DefKab
2012-03-27, 08:01 AM
Ok, so, I'm working on a homebrew system focused on variable tactical combat. Three 'supported' formats are Army, Squad, and Hero. Each should be self explanatory... These are supported only in that they're the specific examples I'll give. The system itself has a build up/build down rules mechanic to allow it to be one Hero fighting, or a whole army, and absolutely anywhere inbetween to play it your way.
I'm gonna start putting up my ideas as this is entirely brand new, and I ask for feedback and critique, especially on mechanics.
The one thing I've developed will be the framework for the combat system, and it's dependant on initiative. Lemme explain, starting with the core mechanic.
The core mechanic is simple: d10 dice pool. An attribute determines the number of dice to roll, and another designates the number to be under. The number to be under is called the Target Number, and is ranged 1-10. Each die hits the TN seperately. The number of times you need to reach the TN is called the Number of Successes. Say you have 5d10 to use searching an area. Your TN to find something is 4, relatively hard, and the NoS to find something is 1, because if you find it, you find it. For each success you have above the NoS, you get a bonus, such as finding more and more stuff. Simple, right?
This example should explain the differences between Army, Squad, and Hero rules, at least as they're intended, and maybe I can get some feedback on the actual initiative system itself. Lets start with Armies. The lawyerspeak mumbo jumbo for initiative is as follows: Initiative is determined by rolling a number of d10's intending to hit the TN of 6. The number of dice rolled is equal to the number of squads in your army. There is no NoS. The Army with the least Successes will declare first, followed by second least. Break ties in any way that seems fitting. The number of successes determines how many ways your actions are broken. 5 success means you can (but dont have to) break your Armies Actions into 5 Blocks. The Army with the least number of successes has Initiative, and declares all actions for the Block on Initiative count 5. After all actions are completed, the next Army with priority declares actions on Count 5. Play proceeds around until every Army passes, or uses all remaining actions. Then play repeats for Count 4. On every count other than 5, any army with a Block (earned by successes) remaining may declare an interrupt. When an interrupt is declared, that Army then declares all actions to use. After actions have been resolved, play resumes until every Army has passed on Initiative Count 1.
Thats the rules speak, but it doesnt explain much. Lemme try an example.
It's you and I in combat, I have six squads in my Army, and you have 4. Initiative is called, and we roll a number of d10's equal to our squads. I roll six, you roll 4, and we each try to get under 6, the TN. I end up rolling 4 Successes, and you got 3. As the least number of successes, You have priority, and 3 blocks to use your actions. Count 5 comes up (its the first count) and you declare no actions, biding time for your loss. I also pass on Count 5. Count 4, you pass again, daring me to go first. I take this opportunity to take one of my blocks to make some minor move. Count goes to three. Now that I'm in the open, you strike, declaring a massive move and attack on my moved squad. I use another block to declare an interrupt, taking actions before you to move my squad out of harms way. Since your action was declared, you charge out and find nothing to attack. Actions resolved, Priority passes to me. For my third block, I take advantage of your hubris, and move the remainder of my Army into attack position. Attacks are made, and casualties are taken. At the end of count 3, I have 1 block, but no actions, and you have 2 blocks, but no actions. The round concludes.
It took a lot to say, but I'm hoping it'll be almost second nature in game. As combat should be quick an lethal, even a skirmish between Armies should be resolved in hours. Obviously, those rules above would be a little more exciting with several armies in play, as is the hope...
For Squad, the rules are mostly the same. Squad mechanics have each squadmember a little more fleshed out than Armies, where every soldier is nothing more than a gun. Squadmembers in this example have an Awareness skill, which determines things like perception checks, and in this case, initiative. Initiative would go as such;
Each squad will individually roll for initiative. Each Squad will pick one Member's awareness skill. That skill rank will become the TN for initiative. The number of dice rolled is the number of members in the squad. The number of successes determines the number of Blocks, as above, while this time, the lowest TN with at least one success is the Squad that has priority. Combat proceeds as above.
What this means is you have two options. You can either try to go first by getting a lower TN than the opponents, or you can prepare more interrupts by scoring more successes. Remember, interrupts cannot be declared on Count 5, so players with priority should act then to take advatage of the first shot.
If all that makes since, things get even more advanced when each player has an individual Hero to command around...
A Hero is a fully fleshed out Squadmember of an Army. He has skills aplenty, and deals in the most advanced of rulesets. All classic RPG abilities are now open, such as social interaction, and character developement.
Because of this advanced ruleset, the Awareness Skill has branched out to become the Awareness Tree, which contain at least the skills Initiative, Reaction, and Perception.
Initiative here works a little different. The TN for initiative is his Skill Rank, while the number of dice he rolls is determined by his Initiative Skills 'supporting attribute', like Dexterity, or Intelligence. The number of successes he gets now becomes the number of Reactions he can make. Each Hero has a set number of action points. Lets say ten. On count five, the hero with priority can go first, and unlike before, reactions may be taken immediately. A reaction is declared after any other Hero's actions are declares. The reacting Hero then attempts to roll under his Reaction rank, scoring as many successes as action points he is using. If he succeeds, his actions are resolved first, and modifiers may then apply to the Hero with Priority's action. If he fails, his actions take place immediately after the Priority's actions, and may suffer modifier from IT's actions. So, taking a reaction to shoot a Hero after he pops out of cover could either succeed, throwing off the other Hero's aim, or fail, wasting the shot after the hero has popped back into cover, and taking a shot yourself. Reactions can be declared in between actions (such as after the Priority had popped out of cover) and in response to other reactions (such as Priority's buddy taking a potshot on Priority's now exposed target.) The Hero with priority may not declare an interrupt (dodging talents may modify this rule.)
Does any of this make sense? Am I babbling inanities? Does anyone see any flaws with any of the above systems? Hypotheticals are a must.
I thank you for reading all of this.
I'm gonna start putting up my ideas as this is entirely brand new, and I ask for feedback and critique, especially on mechanics.
The one thing I've developed will be the framework for the combat system, and it's dependant on initiative. Lemme explain, starting with the core mechanic.
The core mechanic is simple: d10 dice pool. An attribute determines the number of dice to roll, and another designates the number to be under. The number to be under is called the Target Number, and is ranged 1-10. Each die hits the TN seperately. The number of times you need to reach the TN is called the Number of Successes. Say you have 5d10 to use searching an area. Your TN to find something is 4, relatively hard, and the NoS to find something is 1, because if you find it, you find it. For each success you have above the NoS, you get a bonus, such as finding more and more stuff. Simple, right?
This example should explain the differences between Army, Squad, and Hero rules, at least as they're intended, and maybe I can get some feedback on the actual initiative system itself. Lets start with Armies. The lawyerspeak mumbo jumbo for initiative is as follows: Initiative is determined by rolling a number of d10's intending to hit the TN of 6. The number of dice rolled is equal to the number of squads in your army. There is no NoS. The Army with the least Successes will declare first, followed by second least. Break ties in any way that seems fitting. The number of successes determines how many ways your actions are broken. 5 success means you can (but dont have to) break your Armies Actions into 5 Blocks. The Army with the least number of successes has Initiative, and declares all actions for the Block on Initiative count 5. After all actions are completed, the next Army with priority declares actions on Count 5. Play proceeds around until every Army passes, or uses all remaining actions. Then play repeats for Count 4. On every count other than 5, any army with a Block (earned by successes) remaining may declare an interrupt. When an interrupt is declared, that Army then declares all actions to use. After actions have been resolved, play resumes until every Army has passed on Initiative Count 1.
Thats the rules speak, but it doesnt explain much. Lemme try an example.
It's you and I in combat, I have six squads in my Army, and you have 4. Initiative is called, and we roll a number of d10's equal to our squads. I roll six, you roll 4, and we each try to get under 6, the TN. I end up rolling 4 Successes, and you got 3. As the least number of successes, You have priority, and 3 blocks to use your actions. Count 5 comes up (its the first count) and you declare no actions, biding time for your loss. I also pass on Count 5. Count 4, you pass again, daring me to go first. I take this opportunity to take one of my blocks to make some minor move. Count goes to three. Now that I'm in the open, you strike, declaring a massive move and attack on my moved squad. I use another block to declare an interrupt, taking actions before you to move my squad out of harms way. Since your action was declared, you charge out and find nothing to attack. Actions resolved, Priority passes to me. For my third block, I take advantage of your hubris, and move the remainder of my Army into attack position. Attacks are made, and casualties are taken. At the end of count 3, I have 1 block, but no actions, and you have 2 blocks, but no actions. The round concludes.
It took a lot to say, but I'm hoping it'll be almost second nature in game. As combat should be quick an lethal, even a skirmish between Armies should be resolved in hours. Obviously, those rules above would be a little more exciting with several armies in play, as is the hope...
For Squad, the rules are mostly the same. Squad mechanics have each squadmember a little more fleshed out than Armies, where every soldier is nothing more than a gun. Squadmembers in this example have an Awareness skill, which determines things like perception checks, and in this case, initiative. Initiative would go as such;
Each squad will individually roll for initiative. Each Squad will pick one Member's awareness skill. That skill rank will become the TN for initiative. The number of dice rolled is the number of members in the squad. The number of successes determines the number of Blocks, as above, while this time, the lowest TN with at least one success is the Squad that has priority. Combat proceeds as above.
What this means is you have two options. You can either try to go first by getting a lower TN than the opponents, or you can prepare more interrupts by scoring more successes. Remember, interrupts cannot be declared on Count 5, so players with priority should act then to take advatage of the first shot.
If all that makes since, things get even more advanced when each player has an individual Hero to command around...
A Hero is a fully fleshed out Squadmember of an Army. He has skills aplenty, and deals in the most advanced of rulesets. All classic RPG abilities are now open, such as social interaction, and character developement.
Because of this advanced ruleset, the Awareness Skill has branched out to become the Awareness Tree, which contain at least the skills Initiative, Reaction, and Perception.
Initiative here works a little different. The TN for initiative is his Skill Rank, while the number of dice he rolls is determined by his Initiative Skills 'supporting attribute', like Dexterity, or Intelligence. The number of successes he gets now becomes the number of Reactions he can make. Each Hero has a set number of action points. Lets say ten. On count five, the hero with priority can go first, and unlike before, reactions may be taken immediately. A reaction is declared after any other Hero's actions are declares. The reacting Hero then attempts to roll under his Reaction rank, scoring as many successes as action points he is using. If he succeeds, his actions are resolved first, and modifiers may then apply to the Hero with Priority's action. If he fails, his actions take place immediately after the Priority's actions, and may suffer modifier from IT's actions. So, taking a reaction to shoot a Hero after he pops out of cover could either succeed, throwing off the other Hero's aim, or fail, wasting the shot after the hero has popped back into cover, and taking a shot yourself. Reactions can be declared in between actions (such as after the Priority had popped out of cover) and in response to other reactions (such as Priority's buddy taking a potshot on Priority's now exposed target.) The Hero with priority may not declare an interrupt (dodging talents may modify this rule.)
Does any of this make sense? Am I babbling inanities? Does anyone see any flaws with any of the above systems? Hypotheticals are a must.
I thank you for reading all of this.