.) Successful defense in these cases depends on
beating the enemy's weapon out of the way and then using the momentum
gained from the "beat" attack to strike the enemy in the same swing or a
different attack delivered a fraction of a second later. Or, having a
good shield wall to hide behind.

Here's MY variant.

Light, Balanced Weapons (i.e. those weapons that take no time to ready
and require an ST of 10 or less to use effectively) parry at 2/3 skill.

Heavy, or Unweildy Weapons (i.e. those weapons that take a turn to ready
or require a ST of 11-12+) parry at 1/2 skill (no change).

Weapons which specifically depend on parrying for defense parry at full
skill value. (Staff, Bo, Katana, Bastard Sword, Rapier, Knife etc.)

This simulates the fact that every fencer or Katana user is taught to
attack and defend with his weapon (the riposte), whereas a pikeman or
axeman is not taught to use his weapon for defense.
   If you are an axeman you would probably use your axe to attack the
enemy's weapon or shield, hoping to break it or beat down his defenses.
If you are a pikeman you rely on your buddys in the phalanx, tercio etc.
and your armor for your defense.

   Another Change: I have found that Dodge is underrated as a defense.
In my martial arts experiences I have dodged or reduced the severity of
a blow by "rolling with the punch". 
   I say that if you are taking All Out Defense as your action you
should get x2 to your dodge score vs. any melee attack (arrows and
bullets don't count).

   Yet Another Change: In SCA style Combat, very few solid blows are
struck to the body of a shieldman, because the shield gets in the way.
The attack points are the legs, the arms and the head. Only when you
have a left-hander vs. a right-hander weapon and shield duel do you get
a lot of hits to the body.
   I say that if you are carrying a large shield, any hits to the chest,
vitals or groin strike the shield at least 75% of the time. In GURPS
this would translate as a second roll to block a shot judged to have
struck there, or a major bonus to block aimed shots to those locations,
as long as the attack was coming from the left hand front side of the
character (the side that the shield is held on)

Have Fun,

Tom.

      

D
D
a lot of hits to the body