Re: Changing objectives

From: Thomas Bagwell <tnbagwell_at_...>
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:39:58 -0000

> >> As someone else notd, if I lose the contest, my opponent has
> >> achieved *his* goal.
> >
> >Is that so, or is it only the case if they achieve a Complete
> >Victory? After all, having Dazed your foe in melee is hardly
> >achieving your intention of killing them. Don't the lesser
> >victory/defeat levels imply that both sides disengage before then?
>
> Since when is the purpose of combat to kill your opponent?

It's always the purpose if you're a Mindless Killing Machine.

> Usually you enter into combat, or, rather, a combat occurs, because
> there is a conflict of interests. IMHW, the combat/contest* is
> really about resolving that conflict. The degree of victory/defeat
> determines in what manner you or your opponent realize your
> objectives, respectively.
>
> * To me, this is also means that there are almost no pure combat
> contests in HW. I.e. you can attempt all sorts of actions that
> could let you achieve the objective that caused the contest.

Circumstances do occur though where there is pure combat. Even if your goal is to incapacitate (knock out, bind and gag, etc.), the rules play out very similarly to killing them, since if you succeed, then killing them would be automatic. The fact that you bind them and gag them instead is a roleplaying choice.

Tom B.