Topic: Affects of adventuring in cold climate conditions (?)

[JohnD]

I'm starting a campaign in what amounts to the month of January.  Overland travel will be done in conditions of temperature ranging from a high of +10 C to a low of -30 C, with winds gusting up to around 40 kph.

I've probably missed them but are there guidelines that stipulate how taxing/tiring travel in a medieval setting would be in this kind of inclement weather?

Ideally I'm looking for an RMC version, but something from any of the versions is fine.

Thanks.

[yammahoper]

there was an excellent travel table back in old campaign law that would be useful.  the table covered dificulty of travel and distance covered in four hour segments.

how much snow means a lot.  without modern snow removal keeping roads open, travel will be limited to as few as 3-6 miles a day in heavy snow.  this is then followed by the difficulties of shelter through freezing nights. 

P.S. I think the table was "Strategic Movement" or something like that.

[vroomfogle]

Strategic Movement table....I think it was also in RMSS somewhere, but is also in the GM screen.   It is a great table, I use it all the time in any RPG.

[arakish]

And don't forget the calories.  The colder it gets, the more calories you will need to survive.  Many Antarctica hikers carry blocks of butter since it is loaded with fat, thus calories.  Sometimes, the butter is even flavored so it is not so bland tasting.  Fat is the best source for caloric intake in cold climes.  Some Antarctic hikers have been known to consume up to 6000 to 8000 calories a day.  You'll also need water, but that can be made from melting ice/snow.

rmfr

[yammahoper]

It is the Strategic Movement Rate Table.  I found a copy of it in RMFRP, page 67.

In GM Law (RMSS/FRP version) there is a series of excellent tables for generating weather by season, precipitationm wind speeds and even a table listing modifiers for specific mnvs in inclement weather, Heavy Blizzard, Blizzard, Heavy Snowstorm, Light Snowstorm, Sleet Storm, Hail Storm, Fogs, et al.  Pages 123-130 in GM Law.

One nice thing about RM, be it RM1 to RMFRP, the versions are so simular older materials are almost useful in any version. 

[JohnD]

Interesting... thanks all I'll take a look for that table tonight.  Excellent points about snow fall and calorie requirements. 
 
Snowfall that sticks around for longer than a week will likely be minimal due to an interesting freeze/melt pattern developing in the random weather generation, but this would lead to roads being reduced to mud holes... which may be an issue at some point.
 
I can't imagine anyone in AT 17+ will be very comfortable.

[JohnD]

OK found the sections/tables mentioned above - thanks again.

Perhaps it was a little late when I was reading it, but there doesn't seem to be a clear, easy to extrapolate guideline as to how much exhaustion and hit damage traveling in inclement weather conditions can do to man/beast. 

There's a lot that tells you how far/fast you can travel, and mods to MM and other skills, but nothing on the sheer physical impacts of being in that environment (as usual I've probably missed it).

[yammahoper]

Nope, you're right.  The difficulty is inferred.  The dificulty in travel, slower pace, penalties to activity: there is some prose on living in cold/artic conditions and damage caused by exposure...the location of said prose continues to elude my memory.  If it bubbles up, I will post it.

[arakish]

IIRC, RoCo3 had a method published in it.  Might be RoCo4.

rmfr

[Jacinto Pat]

And if you want to be really sadistic - up your breakage chances (metal and glass shatters, leather stiffens, wood cracks) as the bitter cold moves in.
Also, anything involving fine motions will take a long time as fingers out of gloves stiffen.

Cold -- spit freezes before it hits the ground
Bitterly cold -- mucus freezes in the nostril (don't breath deeply -- you can frost your lungs)
Anything else is just refreshingly brisk

[yammahoper]

Extreme Cold rules, section 19.7 of GM Law, page 165-170.

"The following heat loss rules...the following values are based upon 0 degrees of temp and 20mph winds (for a wind chill factor of -40).  For other wind speeds, add/subtract 5 hits for each increase/decreae of 10 degrees or 10mph of wind speed.

A character will take 1 hit every five minutes (12 per hour) if the character is awake, or 1 hit every 15 minutes (4 hits per hour) if the character is asleep.  This means you do not heal hits by sleeping/resting while in artic conditions..."

There is more, covering natural healing, shelter, Heat, Wind Chill Chart, spells, clothing, movement, combat, shelter, et al.  GM Law is a creat book,  The RMSS version is the best.

[dutch206]

Or, you could play an elf and say "Cold?  I hadn't noticed."

[yammahoper]

Or, you could play an elf and say "Cold?  I hadn't noticed."

...skin the elf and wear his hide as a cloak/blanket.

[Nortti]

Wounds are less likely to heal in arctic conditions.

Need more calories.

Water that you get by melting snow is not enough on a long-term. It doesn't have the needed minerals. You need to break the ice from lake or river to get water at times.

In the night you need to make a shelter. Tent with a portable stove is best. You can dig a snow cave but you cannot have fire there. Just make a small cave so that body heat is enough to keep sufficient warm in. Collect branches from pines or spruces and use them as bedding. Entrance tunnel in must be low enough so that warm air wont escape from the cave. You can have candlelight in. Make a small hole to the roof of the cave so that you get enough oxygen.

Its good to have a sledge and dogs or reindeers. If you have skis you can pull your heaviest items on a sledge yourself. They are much easier to transport that way. In any case skis are a must-have item. On foot you get nowhere in deep snow, you just tire yourself. Snowshoes can be useful but skis are much faster.

Tracks are very easy to follow in winter. If you need to hide your tracks move when its snowing heavily.

Wearing metal armor sounds crazy to me. It would absorb much needed body heat and makes travel on snow much clumsier and an exhausting affair. If I want to keep the armor I would just pull it on a sledge.

[VladD]

Armor is actually very warm because of the padding you need underneath. Wear the padding against the cold and keep the basic chest armor piece ready for when you need it. That can be donned in a round or two, if pressed.

[NanoEther]

Army Survival Manual (FM 21-76)
http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

You may have to extrapolate maneuver difficulties and need to determine which skills to use (most are going to fall under Survival: Winter or Survival: Arctic).

FM 21-76-1 is the sere manual and only provides minimal coverage of survival in extreme climates. There are also climate specific manuals such as FM 31-70, Basic Cold Weather Survival.

If a military manual is available ("approved for public release"), you should be able to find it for free as a download.

[Marrethiel]

Armor is actually very warm because of the padding you need underneath. Wear the padding against the cold and keep the basic chest armor piece ready for when you need it. That can be donned in a round or two, if pressed.

Indeed!
RMC Arms Law even states that AT 6 & 7 are for cold weather. "Soft Leather Base. The heavy outer garments normally
worn as weather protection by certain civilians." (page 12)

[VladD]

Tipping the hat 

An arming coat, or gambeson, exists as a full suit as well: so AT 8 is also possible.

check my guild companion article: http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2012/oct/warcraft.html

[JohnD]

Great information guys... thanks again much appreciated!