[Rq-rules] Fatiguerules for carrying and running contests

[David Smart]

-----Original Message-----
From: Bjorn Stolen <stolenbjorn at hotmail.com>
Sent: Dec 2, 2005 1:52 AM
To: rq-rules at crashbox.com
Subject: [Rq-rules] Fatiguerules for carrying and running contests

<snip>
So before I start revizing my revizing of the "official" RQ advanced rules 
for FP-rules for carrying and running contest; do any of you lot sit on some 
rules for this that you are pleased with, and do you bother to post them 
here/link to somewhere where you have them written down?
_______________________________________________


Well..I found a set of rules on the web (see below) which I've been using from a 3-year campaign now and they've worked well for me. Keep in mind I didn't draft these rules at all. The really bad news is I can't remember where I grabbed them from. Otherwise, I'd just send you all the hyperlink to the page. If anyone happens to recognize the rules and can tell me who authored them, please do so! By the way, I modified the example slightly to make it more meaningful for my players. Also, there's a mention of the skills "Marching" and "Running"; I don't have copies of the definitions.


---------------Rules Begin-------------------

Characters are always in some state of fatigue (which includes “none”) and may suffer penalties from that state.

FATIGUE STATES and PENALTIES

Normal:	The character is not fatigued. The fatigue status a character will normally start with. 
Tired:	  Add 5 to all percentile rolls made by the character (assuming a low result is desired, otherwise subtract 5). 
Weary:	Add 10 to all percentile rolls made by the character (assuming a low result is desired, otherwise subtract 10). 
Exhausted: Divide the character's skills in half and add 20 to all percentile rolls made by the character (assuming a low result is desired, otherwise subtract 20). 
Incapacitated:	The character can only act on a CONx1 roll (in which case he or she should be treated as if Exhausted). Otherwise, the character can do nothing but rest (note that this will generally restore them to Exhausted status after a single melee round of uninterrupted rest). 

Regardless of any adds to percentile rolls due to fatigue state, a natural roll of 01 will remain a 01, typically a critical. A natural roll of 00 or any roll modified over 100 will have the same effect as a roll of 00, typically a fumble. 

For example, a mercenary with 100% Shortsword skill fighting a dwarf bouncer becomes Tired. If he rolls a 02 (normally a Critical), it becomes a 07, (i.e. a Special result). If he had rolled a natural 01, while Weary, he still rolled a 01 and a Critical. If he rolls a 91, normally a hit, it would become a 101, which would be treated as a result of a 00, or a fumble. If he became Exhausted, his Shortsword skill would be reduced to 50% and a roll of 05, normally a special, would become a 25, or a normal hit. 

Please note that with this system, ENC values are no longer adjusted for SIZ over 20, 30, 40, etc. Higher STR compensates for greater armor encumbrance due to higher SIZ. 

SHORT-TERM FATIGUE LOSS: 
After every 5 melee rounds of extreme exertion, be it combat, running at top speed, or using all of one's strength, characters need to make a fatigue roll, based on the following table, to avoid fatigue loss. A failed fatigue roll means the character drops one fatigue state and suffers the associated penalties.

Total ENC        <= Fatigue Roll 
STRx1               CONx5 
STRx2               CONx4 
STRx3               CONx3 
STRx4               CONx2 
STRx5               CONx1 

For example, characters engaged in a melee need to make fatigue rolls at the end of the fifth melee round, the end of the tenth melee round, the end of the fifteenth melee round, etc. 

--Regaining Fatigue--
A character can regain a single lost fatigue state by spending an entire melee round doing nothing but resting. That is, no attacking, parrying or dodging, essentially taking two miscellaneous actions to rest in a single melee round, or by spending two melee rounds in a row taking a single rest action and only a single dodge or parry option. 

--Fatigue While Mounted--
Mounted characters use only half their total ENC to determine their Fatigue Roll, and will typically only need to make fatigue rolls in a combat situation or when riding at top speed. Riding encumbered is less exhausting than moving on foot while encumbered. A quick way to estimate this, should the gamemaster not want to go through the exact calculation, is to increase the mounted character's Fatigue Roll by one class, to a maximum of CONx5. For example, a character with a normal Fatigue Roll of CONx3 due to encumbrance should use a Fatigue Roll of CONx4 when mounted. 

[Author's Note - I like this idea, but am not certain on the implementation. Mounted characters generally do not pay fatigue costs for the portion of the load carried by the mount. The effectiveness of a mount's load carrying depends on the design of the load (e.g. horse armor vs. foot armor), and such. In addition, sitting in a load is easier than walking with it -- which this set of rules seems to reflect well. ]

 
LONG-TERM FATIGUE LOSS 
Long distance movement, among other factors, can also affect one’s fatigue state. The total distance covered on foot will have the following effects on a character's fatigue state: 

Max. Distance on Foot     Fatigue Level
20 kilometers                  Tired
40 kilometers                  Weary
60 kilometers                  Exhausted
80 kilometers                  Incapacitated 


The above figures assume movement on a good road, very good path or very clear terrain by a human on foot. 80 kilometers/day, spread over roughly 10 hours at 8 kilometers/hour, is the practical maximum daily movement rate for humans on foot over such terrain. The practical maximum daily movement rate for most mounted riders over such terrain is 60 kilometers/day. 

When crossing more difficult terrain, multiply the above distances and the practical maximum daily movement rate by the appropriate percentage for the terrain: 

Terrain Type                                                        Max Daily Move
Road, good path, very smooth terrain (default)             100% 
Poor road, average path, or smooth terrain                    75% 
Rough terrain                                                               50% 
Major river                                                            Takes one day to cross unless a bridge, ford or ferry exists. 
Light vegetation*                                                         85% 
Medium vegetation*                                                     70% 
Heavy vegetation, marsh or swamp*                             50% 
Rolling Hills                                                                 70% 
Mountains                                                                   30% 

*Vegetation has no effect on movement along a road or path. 

The above modifiers are cumulative. A character moving on foot on a average path in the mountains will move at 75% x 30% = 22.5% the normal rates, therefore checking fatigue every 4.5 kilometers, with a practical maximum daily movement rate of 18 kilometers. 

This is where Marching and Running skills come into play, allowing better movement rates at lower fatigue as the roads/paths got worse. 

A character can prevent a reduction in fatigue state due to long distance movement by making a single Fatigue Roll (as appropriate for ENC and STR), which if successful prevent the loss of a single fatigue state. Only one such Fatigue Roll can be made in a day, either after the first 20 kilometers of travel or if not checked then, checked at a time something occurs in which fatigue state would play a role. 

The March skill can also prevent reductions in fatigue state due to long distance movement on foot (use Ride skill for mounted movement, see below). A single March skill roll can be made once a day as well. A successful roll will prevent the loss of a single additional fatigue state, a special roll will prevent the loss of two fatigue states, and a critical roll will prevent the loss of three fatigue states. 

For example, Piks the dwarven bouncer, with a CON of 16 and a Fatigue Roll of CONx3 due to his encumbrance, and a Forced March skill of 54%, travels 44 kilometers over the course of a day before running into a possibly hostile encounter. The player and GM proceed to check Piks' current fatigue state. After 40 kilometers of travel the character would normally have a fatigue state of Weary. However, making the single Fatigue Roll Piks is entitled to, and rolling a 28, Piks's status is only reduced to Tired. Since the situation seems likely to result in combat, Piks' player makes a Forced March skill roll for the day as well, rolling a 51, a success that brings his fatigue state to Normal, so Piks is in perfect condition should a fight break out.

Fatigue is pro-rated by existing skill level rather than by making skill rolls. Under normal circumstances, a 50% Forced March skill reduces fatigue loss by at least 50% without a roll -- similar to picking up a drink without having to make a grab roll. Rolls are necessary only under difficult circumstances where the skill is opposed by more than the passive resistance of the world at large -- just like the picking up a drink example. 

Fatigue state loss due to long-term fatigue can only be regained by long-term rest. Spending one third of the time spent traveling resting or half the time spent traveling moving at a slow walk with rests (generally at most 1 kilometer/hour) will result in regaining a single fatigue state. Further rest or slow walking will restore further lost fatigue states, as above. 

For example, at the day's end Piks the Dwarf has covered 80 kilometers over 10 hours of moving at top speed, and due to long term fatigue loss, his current fatigue state is Weary. Were he to engage in melee, he would fight as if Weary and, after 5 melee rounds, would have to make a fatigue roll to avoid dropping to Exhausted status. A melee round of rest would restore his fatigue state to Weary, but it could not be restored past Weary without long-term rest. 

If Piks spent 3 hours and 20 minutes resting, his fatigue state would increase to Tired. Another 3 hours and 20 minutes of rest or would increase his fatigue state to Normal. As mentioned above, regardless of long-term fatigue status, 80 kilometers travel over a day is the practical limit of travel on foot for a normal human being. Fatigue states would drop very rapidly beyond that point. 

A similar system is used for figuring long term fatigue loss for mounted characters. Riding is not quite as exhausting for characters as is moving on foot. Characters riding at a normal pace (up to 40 kilometers/day) will suffer a reduction in fatigue state to Tired. Characters riding at an all out pace (more than 40 kilometers a day) will suffer a reduction in fatigue state to Weary. 

The mount itself, which typically has a maximum daily movement rate of 60 kilometers over very clear terrain, will have to check for fatigue loss every 15 kilometers, and may well end up Exhausted or Incapacitated at after being ridden for 60 kilometer. A characters fatigue state loss due to long term fatigue from riding can be decreased by a Fatigue Roll, as with loss from foot travel, and in addition a successful Ride roll will have the same effect as does Forced March skill for movement on foot. Skilled riders will rarely suffer adverse long-term fatigue effects from mounted travel. 

Note that some other conditions, typically adverse environmental conditions (extreme heat or cold, thin air, etc.) can also affect long-term fatigue status. These will typically increase fatigue state loss by one class. Covering any reasonable distance even on a good road in adverse conditions results in Tired status, covering 20 kilometers results in Weary status, etc. A successful Survival skill roll can avoid the additional loss of fatigue due to adverse conditions, where appropriate. Long-term fatigue loss can also be inflicted on characters that are sick or suffering the effects of serious injuries or certain poisons, at the GM’s option. 

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That's it. 

David