Quick adivce -session tonight

[Epinephrine]

Hi, I have a bit of a question. In the upcoming session I plan to have the party attacked while they are in a tent, recieving a briefing. Because of the situation, the tent will be well lit inside, casting their shadows on the wall of the tent. I'll hint at this to warn them that they are exposed. The enemies will shoot at them since they are revealed by their shadows; this is the plan, but I don't think it works by RAW.

I was planning on calling everyone "concealed" since they won't be fully visible, but is this a reasonable assessment? If you allow shooting at those within the tent based on shadows, could you use an area spell in the tent, since the target square isn't visible? This may have to depart from RAW, so I'd like to have a fair set of rule for them; they will probably want to charge/cut their way out of the tent - what would you say that takes as an action? Does it really take a standard to cut at a tent wall with a sword as you run?

Thanks for any advice/feedback.

[Ashdate]

Hi, I have a bit of a question. In the upcoming session I plan to have the party attacked while they are in a tent, recieving a briefing. Because of the situation, the tent will be well lit inside, casting their shadows on the wall of the tent. I'll hint at this to warn them that they are exposed. The enemies will shoot at them since they are revealed by their shadows; this is the plan, but I don't think it works by RAW.

I was planning on calling everyone "concealed" since they won't be fully visible, but is this a reasonable assessment? If you allow shooting at those within the tent based on shadows, could you use an area spell in the tent, since the target square isn't visible? This may have to depart from RAW, so I'd like to have a fair set of rule for them; they will probably want to charge/cut their way out of the tent - what would you say that takes as an action? Does it really take a standard to cut at a tent wall with a sword as you run?

Thanks for any advice/feedback.

I think considering them "concealed" isn't a bad idea (although the attackers would have combat advantage against them, so it's effectively only -3). That said the way it technically works with ranged powers is that you need to pick a square to target; the way the shadows work might confuse enemies as to which square they're actually in, thus they'd potentially be making attack rolls into empty squares.

Blast and burst spells could work too, and they would ignore "concealment" (although depending on how the tent is set up, they could get cover, especially when using a blast power). Range attacks (such as a ranged burst attack) do not by default require line of sight, but I would apply common sense depending on what the power does.

The way I would simulate it is to use a single "area burst" power with its origin square in the middle of the tent, large enough to cover it. Describe the attack as multiple arrows piercing the tent from one/all directions, versus AC. Allow the players to take cover if they wish, although (by the sounds of it) they'll either need to exit the tent to engage, or wait for the enemy to enter. That way it's a simple attack roll against everyone in the tent, with a single damage roll against those that are hit.