First draft of Chainmail

[jacar]

Here it. Draft #1. In my own words with my own tweaks.

I'd appreciate any comments and any play-testing feedback.

Enjoy!

Attachments:

[cooper]

Why isthe turn 10 minutes? The 1 minute turn meant that movement rates were realistic, with your verison not so much.

[jacar]

Nov 29, 2011 11:57:44 GMT -6 cooper said:

Why isthe turn 10 minutes? The 1 minute turn meant that movement rates were realistic, with your verison not so much.

It is the same as a turn in DnD. Iof course, you can play it any way you want. If you think it is better to make the turn 1 minute, then you simply say the turn is 1 minute.

BTW, if you make a turn 1 minute, battles will probably be over in about 15 minutes or less game time.

[cooper]

Let me say first that it looks really good.

You made wizards light foot instead of armored foot because of d&d as well I presume? What if a wizard casts the shield spell? I've always felt the post hoc rationalization that chainmail wizards can see in darkness, armor class as plate, can turn invisible, and are protected from arrows is that wizards before battle cast shield, prot. From normal missiles, infravision, and invisibility.

I'd be willing to bet that those spells exist in d&d at all is because the CM wizard had those powers.

I also question your change of making all heroes attack as armored foot, but defend according to their armor, why not leave both variable like CM does?

[jacar]

Nov 29, 2011 12:17:09 GMT -6 cooper said:

Let me say first that it looks really good.

Thanks! Glad someone likes!

You made wizards light foot instead of armored foot because of d&d as well I presume? What if a wizard casts the shield spell? I've always felt the post hoc rationalization that chainmail wizards can see in darkness, armor class as plate, can turn invisible, and are protected from arrows is that wizards before battle cast shield, prot. From normal missiles, infravision, and invisibility.

There will be notes at the end of the fantasy section to deal with conversions. I wanted to get a playtest or two in first. But, yes. I did not want Wizards to be "one man wrecking crews" similar to heroes in the old system. The rules could and should change based on which flavor of DnD you play. Even the spell delay rules can be used or not as you like.

I'd be willing to bet that those spells exist in d&d at all is because the CM wizard had those powers.

More than likely. The thought had crossed my mind whether to add the old spells or not. In the end, I added them.

I also question your change of making all heroes attack as armored foot, but defend according to their armor, why not leave both variable like CM does?

Fighters fight. Wizards cast spells. Rogues, clerics and such do both but not as well as fighters or clerics. So fighters can always attack as armored foot simply because they are good at it. Wizards stink at it so should attack as light foot. BTW, Wizards can defend as armored foot if the AC warrants it. Clerics rogues etc should attack as Heavy foot again defending based on AC.

Each figure should be equal to 1 "man" of their type in massed combat. In MtM combat they would hit based on their level, gaining extra attacks if the old school rules allow extra attacks.

[Deleted]

I downloaded it and like what I see. Well done.

Any updates to this yet?

[kesher]

That's excellent! Be Thou Exalted!

One question: Why no Fantastic Combat table?

Oh, another question: Not doubting, just curious---how is this document covered under the OGL?

One suggestion: Maybe some sort of additional table laying out the complexities of fantasy creatures in combat (Giant Wolves attacking as 2 light horse, but counting as one man, etc.) That stuff's hard to keep track of when it's just part of a paragraph.

[Mushgnome]

Nice work... I will playtest in my Chainmail Carcosa play by post.

[jacar]

Updates: None yet. I am busy being sick and doing a miniatures game at Cold Wars so I am madly painting little toy soldiers right now.

Fantastic Combat Table: That was a measure specific to Chainmail to add fantastic creatures. While it is true that ODD sprang from Chainmail, it is also very apparent that the FCT became obsolete when the new Alternate Combat System started to get used. I decided to keep apples to apples. Much of the man on creature combat is covered in the new (totally rewritten) skirmish rules to integrate with your favorite OSRPG. FCT just seemed redundant. Also it was easy enough to make creatures take wounds like anything else. Stuff that was immune to normal attacks would remain immune. Heroes are a bit more vulnerable now as they can be wounded in combat but not much so since they can stay with a unit and not be hit until the unit routs around them.

OGL: The game flow and many of the mechanics are the same as Chainmail. I re-wrote each section in my own words and changed stuff I simply did not like.

Creature table: Yeah. I plan to get to that. I was running out of steam and wanted to get something playable out there for testing.

Carcosa: Do keep us updated and let me know how the game plays. I am open to suggestions especially ones that will help streamline.

Thansk for the kind words all. Glad you guys like.

Good gaming!

John