[Rq-rules] Aiming and attack speed

[Lance Dyas]

I believe something is being missed here. The ability to attack "first" 
is only "really" useful well initially remember melee rounds are 
arbitrary slices of time,  In a round (they are "round") the beginning 
of one is realistically identical to the end of the other. The one with 
"higher odds  / more attempts" is still likely to be the first real 
"hitter." .. So.. Unless somebody at their range has an advantage on to 
hit or damage or number of attacks they can accomplish the hits first in 
a round is a ho-hum non advantage  This advantage is even more ho hum 
since If you take somebody with surprise you are probably starting 
battle at your range not theirs the longer weapon user looses this 
initial advantage because getting it in position takes longer...

Harder hitting is realistic too leverage is better at your range... a 
large weapon you are making mini strokes with because your opponent is 
too close just won't do much damage and slices made outside of range are 
just not too useful or threatening.

Strike Ranks and Damage in combination could be used...

RULE IDEA
You could give a increase in SR it takes to perform the shorter weapon 
attacks to represent that they have to get past the opponents weapon... 
then when they succede in an attack that means they closed.... then give 
a penalty to the larger weapons damage.
Both damage reduction and SR cost could be based on the differences in 
the weapons reach.
Penalties for to hit and to block would go with the off range weapon.

NOTE: Staves and spears (which can be used to block like a stave) can be 
used well at shorter ranges by changing grip which would cost SR 
initially and for a spear changes the nature of damage they deal.


Bjorn Stolen wrote:
> Actually the rule of sr on weapons is quite sound. When a person with 
> a spear spar with a person with a sword, he can stay out of the 
> dangerzone of the sword and still deliver kills. So there is really 
> only one option for the swordman (apart from running away) and that is 
> to try to close. There are several closing-techniques, but all of them 
> are risky, as the one with the spear have the possebillity to call the 
> bluff and to kill, or to retreat and kill before the closing-attempt 
> have succeeded. If the one with the shorter weapn manage to "get 
> inside" the killzone of the spear, the advantages works the oposite 
> way -just as the RQ3 rules states. "If a perosn with a small weapon 
> manage to close, he automatically act before the one with the longer 
> weapon" (-free from memory).
the attacking first rule doesnt give much real advantage.. you still end 
up taking turns with the same odds and same damage as before etc.
to give real advantage at range you might substantially increase the SR
>
>
>> From: bick10 at comcast.net
>> Reply-To: "Discussion of RuneQuest rules." <rq-rules at crashbox.com>
>> To: "Discussion of RuneQuest rules." <rq-rules at crashbox.com>
>> Subject: RE: [Rq-rules] Aiming and attack speed
>> Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 20:13:48 +0000
>>
>> My recollection of the rule, was that, no matter the Melee SR, the 
>> longer weapon would strike before the short, unless the short weapon 
>> closed with the longer.  Then the shorter struck before the longer no 
>> matter who had the lower Melee SR.
>>
>> An example of how I played the rule:
>> So, a Trolkin with a short sword is in melee with a home steadier 
>> using a long spear.  The trolkin’s MSR is 6, and the home steadier’s 
>> MSR is 7.   Because the home steadier is using a longer weapon he 
>> gets to make his attack before the trolken, even though the trolken 
>> has a lower MSR.  The trolken knows this and really wants to get 
>> first shot.   On the Trolkins DexSR he tries to jump forward and get 
>> close.  The home steadier has the option to give ground and keep 
>> first attack with the longer weapon, or hold the ground and attack 
>> after the trolken.  Because he is defending the doorway with his wife 
>> and kids inside, he bravely holds the ground, allowing the trolken to 
>> get close and get first attack.
>>
>> Now because the trolken moved on his DexSR, a 3, I would rule that 
>> his attack goes off in SR 9 (move at SR 3 + MSR 6 = 9).  The home 
>> steadier might have a flicker of hope that his MSR is 7 but the GM 
>> would explain that he has a long weapon and the trolken is now inside 
>> it.  So he has to wait for the trolken’s attack at 9 he then gets to 
>> attack.
>>
>> Lucky for the home steadier that his wife is casting Demoralize in 
>> MSR 5.
>>
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
>> From: Ashley Munday <aescleal at btinternet.com>
>> > Sounds a bit like the closing rule - if neither side
>> > closes then combat is just attack/parry. If one side
>> > closes and the other doesn't back up then whoever has
>> > the longer weapon (fewer SR) looses one either their
>> > attack or parry.
>> >
>> > Just 'cause the person with the longer weapon backs up
>> > doesn't mean the person with the shorter weapon
>> > doesn't get a hack.
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> >
>> > Ash
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