Age Of Dragons: Skirmish Combat

From RPGnet
Revision as of 09:01, 17 December 2008 by Asklepios (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search

Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Combat and Conflict-->Skirmish Combat

Overview of Skirmish Combat

Skirmish Combat is the default combat system for Age of Dragons and provides the core for the other conflict systems. Players and GMs should at least be familiar with the combat systems in Skirmish Combat, and likely with one or two small encounters or practice fights will master it very quickly!

Skirmish Combat is used for physical confrontation, between two or more combatants. Combatants can be flying or non-flying in skirmish combat, and will manoeuvre around each other to engage optimally before blasting with ranged attacks or tearing in with tooth and claw in melee range.


The Passage of Time: Phases and Rounds

While in ordinary roleplaying the passage of time is purely descriptive, convention usually dictates that combat itself is broken into rounds that represent fixed units of time. Age of Dragons uses combat rounds.

During each Round, each character will have a Turn. During that turn the character rolls dice, and then resolves actions and effects based on that roll.

Once every character has had a turn, the round is over, and a new round begins.

Initiative: Action Order

Each round, you need to determine the Initiative Order of the combatants to see who gets first turn. Simply put, the faster a combatant is, the faster they act.

Initiative order is determined by the situation and by the GM. In almost any combat, the fight will starts when one or more characters makes an attack. The attacking or active characters go first, then the other characters involved act. The initiative order determined in the first round will then be used for the rest of the combat.

In some unusual circumstances its not clear who should go first. For example, if in the midst of a hundred dragon sky battle, two enemies find their paths cross, both will seek to open with an attack, and in this case it becomes important to know who gets the jump on the other.

This is best resolved with a competed roll, with the roll depending on situation, but typically a Soma vs Soma roll with the most 4+ dice expended winning. For example, if fighting beneath the canopy of the Heart Forest, and flightpaths are about to cross, the test could be one of aerboatics to get the right position to attack first, and be based on Soma. A GM could call for a different sphere to be tested instead: For example, if a dragons emerge from a cloudbank to see his enemy in front of him, the test could be one of reaction speed, and be based on Sophis.

If the result of the competed test is drawn, the GM can either rule that the character that is the better fighter goes first, or ask for a reroll.

Regardless, rolls to determine initiative are not counted as actions, and the dice pools from them cannot be used to perform actions.

The Turn: Overview

During a character's turn he goes through the following steps:

1) Determine and Roll Dice Pool 2) Reroll Step 3) Spotting Step 4) Expend Step


(rewriting system below this line)

Tactical Positioning: Altitude and Distance

First, you need to know where the combatants are. Age of Dragons does not use miniatures or a battle-grid, so a descriptive system is used.


Stationary "Landmarks"

Landmarks are points of reference described by the GM in the set-up for the skirmish. An example landmark might be a mountain plateau, a cave entrance or the battlements of a castle. The GM should describe how far the Landmarks are from each other, using the descriptive Distance terms below. The rules denote any area not containing a Landmark as "Open Sky" or Open Ground.


Distance

Distance describes how far apart any combatant is, either from landmark or another combatant.

  • Zero Range indicates that the two objects have no space between them, for example when two dragons are locked in a deadly grapple.
  • Close quarters indicates that the dividing distance is small enough for melee combat can be engaged in. This can be anything from a yard to ten yards.
  • Middle distance indicates that you are close enough to trade insults and fling ranged attacks, but not close enough to engage in melee. A longbowman could cover this distance, but a man throwing knives could not. Firebreathing can engage at middle distance.
  • Long distance indicates that you can strike an enemy only with the longest ranged attacks, for example with war engines. It will still take some time to close with the enemy from this distance.
  • Disengaged indicates that you aren't really in combat with that target at all, and at best are an observer on the horizon. If combatants have all disengaged with each other, its time to put the Skirmish rules to one side and return to ordinary combat.

Altitude

During a battle, a dragon can be at various altitudes:

  • Grounded - A grounded dragon is one that is on the ground, usually because he has chosen to land. This is the default altitude for non-flying troops, of course.
  • Strafing low - This indicates that the dragon is sweeping low enough to swipe and bite at enemies on the ground, generally below the altitude of any trees or ground obstacles.
  • Normal altitude - This is the height at which dragons usually fly, high enough to be out of melee range from a target, but low enough that he can employ dragonsbreath and other ranged attacks. Conversely troops on the ground with decent missile weapons (such as longbows) can attack him as well.
  • Flying High - This indicates that the dragon is far above the ground, so much so that even the most talented archer cannot hit him and even his most potent dragonbreath will not strike those on the ground. Dragons will normally make long distance flights as this altitude.
  • Ceiling altitude - The dragon is flying as high as he can, where the air is thinner and he can even dive in and out of clouds. A dragon will normally use this height for a tactical advantage in aerial combat, as being higher gives him a better view of the aerial battlefield. This isn't a suitable height for long distance flying though, as the thin air makes flight more strenuous than at lower altitudes.

Another way of representing altitudes is numerically, with steps equivalent to 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3.

Ranged attacks can generally go no further than 1 point of altitude difference, up or down. Note that because "Grounded", "Strafing Low" and "Standard Altitude" are designated 0, 0.5 and 1 Altitude respectively, it is possible to make a ranged attack from standard altitude to grounded, and vice versa.


Manoeuvres

During the Tactical Movement phase, a flying dragon can move one distance step, and also one altitude step. This is termed "standard aerial movement".

A flying dragon can also opt to make a "full aerial move". This allows him to move one additional distance step AND one additional altitude step, but he may take no other action this turn.

A grounded dragon, or any other non-flying combatant, cannot usually move at all with standard movement, in tactical terms. Though he might cover a dozen yards in the space of a round, this is not enough to change his effective tactical position. If he wishes he can make a "full ground move", in which case he can move a single distance step, but may take no other action for the rest of the round.

Exceptions are made for particularly fast ground troops, like cavalry, which can move a single distance step, but of course cannot change altitude.

Finally, it is possible to be "locked" in combat. Usually this will be because you are in close combat, and being grappled at zero range. In this case, you cannot make tactical movement until you cease to be locked (for example by breaking out of a grapple).


Phase Two: The Battle Phase

Defence is Optional

Against any attack, any character can opt to voluntarily reduce his defence to zero.


Melee Attacks

Melee attacks can only be made against enemies at close quarters and who are at the same altitude.

Making a melee attack is a Soma check.

The TN of this check is equal to the target's Physical Defence.

If the attacker's test result is higher than the defender's physical defence, then a melee hit is scored.

Damage dealt is equal to the test result, minus the physical defence.

For example, if an attacker scores 20 on his attack roll against a physical defence of 15, then he deals 5 points of damage.

Damage is dealt to the target's Physical Resilience.


Ranged Attacks

A ranged attack can be made from middle distance or closer, and from up to 1 altitude step of difference.

A ranged attack is made exactly as a melee attack is, except that different combat techniques will be applicable. Also, making a ranged attack requires the Dragon to have a ranged weapon of some sort, or a ranged spell.


Special Attacks

Dragons can make Special Attacks when they are trying to attack in a way other than to just hit and damage the opponent.

Most special attacks add to the TN of an attack roll, usually in multiples of +3.

Some examples of special melee attacks are given here:


Grappling

Grappling is a special melee attack at +3 TN.

Like an ordinary melee attack, it can only be made against enemies at close quarters, who are at the same altitude.

If you hit with a grapple attack, you deal no damage but the range between you and your target is instantly reduced to Zero Range. This takes place outside of the usual sequence for tactical movement. A grapple attack deals no damage.

Also, both the attacker and the target become locked.

A locked combatant is limited in his movement (see Tactical Movement above) and will likely be unable to fly properly and may crash (see Falling from the Sky below).

Locked dragons can still make melee attacks as normal, though only against combatants that they are grappling with. Dragons outside the grapple can attack locked dragons as normal. Any area effect attacks that attack a locked combatant automatically target both locked combatants.


Breaking out of a Grapple

Breaking Out of a Grapple is a special melee attack at +3 TN.

You can only attempt ot break out of a grapple when you have been locked by a grapple.

This is treated in the same way as a melee "attack" (Soma test vs. Physical Defence).

If you "hit" with this attack deal no damage, but increase the range between you and your target to Close Quarters. This takes place outside of the usual sequence for tactical movement. Breaking out of a grapple also means that you cease to be locked.

If multiple combatants are in the same grapple, then the "break out" attack is defended against by each and every enemy combatant in the grapple, and the test result compared to each defending grappler's Physical Defence separately. Only those that are "hit" by the break out attack are removed from the grapple, with the range for those combatants increased to close quarters from the grapple. If the active "breaking out" combatant doesn't beat all his grapplers, then he still remains locked himself.

This is important, as it means that if you are trying to break out of a grapple from multiple enemies, it is possible you will shake off some but not all of your grapplers.

Don't forget that a combatant may always opt to not defend against any attack, including breaking out of a grapple.


Called Shot

A Called Shot is a special melee attack at +3, +6 or +9 TN.

A Called Shot represents going for a particular injury on the target. Aiming for a a wing or the torso is at +3 TN. Aiming for limbs or the tail is at +6 TN. Aiming for the neck or head is at +9 TN.

The main advantage of making a Called Shot is to bypass armour or special defences by targeting an area of the body that doesn't have these defences. Additionally, a successful (damage dealing) called shot on certain locations has additional special effects.

Wing (+3 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the target's wing - the target can no longer fly. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip out the target's wing - not only can he not fly, but the damage cannot be healed naturally.

Torso (+3 TN) - No additional special effect.

Limb (+6 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the target forelimb or hindlimb - the target can no longer attack with this claw or with any weapon on this limb. If all limbs are injured in this way, the target can no longer make claw attacks at all. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's limb - in addition to suffering the above effect, the damage cannot be healed naturally and the targets ground mobility is diminished.

Tail (+6 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the tail - the target can no longer attack with his tail or with any weapon on his tail. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's tail - in addition to suffering the above effect, the damage cannot be healed naturally.

Neck (+9 TN) - A damaging attack against this location does +9 damage. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's head and kill him instantly. This is a favourite "finishing move" amongst duelling dragons.

Head (+9 TN) - A damaging attack against this location does +6 damage. If you hit, and roll one or more "sixes", the target is stunned and each round for the rest of the encounter the target has a 1 in 3 chance of not being able to act that round. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you demolish the target's head and kill him instantly.


Non-Claw Attack

A Non-claw Attack is a special melee attack at +3 or -3 TN.

It is assumed that in melee battle a Dragon normally uses his forelimb and hindlimb claws. This represents the standard melee attack.

At +3 TN a Dragon can opt to bite instead. A bite attack adds +6 to damage if it hits.

At -3 TN a Dragon can opt to slash with his wings or his tail. A wing or tail attack deals -6 damage if it hits.

A Dragon can also use weapons. The effects of using weapons are described in the WEAPONS chapter.

Non-claw attacks can be combined with called shots. For example, a bite attack to the neck would be at +12 TN (but would deal +15 damage if it were to hit).


Non-attack Battle Actions

In addition to making the above actions, the Battle Phase can be used to take other actions, so long as they are not related to tactical movement.

What these actions are will depend on circumstance - for example, a dragon might spend a Battle Action trying to smash in a castle gate, or to try to intimidate the soldiers below into fleeing.

Many Lifepaths will offer additional actions that can be taken in battle, for example casting spells or employing draconic powers. These are generally activated as Non-attack Battle Actions.


Damage and Health states

A dragon who hits his target with a damaging attack (e.g. a claw-strike or a bite) directly deducts damage inflicted from the target's Physical Resilience.

If this reduces the targets Physical Resilience to 0 or less, the target is considered to be dying.

A dying character cannot act in combat, and cannot defend himself (his Physical Defence counts as 0). He cannot fly, and will fall from the sky (see below) if airborne.

Also, a dying character must make a Soma check at the start of each of his rounds. This is called a "Death Check" and has a TN equal to the number of points below 0 his Physical Resilience has been reduced to. For example, if his Physical Resilience has been reduced to -10, then the TN is 10.

If he passes the death check, then he survives this round. Dragons who pass their death checks also automatically heal 1 point of Physical Resilience.

If he fails the death check, then his injuries have overcome him - he is dead.


Phase Three: The End Phase



Once each combatant has acted for the round, the GM runs through end-of-round effects. These are mostly triggered by various special effects and resolved on an ad hoc basis, but might include the following:

Falling out of the Sky

After all combatants have taken their actions, aerial combatants that are unable to fly properly will start to "fall out of the sky". There are three circumstances when this will usually occur:

  • The combatant is locked.
  • The combatant is dying
  • The combatant has lost the ability to fly - e.g. from a wing injury.
  • The combatant chooses to fall.

The fourth option is avaialable to any and all aerial combatants, and can be a good way to change altitude without having to use tactical movement.

Falling dragons lose 1 level of altitude, for example moving from ceiling altitude to flying high.

A dragon who is reduced to grounded altitude in this way is deemed to have made a forced landing, and immediately receives XD6 damage to his Physical Resilience, where X is the number of rounds (including this one) that he has been falling. His Physical Defence does not apply against this damage. On particularly hard or dangerous ground a GM could deem that the injury is greater (for example, +1D6 for bare rock, +2D6 for jagged sharp rocks, and +3D6 for a sharpened steel spikes).


Retrieved from "https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php?title=Age_Of_Dragons:_Skirmish_Combat&oldid=97477"