Questions about TFoB

[Bracken]

Hello all,

I've been away for a while, but when I heard that TFoB was being released at Gen Con and jumped over to the forge and to theriddleofsteel.net to get the low down.

Checking out the site and looking at the forums really didn't reveal all that much about what's going to be in the book. I found some really old articles but I suspect a lot might of changed since then. So could someone either point me to or answer a few questions for me:

1) Will I be able to buy TFoB through my local game store?

2) Can I get both hard copy and pdf at a discount, like with oBaM?

3) How many pages will it be (about if not finalized yet)

4) Will you have more detailed rules on who does what, when? (i.e. in combat, when missile fire occurs and in what order characters can declare where they are moving)

5) Will the Terrain rules be expanded upon?

6) Will there be more detail in types of armor and the exact protect a piece provides to a given area?


Sorry if I'm taking away time from any who is doing final editing, but I'm on a bit of a budget and need to plan my purchases in advance.


Bracken

[Jake Norwood]

1) Will I be able to buy TFoB through my local game store?

Yes, if they stock it. It will be available via distribution chains.

2) Can I get both hard copy and pdf at a discount, like with oBaM?

That's the plan

3) How many pages will it be (about if not finalized yet)

It's currently very large. Maybe 300 [ages. but I plan on chopping that down quite a bit. My guess is 200, give or take 50.

4) Will you have more detailed rules on who does what, when? (i.e. in combat, when missile fire occurs and in what order characters can declare where they are moving)

Not really. I hate seeing that stuff over-codified. OTOH, there will be more examples that will serve as guidelines.

5) Will the Terrain rules be expanded upon?

Yes, lots.

6) Will there be more detail in types of armor and the exact protect a piece provides to a given area?

Yes.

Jake

[Bracken]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

1) Will I be able to buy TFoB through my local game store?

Yes, if they stock it. It will be available via distribution chains.

Great news! About how soon after the Gen Con release should stores be able to get it?

3) How many pages will it be (about if not finalized yet)

It's currently very large. Maybe 300 [ages. but I plan on chopping that down quite a bit. My guess is 200, give or take 50.

You could have an extended version pdf ;-)

4) Will you have more detailed rules on who does what, when? (i.e. in combat, when missile fire occurs and in what order characters can declare where they are moving)

Not really. I hate seeing that stuff over-codified. OTOH, there will be more examples that will serve as guidelines.

My biggest sort of frustration the last timed I ran TRoS was intergrating non-melee combat actions into melee exchanges (such as character movement), as well as when exactly a missile is fired (can I take my shot before he engages Fritz?). If this isn't going to be appearing in TFoB, are there any guidelines on "what happens when" I can use when running?


Thanks Again!

Bracken

[Tash]

are there any guidelines on "what happens when" I can use when running?


Thanks Again!

Bracken

I used to sweat this quite a lot, then I realized that it doesn't really matter.  I follow the same rule of thumb that I use for dividing bouts between different combatants, i.e. I visualize it as I would expect to see it in a movie and cut tp the different parts when it seems most exciting to do so.

Bascially identify the focus of the sction, and do that.  Is the attention on the running footrace?  Then resolve that.  Is it on the archer trying to land his bow shot?  Then focus on that.

TRoS is about making fights exciting, and as Seneschal you are responsible for both the mechanics and the flow of every battle.  Do what keeps things as entertaining as possible.

[Jake Norwood]

That's it exactly! It's antithetical to the "fair" game experience, but it doesn't really matter when the bow shoots off, round-by-round, so long as the players are sucked in.

jake

[Jaeger]

This is how I handled when bows shoot...

At the beginning of combat when the PC says he wants to shoot someone you figure out how many rounds of prep are nessicary until he's ready to shoot.

(generally between 2-5 rounds depending how prepared for action the archer was)

You have the player find this number on a D6 and put it face up on the table.

As exchanges/rounds are resolved the player "counts down" the rounds remaining until he shoots on the D6.

When he reaches zero he can fire...

If he is firing during an exchange when various attacks are occuring, and he wants to get his shot off before a blow is made, or certain action is done - I use a contest of reflexes as if it was a red-red situation.

[Bracken]

I used to sweat this quite a lot, then I realized that it doesn't really matter.  I follow the same rule of thumb that I use for dividing bouts between different combatants, i.e. I visualize it as I would expect to see it in a movie and cut tp the different parts when it seems most exciting to do so.

Bascially identify the focus of the sction, and do that.  Is the attention on the running footrace?  Then resolve that.  Is it on the archer trying to land his bow shot?  Then focus on that.

TRoS is about making fights exciting, and as Seneschal you are responsible for both the mechanics and the flow of every battle.  Do what keeps things as entertaining as possible.

This is pretty much the way I handled it. But the complexity over some other aspects of combat (particularly, the way red die/red die melee initiative contests are decided, I hope an easier way has been found in TFoB), caused questions by some of my players as to a better way to handle such situations,

As exchanges/rounds are resolved the player "counts down" the rounds remaining until he shoots on the D6.

When he reaches zero he can fire...

If he is firing during an exchange when various attacks are occuring, and he wants to get his shot off before a blow is made, or certain action is done - I use a contest of reflexes as if it was a red-red situation.

This seems to work well.

Jake,

My store asked me when Alliance and Centurian (I think) will have their copies. They mentioned they did not see TFoB in Game Trade magazine, but said they could of missed it. Depending on when they get it (I try to support my local store whenever possible), will determine where I buy it from (yes I'm convinced, but could we get a cover shot please :-)

Bracken

[Ashren Va'Hale]

What will the binding be like for TFOB?

[Bracken]

What will the binding be like for TFOB?

Anything over 96 pages would have to be perfect bound, I'd imagine.

Bracken

[Jake Norwood]

Softcover perfect bound is the plan, although a limited edition hardcover is a high liklihood.

Your retailer hasn't heard about it yet because it's not in his game trade magazine. Less than 10 percent of my business is through retailers, so it's not a big priority for either of us. It's usually in stores last, because we don't run a real tight ship schedule-wise around here.

Jake

[Ashren Va'Hale]

I would buy the hard cover limited edition, the difference in longevity is well worth the price. Of course I will be getting teh PDF too as that goes a long way

[Merritt Baggett]

So where do we sign up to reserve the hard cover limited edition?

[shoplifter]

So where do we sign up to reserve the hard cover limited edition?

Agreed.

[Ashren Va'Hale]

I still say that once this book is out, you should do one massive bound super book with OBAM, TFOB and the Core book all in one bind.

*drool*

I would pony up the cash for that!

[Jake Norwood]

So where do we sign up to reserve the hard cover limited edition?

It'll be out when the others are.

Jake