Re: Skirmishes

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 10:44:07 -0800

> The reason why I wouldn't do this is simple, firstly by building them
> as a group and then giving them a skill as a whole, it saves me time.
> Secondly, by treating them as one entity, skill wise and AP wise, I
> build into the combat the modifier for being attacked by multiple
> apponents - so rather than give the player a -10 for being assailed
> from X people, I simply up the skill of the mob and the effect is
> pretty much the same without the extra work of keeping track of who
> gets offed and thus changes the modifier. Given that I raise the skill
> of the mob, the one attack disadvantage is offset by their superior
> combat power. This all saves me time and minimises the slowing down of
> the game via lengthy combats.

This is an equally valid way of doing it.

Unlike RQ, where the cmbat resolution never changes due to "dramatic circumstance" (ie, a trollkin always has 45% club and 10 HP, and you can't just swat him aside, you have to make hit/parry/damage rolls until he is out of the fight), HW is built so that important fights can have all the blood & glory you want, while the trivial "hack your way through a crowd of palace guards on your way to the throne room" fights can be handled by a simple contest if you want. The starting numbers are the same, but how you deal with them (as a narrator *or* player) can change depending on the circumstances. This game was built on cinematic and Fantasy novel roots, *not* historical/re-creation ones.

RR