Avalon Polo Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) I'm putting together my first RQG game, but I'm having trouble finding one thing in the rules. How long does it take to put on armor? Are there any numerical penalties for keeping armor on while resting, or not in combat? Edited January 29, 2021 by Avalon Polo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 11 minutes ago, Avalon Polo said: I'm putting together my first RQG game, but I'm having trouble finding one thing in the rules. How long does it take to put on armor? Are there any numerical penalties for keeping armor on while resting, or not in combat? In general, greaves, vambraces, and cuirasses take a while to put on, and if a fight starts before you are armed, it might be over before you get your armor on! I ask my characters often if they are wearing their armor while marching, riding, or doing normal stuff - first by prefacing that the armor is uncomfortable, heavy, and hot. If they insist I might require a Constitution check or give them some additional penalties on their skills. But I find having fixed mechanical penalties isn't as effective as just describing to them how uncomfortable and heavy the armor is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalon Polo Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) What is "a while" in game terms though? How many strike ranks would it take for a warrior to put on a helmet? Edited January 29, 2021 by Avalon Polo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scott Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, Avalon Polo said: I'm putting together my first RQG game, but I'm having trouble finding one thing in the rules. How long does it take to put on armor? Always put armour on before a fight. If you try to do it at the start of a fight, you will likely be on the loosing side. Although this is specific, it gives an excellent insight. Edited January 29, 2021 by David Scott 2 2 Quote ----- Search the Glorantha Resource Site: https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com. Search the Glorantha mailing list archives: https://glorantha.steff.in/digests/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalon Polo Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) That is an absolutely delightful video - I'm happy you've shared it - but are there no formulaic rules in the game for the amount of time it takes to put on a piece of armor? Edited January 29, 2021 by Avalon Polo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 4 minutes ago, Avalon Polo said: That is an absolutely delightful video - I'm happy you've shared it - but are there no formulaic rules in the game for the amount of time it takes to put on a piece of armor? What is clear is that it takes more or less a round to get greaves on IF everything is ready. Longer if they are leather or otherwise need to be tied. It takes more or less around to get vambraces ready. Longer if they are leather or otherwise need to be tied. Same thing with a helmet. You could use the preparing or changing rules for EACH item assuming it is none too complicated (requiring ties, etc). But for your cuirass or linothorax or hauberk of scale - that's going to take awhile. Normally you would have someone else help you if you wanted to be speedy. But there is a reason people historically put their armor on before battle, and if they got ambushed - they grabbed their shield and their weapons and left their armor behind. Given the speed and lethality of RuneQuest combat, most players might throw on a helmet or something, but generally will do the same as their historical counterparts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Desperate WindChild Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 as said, seems to me very dangerous to try to get armored once you detect a fight. But if you want a formula, I woud propose a battle roll to be sure your not too stressed to do it : critical : 0.5 round per enc special : 0.7 round per enc success : 1 round per enc faillure: 2 rounds per enc fumble: 2 rounds per enc + no armor + the output of a parry fumble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soltakss Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 2 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said: as said, seems to me very dangerous to try to get armored once you detect a fight. But if you want a formula, I woud propose a battle roll to be sure your not too stressed to do it : critical : 0.5 round per enc special : 0.7 round per enc success : 1 round per enc faillure: 2 rounds per enc fumble: 2 rounds per enc + no armor + the output of a parry fumble That makes sense. I was going to say 1 round per piece of equipment but that works. Putting it on yourself will probably take twice as long, so having a companion or servant to help is probably better. Quote Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. www.soltakss.com/index.html Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Desperate WindChild Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 21 minutes ago, soltakss said: That makes sense. I was going to say 1 round per piece of equipment but that works. Putting it on yourself will probably take twice as long, so having a companion or servant to help is probably better. absolutly and you could add of course the time to get the armor from your bags/ horse satchel/ etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kloster Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Agreed. But this clearly means most fights will be over before you have put half your armor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotsky Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 In our game if a fight starts whilst armour is not being worn - gabbing a shield and putting on a helmet is about the best you can do... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Desperate WindChild Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 43 minutes ago, Trotsky said: In our game if a fight starts whilst armour is not being worn - gabbing a shield and putting on a helmet is about the best you can do... absolutly 2 hours ago, Kloster said: Agreed. But this clearly means most fights will be over before you have put half your armor. absolutly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 12 hours ago, Avalon Polo said: That is an absolutely delightful video - I'm happy you've shared it - but are there no formulaic rules in the game for the amount of time it takes to put on a piece of armor? I believe this is (intentionally) not a level of detail that RQ tracks. There's too many picayune details that might reasonably/realistically impact the amount of time it takes. As stated above, the fight will likely be over before you finish donning your armor. I'd also mention that -- if your foes notice you doing this -- they'll likely kill you right away, as (a) easy pickings NOW, unarmored and with your hands full of fastenings and (b) much more dangerous LATER, if you enter the fight fully armed & armored & prepped. 3 Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Thing is you are in a cinematic world of high magic. So really does it actually matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Absentia Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 10 minutes ago, RogerDee said: Thing is you are in a cinematic world of high magic... ...played with some highly tactical rules that involve Strike Rank down to a matter of seconds. So, yes, on occasion. !i! 2 Quote ...developer of White Rabbit Green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 1 minute ago, Ian Absentia said: ...played with some highly tactical rules that involve Strike Rank down to a matter of seconds. So, yes, on occasion. !i! But as a whole it doesn't really matter then. I mean this is a hobby, not live re-enactment, so there is only so much realism required tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Absentia Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 It depends what elements of reality you're trying to emulate (or whatever fantastical version of it you're playing). There's being totally surprised flat-footed, then there's being caught off guard with little time to prepare. What scenario are you trying to portray? Sure, I get impatient with niggling, insignificant detail during games, too. But I also get impatient with players who wave-off levels of detail that matter to others. So for this inquiry, maybe the question isn't "How long does it take to put on armor?" so much as it's "How much time do I have?" The answer certainly isn't "You're playing it wrong." !i! 2 Quote ...developer of White Rabbit Green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerDee Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 3 minutes ago, Ian Absentia said: It depends what elements of reality you're trying to emulate (or whatever fantastical version of it you're playing). There's being totally surprised flat-footed, then there's being caught off guard with little time to prepare. What scenario are you trying to portray? Sure, I get impatient with niggling, insignificant detail during games, too. But I also get impatient with players who wave-off levels of detail that matter to others. So for this inquiry, maybe the question isn't "How long does it take to put on armor?" so much as it's "How much time do I have?" The answer certainly isn't "You're playing it wrong." !i! It does kind of depend. If the enemy is right there then you are not putting any armour on. But if they are a couple of minutes away you can handwave it. Well I would anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kloster Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 9 hours ago, RogerDee said: Thing is you are in a cinematic world of high magic. So really does it actually matter? Yes, if only for the reason g33k noted: 11 hours ago, g33k said: I'd also mention that -- if your foes notice you doing this -- they'll likely kill you right away, as (a) easy pickings NOW, unarmored and with your hands full of fastenings and (b) much more dangerous LATER, if you enter the fight fully armed & armored & prepped. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squaredeal Sten Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 This should tell everyone that security is important. Post guards so you don't have zero warning. Companies should have a picket line to get minutes' warning. Armies have a covering force so they get a half hour's warning, enough to form up. How realistic! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0xal0t Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 (edited) RQ3 was 2 SR per Encumberance point. Based on the video and Jeff's comments you could estimate it at either 3SR per encumberance or 5SR per item as not too unrealistic. In our games the order of importance in surprise/unprepared combat is shield, helm, spear and then kill them all Edited February 10, 2021 by 0xal0t 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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