FIRST EDITION INITIATIVE
Notice how initiative is not always needed, and how the story flows like watching a Star Wars films. It's more of an action story, with the GM describing to you what is up on the screen, than it is a normal roleplaying game as is 2E, where initiative is rolled every round.
Detailed Example to follow.
garhkal said:
So how do you know how many actions you are going to take??
1E does use a Declaration Phase.
The GM sets the scene by describing what the characters see.
Each PC tells the GM what he's going to do (how many actions).
The GM then plays out each segement but allows the character's rolls at whatever he is doing act as the initiative roll.
Simple Example.
(Situation) Roark Garnet is on Ord Mantell. He's a wanted man. There are stormtroopers around every corner. Roark walks quickly, but falls in behind other pedestrians. The hood of his cloak is pulled over his head. He's got to make it back to the hanger to get to his ship and get the hell off this planet.
Round 1
Game Master (situation): You've almost made it to the docking bay. You've come up a narrow alley. There's a large vehicle street between you and the docking bay entrance. Outside the door that you've got to get through, is a single stormtrooper.
Player (declaration): I've got to get close to that trooper. I'm going to secure the hood over my head and make my way across the street. I'll angle for the trooper, but not go directly for him. I don' want him to notice me.
GM (Segment 1): Behind the screen, the GM rolls the stormtrooper's Search, which isn't improved, so he rolls PER 2D. The GM figures that any stormtrooper will be quite wary of anybody coming up close to him, regardless of who they are. Given the positions, it's a Very Easy 5+ roll.
But, the Player has indicated that he's trying to approach the guy as covertly as he can. So, the GM will have him roll his Hide skill. He rolls 3D and gets a total of 12.
In this situation, the Hide roll acts like a Reaction Skill (but that is the only declared action this round for the character). So, the total for the trooper to notice Roark's approach is 5 + 12 = 17.
But, the character is plainly out in the open. The GM gives the trooper a bonus based on the situation. If Roark were in Heavy Cover, then the trooper would suffer a +5 penalty against Roark. So, the GM just turns this around. Instead of giving the trooper a penalty, he gives the stormtrooper a +5 modifier to notice anyone coming up to him. So, he throws 2D +5 looking for 17 or better.
The trooper rolls 5 + 5 = 10. The trooper fails to notice.
This roll is behind the GM screen. The player has to wait for the situation update in the next round to find out what happened (I do this a lot--rolling behind the screen--to keep the drama high. Players wait with baited breath to see if they made whatever they attempted.)
Note: I made this round to show that an Initiative roll is not always needed. In 2E, you always roll initiative. In 1E, many times (as shown here), you don't even need to bother with the roll!
Round 2
GM (situation): With a tug pulling the hood firmly over your head, you step out of the alley. Beings walk by. There is traffic on the street. The trooper is casually scanning the roadway and your side of the street, but his stance tells you that he is not alerted. He's probably bored.
You see your moment in the traffic. Off the curb you go. There's a slow droid in front of you, but you swing around him.
Your head is cocked to your left. You don't let the trooper out of your sight. Sweat starts to run down the side of your cheek.
(Dramatically - pull your players into the movie!) You reach the middle of the road--the median. A bunch of beings are clumped there. You stand, waiting to make it across the other side of the road. Is that trooper looking at you? He's definitely looking this way. It's hard to tell in those white skull masks.
Beings start to move. Three short, blue furred squibbs run by you on your right. One of them bumps you and never says a word. You can smell their hairy stink.
You're in the roadway now, and that trooper seems to be tracking you. His demeanor hasn't changed, but his head is turning. Is it you? Or maybe the fast moving squibbs caught his attention this way?
As you step on the curb of the far side of the road, your direct line of sight with the trooper is blocked. I huge Herglic steps up from your left. You can't see around him.
You slow your pace, just to get a glimpse. Yes! The trooper is looking away now, to his right, down the far roadway.
This is it! You step behind the Herglic again, then to the huge hulk's right. You use the Herglic as "cover" to get up to the trooper.
Then, you're between the Herglic and the wall, right up on the trooper.
What do you want to do?
P: (declaration) I did it? I did it! Man, I was sweating it!
OK, I'm right up on him? Yeah, that's it. I'm going to chop him as hard as I can right in the windpipe, between his helm and armor. I want to knock this guy out.
GM: You've set up an ambush, and so you get a Surprise Segment. The Trooper cannot dodge this blow, so give it all you got.
P: (Revised Declaration) In that case, I'm going to hit the guy three times. (The player is revising his declaration, which is OK, as long as the first action segment hasn't started).
GM (Surprise Segment): Roark has Brawling 4D, which is reduced to 2D due to the multiple actions.
Surprise Segment Attack: Brawling 2D getting an 4. Difficulty for Hand attacks is 5+.
GM (Segment 2 - Situation): The trooper turns suddenly towards you just as you swing! Your quick movement startled him! You've got both your hands locked together, and you swing with all your might! But, you connect with the side of the trooper's helmet, about where his ear will be. SLAM! Your hands slap against the polymer and bounce off!
Note: I will sometimes describe a miss as a hit with no damage as, in this situation, I find it hard for a person to miss a blow when he's standing right next to his target. Roark hit, as I describe it, even though the dice attack says he missed. It's just that Roarks didn't damage his target.
GM (Declaration for the Trooper--this is segment 1 for him): The trooper, his blaster rifle already in his hands, uses it like a bar and slams it up toward your face!
P (Reaction): I desperately need to parry! But, that will reduce my attacks to 1D. I've got to damage this guy, or he's got me. I'm going to risk it and not parry. Instead, I'll just have to hope I take him out with my second blow first! I'm going to grab his shoulder and shove down while I'm kneeing him in the abdomen!
Brawling is reduced to 2D. I need 5+ to hit. Roll: 6!
NOTE: 1E INITIATIVE: Here we have our first initiative situation. The Trooper has his hands on each side of his blaster rifle, and using it like a club (which is the damage I will use if he hits), he's slamming his attacker in the face!
Note how it doesn't matter who rolls first.
GM: Again, behind the screen, the GM rolls the Troopers attack. The trooper has Brawling 3D, and he's only doing the one action. So, we throw the full 3D, trying to roll higher than Roark's attack of 6.
Roll 3D: 10!
INITIATIVE RESULTS: So, what happened? The trooper was able to shove his rifle into his attacker's face before Roark struck.
This means that Roark's attack was aborted as he was attempting it. The trooper struck first, and any hit that is successful automatically stuns the target or worse.
Behind the screen, the GM rolls damage. Club damage is STR + 1D. That's 3D damage. 3D: 10 (again!)
Out in the open, the player rolls Roark's defense, which is his STR 3D. 3D: 7.
This means Roark takes a Wound to the face.
And, he loses his actions for the rest of the round.
Quick. Easy. Fun.
