(TFT) Re: [TFT Thail] Re: New TFT Talent: Shield Wall. -- 3 questions from Don

[David Bofinger <bofinger.david@gmail.com>]

My thoughts:

* I agree you can't really build a shield wall out of bucklers. But maybe
you can defend each other a bit, I'm not sure.

* I'm not sure you can protect the man on your right with a shield. Maybe
just you and the man on your left.

* Shields are probably underrated relative to armour, at least against
missiles. My house rule is buckler is 1 vs melee, 1 vs missiles, large is
2/3, tower is 3/5.

* try to find a better word than pre-requisite, because pre-requisite is a
technical term and doesn't mean that. "Supersedes"? Something like that.
"pre-requisite" -> have to have this talent before you can study the other
one. "co-requisite" -> have to be studying this talent before you can study
the other one, and have to get this talent before you can get the other one.

* The English of 1044 had soldiers who carried two-handed axes and shields.
The shields were mostly for missiles and when they needed to fight melee on
the defensive they thrust the shield into the ground in front of them on
the basis it was better than nothing. Probably not all that useful in TFT
but shows how much variety there is and how important shields are.

* I'm pretty sure tower shields were used in fortresses for siege assaults
&c, and also represent pavises. Romans shields count as large.

* Historically people carried short stabby things - gladius, seax, etc. -
for stabbing between shields in a shield wall. Similar thoughts: using an
axe to drag down a shield, using a weighted javelin to encumber a
shield. Maybe there's a talent that counters Shield Wall to some extent?

* The idea that shields should make it harder to hit, or allow parries,
rather than reducing damage, has some value to it. But if the attack is
powerful enough that starts to break down. So maybe it should be something
like "+1 die in the DX roll, or 5 points of armour, attacker's choice".

By the way I don't seem to be able to send to the TFT list. If anyone knows
why, please tell me.

Is there a central repository for house rules &c? Should there be?

--
David

=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"