Pre-Encounter:
Party approaches door. Arnold steps forward to listen at it [roll: 6] and hears nothing. They decide to open it -- Arnold and Ahab will force the door, Ajax has his bow ready to shoot anything beyond it, Abel holds his lantern. [Roll: 3, 4] The door doesn't open. Try again [Roll: 1, 4] The door opens, but the bad guys have been warned by the party's noise.
[Roll surprise: Party: 4 (not surprised), Bad Guys: (can't be surprised)] Neither party is surprised.
The party is at the southern door (obviously). The bad guys are [roll: 1, 3] 40' away.
Round 1 Declarations:
Arnold and Ahab stumble into the room (Ref declares they'll automatically act last in the round). Both players declare they'll draw their weapons and charge the gnolls (or melee anyone who's closed against them before they get a chance to act). Ajax will step into the room and fire at Boltho (who appears to be the leader since he's the only one who's not a gnoll). Abel will step forward and cast a Sleep spell on the gnolls.
Ref decides Boltho will cast Darkness on the Party. Gnoll archer #1 will fire at Ajax, and gnoll archer #2 will fire at Abel. The other 3 gnolls will charge the Party.
[Initiative: Party 5 Bad Guys 1]The Party (minus Arnold and Ahab) has initiative.
Ajax fires: [roll: 18 (-1 for armor, +2 for short range): 19 = hit against AC 3 (needed 16)] hits Boltho. Damage: [Roll 3] 3 points. But, more importantly, the Darkness spell is ruined.
Abel spell goes off (1st level spell = no delay). All gnolls are well within range (24"). [roll: 3] 3 gnolls are affected: [Roll 3, 2, 6 (re-roll 5)] #2, #3, and #5 - all 3 of the ones who were charging to melee.
Gnoll #1 fires: [roll 19 (+2 for short range): 21 = hit against AC 3 (needed 14)] hits Ajax. Damage: [roll 6] 6 points. Ouch! Ajax has 3 hp remaining.
Gnoll #2 fires: [roll 7 (+2 for short range): 9 = hit against AC 9 (needed 8)] hits Abel. Damage: [roll 5] 5 points. Abel also has 3 hp remaining.
Boltho's spell was ruined. He can't do anything else this round.
Arnold and Ahab charge the intervening 40' to the gnoll archers, easily within their changing move range (120'). The gnolls aren't ready for melee so Arnold and Ahab will get first strike and the gnolls get no return strike this round.
Ahab throws his hammer at gnoll #4 mid-charge: [Roll 13 (+1 for Dex, +1 for Med range): 15 = hit against AC 5 (needed 14)] hits. Damage: [Roll 2] 2 points. Gnoll #4 has 3 hp remaining. The referee declares Ahab doesn't have enough time to draw his second hammer and attack this round.
Arnold attacks gnoll #1 with his sword: [Roll 12 (+2 charge bonus): 14 = hit against AC 5 (needed 14)] hits. Damage: [Roll 3] 3 points. Gnoll #1 goes down (suprising Arnold, no doubt).
Ajax fires arrow #2: [Roll 15 (-1, +2): 16] Another hit. Damage: [roll 5] 5 points. Boltho has 10 hp remaining (but the ref doesn't announce that, of course).
Gnoll #4 loses his second attack because he has been engaged in melee. Gnoll #1 loses his second attack because he is dead.
The referee decides to check gnoll #4's morale (he has just seen all 4 of his companions go down in nothing flat!): [Roll 8 (+2 race bonus): 10 = pretty good roll] his morale holds, for now. Boltho still isn't worried (though perhaps he should be).
Round 2Declarations:
Ahab will continue in melee against gnoll #4. Arnold will attack Boltho. Ajax can no longer get any clear shots so he'll put away his bow, draw his battle axe, and close to melee range with either/both of Boltho and gnoll #4. Abel will draw his dagger and moves up to finish off the sleeping gnolls 2, 3, and 5.
Ref decides that gnoll #4 will continue in melee against Ahab. Boltho will cast his Cause Light Wounds spell on Arnold.
[Initiative: Party 3 Bad Guys 6] The Bad Guys have initiative.
Gnoll #4 attacks Ahab: [Roll 10 = miss against AC 4 (needs 13)] misses.
Boltho attacks Arnold with spell (range: touch): [Roll: 14 = miss against AC 4 (needs 15)] misses. Spell wasted.
Ahab attacks Gnoll #4: [Roll 4 = miss against AC 5 (needs 14)] misses.
Arnold attacks Boltho: [Roll 20 (-1): 19 = hit against AC 3 (needs 16)] hits. Damage: [Roll: 3] 3 points. Ref notes silently that Boltho has 7 hp remaining.
Ajax is now in melee range with his battle axe drawn.
Abel dispatches gnoll #2 with his dagger.
Since they're now engaged in melee and can't effectively flee, the ref decides that Boltho and gnoll #4 will both stand and fight for at least one more round.
Round 3Declarations:
Ahab and Arnold will continue in melee. Ajax will maneuver around to attack Boltho from the flank. Abel will continue wasting sleeping gnolls.
Gnoll #4 and Boltho will continue in melee.
[Initiative: Party 3 Bad Guys 6 (same as last round!)] The bad guys once again have initiative.
Gnoll #4 attacks Ahab: [Roll 8] misses.
Boltho attacks Arnold (with his flail): [Roll 3] misses.
Ahab attacks gnoll #4: [Roll 9] misses.
Arnold attacks Boltho: [Roll 8 (-1): 7] misses.
Ajax attacks Boltho's left flank: [Roll 10 (+1 flanking bonus, -1): 10] misses.
Abel wastes gnoll #3.
Since it's a stalemate with neither party better or worse off than last round, the ref decides the Bad Guys will continue to fight.
Round 4Declarations:
All Party members will continue what they were doing last round.
The ref decides that so will gnoll #4. However, Boltho, remembering that Ajax is wounded from the arrow-hit in round 1, will attack him instead of Arnold.
[Initiative: Party 1 Bad Guys 2] Bad Guys have initiative again.
Gnoll #4 attacks: [Roll 7] misses.
Boltho attacks Ajax: [Roll 8] misses.
Ahab attacks gnoll #4: [Roll 18] hits. Damage: [Roll 2] 2 points. Ref notes (silently) that gnoll #4 has 3 hp remaining.
Arnold attacks Boltho's right flank: [Roll 8 (-1, +1): 8] misses.
Ajax attacks Boltho: [Roll: 1 (-1): 0] misses, badly.
Abel finishes off gnoll #5.
The ref decides that gnoll #4 has had enough and will attempt to flee next round. Boltho is still convinced he's going to win this fight.
Round 5Declarations:
Ahab, Arnold and Ajax will continue in melee. Abel doesn't like the look of that melee, so he will close the door to the room (which reminds the referee that he should've been checking to see if this fight was drawing any wandering monsters: [Roll 5] nope) and begin searching the bodies of the dead gnolls for loot.
The ref has already decided gnoll #4 is going to make a break for it and Boltho will continue attacking Ajax.
[Initiative: Party 5 Bad Guys 1] The Party wins initiative, hurrah!
Ahab attacks: [Roll 16] hits. Damage: 1. Gnoll #4 is still standing with 2 hp.
Arnold attacks (right flank): [Roll 19 (-1, +1): 19] hits. Damage: 3. Boltho has 4 hp remaining.
Ajax attacks: [Roll 14 (-1): 13] miss.
Gnoll #4 disengages, moves 30' to the north door, and opens it (but can't go through yet, the ref decides; he's standing in the doorway).
Boltho attacks Ajax: [Roll 3] misses.
Abel helpfully calls out to Ahab "don't let him get away!"
Round 6Declarations: Ajax and Arnold will keep attacking. Ahab will pursue the fleeing gnoll. Abel will lend moral support to is compatriots while he continues searching for loot.
Gnoll #4 will run as fast as he can. Boltho is sure his luck is going to turn, so he'll whack at Ajax yet again.
[Initiative: Party 1 Bad Guys 4] Bad Guys win.
Gnoll #4 goes through the door, slams it shut, and takes off running.
Ahab reaches the door too late, and now has to try to force it open [roll: 3] No luck!
Boltho attacks Ajax: [Roll 18] hits. Damage: [Roll 6] 6 points. Ajax dies.
Arnold attacks Boltho's right flank: [Roll 12 (+1, -1): 12] misses.
Abel makes a mental note that his now-dead companion Ajax had an unused potion that shouldn't be left behind by accident.
Round 7Declarations:
Arnold will continue attacking Boltho. Ahab will keep trying to get the north door open. Ajax won't do anything, because he's dead. Abel will sidle over to his erstwhile companion's corpse in search of that potion.
Gnoll #4 is gone so no action needs be declared for him (but the ref decides he's raising an alarm and bringing help, which will arrive in [roll: 6] 6 rounds). Boltho will turn to face Arnold and say "Who wants some? You?"
[Initiative: Party 3 Bad Guy 4 (oh yeah!)] Boltho wins initiative.
Boltho attacks Arnold: [Roll 14] misses (but just barely).
Arnold attacks: [Roll 19 (-1): 18] hits. Damage: [Roll 4] 4 points. Boltho dies
Ahab tries the door again [Roll: 2] Success! The door opens.
"A lot of good that does us now!" says Abel. "Close that door and spike it shut while Arnie and I gather the rest of the loot. That gnoll you let get away is gonna be coming back with friends and we don't want to be here when they arrive!"
[End of Combat]
That was a fairly straightforward combat with only a few combatants so it didn't show off a whole lot of special maneuvers and such (though there were a couple in there, adjudicated per a mix of
Chainmail and the ref's (i.e. my) judgment). If I'd been using my house-rules there would've been additional bonuses and penalties based on the weapons being used (the flail would've gotten a +1, the spear and thrown hammer -1) which would have made a little difference (Boltho would've hit Arnold in round 7). OMG! I just realized there was a blown call by the ref in round 4 -- when Ahab hit gnoll #4 he should've only had 1 hp left, not 3. So he should've been killed in round 5 and not gotten away. Luckily the players don't know he only had 5 hp -- a gnoll could just has easily have had 7 or 8 (or 12 for that matter). Oh well, that makes this an even more "true to life" combat example.
Hope this was at least slightly informative and not too terribly boring. If so, feel free to smite away the exalt you gave me upthread
