Combat

Combat is an essential part of most fantasy. It is a way of solving certain problems in many fantasy books and films. It gives the possibility to play out the valiant knight or the barbarian gladiator.

Melee Combat

Weapons are divided into 6 categories; unarmed (boxing, karate and the like), knives, one-handed weapons, two-handed weapons, polearms and shields. Dodging is an additional defensive skill.

The offensive and defensive modifiers along with the other weapon specifications are shown in the melee weapons table.

In combat a character will have an offensive value and a defensive value. The offensive value is for hitting the opponent and the defensive value is for avoiding getting hit by opponents.

The offensive value with a weapon is: the skill value + the offensive modifier. This total is noted on the character sheet under off.

The defensive value with a weapon is: the skill value + the defensive modifier. This total is noted on the character sheet under def.

Melee Weapons

Weapon	Type	Strength	Damage	Off. Mod.	Def. Mod.	Hit Points
Bastard sword 1H	1 Handed	5	-1	0	0	12
Bastard sword 2H	2 Handed	4	0	0	+1	12
Battle axe 1H	1 Handed	9	1	-1	-1	8
Battle axe 2H	2 Handed	5	2	-1	0	8
Broad axe	1 Handed	5	0	-1	-2	8
Buckler	Shield	2	N/A	N/A	0	8
Club	1 Handed	4	-2	-1	-2	8
Dodge	Dodge	0	N/A	N/A	-2	N/A
Great axe	2 Handed	7	3	0	+1	8
Great sword	2 Handed	6	1	0	+1	13
Halberd	Polearm	7	2	0	+2	7
Hatchet	1 Handed	3	-1	-2	-3	8
Heavy mace 1H	1 Handed	6	-1	0	-1	8
Heavy mace 2H	2 Handed	4	0	0	0	8
Hercules club	2 Handed	6	2	0	+1	10
Kite shield	Shield	6	N/A	N/A	+3	12
Knife	Knife	1	-2	-2	-3	8
Light mace	1 Handed	3	-2	-1	-2	8
Longsword	1 Handed	4	-1	0	0	12
Rapier	1 Handed	2	-2	0	-1	7
Round shield	Shield	4	N/A	N/A	+2	10
Short sword	1 Handed	2	-2	-1	-1	12
Spear 1H	1 Handed	4	-2	-1	-4	7
Spear 2H	Polearm	4	-1	0	+2	7
Staff	Polearm	3	-2	0	+2	7
Unarmed	Unarmed	0	-4	-2	-4	N/A

Insufficient Strength

If you have less strength than required for the weapon you are using, the modifiers are as follows: 1 less = -1, 2 less = -3, 3 less = -5. If your strength is more than 3 below the strength requirement you cannot use the weapon.

Using a Weapon in Your Off Hand

If you are using a weapon other than a shield in your off hand you get -3, and the strength requirement is increased by 2.

New Weapons

If a character picks up a weapon he has not had any experience with, he will use his weapon skill of choice with the following modifiers: “same weapon” = -1, same category = -3, other category = -5.

Secondary Weapons

If a character is fighting with more than one weapon, 1 is added to his offensive and/or defensive value per extra weapon. Unarmed does not count as an extra weapon. Dodge gives + 1 in defensive value per full 5 in skill. Training and experience count towards both weapon skills when you fight with a weapon combination. But you increase separately in each weapon skill.

Dodging

Sometimes it is better to dodge than to parry, this depends upon your skills, your and your opponent’s weapons and other circumstances.

Armor

The armor table gives the armor points and the move quietly penalty. The values listed are for full suits of armor. When wearing partial or mixed armor, the values are adjusted according to how much is covered, i.e. half a suit of ringed mail gives 1 armor point. The AP is subtracted from the damage before it is applied to the BP.

Armor

Armor	AP	Move Quietly
Heavy cloth	1	-2
Leather armor	1	-1
Leather scale	2	-3
Ringed mail	2	-1
Cuir-boullie	2	-2
Cuir-boullie	3*	-2
Chain mail	4*	-4
Metal scale	5*	-6

*Includes padding

Helmets

Helmets	AP	Awareness
Leather hood	1	-1
Chain hood	2*	-1
Open helmet	3*	-2
Cask	4*	-5

*Includes padding

Combat Rounds

A combat round lasts for 6 seconds and consists of many “attacks.” Each opponent normally gets but one attack roll each round. Attacks are resolved in the following sequence:

Combat Rounds

Second	Action
1	Prepared missiles / Innate magick
2	Polearms / Long weapons (great sword, hercules club, great axe, spears and better)
3	Normal weapons (heavy mace, swords, axes, etc.)
4	Short weapons (short sword, knife, hatchet, light mace, etc.)
5	Unarmed
6	Missiles/Magick

In the same second, the attacker with the highest awareness attacks first. A character defends as many times as there are attacks against him. A character who is fighting may not do anything else that round except move.

At the beginning of each round each PC states what he is going to do that round, with the PC with the lowest awareness going first, then the PC with the second lowest awareness, etc. If someone changes his mind during the round, he gets a minus equal to the number of seconds into the round he changed his mind.

Movement in Combat

If you move while fighting, your offensive and defensive values are penalized as described in the table below. If you want to enter a combat without penalties for moving, it costs you an extra second. The move for humans is 12 m per round (2 m per round in water). If you move into a combat during a round, you add the number of seconds you move to the second you would normally attack to get the actual second you attack. If this exceeds 6, you do not get an attack that round.

Movement in Combat

Movement	Move	Off.	Def.
Run	x2	-10	-5
Move	x1	-5	-2
Move & Fight	x 1/2	-3	-1
Move in Melee	x 1/4	-1	-1
Disengage		-5	-5

The Attack

To see if an attack is successful, roll the dice and add the offensive value. The opponent rolls a dice and adds his defensive value. If the attack is greater than this, a hit is scored.

Damage

The damage equals the damage of the weapon plus the character’s damage bonus. Whenever a hit is scored, roll a dice and add the damage. Subtract any armor points. The result is how much damage you do to your opponent’s BP. Whenever you are damaged, you are stunned and have to subtract 2 from your rolls for the rest of the round.

Extra Damage

If your attack is at least 5 above your opponent’s parry, the damage is doubled. If it is at least 10 above the parry, the damage is tripled, etc. This multiplication is done after subtracting armor. If the damage to multiply is less than 1, add 1 to the damage instead of double damage, add 2 instead of triple damage, etc.

Fighting Several Opponents

If you fight more than one opponent, the illustration below shows how much you subtract from your offensive and defensive against each opponent depending on where each is standing relative to the direction you are facing (0).

Fighting Offensively

If you attack like a berserker without much thought for your own safety, you get +3 in offensive value and -5 in defensive.

Fighting Defensively

If you mainly try to defend yourself, you get +3 in defensive value and -5 in offensive.

Attacking Earlier

You can attack earlier in the round by subtracting 1 from your offensive value for that attack per second earlier you want to attack.

More Than One Attack

You can get more than one attack roll during a combat round by subtracting 5 from your offensive value that round per extra attack. Attack number two takes place in second 6, attack number three in second 5, etc. You may not attack more than once during the same second.

Target not Defending

If the target is not defending itself, the attack is rolled against a defensive value of -5.

Special Adjustments

On the melee adjustments table you will find adjustments for several situations.

Melee Adjustments

O/D	Condition
-3/-3	Down on knee
-5/-5	Down
0/-5	Partially unaware
-3/-3	Stunned (wounded)
-2/-2	Slippery ground
0/-2	Unable to move backwards
-1/-2	Twillight / torchlight
-2/-4	Moonlight (full moon)
-3/-6	Starlight
-5/-10	Darkness
+10	Target unaware
+20	Non-moving target

Artificial light sources all have a “radius.” Within this radius the penalties due to light conditions are as for torchlight. Up to 2 times this radius the light is equivalent to moonlight. Up to 4 times the radius the light is equivalent to starlight. A candle has a radius of 1 m, a torch has a radius of 5 m and a lantern has a radius of 7 m. The GM has to use his discretion if there are more than 1 light source.

Missile Combat

For specifications on missile weapons, see the missile weapons table.

The difficulty rating for hitting something up to half the normal range of the weapon is 5.

The DR up to the normal range of the weapon is 10.

Up to twice the normal range of the weapon, the DR is 15.

At maximum range the DR is 20.

When checking for a successful attack, roll the dice and add the skill, the size of the target and any adjustments for a total above the difficulty rating.

Missile Weapons

Weapon	Strength	Damage	Modifier	Range	Max Range	@
Bow (light)	2	1	0	30	130	1
Bow (medium)	4	2	0	35	160	1
Bow (heavy)	6	3	0	40	190	1
Bow (very heavy)	10	5	0	50	240	1
Bow (giant’s)	15	7	0	60	300	1
Crossbow (light)	2	2	+2	20	100	1/3
Crossbow (medium)	3	3	+2	25	175	1/4
Crossbow (heavy)	4	4	+2	30	250	1/5
Javelin	3	0	-2	20	40*	1
Rock		-3	-2	15	40*	2
Sling	2	-1	-3	40	120	1
Throwing knife	1	-2	-1	15	25*	2

* When strength + coordination equals 10.
@ How many missiles you can throw or shoot per round.

Missile Adjustment

For special adjustments on throwing or shooting with missile weapons, see the missile adjustments table.

Missile Adjustments

Off.	Condition
-3	Target is moving predictably (in a straight line)
-5	Target is moving unpredictably (randomly)
-5	Attacker is riding a galloping horse
+1	Kneeling with crossbow
+3	Bracing crossbow
-1	Twillight / Torchlight
-3	Moonlight (full moon)
-5	Starlight
-10	Darkness
-7	Target 5 cm diameter
-2	Target 15 cm diameter

Firing into a Melee

If you fire at a target in a melee and the target is occasionally or much obstructed, the modifiers are -2 and -4 respectively. If you miss by 2–5, roll a new dice to see who else is hit. This is determined by assigning each of the nearby targets a number from 1 and up to a maximum of 6. If there are only for instance 4 nearby targets, a roll of 5 or 6 indicates a miss.

Damage and Extra Damage

Use the same procedure as for melee combat.

Shields against Missiles

A round shield counts as 1 armor point and a kite shield as 2 against missiles if it is obstructing the target.

Dodging Missiles

If the target is dodging the missile, subtract 2 + 1 per full 5 in dodge.

Breath Weapon

Acts as a missile attack against all within the area covered by the breath weapon.

Damage Bonus

Damage bonus for throwing weapons equals 1 per full 5 in strength.

Damage from Poison

Damage from poison varies a lot (from d5 to d+5 for a small dose) and it has a delayed effect after injection or consumption. We have not included a complete poison system here, so it is left to the GM’s discretion for the moment. One guideline though: a small dose of an average poison will do d in damage and take effect 10 minutes after injection. No naturally occurring poison on Amar will take effect less than 3 minutes after injection.

Antidotes injected before the poison takes effect will neutralize it. Nausea and vomiting is a standard side effect of most poisons.

Disarm

If you want to disarm your opponent in melee combat, you state so and resolve the attack. If your opponent is using a 1handed weapon, he is disarmed if you do more than his strength in damage. If your opponent is using a 2-handed weapon, he is disarmed if you do more than twice his strength in damage.

Break Weapon

If you want to break your opponent’s weapon in melee combat, you state so and resolve the attack. If you do more in damage than your opponent’s weapon has hit points, it breaks.

Critical Hits

If a character gets a double 6 on the dice (any time during the open ended roll) on an attack roll, it is a critical hit. Roll on the critical table and add the damage inflicted to the BP. If the result on the table is inapplicable to the situation, pick the one above on the table.

Criticals

Roll Total	Description
1	Foe knocked down if a coordination roll of 6 is failed.
2	Opening in armor found, halve the armor points.
3	Stunned for 1 round.
4	Opening in armor found, ignore armor points.
5	Stunned for d rounds.
6	Foe knocked down if a coordination roll of 12 is failed.
7	Bleeding -1 BP per minute.
8	Blood impaires vision (-3).
9	Location disabled (if head or body, faint for d rounds).
10	Faint, wake up in d rounds.
11	Bleeding -1 BP per round.
12	Disable special location like eye, nose, special muscle, etc. (GM’s discretion).
13	Faint, wake up in d minutes.
14	Location permanently damaged.
15	Location ruined.

Fumbles

If a character gets a double 1 on the dice (any time during the open ended roll) on an attack roll, it is a fumble. Add a dice to your skill and consult the fumble table. If the result is inapplicable to the situation, pick the one below on the table.

Fumbles

Roll Total	Description
0	Loose next attack, opponent gets +10 to hit.
1	Hit self.
2	Hit nearest friend.
3	Break weapon (not magic).
4	Fall.
5	Break weaponshaft.
6	Weapon stuck.
7	Loose weapon.
8	-3 for 1 minute.
9	Loose equipment (GM’s discretion).
10	-3 next round.
11	Coordination roll of 8 or fall.
12	Pull muscle, -1 for the rest of the fight.
13	-1 for 1 minute.
14	-1 next round.
15+	This looked real stupid.

Hit Locations (optional)

To add more realism the body may be divided into different hit locations in order to determine which part of the body is hit. See the illustrations on the next page too find out how different types of bodies are divided into hit locations.

A human has 50 % of his body points in the head and arms and 80 % in the body and legs. See the Creatures booklet for other creatures.

If you get your BP in a vital location (head, body) in damage in one blow, you are helpless. If you get double the BP in a vital location in damage in one blow, you are dead.

If you get the BP in a non-vital location (legs, arms, etc.) in damage in one blow, you cannot use that location. If you get double the BP in a non-vital location in damage in one blow, the location is severed, crushed, etc. and needs magic healing to mend.

Armor and Hit Loctions

Armor protects only the location(s) it covers. It gives full protection to those locations it covers and partial protection to those it partially covers.

Weight and cost is 20 % of a full suit per location covered.

Hit Locations in Melee

When a hit is made, roll a dice to determine which hit location is hit. If the number rolled is shared by two locations (certain animals and monsters have this), roll a dice: 1–3 is the left, 4–6 is the right.

Aiming in Melee

When aiming at a certain location or locations, subtract 1 from your offensive for every location you do not want to hit.

If you aim at more than one location and hit, roll to see which one of the locations aimed at is hit.

Aiming with Missiles

If you get 3 more than you need to hit, you hit the location aimed at. If you get up to 2 more than you need, you hit a random location. If you aim at a location other than the body, the DR is increased by 3.

Shields against Missiles

If the shield covers the location hit, it acts as armor. Half cover of location hit gives half AP as for armor. A buckler has a diameter of 0.3 m and 4 AP, a round shield has a diameter of 0.8 m and 5 AP, and a kite shield is 0.7 x 1.3 m and has 5 AP.

Hit Locations for a set of creatures

Next: Equipment