Re: hw-rules digest

From: Steve Lieb <styopa_at_...>
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 16:58:07 -0800

> > >> What happens if someone changes opponents? Battles are not fixed
> > >> chesspieces in my experience.
> > >I don't know the answer to that one, this has never happened in our
> > >gaming.
> The classic example is: Bob is holding his own against his opponent,
but his buddy Larry is going down fast.
> Knowing that he can't take on two opponents at once, Bob switches
opponents to help Larry.

OK this is going to be a mishmash of RW logic, and rulesy stuff, but here goes.
Here is how I would Narrate it.

If you have ANY in-progress extended contest, not just combat, into which someone butts, I think it's reasonable to say that the character with the highest skill "takes over" the contest, with the lower skill individual being reduced to assisting (lending ap's?) UNLESS the higher skill person deliberately holds back and allows the lower to lead. I think that would be as much true with a debate, a seduction, or mountain climbing as with a swordfight. I'd say that the character has to succeed with their skill to even butt in, in many cases, without causing a handicap to the original contestant.

Once the person butts in, it becomes a new contest for the two (or more) primary combatants with reset AP totals (with edges/handicaps for fighting multiple opponents, naturally, which may apply to BOTH sides) BUT since IMG AP's will be translated into -1's more often than not (I think so far) THIS would still apply. Maybe that's the measure against which I'll use the rule; I'm not sure yet.

I'm still gyrating a bit about HW combat. I think the system works really well for resolving non-combat tests, but I'm not convinced about its utility for simulating combat (which is what I want, perhaps opposed to "representing"). I.e. - I don't want A-Team combats, I prefer RQ's "OHMIGOD I COULD DIE!" grittiness. I'm still trying to figure out how to get that...