[Fwd: Questions from Glorantha list]

From: Robert McArthur <rjmcarthur>
Date: Mon Jan 16 04:57:12 2006


buserian_at_juno.com wrote:
> Well, I do have my own problems with the Defensive Doubling rule in
> general. It makes it too easy for defensive stacks to deal damage, and
> basically makes MANY attacks all or nothing -- either the attacker
> destroys ALL the defenders, or the defenders end up destroying all of the
> attackers. If I ever get around to doing a revamp of the rules set, as I
> would like, this is one area I plan to revise.

Steve, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Perhaps of interest is that I've *never* had Androgeous in a game of DP (except as the Exiles in the 3 player). I've probably played the full game about 30 times and the 3 player about 6 times. So i'm always faced with getting rid of 2 superhero stacks. Fortunately, there's often only those two major stacks, along with some flotsom, left by the 3rd or 4th turn. But killing a superhero with a bit of CF is a dangerous thing to try. For example, say a superhero stack is in clear ground (don't contemplate it otherwise :-). They're probably at about 20+5+5+5+6 leadership = 41. If you have a superhero stack attacking it of the same size, then you need a 6 for a full kill. If they put the superhero on top, then you need at least a 4 to do any damage at all! The doubled counterattack essentially means a good chance of losing everyone in the attack. Even if you augment the original (doh - of course you will) with another two stacks - three in all around a single superhero stack - they're likely only of the order of 5+5+5+maybe a 4 single entity = 19. So we have defender _at_ 41 and attacker at 41+19+19=79. That's better but there's still a good chance of failing and the counterattack being potentially devastating. Imagine you've got to succeed with the attack twice (against 2 superhero stacks), both times almost fully with the SH coming back, and it's a pretty hard slog. It's possible, but hard. Of course, after the counterattack, then it's their turn to move with you in a terrible strategic situation with three stacks near a remaining superhero (or two!).

So, in short, I'd love to hear some other options! Instead of doubling, maybe half again? Why should the counterattack be increased at all? Is there a better way?

>>It certainly played havoc when you fail to kill a superhero! IMHO I
>>think the way I and other have interpreted the rules, which are
>>definitely not universally canonical even though they probably are in
>>one particular city :-), make this much more fun too. For example, if
>>there's a superhero with 3-4 other "normal" units being attacked by a
>>couple of stacks, the defender can order the superhero stack and they
>>*must* be eliminated by the attacked from the top down - no other way
>>possible (we play the same for magic).

>
>
> Isn't this exactly what the rules say must happen in most cases -- that
> casualties must be chosen from the top down.
...
 > I do not think the rules support this "pick-and-choose" method, at least
 > for melee. It might specify it for magic, I can't recall -- been awhile
 > since I played.

Doh. Of course the melee ones do. We just play the same for magic whereas the rules state that the attacker gets to choose from within the stack for magic. I'd really suggest people play the variation some time - it really changes the game a lot and, IMHO, somewhat balances the otherwise awesome power of the magicians.

Rob

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