Costly victories

From: Thom Baguley <t.s.baguley_at_...>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 14:26:12 +0100

> From: Neil Smith <neil_at_...>
>
>My problem is how to represent these kind of tactics in HW. The humans
>win each of the earlier fights, as a combat contest, so the penalties of
>defeat should be applied to the trolls. However, trolls expect to loose
>these contests, as they are merely part of a larger contest of
>tactics. But if I, as a narrator, ask for player rolls against a
>'tactics' ability, I give the game away. Also, I don't want to embed
>one extended contest within another.
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this?

Some excellent suggestions already.

I think the one that captures it best is probably to run a contest of troll tactics versus player tactics. The Humans could defend with close combat and the like (suitably penalized for darkness) but would be limited in their attacking abilities to tactics and skillful improvisations like "patient" or "clear thinking" to avoid expending effort and magic. Both sides could still inflict wounds and so forth on opponents (representing loss of resources as well as physical wounds).

Thom