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Re: (TFT) Re: TFT Digest V3 #715

Seth, what you quoted from was how my group limits the number of weapons each character gets before entering one of our arena combats. It's almost like there is a weapons/arena master standing at a rack full of weapons, armor and shields and says that the rules of the arena allow you to pick two. Each character grabs what they want and then they enter the arena. Of course you can change this however you like. Limiting the number of weapons keeps the battle even handed. Our rule(s) are just to control play balance between the teams.
In our games most characters take the same weapon twice (two Broadswords for example) in case they break the first one. If they break the first one and are carrying a shield then they are weaponless and have to pick up a weapon from a friend or fallen figure. Other characters take the bow/hand weapon combination. They might all fire a heavy crossbow for example, drop it, draw a hand weapon and then charge into battle.
Most of the time we only allow each team to take one pole weapon. This is just to keep players from choosing them for all of their characters so they'll get the devastating double damage charge attacks. Plus it provides a little more variety in the fighting.
As a side note: To keep things simple when you are dealing with large numbers of characters our group doesn't play with talents when we arena fight. Since most fighters are going to have an IQ of 8 (why waste the points on IQ) we just assume they have all IQ 8 talents which pretty much allow them to use any weapon they want. Our arena combatants are basically big, stupid, but highly trained fighter types. Of course you can give them a higher IQ if you think they will need to disbelieve any summoned creatures but that is just part of the strategy of creating your team. 

By the way:
Happy New Year to all!

--David

On Dec 26, 2005, at 1:44 PM, Sethkimmel@aol.com wrote:


In a message dated 12/26/05 5:23:06 PM !!!First Boot!!!,
tft-owner@brainiac.com writes:



<<Choose two weapons (a shield counts as a weapon) for each character.
Everyone starts with a dagger. (See the statistics concerning Giants
and Trolls for their weapon restrictions.) Choose armor for each
character (if the race gets armor), and adjust DEXband MA according to 
your armor choice. No one can take Fine Plate. (Exception: see humans
special ability.)>>
This is one of the few things that bug me in melee. Obviously a human can only grasp 2 1 hand items or 1 2 handed one, BUT........that's what belts and/or scabbards/sheaths are for. With the current rules I cannot realistically model a Roman Legionary for example. A pila, a gladius, and a scutum shield are 
three items. Why can't he sheaf the sword and carry the other two?
I propose allowing a humanoid shaped character to still hold two items (or 1 2 hander), and in ADDITION carry two items on a belt - 1 on each on each hip and 1 slung on the back (if a shield) or worn on a back scabbard. I suppose one 
should also allow dagger/knife sheaf's on each boot and forearm, but I
consider this abusing the system/rules weaseling...Maybe allowing ONE dagger/knife hidden that way, unless the character is a knife specialist? (carries NOTHING 
but knives...LOTS of knives...:-) ).

Examples

Gimli the Dwarf from LOTR

2 handed battle-ax: slung on back
throwing hatchet: left hip
1 handed battle-ax: right hip
2 handed battle-ax: carried on both hands

Roman Legionary:

dagger (pugio)- left hip
shortsword (gladius hispanicus)-right hip
pila (throwing javelin) - right hand
tower shield (scutum) - left hand -
NOTE: many shields have tight arm rings and allow the left hand to grasp things. I have seen illustrations showing legionaries holding a second pila with the left hand -- the weapon is held vertically and pressed against the inside of the shield. Doctrine is the throw the first pila and then grab the second one with the right hand from the left hand and throw it as well. I don't know how practical this is or even realistic, but it is something to consider. Also in the movie TROY-Achilles and Hector had their shortswords sheafed in a scabbard mounted on the inside of the roundshields. I don't know if this is historically accurate though...Maybe we should allow knives/daggers, darts, and 
shortswords to be scabbarded inside of large and tower shields?
The biggest problem with this whole mess is there is no encumbrance rules like in Runequest to prevent abuses of the system. Perhaps MA and/or DEX should go down 1 per turn for each weapon (knives/daggers count half, shields + 2 handed weapons count as 2 for this rule) carried in excess of the 2 weapon + 1 
dagger limit?

Opinions?
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