> **
>
> In practise you might find it easier to run the other way around - apply
> as few modifiers to the players characters as possible and incorporate
> things like situational modifiers into the resistance. Treat all modifiers
> as changes to the resistance and not modify the player character's
> abilities at all, apart from augments and anything lingering that's written
> down on the character sheets. This means the players can keep track of
> their target numbers and you can keep track of the resistances. It saves
> all the back and forth rules crap that slows a lot of games down - you
> don't have to tell them the exact game mechanical effect of their choices
> or situation AND they don't have to apply the modifier.
>
> So instead of saying "You don't know these people's customs that well,
> you're rolling at -6" you just tell them "This is going to be a toughy,
> roll that icosahedron!"
>
> We were actually saying the same thing in different ways. I impose very
few modifers other than Augments or Lingering Adjustments on the players
and just set the Resistance at what I feel is the appropriate dramatic
level for the situation/place in the story ;-)
> Why don't multiple opponent penalties work for you? You're not going to
> represent 20 elite Imperial Stormtroopers as individuals - you'd do it as a
> group, they're one contestant with a "never misses" ability. And against
> half a dozen player characters there's not going to be any multiple
> opponent penalties on either side. They're one lump of hurt going after the
> characters.
>
> If you want truly cinematic combat between a couple of heroes and an army
> of mooks, HQ works pretty well as written. Just ham up the narrative a bit
> and it works like a dream. A players Musketeer wins a round. Narrate him
> ducking as two Cardinal's Guards lunge at him and describe them running
> each other through. As part of a large group you don't have to worry about
> narrating consequences for individuals until the end of the fight - they
> can go down in various messy ways to highlight the successes the players
> are having.
>
> What you described *is* how I run things - I was referring specifically to
the Extended Group Contest/Multiple Opponents Penalties rules. Those were
the examples and page references I gave. The "pairing off into individual
Conflicts and tracking them separately" rules are the ones I don't care for
as much.
I generally like HQ a *lot* - I love how it models fiction and movies so much better than any other system I've played. I like the creativity in player-created Abilities. I like how much easier it can handle groups that split up and/or having Contests/Conflicts going on simultaneously while PCs/groups are split up. It's the Extended Group Conflicts with separate Resolution Tracks that can at times feel... wonky.
>
>
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