Fight progress
The basic numbers (speed, hit, penetration, defense) are not the most important thing. In combat, use Fight maneuvers. With the basic attack and defense you have no chance (at least at first) of standing up even to common opponents.
Also study the styles (chapter Skills - Combat skills). A style greatly strengthens your fight maneuvers, or within it you learn a new maneuver.
For beginners, a fighting style combined with a heavy weapon is suitable. The opponent steps into your space, you use the headlong attack maneuver and kill him before he even reaches you (but the same threatens you if you run into a similar opponent).
The same applies to shooting and throwing - it pays to aim, learn a style, reduce your range penalties and gain other advantages.
Missiles are deadly. Do not step in the way of an archer or crossbowman; rather hide behind a tree or quickly drop to the ground. Only a shield or lightning reflexes (unarmed combat) will protect you effectively.
I. Resolving the hit
The attacker rolls a six-sided die and adds the result to his accuracy. If a six comes up, he rolls again and adds the results together.
The defender also rolls 2d6 and adds the result to his defense.
Grak's defense with a sword is 12. The GM rolls 3 and 1 for him, so his final defense roll is 12+4 = 16.
Then we compare the results, and if the attacker's hit is higher than the defender's defense, the defender has been hit, and we remember the number representing the difference between hit and defense.
Otherwise the defender has dodged the blow (and the attack ends).
Remember the difference between hit and defense - the damage base.
II. Amount of damage
Penetration and armor
First we assess whether and how much the weapon has penetrated the armor. Compare the attacker's penetration with the defender's AC. There are four possibilities:
Penetrated
The penetration was higher, so the armor is penetrated and the defender takes full damage equal to the difference between WA and WD.
Totally penetrated
The penetration was higher by 10 (or more). For every ten, the total damage multiplier increases by 1, so with a difference of 10 we multiply x2, with a difference of 20 x3, etc.
Reduced damage
The penetration roll is lower than the armor. In that case, reduce the damage base by this difference.
No damage
If no base remains, the attack failed completely.
Grak has Endurance 6, so 3 HP means only a minor injury.
Damage multiplier
The base difference between hit and defense is multiplied by the damage multiplier. It is 1 by default, so under normal circumstances we ignore it. Some weapons (mainly serrated ones) have a higher multiplier (crushing power). A character can also learn to deal more damage and thus have a higher multiplier.
Total penetration by 10 or more
A more forceful blow means more damage. For every 10 points of difference between WP and AC, increase the damage multiplier by +1.
| Difference | Damage multiplier |
|---|---|
| 0 and less | reduces the damage base |
| up to 10 | - |
| at least 10 | +1 |
| at least 20 | +2 |
| at least 30 | +3 |
| at least 40 | +4 |
| etc. | etc. |
Serrated and tearing weapons
Some weapons are built to cause as much damage as possible. These are, for example, the mace, the flail or serrated arrows (you can recognize them by „x2“ in their name). They have a damage multiplier higher by +1.
The damage base is 7.
Thanks to penetration he has +1, and +1 for the flail, so his total multiplier is 3.
Ultor thus wounds the goblin for 7x3 = 21 HP (that is already 3 levels of injury).
Other bonuses and penalties to the multiplier
Before you determine the damage, add up all bonuses and penalties to the damage multiplier (they are never multiplied by each other) and only then multiply the damage base by this sum. A flail (+1) and a total penetration (+1) thus give a multiplier of 3, not 4. If the multiplier is 0 or less, the damage is reduced (half > third > quarter > fifth > tenth > nothing, see the table)
| Multiplier | We count |
|---|---|
| 1 and more | normally (x multiplier) |
| 0 | 1/2 |
| -1 | 1/3 |
| -2 | 1/4 |
| -3 | 1/5 |
| -4 | 1/10 |
| less | no damage |
Effect of damage
Do not forget to account for the injuries / fatigue of characters and enemies in combat (according to the rules for Health and fatigue). Watch out for:
Character Status
Do not forget to apply the condition penalty (injury, fatigue) to speed, accuracy, penetration and defense (injury does not affect AC).
Shock
If the damage reaches the character's Endurance, he must roll for shock.
Pass Out
If the damage reaches double the Endurance, he must roll for knockout.
Important combat modifiers
(Basic rules)
Weight and stiffness penalty
Never forget to apply the penalty for load weight (encumbrance) and armor stiffness. It reduces your speed, accuracy, penetration and defense.
Excess load
In combat we assume that characters drop all unnecessary load. If they do not, the GM assigns them a penalty to all rolls according to the weight and type of the load. Even a light backpack or a spare axe in the belt significantly limits a character's fighting ability, and a heavy load makes fighting practically impossible!
Character strength
Every character can fight with any weapon. However, a very important rule applies: each weapon always lists the strength required for one-handed and two-handed grip. If your strength is lower than listed for the given grip, you get a penalty of -1 to WS, WA and WD for each level you are short of that value!
In practice it does not pay to use a weapon for which you lack the required strength. It is possible, but with a lighter weapon you will get much better results.
-4 to speed
-4 to accuracy
-4 to defense
He shrugs, leaves the sword be, and takes only the guard's belt, ready for strangling.