Kloster

I too would love to see a set of rules where it would make sense for Roman's to use short sword instead of the longer swords of their german opponents (of course they eventually did switch to longer swords but that's another issue). The only thing I could think of would be to make the stabbing damage of a gladius be equal to the stabbing damage of a longer sword (which, in a way, makes sense). That way they aren't punished as they are with most RPG rules.

I still don't have the new BRP (not available at my flgs), but with RQ3, the advantage of the gladius comes when you close distance. With RQ, the owner of the shortest weapon has a disadvantage (strikes last), but as soon as he can go to close combat, he has a big advantage as he still has 2 weapon actions whereas his opponent with the longer weapon has only 1 left. The long weapon guy can thus only parry, dodge or attack.

This was the way the (post-Marius) roman legionaries were fighting: going close combat, protected by their scutum, giving fast stabbing strike with the gladius, as the back ranks were throwing plumbata on the enemies and pressing the line. An enemy with long weapons has trouble handling them when a rank of large shiled is pushing.

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Kloster

...

BTW - it's probably best as "Bellum Magnum" (or maybe "Bellum Magnum Ignis" - the Great War of Fire), although the Byzantines of course all spoke Greek. Unlike me - I've no idea what Great War is in Greek!

...

"Megalos polemios" (μεγάλος πόλεμος), IIRC (my ancient greek is 20 years away, and thus a bit fuzzy), but "Bellum Magnum" is good (but should be "Igni Magnum Bellum").

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Kloster

You asked two questions. I answered yes to the poll because IDO like hit locations and always have since I first played RQ. In answer to the question in the thread title, yes I do plan on using them, but not in every BRP game I run, only those where they seem appropriate.

Cheers,

Nick

Same for me.

For example, for me, when I play CoC (quite rare), I find them a waste of time.

On the opposite, for heroic fantasy (RQ) or hard science sci-fi, they seem to me most appropriate.

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Kloster

I've wanted to run Freeport since I bought the collected trilogy. One of those 'things on my list.' This morning, I was thinking about some random thing and then I said "Hey, what happens when you mix SB5 or higher level of power with the Sanity rules? That kinda sounds like Freeport."

Anyone done it? Do the systems jive? Does it sound interesting to anyone? Is this just some obvious solution that I'm only slowly realizing?

I have to admit, I've only played a little CoC and it's been a while since I've read the Sanity rules. I'm going to have to go back over them for a refresher.

As the french edition of SB (same thing for Hawkmoon, by the way) is using SAN, I can ensure it works perfectly.

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Kloster

I know the feeling. Apparently this is a US thing. From what I've been told, in Europe D&D isn't quite as dominant as it is in the States. In my area finding D&D players is easy, but finding players forother games is considerably more difficult.

Here (I'm living in France, but playing in Switzerland), within the gaming group I'm part of, D&D is the most played game, but by far not the only one, and is nos dominant. But if I look in the stores, the matter is different, and D&D is more than half of what is available.

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Kloster

For me, the 100 % are the limit of what an average person can achieve.

It is what a well-trained sniper can do with his rifle, or what a professor can

know about his field of study.

It is not what could theoretically be done with that rifle under perfect circum-

stances, or all that could be known about the field of study (I have no doubt

that even Einstein had to look up some information now and then).

Same for me.

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Kloster

Since I heavily used RQIII sorcery, Sandy'e sorcery and MRQ sorcery, I can answer the question.

-RQIII sorcery

each spell is a skill (raised with a skill check),

each manipulation is a skill (raised only with training or research),

the spell's manipulation is limited by the Free INT (but if a spell matrix is used,any manipulation enchanted into it is added)

There is no limit on the number of spells the wizard can have active at a given time.

The trick is to remember that a spell with duration 10 lasts 1 week, and duration 16 means 1 year (64 weeks).

So with careful planning a sorcerer can have his defensive spells up for a long time, and have enough magic points to be useful to his comrades.

Let us remember the stupefy spell (pagans have low free INT), or the drain spell (fatigue points are removed) that can be cast at more than 500 m (range 6 = 640 m), and that can be really nasty, if a sorcerer wants a direct attack spell.

But, it is true that the bookkeping is heavy.

Begining characters are weak, but even experienced ones have always something to do to be even more powerful.

-Sandy'sorcery

each spell is a skill (raisable by experience)

each manipulation can be a skill, but usually is an art (either you have it or not)

each sorcerer has a presence.

the spell's manipulation is limited by the free presence and the skill in the spell

the number of spells active at the same time is limited by the presence.

The bookkeeping is lighter than with RQIII sorcery, but it's manageable.

My worst nighmare is someone with a spear affected by damage boosting and Wachaza's Fang ...

-MRQ sorcery

each spell is a skill

each manipulation is a skill

The outcome of a spell casting is more complex to know than in the previous versions, because the manipulation used are determined by the result of the dice roll.

(ie a sorcerer can succeeds in some manipulation and fail in others)

It is much less costly than the previous version, but the linear scale used for the range and the duration manipulation means that begining characters are even weaker than before.

A befudle spell has a range of POW x 10 m, and only a sorcerer with a range skill of 91+% can hope to equal this.

And as RosenMcStern wrote many spells need to be rewritten.

Cheers

Jean

Quite good description, except thatn for RQIII, each manipulation is a skill that can be increased by experience, research or training, like most other skills.

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Kloster

Hey,

I was thinking of an old BRP game I had, Nephilim, a Chaosium rewrite of a French (I believe) game. I played it a few times, but that was years ago.

Does anyone remember it? Any thoughts or comments on its magic system? Was it any good? Worth yoinking for use in BRP?

Nephilim was indeed a french game (by Multisim), translated in english by Chaosium. This is, as far as I know, the only foreign game using BRP that has been taken back by Chaosium.

The game has been created during the White Wolf craze of conspiracy games, and uses the same kind of supernatural powers hidden amongst humans.

It is in itself quite good.

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Kloster

I don't know Flashing Blades. How does it work?

Flashing Blades is an old game by FGU (1984). Actions are resolved by throwing a D20 under a characteristic determined by the skill being used.

Damaged are localized.

From memory (and translating back from french to english):

- each round is split in 2 phases.

- each character writes in secret what actions (offensive and/or moves) he is taking in each phase at the beginning of the round, and what kind of offense he is trying to counter most. Most attacks take 1 phase, but some (the fleche for instance, are taking 2).

- each phase is resolved in order, and if the defender guessed right on his opponent attack, he gets a bonus on his defense roll.

- each style gives bonus and malus on the differents weapons and manoeuvers.

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Kloster

Thank you! But is that the way it's going to be - using the BRP defaults is heretical?

If the default is heretical, why not?

The localized damages are one of the rules that make me love RQ in the beginning (alongside strike ranks, but after the experience system), and the major wound tables is one of the reasons I always had problems with SB rules.

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Kloster

Tables for the "En Garde!" system can be found here, the ones for combat are on page 2.

The way it works is each side initially writes down a sequence of routines which lasts for at least 12 seconds (e.g. Block, Block, Lunge, Slash, Furious Lunge = BBxLxxSLxxCxxx). Second-by-second actions are then compared by cross-referncing on Duelling Table B. I believe the higher DEX has the advantage of only having to give a 6-second sequence initially (or something like that) - thus being able to see what the other guy is doing and react accordingly. It's a system designed for Pencil-and-Paper, ideal for PBM but a bit cumbersome for FTF.

A few years ago, I tried combining it with BRP-style d100 attacks/parries/damage - but that was really cumbersome. The VBScript page I did to automate it is here. To run it, select opponents, click "?" for each of them to randomly-choose some routines, then click "Start". That'll show you my descriptions and combat resolution, and should give a fair idea of how proper En Garde! works. (If both survive the first 'round', click "?" again to add more routines to their sequence, and "Start" again.)

Several years ago, we tried to replace the combat turn of En Garde! by one inspired from Flashing Blades, because, even for PBM, it is cumbersome, but we reverted back, because, at least it is working fine (for pbm).

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Kloster

BRP did roundless combat in Ringworld, and Niall Shapero also tried a smiliar system in Other Suns - it's a while since I read (and longer since I played) either system, but my memory is that they were both a book keeping nightmare that actually added little.

Cheers,

Nick Middleton

I've never played Other Suns, but my rememberance of Ringworld is also of a lot of bookkeeping (too much for my tastes, and I LOVE RQIII, Hero and Car Wars).

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Kloster

...But if you want simpler, faster, streamlined combat - why not just use BRP? The default, that is: no hit locations...

Heretic!! :innocent:

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Kloster

I remember Top Secret SI (TSR), where, for HtH combat, a roll of 68 on the to hit roll means, if under the skill, 6 points done on location 8, modified by strength for damage.

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Kloster

Hi,

Now, for me, perfect!!! Very readable. Thanks, Sverre.

(WinXP, Firefox, 1280x1024)

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Kloster

RQIII rules are a bit too much bookkeeping, but are running fine, and give a good simulation.

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Kloster

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I just find it hard when people make games (more esp First person) out of wars that living men and women served and still serve in.

...

I agree with that statement, but don't forget that this preclude 1st and 2nd world war, plus Korea, Indochina, Vietnam, Suez, Algeria, Congo, Lebannon, Chad, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, Tibet, India, Pakistan, Israel conflicts.

All in all, that means almost all contemporary games are forbidden. The country I'm living in (France) has known less than 20 years of global peace in the last 200 years.

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Kloster

...

I don't want to spoil the thread, but my dad served in Africa during Suez and I would get really irate with anyone who turned his very harsh experiences into a game.

...

For my understanding, where are you from?

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Kloster

Hey...I've played the modern version of that game...Afghanistan:The Land That Everything Forgot!?! It's got warlords, terrorists, drug dealers, mercenaries, corporations, hippies and a military bent.

-STS

A friend of mine played that game in Yugoslavia 10 years ago. Considering his life now, the rules seems to be the same!

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Kloster

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? Anyone?

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Can be fun, but I don't think this can be roleplayed. I am at least sure I don't have the player for that, whatever the system.

Perhaps with TOON.

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Kloster

England? Or even the U.S. (by Japs in the West, Nazis in the East)? Would that be enough of a twist?

Say "The Man in the High Castle", from P. K. Dick

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Kloster

China, on the other hand...

Hello,

Games are firmly entranched in chinese culture. But I don't know enough chinese guy to have any trustable info about rpg in China.

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Kloster

Hi,

Does anyone know how gaming is doing in India?

As India liberalizes and becomes more prosperous, there should be more people with time to game. They are not yet as rich, on the average, as we in the US and Great Britain are. So everyone might not have signed up for World of Warcraft. Many Indians {about 200 million, I think} are literate in English. There is no obvious reason to assume that the percentage of Indians literate in English who might take an interest in RPG's if exposed to them is any lower than the percentage of US citizens or British subjects who have taken an interest in RPG's. So for all I know, gaming might actually be expanding there, and I'm just unaware of it because I don't happen to know any Indian gamers.

Ray,

I work in a quite large company whose IT is mainly in India (those labor costs, you know) and my direct boss is Indian. I'm thus working with quite a large number of Indian colleagues, and each time I've spoken with them, I have been very surprised by the fact they seem to have no life outside work and family. The only activities that are categorized as leisure are movies, music and tourism (and some sport).

They are not very minded towards games, culturally speaking, and their mind seems to only focus on getting richer, and spending this hardly gained money.

A worse point for RPG is that the average Indian guy seems to be 'not vrey creative minded' to say the least.

To quote you, Ray, I know personally about 200 Indian guy, and none of them is a gamer. None of them know a gamer, and 99% of them don't know what is a RPG.

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Kloster

So BRP is CoC with options to be RQ3. But we knew that, didn't we?

You forgot the SB elements (Outch Jason, not on my head. Please Jason, bring down that flamethrower :innocent:).

Oh, I forgot, there is no martial arts in SB.

:focus:

Whatever the case, the new rule seems fine for me. The GM will have to make his choice before start, depending on what he feels best for his game.

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Kloster

I don't have Ed Zero, because it is for me too expensive.

I will buy Ed one as soon as I can afford to spend the cash, which should be as soon as it is available in store (or more properly switzerland) stores.

For supplements, it depends. I will probably buy Rome. I don't know for Mythic iceland yet. SF supplements are not part of my projects.

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Kloster