The Forge Reference Project

Topic: Realism in TROS
Started by: bergh
Started on: 2/18/2004
Board: The Riddle of Steel

Hi

Thanks for a great game.
I think the combat is highly realistic, and fun, i hate D&D bashing and hitpoints. This is what i see all to often in fantasy games:

PLAYER: "Im not afraid of the orc with a doublehanded sword, he only does d12 in damage, and i have 13 hitpoints! let him come!, hehe and i will bash him back with my longsword with 2x damage mulitpler +5".
GM: "Orc hits, hits face and gives.....BOOM 12 damage, you just had a doublehanded sword in your face, wieled by an 300 pund orc warrior".
PLAYER: "HAHA, i still got 1 hit point left, im fit for fight, i hit him and gives 21 points in damage, do i kill him?"
GM: "sadly yes, these orcs in the rulebook only got 10 hit points."

my only concern in TROS is the Armour system, i don't think its works properly, full plate characters are tanks who are immune to everything! why are there not some weapons who have special abilitys against armour?
I want rules for piercing, bashing and cutting type weapons vs. Armour.

Take a closer look at the ESTOC.... it will get the +5 vs armors....

I think I have my numbers right, a friend is borrowing my book today. But look it up, and check

http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=9698

Also weapons like the Warhammer, (can be used w/ the spike for bonuses vs armor) and other such things have means for crushing or piercing armors more efficently than a sword.

Forge Reference Links:
Topic 9698

There are always disadvantages to armour. As you have a smaller CP in armour, the opponent can better use his dice to set you up. Plenty of the combat manouevers add dice to the combat pool if the manouever is succesful (Counters, Bind & strike, etc.), enabling you to really build up a big head of steam.

James

Yeah, it was pretty common for nobles to come out of battles alive. Partly because of the ransom they were worth but also because of how hard it is kill someone in a plate casing.

And take a look at estocs, bastard swords and doppelhanders. The war flail is also very good at taking out people in armor.

[MKF]Kapten wrote: Yeah, it was pretty common for nobles to come out of battles alive. Partly because of the ransom they were worth but also because of how hard it is kill someone in a plate casing.

And take a look at estocs, bastard swords and doppelhanders. The war flail is also very good at taking out people in armor.

My personal favourite is this one Italian Battle axe at Lutel, they also have to kick-ass maces that seem to be more than capable of dealing with harness.

www.lutel.cz

I can hardly wait until we get to train with axes. Longswords are my favourite, and I don't mind rapiers, but there is something visceral about mass weapons...

Salamander wrote:

I can hardly wait until we get to train with axes. Longswords are my favourite, and I don't mind rapiers, but there is something visceral about mass weapons...

Oh, yes. The BFG. :)

I love the hammers, picks, axes (oh yeah!), maces, and flails. I also love the Godendac.

Will TFOB feature 2 handed Danish bearded axes, Godendacs, and... ebola?(that last one's a joke).

One thing I love about TROS... it's VERY easy to modify weapon and armor stats that you disagree with, and without totally screwing up the system!

Example, I'v toyed with a mechanic for really strong (ST 8) and agile (AG 6) to wield a one handed axe with ATN 6 rather than 7, which I think is fair. Otherwise, they could be something like ST 5, AG 5 and wield it two handed to get the ATN of 6. I'm not sure why it would be noticeably more difficult to wield the axe than the warhammer or pick...

-Alan

bergh wrote: Hi

Thanks for a great game.

No, no, thank YOU.

my only concern in TROS is the Armour system, i don't think its works properly, full plate characters are tanks who are immune to everything! why are there not some weapons who have special abilitys against armour?

In addition to the comments made by others, I'd actually say that TROS armor is less of an advantage than the real stuff was. It was that good.

I want rules for piercing, bashing and cutting type weapons vs. Armour.

You have them in TROS, but instead of a universial chart it's handled on a weapon-by-weapon basis. Read the notes in the weapon entries for special weapon-type-vs.-armor rules.

Jake

Jake, I've always been meaning to ask you...

Do you own a harness? If so, what kind?

Also, I like the R.E.H. quote in your sig line.

Finally, being that you're a high muckety-muck in the ARMA, you may be pleased to learn that several like-minded fellows and I are founding a study group up here in NE Kansas.

I'm not much of a harnisfechter, I'm afraid. It's never really interested me too much in comparision to blossfechten. I do own a rickety old SCA harness, some of which is actually quite good (the legs, frex), but it's hardly anything I'd consider really calling "armor."

Congrats on the study group. Fly me out & I'll do a 1.0 seminar for ya.

Jake

bergh wrote: my only concern in TROS is the Armour system, i don't think its works properly, full plate characters are tanks who are immune to everything! why are there not some weapons who have special abilitys against armour?

BL> Just as a note to what everyone else said about armor -- an often overlooked technique is to pay one more dice for a normal attack and "power attack," dealing an extra level of damage if you hit. This maneuver, plus a good anti-armor weapon and tactics, will be your best chance against a well-armored opponent.

yrs--
--Ben

No, your best bet vs someone in armor is an estoc, half-sworded.
Gives you ST +5 damage and an ATN of 5.

Anyways, if I might ask Jake a question..
the book says that the poleaxe can be used with 'half-sword techniques'..
is it treated the same as half-swording a sword in terms of the game mechanics? I assume no, but I'd like some clarification as to what that exactly means...

-Ingenious

Two ways:

One, it's color text describing what pole-axe use looks like. The stats allready cover it.

Two, if you use the counter maneuver (I'm not sure if it's on poleaxes' list), then roll on the half-sword column.

Jame