> I hope there are some extra exmaples in the HeroQuest book or I
>would recomend some extra ones be added to this groups files. I
>really like the idea/concepts of a system but I'm still a little
>confused compared to the 'normal' style of games.
One major difference between HeroQuest and Hero Wars is the number and quality of examples. I think you'll be pleased.
And you're on the right track for thinking it's a different style of play -- it's a little hard getting used to, but IMO well worth it.
>1) If a significant combat starts, with say a charge of the hero's
>(Players) against a group of bowmen how would you run that ? What
>kind of skills would you use to start the AP totals and when would
>you judge the hero's getting to the bowmen so they can engage in Hand
>to hand combat ? Would this be as a concept of a AP total or a number
>of contests rounds ?
>
>or
>
>Would you view this as a simple context of bows vs combat/shield
>skill - to manage get into combat ? I could see that more in a
>different setting where way the hero's opponents had automatic
>weapons...
Ranged combat has never been the strongest point of Hero Wars,a nd I don't think it's changed much in HQ. The problem is two-fold:
Plus:
3. In many situations (e.g. mounted archers in open terrain), the target will NEVER be able to close -- hardly a dramatic result.
So I usually treat the initial archery as a separate contest, and either assign consequences based on the outcome (such as penalties or AP adjustments for the ensuing melee). Sometimes you can treat it as a larger contest, with an ability switch in the middle.
Ideally, I wouldn't run a Grazer game, where this sort of thing happens all the time...
>2) If a hero (a player) has a major NPC on the run and draws his bow
>to shot a major NPC is this an extended contest or a simple one ? If
>simple then how do you judge the combat results and if complex how is
>this described to/by the players ?
Since you emphasize "major NPC," I'd use the rule of drama. Is it OK that the major NPC is taken out (or escapes) with a single lucky roll? Decide your contest type by how much "camera time" the sequence deserves.
Also, this may be part of an ongoing contest (the NPC is attempting to escape; the hero is using various abilities to stop this). In which case a bow shot is just one action in an extended contest.
>3) If in the middle of a 'straight/normal' combat one of the players
>wants their character to taunt an opponent into making a mistake or
>throw sand in their eye's etc. Is this a simple contest in the middle
>of the extended one (and if sucessfull this provides edges for the
>extended completion which is rolled straight after the simple one) ?
There are very few circumstances where you'd want a simple contest in the middle of an extended contest (for unrelated actions). This sounds to me like a continuation of the same contest -- same two opponents. You can always switch abilities in an extended contest.
>Would the principle be the same if instead of verbal taunts the
>player decided to use Erol Flin style acrobatics to help in the
>combat?
The principle would be the same. Same contest, different abilities.
-- David Dunham dunham_at_... Glorantha/HW/RQ page: http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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