From: awkerr@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Alan Kerr)
Subject: Re: Time and judgement
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 92 02:18:28 GMT

In article <2AAFBCF1.19992@ics.uci.edu> mmadsen@ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen) writes:

...aren't you all *happy*!  I'm not requoting very much! :-)

>Perhaps I should clarify.  In reality, people often do not take in the whole
>situation very clearly; thus, they hesitate in order to look around and take
>in the situation.  Also, in the midst of hand-to-hand combat, an attack often
>degenerates into "windmilling" and wild punches that don't land and leave
>_huge_ openings for counter-attack; thus, attackers often break off to
>regain equilibrium.

>I'm suggesting that some simple perception roll (or similar mechanic) be
>used to determine when you can/do act -- something simple, nothing complex,
>and something that would make the McDonald's masacre simulate well in
>GURPS.

The rule **that exists**  (but that I use a modification of) is the
manuever: 

step and concentrate

It would be a GM call on how *often* you would have to concentrate,
but every now and then, you'd have to "stop and get your bearings".

The rolls are:

critical failure: you've freaked.  You will either 1) defend normally
and not attack while trying to back out of combat or 2)not defend at
all and attack (or try to move to where you *can* attack).  Your
attacks will be considered 'wild swings'.  It will require a
successful 'step and concentrate' to get to the 'failure' status
below.  You can not attempt a 'step and concentrate' until you have a
10 turn span where you weren't attacked and couldn't attack (either
moving to attack or being restrained from attacking) Number one is the
"I want out, *NOW*" syndrome and number two is the "hit anything that
*moves*" syndrome.

failure: fog of combat.  you defend normally but your attack has a
negative modifier of the amount you failed by.  Every turn that you
don't attack *and* aren't attacked, your negative modifier is lessened
by one (until it is zero).

success: fight normally, you notice the obvious.

critical success:  The GM will tell you something about the enemy's
situation.  for example: you see enemies that have critically
succeeded or critically failed (ie you see the tables turning) or
perhaps you see 'large scale' movement (we're being *flanked!*) or
maybe something more individual like "every time this guy attacks he
leaves his right torso *wide* open" (+3 to hit).  or "this guy's
*good*, I don't think I can take him by myself".

the longer you're in combat the worse your roll modifier should be and
the longer you're out of combat the better it will be.  Commanders (or
someone) *should* be behind the lines watching the "big picture".

This way is fairly quick and gives a good reason to stop and get your
bearings. You will *die* from being 'suckered' into a situation that
you failed to see coming.  It is 'quick' because once something
happens (good or bad), you will often be doing the *same* thing for a
few rounds....  The GM *doesn't* need your input then and it adds to
the 'fog of combat' effect.

...note that some of this is vague... my notes on this are at home.

Alan

-- 
Alan W. Kerr                               awkerr@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
National Radio Astronomy Observatory       awkerr@nrao.bitnet
Socorro, NM, USA                           uunet!nrao.edu!awkerr