Changing combat time to more than 1 second/turn

[Pahn]

Has anybody thought about this? I just can't see a round of combat happening in one second, every second. Saying practically anything more than one or two words should take multiple turns. Unfortunately, this would change virtually everything in combat.

[Gollum]

This has been discussed over and over in the past. To find the threads, go in the "Search" section and type "combat turn length" or anything like that...

The main problem with longer combat turns, in my humble opinion, is that you can do several actions in one turn. Then you have to handle in what order these actions are supposed to take place, who act before who exactly, can a foe attack you during your turn (he realistically has time to do it), etc. Which eventually gives rules like opportunity attacks in D&D (which are hard to understand) or more abstract combat in the BRP system (in which you don't decide what you do and roll but roll and then decide what you exactly do depending on the result of the dice).

A very short turn may sound to slow things (players have to detail each one of their action: turn 2, I draw my gun; turn 2, I brace it; turn 3, I aim...), but they really simplify things: the character can only do one action and, so, its much more easy to know what occurs before what.

[Anthony]

People have thought about it more than once, but it's a big job to do well, and you'll run into massive arguments about what's 'realistic' in the first place.

[Gollum]

I made a quick research and here are some thread about this topic.

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...at+turn+length

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...at+turn+length

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...at+turn+length

[scc]

I think I've read that there are official rules for this, for settings/genre's that need multiple actions under the normal rules to set things up, they have multi second turns to simplify things. I think I read that either Martial Arts or Action have them

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Pahn

Has anybody thought about this? I just can't see a round of combat happening in one second, every second. Saying practically anything more than one or two words should take multiple turns. Unfortunately, this would change virtually everything in combat.

Part of the problem is there is so much already ties into the quick 1 second exchange, that you have to work out if you change it.

Stuff like Initiative, defences, waits, ROF, U weapons and ready actions. (some are easier to deal with than other though)

I think an easier way to go about this is decide what you don't want to happen on 1 second rate and amend that directly.

So what don't you like on a second by second count?

[gilbertocarlos]

If you think GURPS 1 second turn is too fast, play as usual, but say that every turn is 2 seconds. With an important note:

NO EXTRA ACTIONS

So, you can still shot only 10 rounds with your assault rifle, the extra time is wasted aiming and absorving recoil.
You can still only walk 1y and attack with your sword, the extra time is positioning and preparation.
You still waste 2 turns to prepare your bow, fast archers just always succeed at fast draw and can shoot 15 arrows/minute.

[Gollum]

Originally Posted by gilbertocarlos

If you think GURPS 1 second turn is too fast, play as usual, but say that every turn is 2 seconds. With an important note:

NO EXTRA ACTIONS

The only problem with that house rule is movements. Someone with move 5 is supposed to be able to run 10 yards in a 2 second turn. But this problem can be solved very easily: just multiply movement rates by 2.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Pahn

Has anybody thought about this? I just can't see a round of combat happening in one second, every second. Saying practically anything more than one or two words should take multiple turns. Unfortunately, this would change virtually everything in combat.

Movement is gonna become weird, if average Human characters are still limited to a very few 1-yard hexes per 2 seconds, or per 3 or 4 or 5 or even 6 seconds. Or 10!

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by Gollum

The only problem with that house rule is movements. Someone with move 5 is supposed to be able to run 10 yards in a 2 second turn. But this problem can be solved very easily: just multiply movement rates by 2.

Or 2y wide hexes.