Re: (TFT) Shield Wall - Modifier Options

[Sgt Hulka <hulkasgt@yahoo.com>]

Does anyone have Space Gamer #23? Apparently that has an article on using Vikings in TFT and since the Shield Wall is the dominant tactic of the Vikings, I'd be curious if and how they treat it.

Also, the Dark City Games module "Wolves on the Rhine" allows characters (Roman Legionaries) to use a Shield Wall. By comparison, here's how they treat it:

"If 3 or more Romans with Scutum (shields) are in adjoining hexes facing the same direction, they may form a shield wall. Characters in a shield wall may only move one hex per turn, directly forward or back. An opponent trying to strike a defender from the front fo the shield wall is DX-2 for the attack. The characters in a shield wall attack or counter attack as normal, but they cannot dodge. They can only fight to their front."

Another interesting thing to consider is that the game already naturally encourages "formations" due to the side/rear hex advantages. 

I like the Shield Wall as talent idea. My only minor criticism is I think it should be IQ 8, not 9. It's a pretty essential tactic of the Dark Ages, and so imho every Melee character should be able to learn it if they so desire. It certainly shouldn't be more difficult to learn than Horsemanship (which, by comparison, gives you +1 to hit from a galloping mount). I could see Horsemanship being the standard 1-point Talent of Norman Knight, and Shield Wall being the standard 1-pont Talent of the English Huscarl.

--- On Mon, 9/15/08, raito@raito.com <raito@raito.com> wrote:

> From: raito@raito.com <raito@raito.com>
> Subject: Re: (TFT) Shield Wall - Modifier Options
> To: tft@brainiac.com
> Date: Monday, September 15, 2008, 9:49 PM
> Quoting Gavin@TheFantasyQuest.com:
> 
> > Instead of a new Talent, what about making it a set of
> combat modifiers (as
> > with Mounted, Prone, etc...) which conveys penalties
> when attacking
> > defenders in a shield wall.  Maybe -2 to hit, and -2
> damage. 
> 
> Performing the function of a shield wall requires more
> skill than fighting
> individually with a shield. Trust me, I've lined up
> next to guys who did not
> have the talent. 
> 
> Neil Gilmore
> raito@raito.com
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