Adventurer Combat Update.....

Strange, I seem to have fallen off of the edge of the world.......
So, a new and excellent job strikes hard at gaming time...sigh.

That said, the remaining question for combat in adventurer is: is it simple enough ?  Or has my natural tendency to add details created a same-old same-old miniatures gameist system ?

I have an idea of using a very simple line em up and roll for range system, as used in many board wargames to give a tactical feel to a more strategic boardgame.

Roughly, something like:

Adventurer Abstract Combat System (AACS)

• Line up the two sides: players and  the encounter facing each other.

• Roll for range; 
• Details about the roll go here. 
• Ranges would be the same as the weapons matrix: 1=close, 2=sword, 3=pole , 4=medium, 5= long, 6=very long. 
• Mark the range with a d6 
• Roll a contest to see who gets initiative (gm or player leader). 
• Details about the roll go here. 
• Probably a simple opposed roll using tactics with some mods.(poltroonery)
• Winner is the "moving side"; loser is "non moving side".

• Movement
• Each side always moved together, and is assumed to be at the same range as all team members (exception: evading)
• In movement, Characters always remain fixed, only the encounter is moved (or not moved) in or out by one range by the leader of the moving side (who simply increments or decrements the d6).  
• After the moving player alters the range (or not), either side may declare (or have to declare, see morale) a charge or poltroonery, non-moving side declaring first.  
• each side declaring a charge reduces the range by one, each side declaring poltroonery increases it by one.
• Characters on a charging side will attack before all non charging. 
• Poltroon characters may not attack this round, and are attacked at +2.
• Once the encounter is moved, characters may roll to attempt to flank or infiltrate, non-moving side making all such rolls first. 
• Infiltrating: 
• Details about the roll go here. Easier at longer ranges, etc etc. 
• Characters successfully infiltrating  may make an attack against any (including protected) characters.
• Range can be counted as increased or decreased by one for infiltrating attacks for any attacks by or upon the infiltrator.
• An infiltrating character may be attacked normally by other characters.
• A character making an unsuccessful attempt to infiltrate cannot attack in the current round.

• Flanking:  
• Details about the roll go here. Easier at shorter ranges (???), etc etc.  
• Characters who have successfully flanked, and who have not been attacked this round gain a +2 against any one non-protected figure. 
• If the flanker is attacked before he acts, a normal attack is allowed . 
• A character making an unsuccessful attempt to flank may not attack in the current round.

• Characters are declared as protected or guarding. 
• a protected character can only be physically attacked if every other guarding character is attacked; 
• protected character can only attack if all guarding characters are attacked.  
• A protected character can attack using spells , and be attacked by spells. 

• Attacks:
• Sequence: Make attacks at the current range in the following order.
• Infiltrating attacks are resolved before all other attacks 
• Any missile attacks are resolved in order of individual DEX
• All charging attacks are resolved  in order of individual DEX
• Regular and flank attacks are resolved in individual DEX order, with initiative breaking ties. 
• Any attack at range is a missile attack, all other attacks are classed as Hand to hand (HTH). 
• In all steps,  initiative breaks DEX ties. 
• Damage from an attack and all effects are applied immediately, before any other attacks are resolved.

• Escape occurs immediately  when the range is Very Long and  the moving side increases the range 
• When range is Very Long, the moving side may opt to escape  individually, and remaining characters may either stay at long range or reduce range as per a normal movement.
• If the final range is Very Long after all changes are made to the range d6, (including regular movement, charges, dual poltroonery, etc)   the non moving side may declare poltroonery and escape.
• Go home, tell friends, drink beer. After the moving side alters the range d6 (or not),

Combat itself is as standard rules: 8+ to hit plus minus all modifiers (such as range and weapon type).

Its short, and very abstract.  Thoughts ?  Hello ?  Hello ? Bueller ?

Potential combat system for Adventurer:

 A simple combat system for Adventurer.

This is the initial lightly edited version of the simpler combat system I'm thinking of including in addition to the Traveller SRD version in previous revs.  

Swords and Sorcery combat is often more literary than tactical ; much is abstracted in order to provide the story a visceral  punch, and to advance it.  The SRD rules provide a reasonable compromise between the two approaches, and is included in a modified version (to allow for spellcasting, for instance).  Optionally, the following cinematic/literary/abstract combat is presented for those wishing a quicker or at least less detailed resolution.

Combat

When the party of adventurers comes into contact with enemies, the order of events is as follows:

1.     Declare spells

2.     Poltroonery

3.     Determine Initiative. (Party with Initiative acts first in each step)

4.     Shooting

5.     Movement

6.     Second movement

7.     Combat

8.     Second Shooting

9.     Magic

10. Final actions and morale.

The round is complete; keep initiative order for the next round if the battle has not been resolved.  Exception: see tactical skill use in final actions.

General rules:

A character is engaged in melee whenever within range of a non-missile armed opponent who is not engaged in Melee with another character. 

A character engaged in Melee only act in the combat phase to make a non-missile attack or attempt to disengage in the combat phase.

Declare spells.

Spellcasters declare what spells they are casting this round.

Poltroonery

Any character may declare poltroonery and immediately take a full standard move away from any opponents and may discard one ready weapon and one ready shield and apply a -1 to all attacks against him. Each opponent gets a free attack before hand, and count the poltroon as an unengaged attack, and any discarded weapons as additional modifiers.  

Determine Initiative.

At the beginning of a combat round, each side rolls Initiative on a d6—high roll wins. The winning side acts first, moving, attacking, and casting spells. The other side takes damage and casualties, and then gets its turn. Exception: see Charge attacks and the defend option.

Modifiers:

+1 Member of same side declares a charge.

+1  Leader of same side has highest Tactical skill

+1  Fastest character on same side

+1 Slowest character on opponents side.

First Shooting

Characters with ready missile weapons may shoot at available targets. Optionally, a character may hold the shot into the movement phases.

A character shooting in this phase may not move.

First Movement

Characters in melee or holding a shot may not move.

A character not in melee may declare a charge attack and must move at least half movement.

A character not in melee may declare a defend option, and move no more than half standard.

A character not in melee may declare a Run option, and move up to their run speed. 

A character engaged in Melee character may declare a disengage option and not attack.

A character may declare a blocking action, and move no more than half standard.

{a blocking option allows one to engage any number of targets which come in range until the end of the next round next round.  The character may not shoot, or cast spells.  Other options will be described in the next version}

Otherwise:

• Characters may move up to their standard movement and still attack in the combat phase.
• Characters may move greater than their standard movement up to their run speed but may not  attack or shoot further in this round.
• A character must stop all further movement when engaged in Melee. 

Characters who have held a shot lose the shot at the end of this phase.

Combat.

Characters engaged in Melee or who are otherwise able to make an attack (for instance, drygulching an opponent otherwise unable to fight back, or fighting another opponent).  

• Charge attacks against non-charging characters are resolved before all other hand to hand attacks, regardless of initiative.
• Attacks by a character taking the Defend option are resolved after all other attacks regardless of initiative.
• Multiple attacks by the same character occur immediately after the effects of the previous attack are resolved.

Modifiers:

Charging                        +1 to hit for both attacker and defended.

Defending                         -1 to hit for attackers and defenders.

Unengaged attack            +1 for attacker

Second Shooting

A character who has moved no more than half standard may now shoot. 

Second movement.

Characters who declared poltoonery may now make an additional half move.

Characters who declared a disengage may now move up to a half standard move away from his opponent(s), keeping current facing.

Characters who won initiative, may now move up to half their standard move if:

They are not engaged in melee, declared poltroonery or a disengage option,

and have moved no more than half  in the first movement movement phase.

A character must stop movement when engaged in Melee.

Magic

Spells declared in the magic phase take effect and are resolved.

Final actions and Morale

 {yet to come}

 Thoughts ?

Adventurer: a request for comments to downloaders and readers

So, this weekend, i gave myself a birthday present, and worked on Adventurer without distraction (well, much distraction. See, I like my family.;) ), and two things came up.
1. The price list is done, and utterly self indulgent.
2. I would appreciate some input on a few topics.
Is the magic system too big ?
Is the section on flying ships and the associated fluff overkill ? How bout the superscience section ? If so, I'd make it a seperate document, aimed at barsoomian style S&S.
Does some kind of default campaign need to be included ? If so, how gonzo or generic.
Would art help the flavor ?
Is the combat too detailed for what this is ? (emulating a what-if D&D)
Is an actual monster manual type section needed or wanted (creatures other than intelligent races, I mean) this is one of the big traveller D&D departure points. Traveller gives construction tools and a few examples, D&D gives enumerated lists.

Answer any or none, particulalry if you have downloaded it. I'm about 1/2 done with beta version 2. Comment here or email to (edit) Ooops. Under construction. hang on.
Thanks in advance !