From: awkerr@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Alan Kerr)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS combat time.
Date: 8 Apr 92 03:57:14 GMT
Article-I.D.: zia.1992Apr8.035714.3233
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM

In article <UdsOnvc91Hvk8wdude@rchland.ibm.com> "Bill Seurer,905161 " <billseurer@vnet.ibm.com> writes:
>
>Having seen an SCA combat (hey, it's not real but it's about the best
>we've got) it goes something like this.
>
>1) Opponents stare at each other and slowly maneuver together.  I assume
>they are sizing each other up and looking for weaknesses.

...yup!  I fight in the SCA.  The way I make this work in GURPS is to
have a *required* 'step and concentrate' manuever.  A character would
start with a '-5' to attack and a '-0' to defend (you are in a
defensive posture, sizing up your opponant).  Note: that in this
variant, this is a multi-turn manuever with a variable outcome (sort
of like 'aiming' for ranged weapons) If you fail the 'concentrate',
your mind is 'wandering' with thoughts of 'what should I do', 'what is
HE going to do', 'I am going to die', etc. If you successfully
'concentrate', you get a bonus to your first few manuevers.

>2) Blows start landing and bodies falling.  Usually it is all over in
>just seconds.  SCA combats even take longer 'cause they call breaks to
>let the "bodies" get out of the way.

I'm *very* fond of using the 'step and concentrate' for combat.  If
you fail to 'concentrate', you are *ignoring* information.  This might
be OK for a one-on-one fight, however, in group combat it's foolish to
attack someone with such gusto that you ignore his comrades.

One other idea (which I *sometimes* use) is to change some of the
attacks to 'all-out attacks'.  But this is **MUCH** more of a
situation call.  The character's disads can be important here (for
things like bloodlust, overconfidance, etc).  I usually will do this
only if the character is winning in a *big* way.  Basically, the
character sees an opening and 'goes for the kill' and forgets to
defend that turn.

Oh, one last note about 'step and concentrate'.  Damage and fatigue
(and intoxication, etc.) will cause a negative modifier for
concentrating.  You're tired and hurt (and maybe drunk) and you just
can't think clearly any more...  This works *well* in bar brawls and
other unarmed or lightly armed situations.  It also gives high DX but
low ST characters a chance to kill a highly armored foe (if I can just
wear him out, I've got a *chance*...)

>Step 1 usually takes much longer than step 2.  This is something that
>GURPS is missing.  There's no need to size up your foes, you just wade
>in.  Perhaps there should be some sort of contest of IQs (or weapon
>skills?) beforehand and if you win you get a bonus on your skill (you
>figured out some weakness in the opponent's stance) and if you lose you
>get a penalty.

So how are these ideas?  sound like you could modify them for your
use?

>And based on a few SCA combats I saw, the one blow/second is not NEARLY
>fast enough for lighter weapons.  I saw one where a guy with two
>shortswords pummeled his foe so quickly the other guy had no time to do
>more than hide behind his shield and vainly try to ward off the blows.
>He was probably landing about 3 or 4 blows a second for maybe 15 or 20
>seconds.

The way I do this is to reduce the characters strength for those
blows.  When hitting *that* often, you are *not* using your full
strength.  The more blows attempted the greater the ST reduction
(usually in the -1 to -4 range).  So the two shortsword guy, in the
example above, can try two ST10 blows or go for (say) four ST7 blows
(assuming a -3 reduction)  Once you subtract the opponants DR, you
might not have done *any* damage.


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