RE: Re: archery and ammo

From: Bruce Ferrie <bruce_at_...>
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 13:15:51 +0100


On Friday, July 06, 2001 9:35 AM, gamartin_at_... [SMTP:gamartin_at_...] wrote:
>
> Sure. I didn't have any desire to introduce counting numbers of
> arrows in any way

Good! :)

> My problem is trying mediate the need for an archer character to impact
> a combat in useful manner

In raw game mechanics terms, it's all down to the number of APs they and their opponents gain/lose. Everything else can be narrative.

> > If you want to explain the loss of AP by archers as running out of
> ammo, that's
> > fine. But this is just a description/rationalisation. You could
> equally say it
> > is because:
>
> All of these are possible, but contextual.

Every time I describe what is happening in an Extended Contest, the description is contextual. I decide based on the location I've narrated, what the players want to do with their action and how big their bid was. The way I describe a 7 point loss/transfer will change from one day to another, depending on the exact circumstances and setting, whether the contest is close combat, archery or hiding a cow.

> I am specifically trying to address archery in terms of a common
> denominator, in the way that we easily understand physical combat and
> how the flow of combat occurs and can be narrated.

If the archer has APs left, he still has arrows and an opportunity to fire. If he has none, then something has gone wrong. The precise explanation is always context-sensitive. It all depends on what the archer's and the opponent's objectives were in the contest. And on what else is going on in the scene in question.

> Lastly, a major
> concern is that "running out of arrows" of "wet bowstring" is
> precisely the kind of absolute result that I feel should not be given
> lightly by a narrator, in line with the general advice on combat.
> Like lopping off a limb, suddenly acquiring a wet bow string might be
> a very hefty level of defeat, rather than something that could be
> used to represent the partial loss of AP over the course of an
> extended contest.

Well, running out of arrows is something the narrator might use when the contest is over (i.e., the archer has no APs left), not for a loss of 5 APs in the first round of a contest. For that maybe the sun is in the archer's eyes, or it's windy or the target is moving very fast, or the archer is "running out of arrows". Or something.
Mind you, at least if you've got a wet bow string, you might have a spare in your bag or under your hat. Unlike a severed limb. Unless you're some sort of trickster or something.

> On the other hand, ammo is a necessary component of ranged compbat
> (Eureka!). So any time you have ranged combat, ammo will be an
> issue, and an avaialable avenue for realising AP transfers and
> losses. Seeing as it is such a constant feature, I think it should
> be looked at.

It's only necessary if you make it so. For HW, I tend to look at this in binary fashion. Either the archer has ammo, or he doesn't. To take a cinematic model, I don't remember Errol Flynn worrying too much about ammo. Either he had ammo. Or he didn't. If he didn't have arrows, there was usually a handy staircase to have an exciting swordfight on. :)

If you want to use ammo as an explanation for AP losses, you can do it just by narrative. I wouldn't bother to tinker with the rules.

> Frex in the physical agent model, it seems to quite
> easily represent, say, a volley of javelins thrown at the start of a
> line combat - for one turn, the attackers have an ally fighting with
> them.

Or the warriors have Augmented their Close Combat skill with Ranged Combat. Or used Ranged Combat in the first round of the Extended Contest and then switched to Close Combat.
Or you could roll a Simple Contest of Ranged Combat vs Running as the enemy close to see how much the volley of fire affects them before the hand-to-hand action starts.

I think the existing rules can cover these situations without adding more permutations that I have to remember. I have enough trouble remembering all the names and keeping the story straight, guv. ;)

Regards,

Bruce

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