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Original D&D Discussion :: Community :: Carcosa :: Mushgnome's Chainmail Carcosa :: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
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AuthorTopic: Out of Character and Rules Discussion (Read 5,575 times)
migellito
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #15 on Apr 19, 2011, 12:45pm »
As a long-time Call of Cthulhu player, I'm confronted by the knowledge that trying to kill some sort of elder horror with physical weapons is ultimately completely ineffective and generally pointless. However, as I don't have a copy of Carcosa, I don't know if things are going to turn out more like CoC or more like DnD. I'm interested to find out, and I'm kind of relishing the all-too-rare experience of not knowing what's going to happen. :)
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Professor P
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #16 on Apr 19, 2011, 12:52pm »

Apr 19, 2011, 12:15pm, mushgnome wrote:

One house rule we might consider is to have separate Attack/Defense ratings for PCs. This would allow a PC with leather armor and a 2-hand sword to defend as Light Foot but attack as Armored Foot, for example. But then the problem is, to be fair, we'd have to say that plate + dagger defends as AF but attacks as LF. Which would be strange because in Carcosa all weapons do the same damage...


So is this one of the reasons why the Alternative Combat System in Men and Magic became the combat system? :)
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mushgnome
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #17 on Apr 19, 2011, 1:23pm »

Apr 19, 2011, 12:45pm, migellito wrote:
As a long-time Call of Cthulhu player, I'm confronted by the knowledge that trying to kill some sort of elder horror with physical weapons is ultimately completely ineffective and generally pointless. However, as I don't have a copy of Carcosa, I don't know if things are going to turn out more like CoC or more like DnD. I'm interested to find out, and I'm kind of relishing the all-too-rare experience of not knowing what's going to happen. :)


Chainmail has the perfect rule for these situations, in the form of the Fantasy Combat Table. Certain supernatural creatures can't be harmed by normal troops; they can only be engaged by a Hero or better.

A 3rd-level PC can fight on the Fantasy table as "hero - 1." (Not that many of you are likely to live that long!)

ps I, too am a big fan of the old CoC game; I keep a copy nearby at all times for inspiration. :)
« Last Edit: Apr 19, 2011, 2:28pm by mushgnome »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
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Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #18 on Apr 19, 2011, 1:32pm »
The important thing to remember is that mass combat is supposed to be abstract and generalized; in situations where specific weapon/armor matchups are important, the man-to-man table is used.

Here is a possible house rule for your consideration:

POWER ATTACK

A character may choose to improve his mass combat rating by one class (LF becomes HF, HF becomes AF) if he has one or more of the following: helmet, shield, two-handed weapon, two one-handed weapons. By doing so he suffers the reduced movement rate of the heavier class (LF=12", HF=9", AF=6") as he trades mobility for power.

This would mean that, for example, "lumbering barbarian with loincloth and giant axe" could fight as Heavy Foot. It also means that helmets are cool again. :)


Apr 19, 2011, 12:52pm, Professor P wrote:

Apr 19, 2011, 12:15pm, mushgnome wrote:

One house rule we might consider is to have separate Attack/Defense ratings for PCs. This would allow a PC with leather armor and a 2-hand sword to defend as Light Foot but attack as Armored Foot, for example. But then the problem is, to be fair, we'd have to say that plate + dagger defends as AF but attacks as LF. Which would be strange because in Carcosa all weapons do the same damage...


So is this one of the reasons why the Alternative Combat System in Men and Magic became the combat system? :)


That and the easy availability of 20-sided dice (I would imagine).
« Last Edit: Apr 19, 2011, 2:27pm by mushgnome »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
HIT POINTS
Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #19 on Apr 19, 2011, 2:53pm »
What about split-move capability for leather-armored participants?

What? No, of course I'm not asking only because my character is wearing leather armor...!
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #20 on Apr 19, 2011, 3:38pm »

Apr 19, 2011, 2:53pm, crusssdaddy wrote:
What about split-move capability for leather-armored participants?

What? No, of course I'm not asking only because my character is wearing leather armor...!


If an Elf can split-move, I don't see any reason why a Bowie impersonator cannot! Let's give it a try. :)
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HIT POINTS
Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #21 on Apr 19, 2011, 4:45pm »
Bowie was a Warhammer Dark Elf. heh
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I am the grumpy old troll, who lives under the bridge. Also, I play D&D in my Basement.

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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #22 on Apr 19, 2011, 11:59pm »
Great job so far, you all survived your first Chainmail combat! You have no idea how close to death your PCs potentially came; one tentacle attack could have killed any one of you! The morale check was legitimately rolled, and I think the beast made the right call to retreat. How did you like using the Chainmail mass combat rules? Was the action easy to follow?

I'll post the "lay of the land" in the morning. So far we have Red and Fated playing Doctor, Servitor organizing a search of the area below the Shaft, and Breath leading a sweep of the 1st-class carriage.
« Last Edit: Apr 20, 2011, 12:00am by mushgnome »Link to Post - Back to Top  IP: Logged
HIT POINTS
Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #23 on Apr 20, 2011, 12:15am »
I was pleased with how it went. It was easy to follow and made sense :)
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I am the grumpy old troll, who lives under the bridge. Also, I play D&D in my Basement.

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ehiker133
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #24 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:16am »
It wasn't too hard to follow, but it did seem a bit more bulky than the traditional combat rolling I'm used to.
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #25 on Apr 20, 2011, 6:37pm »
Mushgnome, you have been exalted! Please remember that when I open up these nice new bags I've found...!

Great start to the adventure! chgowiz, please wait a little longer before you kill me. Thank you.


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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #26 on Apr 20, 2011, 8:14pm »

Apr 20, 2011, 6:37pm, crusssdaddy wrote:
chgowiz, please wait a little longer before you kill me. Thank you.


The fates shall decide your doom... ;D
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #27 on Apr 21, 2011, 9:18am »
I will be pretty unavailable between tomorrow morning and Monday morning, with Easter weekend. If needs be, just puppet The Red Grat-alepranon in a very conservative fashion. With a creepy voice. And unblinking stare. :)
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #28 on Apr 21, 2011, 9:20am »
Thanks for the feedback everybody! Part of the complexity is chainmail but part of it is also carcosa's crazy dice system!

Update coming shortly...
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HIT POINTS
Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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Re: Out of Character and Rules Discussion
« Reply #29 on Apr 21, 2011, 10:15am »
Those of you interested in using slaves or civilians as "meatshields" should read the "peasant" rules on p. 19 of Chainmail, here's the relevant excerpt:

"Two dice (2d6) must be rolled for every peasant unit before they will do anything: To move - score 7 or better."

Then there's a chart to attack/defend against various units. These number range from 4/5 to attack/defend vs. other peasants, to 9/8 vs. armored foot, up to 12/11 vs. heavy horse.

"Peasants that fail to attack must stand unmoved. If they fail to defend, they are treated as if they lost a melee and had routed."

So, realistically, there's only a 1-in-36 chance you could command peasants to attack a bigger-than-a-horse monstrosity like the tentacle beast, and an 11-in-12 chance they will flee in terror!

That being said, go for it! If nothing else, it might buy you a round to escape with your own lives. :)
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HIT POINTS
Gedsil Troke: 5/5, Josh Honwill: 8/8, Brecon Smout: 5/9, A'Poth: 1/6, Besnik Zim: 3/4, Lupe Royce: 1/2, Bremusa 3/5, Prof. Francis Delapore 6/7, Casamir Whipple 5/6, John Talbot 2/5
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