Mass Combat: Failing Strategy Roll with a bigger Margin of Success than the Winner

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by hal

Back when there was only GURPS 3e, I used the concept that if your Fatigue was less than the strength required to utilize a weapon at full strength, the character suffered a penalty to hit. It helps explain why fresh troops used in battle were often better off than tired troops in battle. A Broadsword requiring a ST 10, wielded by someone with a ST 12, Fatigue 9, would suffer a -1 penalty to hit.

Having "fought*" when fresh, merely tired, and exhausted... I have to say that's an excellent house rule.

Consider it yoinked for my more realistic games.


* Sparing practice, the SCA, and LARPing. And yes, even using a "NERF" weapon can get tiring after four to five hours of near constant running and fighting.

[hal]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Having "fought*" when fresh, merely tired, and exhausted... I have to say that's an excellent house rule.

Consider it yoinked for my more realistic games.


* Sparing practice, the SCA, and LARPing. And yes, even using a "NERF" weapon can get tiring after four to five hours of near constant running and fighting.

The problem is - back when Fatigue was a function of ST rather than HT, it worked out reasonably well. Once GURPS 4e swapped hit points for Fatigue with the requisite Stats of ST/HT - the house rule no longer worked as elegantly.

GURPS never really bothered to directly connect fatigue loss with real life other than to say the following:

• 1 hour's walking/hiking unencumbered, will cost 1 fatigue
• a fight taking between 2 to 3 minutes costs 1 fatigue

If it is extra warm, then an additional -1 penalty is assessed per the original old rules.

So at what point in time for a GURPS Character, should a penalty come into play for their combat capabilities under the new rules?

I have to wonder too - does GURPS MASSED COMBAT even take into account the prospect of weary troops fighting fresh troops? One of the pivotal battles in English History surrounds the battle of Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Hastings. Poor King Harald's troops fought the one battle fresh, then had to march to the next site of battle, and fight after having little rest upon their arrival.

Clearly, troop fatigue levels do have bearing on combat, but I don't recall GURPS MASSED COMBAT having them (I could be wrong, so take that statement with a grain of salt!).

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by hal

The problem is - back when Fatigue was a function of ST rather than HT, it worked out reasonably well. Once GURPS 4e swapped hit points for Fatigue with the requisite Stats of ST/HT - the house rule no longer worked as elegantly.

GURPS never really bothered to directly connect fatigue loss with real life other than to say the following:

• 1 hour's walking/hiking unencumbered, will cost 1 fatigue
• a fight taking between 2 to 3 minutes costs 1 fatigue

If it is extra warm, then an additional -1 penalty is assessed per the original old rules.

So at what point in time for a GURPS Character, should a penalty come into play for their combat capabilities under the new rules?

I have to wonder too - does GURPS MASSED COMBAT even take into account the prospect of weary troops fighting fresh troops? One of the pivotal battles in English History surrounds the battle of Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Hastings. Poor King Harald's troops fought the one battle fresh, then had to march to the next site of battle, and fight after having little rest upon their arrival.

Clearly, troop fatigue levels do have bearing on combat, but I don't recall GURPS MASSED COMBAT having them (I could be wrong, so take that statement with a grain of salt!).

You need Douglas Cole's Pyramid Article, 'The Last Gasp'.