Thread: TFT Defense
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Old 01-09-2018, 11:40 PM   #10
ak_aramis
 
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alsea, OR
Default Re: TFT Defense

Quote:
Originally Posted by tbeard1999 View Post
I need to do that too. It's been a very long time and a complete read-through might help.



AkAramis deserves the credit. He noted that there really are 2 kinds of melee fighting - "heavy" and "light".

Melee is apparently designed to simulate the "heavy" style. I posited that it may not be possible to cover both types of fighting in a single, *simple* game. Then I got to thinking how to do it in the most low-footprint way.

If the typical combatant is a high DX figure using a light weapon (say a cutless or rapier), then the parry/riposte rule becomes a fair representation that plays quickly. Maybe. I'd want to test it thoroughly. Stopping 2 hits and DX -2 may not be the correct settings.

Already, I'm musing that maybe the DX penalty should be -3. If it's -2, then you get the equivalent of leather armor (in melee combat anyhow) with no reduction in movement or for other DX activities. Or is the proper comparison to shields, not armor? A large shield stops 2 points of damage and reduces DX by 1. The parry/riposte ability is (agreeably) inferior to that.
I'd say it's not- a deflection of as little as 1" at point of contact turns a solid thrust to a total miss.

The "Light" weapons aren't actually much lighter, and with historic rapiers reaching up to 6' of blade. What differentiates them is the manner of use.

"Heavy" is mostly swung weapons - for which a parry is either a ramp to bring it around, or a direct confrontation of force - for either of which 1 to 2 points is not nearly enough. A shield parry is really a pop of the shield to extend a corner to make a confrontation block.

"Light" is almost purely thrusting. Parrying vs thrust is a low-impact diversion; you simply move it enough so that the parry moves the tip's movement angle.

Cut & thrust (a third style) is in between the two; the ramp and the push-off-line are the two modes of parry used most, with shields using the confrontation block, as well.

Bucklers can be used for all three modes - push it forward into the opponent to cause them to not have a good thrust angle, slam it sideways into a blade for a confrontation block, or angle it to deflect a blade around yourself.

Heavier shields are far harder to use the forward push, but are MUCH better for taking it over the head, or throwing it past the shield-side shoulder.

I thought of a method that works with AM's rules, but allows for better coverage.

The standard 3d vs adjDx applies, noting the cap on AdjDX is effectively 15 due to the 3d6 throw automiss on 16+, and determines the hit; a 4th die, thrown with but in a different color or size, if it takes the total above AdjDX, it becomes a parried blow.

Bucklers or main gauche, with a fencing parry talent, throw two extra to engage a parry; if larger pushes it over, roll damage, if not, use the extand 1/2/4 point rate.

Parry with heavy weapons should require a heavy parry skill; with shields the shield skill.
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