(TFT) shoving around

[Jay Carlisle <maou.tsaou@gmail.com>]

Ive been interested in simulating various sports in TFT for some time now.
As sports are generally highly formalized competition between individuals I
find many situations come up in a sports scenario that can easily have a
pretty direct mirror in a less formal combat instance.
Ive been messing with this system for opposed statistics checks where a
Figure can throw extra dice beyond 3d6 for fST cost and use those dice to
either increase the force of their own effort or cover an opponents die
with one of their own.
A Figure must also meet the conditions required for an opposed check.
This weekend I tested NFL style line-blocking a bit.
We used some vaguely random Figures with ST = 20 + 1d6, and DX and IQ = 10 +
1d6.
Bench players had the same DX and IQ ranges but only got a 1d3 for
additional ST, one benchwarmer per starter.
These are what Id call talented college level players with good NFL players
having a bit more DX and IQ, maybe 5 or 6 points between the two.
The idea here was run blocking where the offensive linemen are trying to
create a hole or gap in the opposing line at the designed point and time for
the play being executed.
A block must occur from an adjacent hex and must come from a Figures front
hexes to the opposing Figures front hexes, anything else is interpreted as a
penalty such as clipping or a leg whip (if ref makes IQ check).
>From the offensive p.o.v. the purpose of a block is to either impede the
path of an opponent or to physically push the opponent out of one space into
another.
The defense is either trying to evade the block altogether or attempting to
win the push.
To determine how much one Figure may push another I use the dice and
square-hexes.
For every 2pts a Figure beats an opponents roll by without exceeding their
ST they may push their opponent back 1 foot, rnd down (1 quarter-inch square
on square-hex).
A winning Figure may also turn an opposing Figure 1 hex-side in facing in
lieu of 1 foot of push.
A Figure may attempt to evade a block by making a DX check with additional
effort dice forcing the Figure attempting the block to check their DX
against as many dice to successfully employ the block.
A successful evading Figure may either make a spin move into an empty
adjacent hex or may move into an opponents hex and attempt a swim move
through the hex by checking against ST in a similar fashion to the DX check
above with a successful move bringing the Figure through to the opponents
rear hex.
In a double or triple team situation one Figure of the group is considered
the primary mover for direction purposes and the other Figure/s involved
push at half the rate or 1 foot every by 4pts rnd. down.
A Figure also adds (offensive) or subtracts (defensive) 1 foot from the rate
of push for each die of effort over that of his opponents spent if they made
a successful, winning check to push.
The offence is considered to hold the initiative with the fastest Reaction
Time going first and so on and the defense generally having to choose
reactive Actions as Reaction Times are so closely grouped, the main
exception being which Figure can get to an open hex first.
Fatigue is assigned along the following guidelines.
A 2d6 check is considered a half-speed effort and generally allows the
recovery of 1 fST.
A 3d6 check is considered a full-speed effort and is preformed at no cost.
A 4d6 check or higher is considered a burst effort and costs 1 fST per die
over 3 rolled in the check.
Ive been working with a fST recovery rate (Figures with Athletic and
Fit Talents) of 1pt per 15 seconds allowing 2 to 3 points of recovery
between plays generally w/o counting timeouts, injuries, etc.
This was also done with just the interior lines, tackles on the outside, 2
guards and a center on offense and 2 ends and 2 tackles on defense.
A running back with shoulders squared and moving forward on the field is
considered to be 3 feet (or squares on the square-hex) wide like any other
normally proportioned human.
This accounts for both broadness of the Figure proper as well as the natural
side to side motion of the forward gait.
Generally a human Figure has arms about 2 feet in length and can articulate
their reach by about half again in overall length in most situations.
This means a hole would need to be 6 feet wide between 2 opposing Figures
to provide a minimal safe-zone for a back to get through without danger of
tackle.
I allow 1 free die per square of arm a Figure can get on a runner which can
be doubled for 1 fST per additional die or double that if fighting through a
block.
The total result of successfully checked tackle dice is counted against the
runners ST with the following results.
Tackle total less than runners total ST slows runner by a number of fps
equal to the tackle result.
Tackle total equal to runners total ST stops runners forward progress.
Tackle total over up to twice runners total ST tackles runner forward.
Tackle total form twice to three times runners total ST tackles runner in
hex.
Tackle over three times moves runner back 1 hex per.

Now a lot of this is going to depend on how its all framed.
Even in the best football movies theres usually a montage scene that takes
the audience through some of the doldrums of the season so to speak.
Thats going to rely on stuff like a quick combat system or even something
like the Melee Simulator to develop quick but reasonably fair CRTs and
whatnot.
http://pages.infinit.net/filmore/MeleeSimulator/
Its the same for warfare pretty much just much more open targets if one
allows for strategy as well as tactics.
And if you think Im being silly about all this pushing stuff how would you
deal with a situation like the one in the Bridge of Khazad-Dum where Im
trying to block the last troll-bridge with 3 party members but its a troll
rushing the line?
It's one of the more "dramatic" moments I've found it the scenario... nifty
little thing.
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