Alternate, 'simplified' combat in AM?

[Skarg]

Yeah, I started when I was maybe 5 to 7 years old, playing Chess and other board games with myself.

[afschell]

Stupid question, but is the "Quick Combat System" that much quicker? I admit that I have never used it, and that my TFT:ITL skills are very rusty, but after reading it, it looks like the only thing that is really missing is the option for HTH combat. Otherwise, it's the same number of dice rolls, just in a different order.

What am I missing?

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by afschell

Stupid question, but is the "Quick Combat System" that much quicker? I admit that I have never used it, and that my TFT:ITL skills are very rusty, but after reading it, it looks like the only thing that is really missing is the option for HTH. What am I missing?

The QCS is a simultaneous attack system (hence quicker), whereas the Standard Combat System is sequential attack system (hence less quick).

I would encourage everyone to give it a try, as reading it on paper (as you discovered) the difference appears to be negligible; but it practice it plays different, and that is where you should experience the difference - in practice.

JK

[Skarg]

It's not really faster for me, but it's missing the parts where:

* someone might let players take a long time figuring out where to move (matters less since it tosses out facing & engagement)

* the GM might have a hard time tracking who goes next (but they have to make sense of the "simultaneous" results)

* many rules from the full game don't exist, so you don't have to think about or resolve them (e.g. pole weapon charges, HTH, facing effects, terrain effects, injury reducing DX)

[afschell]

Originally Posted by Jim Kane

The QCS is a simultaneous attack system (hence quicker), whereas the Standard Combat System is sequential attack system (hence less quick).

Wouldn't making, for example, 10 dice rolls take the same amount of time whether they are made sequentially or not?

Not trying to be snarky here. I just think that X rolls take Y amount of time regardless of order.

Originally Posted by Skarg

* many rules from the full game don't exist, so you don't have to think about or resolve them (e.g. pole weapon charges, HTH, facing effects, terrain effects, injury reducing DX)

Now that I can see as speeding things up.

I'll guess I'll have to give QCS a shot to see.

[Jim Kane]

Originally Posted by afschell

I'll guess I'll have to give QCS a shot to see.

Exactly, one can ask for descriptions and explanations of rice wine all day long, but why not simply try the wine for yourself?

Then you will know how it tastes ;-)

JK

[afschell]

It almost looks like you could write a simulation program for it.

Something to think about on the train ...

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by afschell

Wouldn't making, for example, 10 dice rolls take the same amount of time whether they are made sequentially or not?

Not trying to be snarky here. I just think that X rolls take Y amount of time regardless of order.

The difference comes in not waiting for others to be resolved, and in targeting priority.

In other words, it's not the rolls that reduce the time, but the "everyone decide now, and jot it on the card," which makes the resolution go faster.

EG: A, B, C, and D are in a line abreast, facing W, X, Y, and Z. For simplicity sake, let's say their initiative is also alpha order.
In standard, B has the option of finishing off W or starting on X; in quick, he declares before A is adjudicated.

By ignoring engagement and facing, and by making all results simultaneous, the decision tree is usually simpler (in the above, as a GM, I'd have the NPC's each attack one PC, while smart PC's should gang up...A&B on W, C&D on Y... to kill them quick.)

In a standard, A would attack, THEN B makes his choice and resolves, then C, then D; the think times no longer overlap 100% for the shortest, and that slows things a bit. Especially if your intended target was just killed by your buddy.

[Skarg]

It seems to me that the part about not needing to think about movement very much in the QCS isn't actually true. There is no facing, but there is still ganging up and 2-hex pole weapon attacks and ranged attacks, and intervening characters now block all missile fire for an entire turn.

Winning initiative could be a big advantage as it lets the second-moving player probably do a lot to dictate who fights whom since there is not engagement.

The second-moving team's pole weapons and ranged attackers could potentially arrange to attack without being attacked back each turn. Etc.

[zot]

Originally Posted by afschell

Wouldn't making, for example, 10 dice rolls take the same amount of time whether they are made sequentially or not?

If 5 players make their rolls all at the same time, instead of waiting to resolve attacks one at a time, it would certainly go a LOT faster. About 5 times faster.