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BRP Strike Rank Combining Movement with Melee


saintricardo

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Hello,

I am new to BRP and have been going over the rules.  I am a little confused in the Strike Rank System when it comes to moving and attacking.  Is there an option to "Charge" an opponent?  I understand that a human can move 3m per strike rank starting on his DEX SR.  So for instance if a human wanted to move 15m and attack he would start moving on SR 2 end movement on SR 6 and then between size SR and weapon SR need at least 3 or less to attack that round.  Would there be a way to combine his last move with an attack to possibly "gain" an extra SR?

 

My main problem is with the Strike Rank system it would be really hard for a human with average stats to move 15m and attack in the same round however with the DEX Rank system it is possible for a human with average stats to 15m and halving his DEX then attack in the same round.

 

Thanks

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Yes and no. In the rules there is an option for combining movement with an action. Check the sections on Movement and Combining Actions on Page 201. But it is up to the GM to allow it or not. Generally speaking, it wasn't intended for most characters to be able to move 15m and then attack. The reason for the different results is that the Strike Rank system and the DEX Rank system came from different, related, game systems, both of which predated BRP. 

The Strike Rank system used in BRP originated in RuneQuest 3. RQ had a rule for attacking on the run that might be just what you wanted for a "charge" attack. A moving character can "attack on the run". He gives up his chance to parry or dodge, and loses 1m per SR from his move rate. But he replaces his normal SIZ SR modifier with the time it takes to reach the target. For example, if you had an average person (DEX SR3, SIZ SR 2, Move 3m/SR) armed with a broadsword (Weapon SR 2), he would attack on SR 5 (DEX plus Weapon SR) plus 8 (for 15m at 2m/SR) and so still wouldn't be able to attack in the same round.

 

 

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Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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No problem. One thing about BRP that is both good and bad is that is cobbles together a bunch of rules from various similar but not identical game systems that Chaosium has published in the past. Those rules are not entirely compatible with each other, too. In the end it makes BRP a good toolkit for someone who is already familiar with the various game systems and wants to mix and match sections to fit a particular setting, but it also makes it a bit harder so someone unfamiliar with the game to run. Expect a lot of minor inconsistencies and contradictions between the various sections of the game. 

 

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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Hi Ricardo,

The Strike Rank system is optimised for hand-to-hand combat, although it allows a certain degree of plausibility for ranged attacks and power use. For a weird west game, you are probably best with the simpler DEX rank system. The slight level of detail that you lose in close combat is more than compensated by the improved ease of use in gunslinging confrontations, which are going to be way more frequent. In the event you decide to still go for Strike Ranks, the system in the BGB is the only one which has been specifically checked against the possibility of using it in hi-tech environments. All the others were not meant for use in an environment where automatic weapons (revolvers) are frequent.

Proud member of the Evil CompetitionTM

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I think it depends on which system you like better: Strike Ranks or DEX Ranks. As Rosen points out, there are trade offs. Strike Ranks give you a more precise sequence of actions, while DEX Ranks are simpler. Personally, I prefer the Strike Rank system, but that is just my personal preference. 

If I were trying to run a Western themed campaign using BRP I'd probably modify the Strike Rank system a little. Most likely I'd reduce or drop the 3 SRs between actions and probably add in a fast draw skill that could be used to act faster than the normal SR system. But I've been playing RQ since the 80s, and am familiar with it. Since you are new to the game, I'd say go with whichever of the two initiative systems you prefer. The good news is that whatever method you use, it will affect everybody equally. 

 

Edited by Atgxtg

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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6 hours ago, RosenMcStern said:

In the event you decide to still go for Strike Ranks, the system in the BGB is the only one which has been specifically checked against the possibility of using it in hi-tech environments. All the others were not meant for use in an environment where automatic weapons (revolvers) are frequent.

There was the Action Rank system used in RingWorld, but it was a mixed bag. All in all BRP and related systems don't really handle missile weapons that can attack three or more times a round all that well. 

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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6 hours ago, Atgxtg said:

If I were trying to run a Western themed campaign using BRP I'd probably modify the Strike Rank system a little. Most likely I'd reduce or drop the 3 SRs between actions and probably add in a fast draw skill that could be used to act faster than the normal SR system. But I've been playing RQ since the 80s, and am familiar with it. Since you are new to the game, I'd say go with whichever of the two initiative systems you prefer. The good news is that whatever method you use, it will affect everybody equally.

This would incur in the "10 shots per round" that MJSadique postulated some months ago. If your DEX is 20, your SR modifier is 1. Dropping the 3 SR between actions and having multiple shots per weapon, you have a DEX 19 character firing five bullets per round, and a DEX 20 one firing 10 - double the amount! Okay, my Smith&Wesson only has six rounds, but for a mere point of DEX more I can fire them all within SR 6, while my opponent has fired only three shots. Too much of an advantage.

The SR system as described in RuneQuest and the BGB simply does not work well with automatic weapons. It is built around the 3 SR gap, if you drop it the system breaks.

Proud member of the Evil CompetitionTM

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Except that in real life people can empty a weapon that fast. Faster even. Emptying a revolver in 6 seconds is nothing special - just about anyone can do it. Now hitting something while doing so is the trick. 

I can see the point about getting off twice as many attacks as someone with 1 DEX lower, its precisely why I don't like MRQ2's actions per round thing. Realistically something like shooting on DEX SR and then firing another shot on each additional SR is about right for most firearms. It will give someone with a gun a huge advantage against someone wielding a melee weapon, though that's not too far from reality. 

 

Edited by Atgxtg

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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I can't remember if this was a Chaosium thing, or just something our group did. We played that repeating weapons that didn't have to be cocked (semi-autos, or in the case of the OP, revolvers) could be fired on subsequent DEX ranks until the weapon was dry, as long as it was the same target, and as long as the target was not laterally moving. 

Of course, with regards to revolvers this would only apply to DA and not SA weapons. 

SDLeary

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