Combat Techniques

The rules are presented in the form modules in the following chapter.

You will only need some basic rules, the rest is quoted as an Option.

Your group of adventurers should decide which rules of these options shall be applied and which are not so popular. The fighting system is quite an important part of the rules, but it is not the focus of interest, so feel free to choose from our menu.

Basic Values and Combat Techniques

Determination of attack (AT) and parade (PA)

Calculate the basic value for attack (bAT) at first according to the formula: bAT=(CO+AG+ST)/5 and round the values according to mathematics, i.e. a value of 7.4 becomes 7, a value of 7.6, however, becomes 8.

A hero incorporating the virtues CO 13, AG 15 and ST 14 would have a basic value of 8 (13+14+15=42; 42/5=8.4; 8.4 becomes 8).

The basic values for parade (bPA) is calculated by: bPA=(IN+AG+ST)/5, and you round it off like the basic value for attack.

If the same hero as above has an INTUITION of 11, her basic value for parade would be 8, too (11+15+14=40; 40/5=8).

Now, your AT-value and your PA-value is dependent on the weapon your hero carries, you have to split up your talent points in any technique and add them to the basic value, e.g.:

If our hero depicted above has a TaP "Thrust weapon" of 7, than she could divide the 7 as 5 and 2 resulting in AT 13, PA 10, or she could divide it into 4 and 3 resulting in AT 12, PA 11. This would only be valid for thrust weapons. He would follow the procedure for each of the techniques.

Once you have noted these values, they are valid for each fight and cannot be changed again. AT and PA is modified again by handicap by armour the heroes wear and in each fight by the comparison value of the weapon.

Improvement of Attack and Parade

The improvement by level has a strong influence in regard to the fighting techniques, because either the improvement of virtues or the improvement of talents may raise the points of attack and parade.

Let us get back to our example, the hero had CO 13, AG 15, ST 14 and Tap "Thrust weapons" 7, which made AT 12 and PA 11 for thrust weapons. If she reaches next level and raises her AG by 1, her bAT (basic value for AT) will be on 9 (13+16+14=43; 43/5=8.6, rounded 9). Now if she succeeds in improving her talent also by 1 point, than her AT/PA will be 14/11 or 13/12 whatever she chooses.

Combat Techniques

As you might have read in the previous chapter you will not normally roll the dice as a talent test in these talents. It is, however, the foundation for calculating the attack and parade of your hero. The talent value is just added onto the basic values for AT and PA.

In the following we will distinguish between the various techniques and their application in the game as well as their effects. These talents are:

Unarmed Combat

Plucking

This talent is the base for all these little fights and pretty gatherings in crowded taverns: thus, it consists of kicking, beating and defending against those attacks. Beating is whatever you consider it to be, with the palm of your fist, but equally with your head or your shoulder, with your knee or whatever you prefer. The defence (PA) is most of the time just blocking or reassembling and waiting.

Additionally, there are some other unarmed fighting techniques which are known throughout Arkania, i.e. boxing, wrestling and Hruruzat, but those are only described in other boxes and are not part of this basic rules. So, wait.

Armed Combat

Axes and Hatchets

The result of a hit with an axe is similar to a cut by some cut weapon and the damage is done by the enormous weight and the centrifugal power invested by the hero. They are preferred by dwarves and the humans from Thorwal.

Knives and Daggers

Knifes and daggers are the most common weapons in all Arkania, they are used by each and everyone. The application of a dagger requires the precise stichting into important zones and STRENGTH does not come into the game. This is the category of any stitch weapon smaller than half a step.

Cut Weapons

These are all weapons that have a blade with one sharp edge. Most of them are rounded slightly. This raises the effect of the cut since it contributes to the overall power management in its application. Typical Cut Weapons are Khunchomers, sabres and scimitars.

Swords

One-handed swords are the classical weapons for fencing in Arkania. You can employ them for stitching and hitting and not just stichting as the elegant epee. Some sabres may be used as swords, some two-handed swords, however, may only be employed with a Two-handed talent.

Spears and Staves

Spears are, in front of all, long weapons that carry a spike at the end. This is an ideal weapons for parrying strikes, even from animals. The long staff should not be underestimated as big advantage to other weapons. This group does also include the classical magic wand.

Thrust Weapons

This kind of weapons is a group of the most elegant weapons available in Arkania, it consists of weapons with very thin blades and sharp peaks. Their damage is partially done by whipping blows but first of all by precise localization of a weak zone on the body. Thrust weapons here depicted are epees, rapiers and foils.

Stub Weapons

Stub weapons have no blades. They damage only by pushing them with your own STRENGTH. They are very heavy and sometimes improved by spikes to destroy armours. This category comprises hammers, clubs, legs of chairs, bones and everything similar.

Two-handed weapons

Two-handed swords are normally used in another way than the one-handed ones, so this is their own class which comprises large battle-axes, too, since the employment is dependent on changing the grip of the weapon sometimes.

Ranged Combat

To get the basic value for shot and throw weapons, there is another rule. You have to calculate the basic Long-range value (bLR) first: bLR=IN+DE+ST/4. And you only take the integer, no rounding, but cutting off everything behind the comma. You add the talent-TaP to this value and get your Long-range skill (LR) for throwing and shooting. A better description of how to deal with Long-range combat is available here.

If our now well-quoted hero has a DEXTERITY of 12, her basic long-range value will be 9 (11+12+14=37; 37/4=9.25; INT(9.25)=9). If her TaP "Shot weapons" is 5, her Long-range skill will be 14 (9+5=14) for shot weapons.

Missile Weapons

Shot weapons are the most difficult to try your luck with, they require a quiet hand. Their range is dependent on the tension of the bow or crossbow which are made from a variety of materials.

In Arkania, the most common types of bows range from short bows of the Amazons to the solidly mounted crossbows on defence towers or ships. The bow is better for the experienced archer and allows more precise shots, the crossbow, however, may be used by unexperienced adventurers.

Thrown Weapons

Throw weapons are one-handed weapons, although to be precise, this is not really a type of weapon but a way to use such things as spears, knifes and axes in long-range way. This is the reason why many people prefer these weapons since they may be useful in any kind of fight.

Initiative

The fighter with the highest value of COURAGE has always the first strike, if he does not decide to let his enemy strike first or the attack occurs as a surprise. One of them will finally begin, and if not, then all the better, there is no fight at all.

You will not really need this rules very often during a chronicle, because other conditions as e.g. surprise drive the initiative in that case and the defender has to throw an AGILITY-test if he is even capable of parrying the strike. If a fight involves more than two people, the side with more fighters will usually start first.