Topic: Moving in Combat

[dagorhir]

What would be the difficulty of running through a wooded area with dense underbrush at a fast run pace (or any other pace above walking)?

[Thom @ ICE]

For me, since you describe it as wooded I assume that traction is not an issue, so it is simply how much interference you receive from the underbrush.  Consider what you think is the max movement pace that can be executed through the underbrush.  If it is possible (in the GM's mind) to Sprint - then go with 1 difficulty offst. If the best you could do is Run - then 2 difficulty levels shift.  If your best possible is a Jog pace then it's 3.  If walking is the best you can it is 4 difficult levels offset.  Walking would be that as you move forward you need to constantly push objects aside and dodge between them.

I hope that helps...  it really comes down to a GM judgement call.

[dagorhir]

That's pretty much what I was thinking. My players hated though. Their character's could hardly Run though the rough terrain without tripping over something.

[Thom @ ICE]

Then they need to slow down... 


Just keep in mind that just because they are moving through heavy underbrush doesn't mean that you need to roll for tripping and such every round, otherwise you'd be rolling constantly as people walk down the street.


Assume the underbrush cuts movement to 25%. That makes your normal sprint be reduced to your walk rate (and activities while moving at that rate would be Extremely Hard).  If all they are doing is moving I wouldn't roll any maneuver checks - but if they try to do something while moving at that rate then you do the maneuver roll with an Extremely Hard (or +4 difficulty level). 

[dagorhir]

Well this is exactly How I work it. Moving on level open ground has the following starting difficulty:

Walk        Mundane
Run         Mundane
Fast Run  Routine
Spring     Easy
Dash       Light

Terrain condition increases difficulty by one level for each increase of level, which are Light, Moderate and Heavy.

Possible terrain condition are wooded, underbrush, roughness, slope, and slipperiness.

Conditions are cumulative, so walking through on ground that is lightly wooded, with moderate underbrush would bring difficulty up by 3 levels. So walking in combat through that terrain would be a Light Maneuver.

I use the percentage column of the maneuver table to determine the distance traveled. A fail result in the character tripping over something. I determined how far they got before tripping by removing difficulty levels until I get a percentage result. They fall prone at that distance.

A fumble is rolled on the fumble result.

[Thom @ ICE]

What skill and stat bonuses are you using? What frequency are you rolling? (every round?) Or are you just going with a basic OE roll... which would mean a high chance of fumble.

[dagorhir]

It is either Acrobatics, Ag/Ag, or Ag/Qu, which ever is higher. It' an open ended roll. The fumble range is always 01 - 05. The armor penalty applies.

This is only used in a combat, and is rolled every round a character moves at a pace greater than a Walk. In some case a character can even run without rolling (i.e. open ground with light roughness or light brush).

On even open ground at a dash, the only way a character can trip and fall is by rolling a fumble. They will always move at least a portion of the distance.

You have to considered that in combat, the character does not have is full attention on the environment and moving 50' in a 2 second span is equivalent to an world class running on a track while wearing very light clothing and perfectly adapted footwear. And even then some stumble and fall.

There are always those imaginary dead turtles around.