From:	Mark Steedman <M.J.Steedman@***.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject:	Re: the uac dilemma
Date:	Fri, 25 Jul 1997 11:34:57 GMT

Chris Maxfield writes

> At 16:43 23/07/97 GMT, Mark Steedman wrote:
> >Um but if firearms become involved?
>
> Yes. I see what you mean. It's not a problem of had to deal with yet. I'd
> probably allocate the initiative loser some dodge pool dice versus range
> attacks if he's in that waiting for refresh period.
>
> >I have been wondering, what about banning people from adding combat
> >pool to skills until they have had an action in combat?
>
> Same result. The Initiative loser puts all his combat pool into full
> defence when the initiative winner attacks and then on his action, when his
> pool refreshes, he gets to attack with all of his dice while the initiative
> winner has little or no dice left in his combat pool. Or do you mean the
> initiative loser can only attack with skill and no pool dice until his
> second action?
No. This version merely banned the slower erson from using combat
pool on thier skill untill their action so use they can still use
full defence. However the faster person will assuming equal skill now
have twice as many attack dice and will hit. If the defender (slow
character) has lots of armour compared to the attack (defnse TN <5)
then yes the first guy now gets creamed, if the defender needs 6's to
dodge however he gets hurt big time and TN penalties will more
than offset his dice advantage (unless he's a physical adept with
enhanced centring, but given what that costs thats fair/ pain
resistance / pain editor).

>
> >Therefore whoever wins the initative gets to add combat pool to the
> >attack while thier opponent does not. Ok the target may still use
> >full defence but. This avoids the problems affecting dice pool
>
> I'm starting to like this solution.
>
> >refresh timing causes if a third person decides to interfer in the
> >melee (especially if its with a gun). Assuming the guy that lost the
> >initiative isn't wearing so much armour that the attacks going to
> >bounce off, the person that wins should now get a big advantage as
> >theres no more 'well i'm going second so pour my pool into melee
> >combat at low TN because it will refresh before my action'.
>
> I agree that this means the initiative winner will be the only one having
> any chance of doing damage initially and is also protected from the
> initiative loser's pool refresh but I don't see this as a large advantage
> .... hang on, damn it, it is a big advantage. You know, I like this rule.
> I'm introducing it into my games.
I haven't tested this as the final refinement is recent and it would
be a house rule, see comments on full defence above.

>
> >Still not perfect. You could always simply ban combat poolmfrom being
> >used against attacks made using 'melee combat' until the person has
> >had an action, it's not as if they are difficult to identify as the
>
> No. If one side has combat pool and the other doesn't then the initiative
> winner is almost always guaranteed to win the combat. He just has to high a
> net advantage in dice. And he only needs it for the first strike to be
> successful and then it's all down hill for his opponent.
Very true. However unless the faster guy is a lot better or delays
till his opponents action the present SR system goes.

guy 1 attacks
target blocks parries etc with full pool
if guy 1 used his pool not a lot happens, if he didn't he get
riposted and hurt.

the slower combatent now goes again full attack, the fast guy being
either hurt or low on dice gets totally creamed unless he is either a
lot better or has enough armour plus body to shrug off the slower
guys attacks.

As SR2 stands you wait for he other to attack and cream him when he
gives you an oppening (realistic, but it fails to reward the higher
intiative guy doing a fient to draw out his opponent and then using
speed to cream him when he uses a fake oppening)
This idea gives the faster person that huge advantage.

From everything i have heard niether is realistic but given te SR
combat system if the faster person uses a feint (not covered by SR)
the outcome at least rewards speed.

it would now go.

Fast person throws a feint.
slow guy tries to take advantage
fast guy uses the oppening offered and creams Mr slow.

Rules wise though all three of the above now happen at Mr fasts first
action.

Comments

>
> >'cannot use combat pool on both the skill roll and dodge' rule
> >already uses this identifier to track it's applicability.
>
> Which rule is this. Do you mean that in full defence you cannot use any
> combat pool dice in the skill test but only in the defence test?
Thats the one, or nearly.
'You cannot spend pool dice on both the attack test and the damage
resistance test at the same time'
You could spend some to hit A with your sword and some to dodge B's
knife but not some to parry C's axe AND some to roll with the blow
when you don't quite manage to parry.

[terms used for description of real event rather than game mechanics
here]

Mark