Steve Jackson Games Forums http://forums.sjgames.com/ The SJ Games discussion forums. en Wed, 16 May 2012 16:19:03 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.sjgames.com/images/misc/rss.jpg Steve Jackson Games Forums http://forums.sjgames.com/ The Classic - Cat versus Commoner http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91773&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 15:49:19 GMT One of the standard jokes about D&D (pre-4th edition, that is) is that a cat can easily kill a Commoner - an average human without any combat experience. In this RPGNet thread someone wondered how the Commoner would fare in GURPS, and I decided to work out the math.

For the Commoner I am assuming all attributes at 10 and no special combat training. For the cat I am using the House Cat writeup on B456.

A commoner with DX 10 has a 50% of hitting the cat with a punch, which the cat has only a 50% chance of dodging - for a total chance of 25% of hitting each round. This does 1d-3 crushing damage, 1 point of damage on average.

A cat has a Brawling skill of 16, which gives it a 98.1% of hitting, while the commoner has Dodge 8, which gives him a 25.9% chance of avoiding the hit - for a total chance of 72.9% of hitting each round. The cat does exactly 1 point of damage every time it hits.

So, assuming average damage each round (and ignoring shock modifiers), here is what the hit points for the human and the cat look like after each round:

0: 10 4
1: 9,271 3,75
2: 8,542 3,5
3: 7,813 3,25
4: 7,084 3
5: 6,355 2,75
6: 5,626 2,5
7: 4,897 2,25
8: 4,168 2
9: 3,439 1,75
10: 2,71 1,5
11: 1,981 1,25
12: 1,252 1
13: 0,523 0,75
14: -0,206 0,5

So it's a very narrow thing, but on average the Commoner goes to below-zero hit points before the cat and falls unconscious quickly thereafter. The cat is hurting badly, but still alive.

Of course, that assumes that the Commoner isn't using his strictly average intelligence to prepare for such a struggle to the death. For instance, he could simply don some leather pants or thick winter clothing, which should provide Damage Resistance 1 - and which in turn means that the cat cannot hurt him at all, making his victory assured. And of course, there are also strategies like grappling, throwing some cloth over it, and so forth.

So that's my analysis of this iconic fight. What are your thoughts? Can you come up with a better example? ]]> GURPS Jürgen Hubert http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91773 Example of play: Multiple monsters? http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91772&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 15:20:22 GMT Is there an example of play that includes multiple monsters? It might help me to see in action some things like fire modifiers and how they work for the encounter as a whole. Is there an example of play that includes multiple monsters? It might help me to see in action some things like fire modifiers and how they work for the encounter as a whole. ]]> Munchkin Urist http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91772 <![CDATA[[WWII] Kellett RA-2 light attack autogyro (USA, fictional)]]> http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91771&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 14:27:56 GMT This is probably the last of my autogyro designs for some time. Enjoy! ----------------------------------- Kellett RA-2 light attack autogyro Copyright 2012 by Brandon Cope The Army liked the idea of the ground attack version of the UC-48... This is probably the last of my autogyro designs for some time. Enjoy!
-----------------------------------
Kellett RA-2 light attack autogyro
Copyright 2012 by Brandon Cope

The Army liked the idea of the ground attack version of the UC-48, but felt a smaller aircraft could fill that specific role. Kellett developed the RA-2 ("rotor, attack") using the same wings, although bomb load was reduced. Although the RA-2 had metal skin on the fuselage, the cloth covering was retained on the wings to reduce weight. The RA-2 didn't really begin to prove useful in the ground attack job until late 1942, when it began to be armed with eight 4.6" rockets (four per wing, instead of the bombs).

The RA-2 also frequently performed a secondary duty as a n observation aircraft, although lack of a second crewman acting as observer reduced it's effectiveness in this role. Also, it was sometimes used to transport light cargo (or even one person) using the space the observer station had been located at in the prototype.

In all, the RA-2 was useful on the smaller islands of the Pacific where it was difficult to operate fixed-wing aircraft, but it's low payload limited it's effectiveness.

Crew consists of the pilot. The HR-1 uses 11.8 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.

Subassemblies: Medium Helicopter Chassis +1, Rotors +0, three fixed Wheels -2
P&P: 261 kW HP gasoline engines w/261-kW prop, 40 gallon standard tank [Body]
Occ: 1 CS Cargo: 5

Armor
Body: 2/3
Pilot: UB +0/20, LR +0/10
Wings: 2/2C
Rotors: 3/10
Wheels: 3/5

Armament
6xAurcraft LMG/rowning M-2 [Wings:F] (500 each)*
* Linked to fire in pairs or all six at once

Equipment
Body: Medium range radio receiver and transmitter, bombsight. Wings: Two 100-lb hardpoints each

Statistics
Size: 30'x30'x9'
Payload: 0.51 tons
Lwt: 1.56 tons
Volume: 72
Maint.: 90 hours
Price: $4,900

HT: 10
HP: 82 [body], 50 [rotor], 4 [each wheel]

aSpeed: 142
aAccel: 5
aDecel: 12
aMR: 2.75
aSR: 1
Stall: 34 mph
Take-off roll: 43 yards. Landing roll: 14 yards

Design Notes
Top speed was limited to 150 mph (as with all TL6 rotorcraft). Speed above assumes loaded hardpoints (-2 mph per loaded hardpoint).

To better match historical autogyros, rotor area was raised to the 1.75 power in stall calculations and 1.5 power in speed calculations. Takeoff was divided by 3 and landing distances by 10.

Variants
The prototype had a second crewman (observer) who operated two more MGs firing to the rear defensively. Only four MGs were carried in the wings and bomb load was a mere 200 lbs. It was felt that the second crewman wasn't worth the cost in weight and it was decided not to fit a more powerful engine. ]]> GURPS copeab http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91771 <![CDATA[[DF] - Lower powered Bard Songs?]]> http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91770&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 13:30:23 GMT In DF 11, there are couple of worked examples of Bard Songs. The lowest cost one is 24 points meaning that it also requires at least Bardic Talent 3. Has anyone come up with their own that are lower powered? In DF 11, there are couple of worked examples of Bard Songs. The lowest cost one is 24 points meaning that it also requires at least Bardic Talent 3. Has anyone come up with their own that are lower powered? ]]> GURPS thulben http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91770 <![CDATA[[Powers] Gremlin Power]]> http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91769&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 11:31:50 GMT 2 different ideas I have both involve the same power - A 'Gremlin" power that makes machines breakdown. My basic plan is an Affliction with Only Affects Machines and Incapacitation. My problem is that I don't want it to have a short duration - but instead require a repair to bet the machine back up into action.

How would I best model that? I want to avoid making it an attack dealing damage, and I want to avoid a HUGE mark up.

Thanks. ]]> GURPS Danukian http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91769 Dino Hunt, anyone? http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91768&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 11:21:04 GMT Hi,

I don't know if this is a suitable place to ask this (apologies to all if it's not), but...

I recently introduced a colleague of mine to the fun of Dino Hunt. He ended up tracking a copy down so that he could play with his young son. In short, I've found a renewed interest in the game and we'd both like get more cards (we've found the odd booster box on eBay, but there's not a lot around). Is it OK to ask if people are interested in trading, or even if I could buy any cards or sealed packs off people? If nothing else, I'd love to get the Dimetrodon card and a Triceratops 'fossil' card.

Any help would be appreciated.

Best,
Mike J. ]]> Card Games Gangre http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91768 Ogre on vacation http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91767&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 11:08:17 GMT Next month I'll be taking a vacation with minimal availability to the Internet for two weeks, including one week without any contact at all. Should I worry about missing the Ogre Kickstarter survey? ]]> Ogre and G.E.V. Alba http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91767 How would go about asking to get a ban lifted? http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91766&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 11:05:07 GMT I was perma banned from the chatter forum and its ilk a while ago.
Is it possible to get that lifted now? I haven't done anything to tick the mods off in quite a while. :)
I hope I'm stepping on toes by asking in public. ]]> Forum Feedback and Help Flyndaran http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91766 Morality of The Matrix http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91765&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 10:37:00 GMT
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh (Post 1373739)
* == Okay, that one [human batteries] is TL^.
Or Morpheus is lying. Like I said, I like to think that Smith's version was true. They made us a paradise, first and we wrecked it, so they recreated our sordid existence instead and keep us alive out of a moral obligation (and as Gaiman would have it also to fight aliens). ]]> Geek Culture sir_pudding http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91765 <![CDATA[[IC] Rispian Web]]> http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91764&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 10:22:58 GMT You make your way to the lander. There are others going that way also, but in keeping with Guild safety protocols – which you suspect are actually security protocols – you proceed in a single file, without speaking. You make a mental note to thank your benefactor for paying the Guild the extra... You make your way to the lander. There are others going that way also, but in keeping with Guild safety protocols – which you suspect are actually security protocols – you proceed in a single file, without speaking. You make a mental note to thank your benefactor for paying the Guild the extra solaris for a Secondary route to Risp. Who knows how many weeks in transit a Tertiary route would have been, or months a Quaternary? What a strange thing to travel between stars. What a contradiction of experience between the days of idleness and the flashes of adrenaline. In truth, most of a heighliner journey is spent floating in orbit around planets, watching vessels queue for Guild customs inspection. And after hours of waiting, once all the myriad ships are tucked away, the chimes sound and you reflexively brace for that moment of infinity when the heighliner enters foldspace. The foldspace jump is barely an nsec. It should not even register. And yet the body knows, the mind knows.

You have tried to make the most of the days. Your House Wayku hosts did their best to feed and entertain you, but there are only so many shigawire sagas to watch, cheops games to play, meat sticks to eat. After a while, even the heady drink they call stee no longer dulls the senses. Is that why the House Wayku servants go about their tasks wearing dark oculars and ear cups? If anyone should know how to weather the dormancy of travel, it should be the Wayku. Once a House Major, they lost their worlds in the distant past and were and will ever be forbidden from setting foot on an Imperial planet. Instead of going out-freyn they took refuge with the Spacing Guild. Now they spend their entire lives in Guild heighliners, generation after generation, serving as hosts to those passengers lacking House transport. And it would seem the lesson they teach from their lives spent in transit is: Look within.

On the path to the lander, you pass a metaglass panel. Below, the planet Risp glows like a blue-green suspensor globe. The great supercontinent lays spread before you in shades of brown and green and ferro-rust red. At this distance you can see no evidence of habitation, no proof that 30 million human souls dwell on this world. It is breathtaking. The truth strikes you: House Wayku is wrong. There are wonders in this universe. Wonders beyond ourselves. Wonders not discovered on the cheops board or in a tankard of stee.

The Guild shuttle is austere, a far cry from the gaudy Wayku liner. You take your seat in the cramped white cabin. Your traveling companions are doing the same. Are these the other members of the entourage?

[cut for player action] ]]> Play By Post Delvidian http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91764 Player capabilities vs. character capabilities http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91762&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 10:03:49 GMT In a recent thread, I posited that someone with real-world knowledge of their characters area of expertise is likely to perform better as that character, both roleplaying-wise and capability-wise. For instance, someone with a knowledge of science (I do not have it) would know that substance X and... In a recent thread, I posited that someone with real-world knowledge of their characters area of expertise is likely to perform better as that character, both roleplaying-wise and capability-wise. For instance, someone with a knowledge of science (I do not have it) would know that substance X and substance Y reacts violently, so a player with a science-y character could simply state "I want to mix X and Y to produce explosives - can I roll to do it safely" whereas a science-y character would have to roll to see if he can even identify substance X and Y.

I think this goes doubly for face type characters. Everyone has some basic understanding of what makes someone seem quick-witted and charismatic, whereas technobabble can be faked. Out of all skills, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Fast-talk and the like are the hardest to roleplay convincingly without possessing those skills IRL.

Discuss! ]]> GURPS Edman http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91762 GDF Interaction http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91758&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 04:38:24 GMT Just to be clear, if you include a variant rule-set (such as Rev. Pee Kity's houserules on Path / College Magic), can you choose whether or not to apply them without removing them from the GDS, or do those rules automatically affect all files in the given Data Set? ]]> GURPS Character Assistant shkspr1048 http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91758 <![CDATA[You've got your Kickstarter in my Triplanetary....]]> http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91757&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 03:39:48 GMT The title says it all. Triplanetary is a classic SF wargame from GDW way back in the day. People still rave about it. I used to own a copy, and I weep tears of blood every night because one day it simply vanished whilst moving from one place to another. *OGRE* has shown us the way. Car Wars... The title says it all.

Triplanetary is a classic SF wargame from GDW way back in the day. People still rave about it. I used to own a copy, and I weep tears of blood every night because one day it simply vanished whilst moving from one place to another.

OGRE has shown us the way. Car Wars is coming back.

Verily, I say unto thee, gimme my Triplanetary, damn you. I shall hurl buckets of cash at you, sir.

And somebody wake up Winchell.....:) ]]> Ogre and G.E.V. Apache http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91757 About Treasures http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91756&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 03:29:49 GMT When Player A with the Help of player B kill a monster the get the treasures! The part i want to expain me is... The treasures are open for players A and B or for all the players (even they didnt help at all) When Player A with the Help of player B kill a monster the get the treasures!
The part i want to expain me is... The treasures are open for players A and B or for all the players (even they didnt help at all) ]]> Munchkin xlapatsas http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91756 Stealing a CHEAT! card? http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91755&goto=newpost Wed, 16 May 2012 03:19:22 GMT I'm sure this has been answered already, but I can't find it on the forum or any FAQ. If a thief steals an item with a CHEAT! card, what happens to the CHEAT! card? (Same question for looting a body)
Does it:
a) Get discarded,
b) Go to the thief,
c) Go back to the player whose item was stolen, or
d) Something else not listed here ]]> Munchkin backstabby http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=91755