Facing: Cool or Lame?

[the Jester]

In your ideal rpg, would you like rules for facing? Do you think they are lame and add unnecessary tracking, or is not having them lame and unrealistic?

Vote and discuss!

 

[OverloadUT]

Completely depends on the system. It works well for things like Space Hulk.

So the answer is it all depends on if the system is balanced around it.

If I were designing my own from scratch, I would opt to have facing exist, if only to make it different from the standard fare.

 

[Flatus Maximus]

Forget about squares vs. hexes. Möbius strip, anyone? All combat should occur on non-orientable surfaces.

 

[Jdvn1]

I think facing is unrealistic in any system where rounds > 1 second. Turning around doesn't take that long.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I would vote for the mobius strip, as well as the non facing option.
Facing is a wargame artifact and represents that close order infantry points in one direction and does not re-orient with any degree of quickness.

I have never come across any rpg combat rules (admitedly, I have not explored many new rules sets recently - at least outside the D&D family - I do not have the time or really the interest) that model combat in a 'realistic' manner. They are all to some degree fairly abstract and so so I do not see facing as having any real purpose in an rpg context.

 

[Glyfair]

I think facing is unrealistic in any system where rounds > 1 second. Turning around doesn't take that long.

I pretty much agree. The exception would be for large scale battles, when changing orientation of large units takes time.

 

[Nifft]

For chases and mass-combat, facing makes a lot of sense.

For melee, it makes less sense.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Betote]

Oddly enough, I find facing easier to track down when not using miniatures or a battle grid.

Facing counts during the surprise rounds of combat and when a character is "engaged" in combat and therefore can't turn around so easily, and my system of choice already covers those two situations without needing more complex facing rules.

OTOH, I have fond memories of heavily tactical games where it was very different attacking someone from the front, behind, flanks (shield and non-shield)... So, if the rules are well written, I can go either way.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Facing is important and usually needed in boardgames. In an RPG facing becomes an annoyance and pulls attention away from the 'scene' and focuses it on a miniature.

 

[MarkB]

I think facing works poorly for personal combat, but can be useful in vehicle combat, where movement is more restricted and has a direct bearing upon which weapons you can bring to bear on a target.