Munchkiny starting characters
 

Here's the team I'm charging through Death Test with

Able & Baker
ST 9 DX 12(10) IQ 11 MA 12(10)
Javelin(1d)x2, Small shield(2), Leather armor(2)
Pole weapons(2), Weapon Expertise-Javelin(3), Shield(1), Shield Expertise(2), Running(2),Brawling(1)

Charlie & Delta
ST 12 DX 11 IQ 9 MA 10
Broadsword(2d), Lt Crossbow(2d), 60 Quarrels, Small shield(1), Dagger(1d-1)
Sword(2), Crossbow(1), Missile Weapons(3), Shield(1), Toughness(2)

Plan is for Able & Baker to half move up to engage, then defend leaving the hostiles with a 5d roll at -2 to hit them.

In the meantime Charlie & Delta drop prone to shoot out Quarrels at adjDX 15.

I think I'll house rule that Weapon Expertise requires adjDX 12, but removing the armor will only make this ploy more effective.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

What this points to, to my sensibilities, is:

1) Engagement should not be a tractor beam. People should be able to ignore engagement but suffer an attack, if they choose. House rules required to get it right without enabling annoying tactics.

2) Starting characters should not be allowed to be Experts or Masters or high-level Unarmed Combat talent users. Probably not Missile Weapons experts, either. Maybe not even start with Toughness. Those talents should be things that actually require a lot of experience or advanced training to learn, and so characters should need to either acquire those through serious significant experience/training during play, or only be available to starting characters who are supposed to already be extremely experienced.

3) The new Expert/Master talents might need some more playtesting, balancing, and/or player/GM understanding about what they represent and what it takes/means to acquire it (q.v. point 1 above).

If you want to test some competent counter-tactics as you play Death Test, however, try:

* use cover terrain and the javelineers to deny LOF to the crossbows if/when possible, and/or dodge.

* having the people facing the javelineers attempt HTH (they may have higher than MA 8, so can do it from the front).

* use one or two figures to engage the javelineers, but have the others hold back and dodge enough to avoid engagement, then move past to engage the prone crossbowmen.

The basic tactic is sound, though, and Death Test is beatable fairly reliably with good tactics.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

* At adjDX 15 I have no problems with roll to miss.
* Yeah, current MA 10 is way too slow. Will go with MA 14
* The bolts strike first for anybody in robes, with a bow or staff or holding back. Whom so ever is engaged isn't going to do anything anytime soon.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

RAW do not allow a figure that starts disengaged to defend, so Abel & Baker will have to take hits.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

Then move one hex while disengaged then change option to defend when their turn to act comes.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

Engagement is not a tractor beam; the foes of Abel and Baker can take the disengage option, and if they win initiative on the following turn they will be free to move as they wish.

These are some craftily created characters, but I don't see a problem. They will be effective in certain ways and situations, but they are not bullet proof. They can be attacked with missile weapons, flanked and so forth. The 'engage and defend' option is solid, but you can't engage everyone in the world at once; if you face three or more foes, at least one will find a way to break free. If you face large foes they can't be engaged by a single 1-hex figure. Basically, I'm sure you have a solid starting place here, but if the opponents are played smart you will have some fights on your hands. One of the biggest problems with playing solo TFT adventures is forcing yourself to play the foes as you should. A combatant that makes poor choices has little chance of winning in this system.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

RAW Defend is only available as an option for figures that are engaged when their turn for movement occurs.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

In the current RAW, "engage and defend" doesn't work.
If you engage the enemy, they can defend but you cannot. If the enemy chooses to avoid engaging the javelins in order to focus on the crossbows, then again javelins can't defend.
Only if the enemy first engages the javelins are the javelins able to defend.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

If Able and Baker had spears, then either the enemy engages them and A&B defend, or enermy declines engagement and A&B jab. Note the enemy are unable to defend against these jabs.
Not as cool as the original, but works within RAW.

Re: Munchkiny starting characters
 

Which makes it clear that either SJ meant to write "act" rather than "move" on that line, or that the new rules don't make any intuitive sense.


Which is another reason why SJ must have meant "act" not "move", because that also makes no sense. It's also a flawed analysis of the situation even if playing by the bizarre-o literal RAW reading, because the options depend on the actual sequence and hex positions. Hcobb's strategy is about abusing the 5-die Defend option while shooting every turn with crossbows, which he can't do if he reduces IQ to get ST for spears, and the foes should be trying to get around the javelins to get to the prone crossbowmen, rather than engaging the javelineers.