Heroic Combat: Iteration 1 Test Group Battle

Heroic Combat: Iteration 1 Test Group Battle

Let's continue testing the abstract combat system. This time, we will have a group-vs-group fight.

10 x Troglodyte Warrior

ST 12   HP 12    SM+0     Group HP 120

DX 12  BS 6     Dodge 10

HT 11  FP 11     

Move 6

DR 1*

Stone Axe (12): swing 2d-1(0.5) cutting, Reach 1.

Stone Javelin throw (14): thrust 1d(0.5) impaling, Acc 3, Range 18/30, Bulk -4.

8 x Ogre Tribesmen

ST 16   HP 16    SM+1     Group HP 128

DX 9    BS 5     Dodge 8

HT 11  FP 11     

Move 6

DR 2*

SM+1 Small Mace (10): swing 2d+2 crushing, Reach 1.

SM+1 Javelin throw (10): thrust 2d-1 impaling, Acc 3, Range 24/40, Bulk -4.

For this fight, let's assume that the starting encounter distance is 70 yards to show off scales that you rarely see in regular GURPS combat situations. Yes again, I will be choosing combat tactics randomly.

Round #1

10 x Troglodyte Warrior (HP 12/12, FP 11/11) - All-Out Defensive

8 x Ogre Tribesman (HP 16/16, FP 11/11) - All-Out Offensive

Initiative: T - 1; O - 2.

Starting Distance: 70 yards

The ogres go first and do what ogres do best - run at full speed towards the troglodytes and throw their javelins at them. The attack will happen at the end of the movement, when the distance between the combatants is 10 yards, and each ogre will throw one javelin, for 8 total.

    Ranged Attack: QC of Thrown Weapon (Spear) vs. faux-Dodge. The ogres roll against Thrown Weapon 23 (Thrown Weapon 10 - 3 short range + 14 for eight javelins + 2 group of ten) and get a 10. The troglodytes roll against Dodge 18 ("Dodge" 14 + 4 All-Out Defense) and get a 14. The ogres' margin of victory is 9, which means that three javelins hit. They roll 2d-1 three times and get 5, 7, 7. This translates to 8, 12, 12 injury - two troglodytes are down, and one is severely wounded.

Wait, no. This +2 per additional projectile clearly doesn't work and should be brought in line with multiple melee attacks. Imagine 50 archers firing at once! Let's retcon this.

    Ranged Attack: QC of Thrown Weapon (Spear) vs. faux-Dodge. The ogres roll against Thrown Weapon 7 (Thrown Weapon 10 - 3 short range) and get a 10. The troglodytes roll against Dodge 18 ("Dodge" 14 + 4 All-Out Defense) and get a 14. The ogres fail to hit anyone.

The troglodytes throw their own javelins, and then switch to axes. Ten javelins will be launched.

    Ranged Attack: QC of Thrown Weapon (Spear) vs. faux-Dodge. The troglodytes roll against Thrown Weapon 10 (Thrown Weapon 14 - 3 short range + 2 ratio + 1 SM - 4 All-Out Defensive) and get a 6. The ogres roll against Dodge 6 ("Dodge" 10 - 4 All-Out Offense) and get a 4. The troglodytes' margin of victory is 10, which means that two javelins hit. The troglodytes roll 2 and 6. Only one javelin managed to cause any injury, removing 4 HP from the ogre.

Let's roll 1d for fatigue. I got a 4, so no fatigue is applied.

Round #2

10 x Troglodyte Warrior (HP 12/12, FP 11/11) - All-Out Defensive

8 x Ogre Tribesman (HP 16/16, one at 12/16, FP 11/11) - Offensive

Initiative: T - 3; O - 5.

Starting Distance: 10 yards

The ogres go first again. They use a short action to take out their maces, move up to the troglodytes, and smash them with their maces.

    Melee Attack: QC of Axe/Mace vs "Dodge". The ogres roll against Axe/Mace-12 (Axe/Mace 10 + 2 Offensive) and get 13. The troglodytes roll against Dodge 18 ("Dodge" 14 + 4 All-Out Defense) and get a 8. No hits.

The troglodytes strike back.

    Melee Attack: QC of Axe/Mace vs "Dodge". The troglodytes roll against Axe/Mace-11 (Axe/Mace 12 - 4 All-Out Defense + 1 SM + 2 ratio) and get an 8. The ogres roll against Dodge 8 ("Dodge" 10 - 2 Offensive) and get a 3. No hits.

Let's roll 1d for fatigue. I got a 1, so everyone loses 1 FP.

Round #3

10 x Troglodyte Warrior (HP 12/12, FP 10/11) - Offensive

8 x Ogre Tribesman (HP 16/16, one at 12/16, FP 10/11) - Offensive

Initiative: T - 4; O - 1.

Starting Distance: 1 yard (locked in melee)

The troglodytes go first now and attack the ogres.

    Melee Attack: QC of Axe/Mace vs "Dodge". The troglodytes roll against Axe/Mace-17 (Axe/Mace 12 + 2 Offensive + 1 SM + 2 ratio) and get a 9. The ogres roll against Dodge 8 ("Dodge" 10 - 2 Offensive) and get a 16. Margin of victory is 16, which means that 5 hits are scored. Since there are ten attackers, we get a hit multiplier of x4, so twenty hits got scored. To avoid bogging things down, I will take the average result of 2d-1 (6) and multiply it by 20, getting 120 as the result. I subtract DR 4 * 20 from it and get 40 points of penetrating damage that translates into 60 points of total injury. This means that exactly four ogres perish (including the wounded one).

The ogres strike back.

    Melee Attack: QC of Axe/Mace vs "Dodge". The ogres roll against Axe/Mace-12 (Axe/Mace 10 + 2 Offensive) and get a 9. The troglodytes roll against Dodge 12 ("Dodge" 14 -2 Offensive) and get a 15. The margin of victory is 6, which means that two hits were scored. The hit multiplier is x2, so the actual number of hits is 4. Four roll is not too cumbersome, so I will roll 2d+2 four times instead of using the average and get 6, 8, 10, 9. This translates to 29 points of total injury. Thus, two troglodytes are smashed, and another one loses 5 HP.

It's time for morale for the ogres! They lost half their numbers, so the roll is at +2. I roll 3d+2 and get exactly 13, so the ogres flee. The troglodytes get another free attack, but its results do not really matter here.

Conclusion

Well, the rules for group ranged attacks have to be adjusted, but the rest of it seems to be working fine. Having low skill sure sucks, but offensive combat tactics can make things somewhat better. And I forgot HT rolls, damn it.