[AtE/HT] Barbed wire fencetops

[mlangsdorf]

High-Tech p 204 gives rules for crossing through barbed wire set us as concertina wire. But my usual experience with barbed wire is sets of single strands at the top of a chain link fence used to discourage climbing. For that kind of barbed wire, how do the rules on HT p204 and ATE2 p33 interact? Is it as simple as an extra DX-5 roll to avoid crying out and a slightly larger penalty on the Climbing roll?

[Kromm]

GURPS Action 2, p. 20 has rules that might prove useful in an action-and-adventure context. Realistic? Maybe not, but they cover the essentials: extra rolls, possible injury, and wasted time.

[(E)]

Basic barbed (double twist short spike) wire is brilliant at snagging loose clothes and objects. Fairly simple to cross without injury though.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by mlangsdorf

High-Tech p 204 gives rules for crossing through barbed wire set us as concertina wire. But my usual experience with barbed wire is sets of single strands at the top of a chain link fence used to discourage climbing. For that kind of barbed wire, how do the rules on HT p204 and ATE2 p33 interact? Is it as simple as an extra DX-5 roll to avoid crying out and a slightly larger penalty on the Climbing roll?

Note, the penalties I mention are on top of any for fence height or angle.

Cow Fence: Unpenalized Climb, unpenalized Will not make noise if injured.

Chainlink fence topper: -2 to -4 Climb (straight up or angled), unpenalized Will not make noise if injured.

On a Climb failure I'd have the PC take 1 point of damage/MoF and have to make a Climb check (equal to the Climb penalty) not to get hung up (requiring freeing themselves somehow, probably damaging clothes or equipment). On a critical failure they get hung up in some terrible fashion, like upside down by one leg, and still take the damage.

Most difficult part of climbing something like this (which I've done) is not the 'danger of getting cut', it's not getting hung up, having to go slow and careful. Or fast and loud by throwing something thick and heavy over the wire (like a canvas tarp).


Honestly, slipping and getting hung up is the greatest danger (baring tetanus from rusty spikes). I was hoping a 6 foot cow fence (like this, but 6') once when I was a kid and my blue jean cuff got caught. I ended up hanging there for an hour before the cuff finally gave away. I just couldn't get the right angle to climb back up with both hands and didn't have the upper body strength to haul myself up with one arm.

[Andreas]

1 point of damage per margin of failure seems way too harsh for such barbed wire. Remember that being stabbed with a large knife by a ST 10 person only does 1d-2 damage.

Something like 1d-5 damage on a failure (1d-4 on a critical failure) seems more reasonable.

[AmesJainchill]

Originally Posted by mlangsdorf

High-Tech p 204 gives rules for crossing through barbed wire set us as concertina wire. But my usual experience with barbed wire is sets of single strands at the top of a chain link fence used to discourage climbing. For that kind of barbed wire, how do the rules on HT p204 and ATE2 p33 interact? Is it as simple as an extra DX-5 roll to avoid crying out and a slightly larger penalty on the Climbing roll?

The classic tactical use of barbed wire is to slow soldiers down and funnel them into kill zones for heavy machine guns or other emplaced weapons. Damage is secondary.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Andreas

1 point of damage per margin of failure seems way too harsh for such barbed wire. Remember that being stabbed with a large knife by a ST 10 person only does 1d-2 damage.

Something like 1d-5 damage on a failure (1d-4 on a critical failure) seems more reasonable.

Maybe for ultra harsh realism, even rolling 0 counts as broken skin for infection. Anyone with cats knows how easy it is to not even notice long superficial gashes.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Andreas

1 point of damage per margin of failure seems way too harsh for such barbed wire. Remember that being stabbed with a large knife by a ST 10 person only does 1d-2 damage.

Something like 1d-5 damage on a failure (1d-4 on a critical failure) seems more reasonable.

I statted them based on knowing someone who needed stitches all up one leg after getting caught in the top strand above the knee, falling, and having it rip all down his calf (in multiple places).

[(E)]

In an AtE setting, one thing to note is that the better condition the fence is in the easier it will be to climb. A half broken fence (provided it is still vertical) will be a lot harder to get past.

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I statted them based on knowing someone who needed stitches all up one leg after getting caught in the top strand above the knee, falling, and having it rip all down his calf (in multiple places).

That seems like a high damage critical failure. Lesser injuries are far more common than that. It is true that you can get even worse injuries than what you describe, but the most serious injuries are significantly more uncommon than rolling a 3 with three dices.

If you want the possibility of very serious injuries, increasing the damage of critical failures to 1d-2 cutting damage would allow for major wounds for people with 12 HP, though that might very well make serious injuries too common.

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Maybe for ultra harsh realism, even rolling 0 counts as broken skin for infection. Anyone with cats knows how easy it is to not even notice long superficial gashes.

That seems reasonable. At least if you don't have significant clothing to protect you.