Shield questions: Greaves, Feints

Gef · 12-07-2011, 05:38 PM

A) I've read that Greek hoplites wore their heaviest armor on their heads and shins, the latter because it was the area least protected by their large shields. How would you model that?

Tentatively, I can think of two ways:

A1) If a character has a large shield, then an attack aimed at the leg has a 4-in-6 chance of hitting the greave, rather than 3-in-6, with a correspondingly reduced chance to hit the upper leg, keeping knees the same because we'd like to stick with a single die.

A2) Treat the legs, much like the non-shield side, as an aree which potentially fails to derive benefit from a shield's defense bonus. Roll for which part of the leg is hit BEFORE rolling defense:
-------
1...Upper leg hit, any defense bonus counts
2...Also upper leg hit, but bonus from small shield does not apply
3...Knee hit, only the bonus from a large shield applies
4-6...Upper leg hit, no defense bonus counts
-------

B) I've also read that one of the main offensive uses of a shield was to hide the weapon hand, so that a foe wouldn't know if an attack were coming from above, below, or to the side, a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors. Apparently even small shields could be used thus. Again, I can think of two ways to model that:

B1) Not as a rule, but as an interpretation. Damage from a shield bonk is comparable to a punch, not much of a threat to a guy in armor, but you could still use Shield skill to "Feint" against him, imagining it as using the shield to hide the more threatening weapon. The problem with this interpretation is that you'd never use it if weapon Feint were higher than shield Feint, so maybe DB should give a bonus here.

B2) Wielding a shield halves the penalty for a Deceptive Attack with a different weapon, for a number of levels equal to shield DB. Frex, I have Broadsword skill 14 and a Medium Shield with DB 2, so I can take a two levels of Deceptive Attack for -1 each, giving me a net target of 12 to hit and imposing a -2 penalty to the other guy's block. I could take more levels of Deceptive Attack, but they wouldn't derive the benefit.

I kinda like the latter for game-mechanical elegance, but I've never fought with a weapon and shield, so I don't know if it feels right. What do you all think?

Thanks,

GEF

12-07-2011, 05:38 PM	#1
Gef Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Yucca Valley, CA	Shield questions: Greaves, Feints A) I've read that Greek hoplites wore their heaviest armor on their heads and shins, the latter because it was the area least protected by their large shields. How would you model that? Tentatively, I can think of two ways: A1) If a character has a large shield, then an attack aimed at the leg has a 4-in-6 chance of hitting the greave, rather than 3-in-6, with a correspondingly reduced chance to hit the upper leg, keeping knees the same because we'd like to stick with a single die. A2) Treat the legs, much like the non-shield side, as an aree which potentially fails to derive benefit from a shield's defense bonus. Roll for which part of the leg is hit BEFORE rolling defense: ------- 1...Upper leg hit, any defense bonus counts 2...Also upper leg hit, but bonus from small shield does not apply 3...Knee hit, only the bonus from a large shield applies 4-6...Upper leg hit, no defense bonus counts ------- B) I've also read that one of the main offensive uses of a shield was to hide the weapon hand, so that a foe wouldn't know if an attack were coming from above, below, or to the side, a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors. Apparently even small shields could be used thus. Again, I can think of two ways to model that: B1) Not as a rule, but as an interpretation. Damage from a shield bonk is comparable to a punch, not much of a threat to a guy in armor, but you could still use Shield skill to "Feint" against him, imagining it as using the shield to hide the more threatening weapon. The problem with this interpretation is that you'd never use it if weapon Feint were higher than shield Feint, so maybe DB should give a bonus here. B2) Wielding a shield halves the penalty for a Deceptive Attack with a different weapon, for a number of levels equal to shield DB. Frex, I have Broadsword skill 14 and a Medium Shield with DB 2, so I can take a two levels of Deceptive Attack for -1 each, giving me a net target of 12 to hit and imposing a -2 penalty to the other guy's block. I could take more levels of Deceptive Attack, but they wouldn't derive the benefit. I kinda like the latter for game-mechanical elegance, but I've never fought with a weapon and shield, so I don't know if it feels right. What do you all think? Thanks, GEF