Re: Re: Mythic Russia, and Pyrrhic Victories

From: David Weihe <blerg2_at_...>
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:33:27 -0700 (PDT)


Rob Davis <robert_m_davis_at_...> wrote:
> Q: What is it that roleplayers want combats that simulate
> a battle of attrition where the winner is the one who falls
> over when he has reached his capacity to take damage? Classic
> D&D/RQ/Hero System?etc, etc.
>
> Where is this in any literature or film? Nearly all fights
> normally end when one guy makes a telling blow.

Bulwei, in the Thirteenth Warrior. Cuchulain, in whatever the sequel to the Tain Bo Cualigne (sp?), was. If you add in being killed because the damage that X has received makes X unable to continue, then all the little Ys join together to take X down, you cover every bear baiting match where the dogs win, as well as most successful hunts by cursorial hunters (wolves, humans, dolphins, velocirapters in Spielberg movies).

Likewise, Stonewall Jackson dying from complications related to his arm amputation after being shot (accidentally) by his own troops would fit the Death By Accumulated Damage scenario, as well.

In non-combat, any "burnout" situation would also fit this scenario.

This is similar to just running out of APs, even though successful in every round, because the target has not enough skill to defeat you, but a huge pool of AP; without a few AP transfers the skillful one eventually runs out of APs, ie, the will to continue.

> Which the native HQ system simulates
> beautifully. Far more realistic.

In which case, HQ is wrong, since its goal is to eschew simulationism and realism :-)

Actually, it could be played by having someone augment with Tough, Ignore Pain, etc., and having the augments need to be rerolled whenever they (and the APs that they gave) are all that keeps the hero going. When they disappear, the PC could go to Severely Wounded or Dying immediately. Sort of a mini-berserk for those who do not normally have it from their cult.        



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