Strike Ranks Queries

[Pete Nash]

@Pete: Slowing your actions rather than losing them sounds better but I still think that's a good way to get killed. From my days of running and playing CoC I've always said that going first in BRP is critical (that and good tactics) and anything that reduces your chances to act first means you're going to suffer more attacks. When a single hit can effectively take someone out then you want to being going first so you can eliminate the opposition before they retaliate. I haven't used RQII's combat system but it wouldn't surprise me if armour that slows you down is more likely to get you killed than weaker armour that lets you move at your full speed.

Aside from the fact that when I wear my full plate or riveted mail hauberk I am actually slowed (that extra mass on my arms makes a noticeable difference), swinging second is not such a big issue in MRQ2. You can often defeat an opponent with a better LoS parry without even needing to strike your foe. Comparative skill and choosing the right combat manoeuvre counts for far more than who goes first.

In MRQ2 at least, armour that slows you down is actually more likely to save your life due to the importance of its APs.

[KingSkin]

That's interesting. I've worn proper hauberk before and didn't find myself noticably slowed although I didn't do any fighting in it so that's not a great example.

I'm never used MRQII* so I don't know how the combat manouevres work but it sounds as though they may balance out the loss of speed. For me to use armour that slowed me it would have to be a hell of a lot better than the best non-slowing alternative but from my own experience, acting first in a fight makes all the difference.

*I've got a copy of GW/Avalon Hill RQII and the 'Advanced Runequest' book which I picked up for 50p at a car-boot sale last year. Very nicely books, I always loved RQ when I first played it years ago because it's not bog-standard 'Tolkien fan-fic' fantasy which just bores me. That and CoC made me fall in love with the system originally because it just does its thing well in the background and lets you concentrate on telling the story and playing the game.

[bardic design]

I noticed in some of the equipment table they will have 1/2 MR or 1/4 MR. I never saw any explanation to what MR is. Anyone know?

I'm probably just not being a careful reader. Just throwing it out there.

[SDLeary]

I noticed in some of the equipment table they will have 1/2 MR or 1/4 MR. I never saw any explanation to what MR is. Anyone know?

I'm probably just not being a careful reader. Just throwing it out there.

Melee Round. So the first will hit or fire once every two rounds, the latter once every 4 rounds. I assume these items are crossbows?

SDLeary

[bardic design]

Yeah. I did a search for Melee Round in the BGB pdf I have and it only appears twice, and it seems to just be used as an interchange for Combat Round. Thanks for the clarification. I thought it meant Melee Round, but wasn't sure.

[soltakss]

Melee Round was the old RQ term for Combat Round.