Finally! Finished overhauling the combat rules of Red Ash...

When I first started working on the Red Ash World Engine, I had a general idea of how I wanted the combat to go and tossed together some general rules that I honestly did not test. Well now I have and I will continue to do so for some time as the rules are expanded and tweaked.

So now I am presenting the new combat rules, fatigue system and a simple preview of a character (on a sheet even) and my combat log. With these I hope to shed some light on how the combat will unfold and provide a richer and more exciting combat experience to the players.

Here we go....

First the characters used in this series of combat testing are two twins; same size, same gear, same skill, same class and level. The idea of this is to test the combat with no unusual advantage to one character or the other. and to expose faults in the system. The combat starts with both of them within melee range and weapons ready.

So here we have Pete and Steve.

full size here

Since Pete and Steve are identical I just used one page and change the name on one page.

The combat rules and related information can be found on the combat page of Red Ash and the changes to the fatigue system can be found of the abilities page just about 3/4th the way down the page.


The combat log I used to track what was going on is here

full size here

As the spreadsheet hides some of the information will detail the play-by-play below here and provide some addition information I hope you will find useful. If you are feeling up to it, I hope that some of you will pick up Pete and Steve and roll try the combat out for yourself and let me know what you think.

There can only be one...

First the initiative is set by a roll of a 20 sided die. This determines where in the combat Pete and Steve can begin their attacks. Combat will start with both opponents at weapons reach.

Pete and Steve, being twins, both have 230 life points and 64 PAP. MAP will not be tracked as it will barely get used for this combat.

Pete rolls 11

Steve rolls 2

Round 1, Turn 11

Pete attacks with a Hack Attack (Hack is 2 Chopping attacks and is a full turn action for a +2 attack, -2 defense)

Steve being the defender this turn and having the same melee level as his brother can read the attack and decides to use Avoid for both attacks (note defense actions do not have turn cost)

Pete scores 120 (Rolled 18 on 1d20 + 100 from coordination +2 from the aggressive hack attack action.)

Pete spends 11 PAP

Steve scores 100 (rolled 2 on a 1d20 + 98 (agility of 100-2 for his armor))

Steve spend 5 PAP

Steve scores 116 (rolled 18 on a 1d20 + 98 (agility of 100-2 for his armor))

Steve spend 5 PAP

Pete has a critical hit and a miss.

Steve takes 90 points of damage (57x2) chopping damage -24 damage reduction from armor vs chopping and shield protection value.

Pete now has a -2 to his defense until his next turn for using Hack.

Pete will go on 12 on the next turn do to the weapon he attacked with and its attack speed modifier.

Round 1, Turn 6

Steve will use the Pierce combat action (Pierce is a .5 turn pierce attack)

Pete is now the defender and can read Steve's attack action just as Steve read his on the previous turn. So now he get to select his defense based on that knowledge and chooses deflect for the bonus it grants to piercing attacks.

Steve scores a 110 (rolled 10 + 100 from coordination)

Steve spend 8 PAP

Pete scores a 116 (rolled 14 + 100 from agility - 2 from armor + 4 for shield bonus – 2 from last hack attack +2 for using deflect vs piercing.)

Pete Spends 5 PAP

Steve missed!

Steve uses the slash combat action (slash is a .5 turn action that uses the slashing damage if a hit is scored.)

Pete can read Steve's combat actions and so selects avoid to counter the slashing attack.

Steve scores 115 (15 rolled + 100 coordination)

Steve spend 8 PAP

Pete scores 107 (11 rolled + 100 agility – 2 armor - 2 from hack attack)

Pete Spends 5 PAP

Steve Hits!

Pete takes 33 points of damage. (57 slashing damage-24 damage reduction from armor and sheild)

Steve will go on turn 7 of the next round.

Round 2, Turn 12

Pete no longer suffers from -2 from hack attack.

Pete selects the barrage attack action (barrage is 2 piercing attacks and will use a full turn for a +2 attack, -2 defense)

Steve seeing the attack coming selects the defensive action Deflect for both attacks.

Pete scores a 106 (4 rolled and 100 from coordination +2 from barrage)

Pete spends 11 PAP

Steve scores 116 (12 rolled + 100 agility – 2 from armor + 4 from shield +2 from deflect)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Pete Missed!

Steve scores 122 (18 rolled + 100 agility -2 from armor +4 from shield +2 from deflect)

Steve Spends 5 PAP

Pete Missed!

Steve gains a counter attack! (Deflect grants a counter attack when the defender scores 12 or more over the attacker. Counter attacks are treated as a surprise attack and so melee level does not grant knowledge of the attackers intent. Attacker can only use a half turn cost attack action for a counter attack.

Steve selects chop (chop is a .5 turn combat action and will use chopping damage on a hit). Steve does not reveal his attack to Pete.

Pete is surprised and goes with Evade as a defensive action. ( a good guess it turns out)

Steve scores 103 (3 rolled and 100 from coordination)

Steve Spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 104 (6 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor +2 for evade vs chop -2 from barrage)

Pete Spends 5 PAP

Steve Missed!

Pete goes on turn 13 of next round

Round 2, Turn 7

Steve selects knock-down as his attack action (knock-down is currently a Strength Check, but will most like change in the future. It does force the defender to use his strength as well and so comes down to the die roll and strength score. This is a .5 turn action)

Pete melee is of no use here as the selection is taken away....

Steve scores 106 (6 rolled + 100 strength)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 115 (17 rolled + 100 strength – 2 from barrage attack.)

Pete spends 4 PAP

Steve fails to knock-down Pete

Steve selects Piercing

Pete sees the attack coming and selects deflect.

Steve score 112 (12 rolled + 100 coordination)

Steve Spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 105 ( 3 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor +2 deflection vs piercing -2 from barrage)

Pete spends 5 PAP

Steve hits!

Pete takes 34 damage (58-24)

Steve goes on turn 8 next round

Round 3, 13

Pete no linger has a -2 to defense from barrage attack last round.

Pete uses barrage again

Steve will deflect

Pete scores 107 ( 5 rolled + 100 coordination +2 barrage)

Pete spends 11 PAP

Pete now has a -2 to defense until next turn.

Steve scores 103 (1 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor + 4 from shield)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Steve earns a fatigue counter and PAP is reset to 75% of 64, or 48

Steve now has a -1 to attack, defense and skills. Land and air speed is reduced by 1 (0 minimum)

Pete Hits!

Steve takes 34 (58-24)

Steve scores 122 (20 rolled + 100 agility – 2 armor +4 from shield)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Pete Missed!

Steve gains a counter attack!

Steve selects a Bludgeon combat action (bludgeon is a .5 turn attack that uses the bludgeon damage of the weapon). Steve does not show Pete his selection.

Pete is surprised again and selects the Evade defensive actions.

Steve scores 113 (14 rolled + 100 Coordination – 1 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 99 (3 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 from barrage attack)

Steve hits

Pete takes 36 damage (54-18)

Pete goes next on turn 14 next turn

Round 3, Turn 8

Steve decides to use the Combat action Trip (Trip is .5 turn action that forces a balance check on the defender)

Pete must roll a balance check

Steve scores 117 (18 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 103 (7 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 from barrage)

Pete spends 4 PAP

Pete earns a fatigue counter!

Pete earns a fatigue counter and PAP is reset to 75% of 64, or 48

Pete now has a -1 to attack, defense and skills. Land and air speed is reduced by 1 (0 minimum)

Steve succeeds!

Pete is prone!

Pete has a -2 attack, -4 to melee defense and +4 to ranged defense

Steve selects the chop combat action (chop is a .5 turn attack and does chopping damage if it hits)

Pete is prone and can only avoid or brace as a defense. Pete selects avoid.

Steve scores 106 (7 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 96 (5 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 from barrage -4 from prone -1 for fatigue)

Pete spends 5 PAP

Steve Hits!

Pete takes 34 damage (58-24)

Steve goes on turn 9 of next round

Round 4, Turn 14

Pete is no longer affected by the -2 from barrage.

Pete Stands

Steve gets an opportunity attack on Pete and selects the Pierce combat actions

Pete scores 94 (1 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -4 prone -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 4 PAP

Steve scores 112 (13 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Steve Hits!

Pete takes 34 damage (58-24)

Pete selects the Slash Combat Action

Steve select avoid

Pete scores 108 (9 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 8 PAP

Steve scores 119 (20 rolled + 100 agility - 2 armor +2 from avoid vs slash -1 fatigue)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Pete missed!

Steve wins a counter attack!

Steve selects the Slash attack

Pete selects avoid

Steve scores 116 (17 rolled + 100 coordination – 1 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Steve gains a fatigue counter -2 atk, def, skill and -2 to land and air speed 0 min

Pete scores 100 (1 rolled + 100 agility - 2 armor + 2 from avoid vs slash -1 fatigue)

Steve hits!

Pete takes 29 damage (57-28)

Pete goes on turn 15 next round.

Round 4, Turn 9

Steve selects the slash combat action

Pete reacts with avoid

Steve scores 108 (10 rolled + 100 coordination -2 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 119 (20 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor +2 avoid vs slash -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 5 PAP

Steve missed!

Pete gains a counter attack! (He won defense by 12)

Pete Tries to use the action Trip

Steve must roll balance.

Pete scores 103 (4 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 8 PAP

Steve scores 111 (15 rolled +100 agility -2 armor -2 fatigue)

Steve Spends 4 PAP

Steve uses the other half of his turn to once again slash at Pete

Pete responds with avoid

Steve scores 104 (6 + 100 coordination -2 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 PAP

Pete scores 119 (20 + 100 agility – 2 armor +2 avoid vs slash -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 5 PAP

Steve missed!

Pete gains a counter attack! (He won defense by 12)

Pete tries to use Trip again.

Steve must use balance

Pete scores 102 (3 rolled + 100 coordination -1 fatigue)

Pete spends 8 PAP

Pete gains a fatigue counter. Pete now has a -2 to attack, defense and skills. Land and air speed is reduced by -2 minimum of 0

Steve scores 97 (1 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 fatigue)

Steve spends 4 PAP

Pete succeeds

Steve is prone! He can only select avoid or brace for defense.

Steve has a -2 attack, -4 to melee defense and +4 to ranged defense.

Steve goes on turn 10 of next round.

Round 5, Turn 15

Pete selects Hack ( hack is a full turn action with 2 chopping attacks and 1 roll)

Steve will avoid for both attacks.

Pete scores 108 (8 rolled + 100 coordination +2 from attack -2 from fatigue)

Pete spends 11 PAP

Steve scores 101 (9 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 from fatigue – 4 from prone)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Pete hits!

Steve takes 33 points of damage (57 chopping – 24 damage reduction)

Steve scores 110 (18 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -2 from fatigue – 4 from prone)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Steve gains a fatigue counter

Steve has a -4 to attack, defense and skills. Land and air speed is reduced by 3 with a minimum of 0

Pete missed!

Pete goes on turn 16 of the next round.

Round 5, Turn 10

Steve is prone and so stands up

Pete takes advantage and selects the pierce action.

Steve scores 91 (1 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor -4 fatigue -4 from prone)

Steve spends 4 PAP

Pete scores 108 (8 rolled + 100 coordination +2 from hack -2 from fatigue)

Pete spends 8 PAP

Pete Hits!

Steve takes 34 damage (58 piercing – 24 damage reduction)

Steve select the slash attack

Pete sees this and responds with avoid

Steve scores 105 (9 rolled + 100 coordination -4 fatigue)

Steve spends 8 fatigue

Pete scores 106 (12 rolled + 100 agility -2 from armor -2 from fatigue – 2 from hack)

Pete spends 5 PAP

Steve will go on turn 11 next round

Round 6, Turn 16

Pete selects hack (Hack is a full turn attack with 2 chopping swings)

Steve will counter with evade for both attacks

Pete scores 115 (15 rolled + 100 coordination +2 from hack -2 from fatigue)

Pete spends 11 PAP

Steve scores 101 (7 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor +2 evade vs chop -4 from fatigue)

Steve spends 5 PAP

Pete hits!

Steve takes 33 (57 chopping-33 damage reduction)

Steve has his 4^th fatigue counter

Steve is now at -6 to atk, def and skills, he is all set to a maximum movement of 1 step per turn and can not run or fly.

Steve scores 96 (2 rolled + 100 agility -2 armor +2 for evade vs chop -6 from fatigue)

Pete hits!

Steve takes another 33 points of damage and drops to -27, unconscious and bleeding out at 1 per turn (or 3 rounds and 13 turns). Once his damage reaches the negative of his health (-100) he will be dead.