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Message: <blockquote data-quote="chaochou" data-source="post: 5829518" data-attributes="member: 99817">I don't think the distinction between 'freeform' and 'tactical' lies in the difference between the initiative rules. The example you cite as 1e 'freeform' ignores whole swathes of the 1e DMG.AD&D DMG p61.The steps for encounter and combat are as follows:1. Determine if either or both parties are SURPRISED.2. Determine distance, if unknown, between the parties.3. If both parties are unsurprised, or equally surprised, determine INITIATIVE for that round.4. Determine the results of whatever actions are decided upon by the party with initiative:A. Avoid engagement (flee, slam door, use magic to escape, etc.) if possible. B. Attempt to parley. C. Await action by other party. D. discharge missiles or magical device attacks or cast spells or turn undead. E. Close to striking range, or charge. F. Set weapons against possible opponent charge. G. Strike blows with weapons, to kill or subdue. H. Grapple or hold 5. Determine the results of whatever actions are decided upon by theparty which lost the initiotive (as per A. through H. above).6. Continue each melee round by determination of distance, initiotive,and action until melee ends due to fleeing, inability to continue, ordeath of one or both parties.SO in RAW AD&D, the encounter would have the man with the spear walk round the corner, both he and the guard roll for surprise, any surprise segments and then initiative. No drawing swords, or charges or anything else except as determined by surprise and initiative. Any non-combat actions (fleeing, attempting to negotiate) are still explicitly called out as happening within the contect of the 'combat round'.If by 'freeform' you mean 'ignoring the rules' you can do that with any edition.However, I think there is a distinct difference between a 6-second 'round' and a one-minute 'round' in that the latter subsumes whole flurries of blows and feints, footwork and conversation into one unit of game time, and leaves a lot of narrative open to be filled in by the imaginations of the players and GM. If this is what you mean by 'freeform', then I agree - it is different, and a looser style that I (generally) prefer.It may suit your purposes to rethink your timescales for each 'round' rather than isolate initiative as the source of the problem.</blockquote>

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