combat

Here's a minor, yet-untested melee idea that came up during chatter over some GURPS combat scenarios:

Closing a distance gap to attack gives the defender more time to react than starting out close enough to strike. Game that with this simple rule:

• If the attacker needs to Step or Move to get within striking Reach, the defender gains +2 on Active Defense.
• If the attacker begins his turn within striking Reach (even if he chooses to Step or Move anyway), there is no mod to Active Defense.
• If the attacker begins his turn and strikes in close combat, the defender takes -2 on Active Defense. 

The first case represents having to first move to get within striking distance, handing the defender extra time (as well as an extra, clearly visible indicator that the attack is coming). 

The second case above is the default combat norm: You're already within range to strike, and you do so. Nothing special going on.

The third case helps model the "roaring and punching" aspect of close-combat free-for-all. Attacks come from so close, and thus come so fast, that it's hard to defend against them (or even see them coming in the first place).

All extremely simple to play out when using a hex map. How will it change combat? I expect the following: Read more...

FEND is an experimental look at using full Skill level for GURPS defenses, like any other use of a skill, instead of the game's Skill/2 mechanic. The update isn't a massive overhaul, but now includes notes for use with GURPS 4e as well as 3e.

There are no doubt some 4e-specific considerations left unconsidered. What's good, incomplete, or just plain broken in there? Please take a look and suggest improvements. 

http://www.gamesdiner.com/fend

You'd never point a gun at your own face, right? Well, with some guns, you have to.

I was perusing some of the fun stuff over at MyArmoury, and found this nifty page of wacky historical combined weapons. Guns with axe heads. Daggers with spring-loaded blade-catchers. Weapons that sprout... more weapons.

And pictured here: fancy-schmancy eating utensils with built-in flintlock pistols. Critical miss on your dinner roll. Take 3d damage. (Unless, that is, the barrels point away from the eating end; it's hard to tell from the pic. If that's the case, your dinner date eats the damage instead. It's the Quicker Breaker-Upper! [tm])

It looks like James Bond and Q would have fit in just fine a few centuries earlier. Hmm, I haven't kept up to date on recent GURPS books; anyone know whether the system has tackled the mixture of muskets and melee weapons?

Here's some further musing on a SJG GURPS Forum post I just made. The question: How to keep "challenge level" right for PCs going into combat – not so easy as to be dull, but not so deadly as to litter the cave with PC corpses?

The question was posed by a D&D player just starting to GM GURPS, which makes it a particularly good one for him to ask; GURPS combat can be much deadlier than D&D players might expect, leading to that cave-floor litter. But it's a good question for any GM to ask, new or experienced, whether changing game systems or not. Read more...