RangerWickett
Legend
This is a work in progress.
Note: The area a combat takes place in contains multiple smaller areas. I'm currently at a loss for what to call them. I'm looking for a name with the proper implication that won't likely also be a physical location. So field, arena, ground, and stage are out. I might go with set, but that makes it sound too much like a money. Sphere might be too esoteric. Scape too lingo-y. For now, I'll use stage for a small area, and field to refer to the total area.
In hindsight as I'm typing this, I kinda wish I'd gone with theater, stage, and set. But anyway.
Preface:
The following rules are intended to allow for tactical movement in combat without requiring a gridded battle map. The most you'd need for these rules is a sketch of the relative locations of different stages of combat. Note that these rules are intended to be somewhat abstract. The players and GM are encouraged to alter the specifics on the fly for a more enjoyable combat.
Areas of Combat
The Field is the overall area where a battle takes place. From the outside in, a field consists of Strategic range (beyond 800 ft.), Long range (150 - 800 ft.), and Medium range (up to 150 ft.). Depending on how large you want to scale things, the Field can have multiple Strategic ranges, and each Strategic range can have multiple long ranges, and each long range can have multiple medium ranges.
But where we're primarily interested is the area where the fighting actually takes place. This is Close range (up to 30 ft.). An area where everyone can see each other and is within Close range of each other is called a Stage.
So:
Assuming flat, unobstructed terrain, moving anywhere within a stage is generally handwaved, and does not require an action. If a given Medium area has multiple stages within it, moving between the stages requires a move action. If a given Long area has multiple Medium areas within it, moving between the Medium areas takes one full round. If you want to move from Medium area A to Medium area B, and then into Stage 1 in Medium Area B, you'd need to spend a full round and then a move action. Moving to Strategic range generally removes a creature from the combat.
Note: I seriously need better names than 'medium area' and 'long area.' I sound like I'm talking about David Bowie *shudder*
Every stage, in addition to having an actual description, has four traits that affect how combat occurs within it: Mobility, Hostility, Utility, and Visibility. If you're just using basic D&D, only the first one (Mobility) matters. The other three would matter in a hypothetical D&D 4th edition I might work on.
Mobility - Every creature will have a Movement score. If we were redesigning the system from the ground up we could just assign Movement scores, but since we're using D&D as a base, here's how you get it. Take your normal tactical movement rate, and figure out how fast you can run. Then compare that with 100 ft. For every 10 ft. above 100 ft., you have a +1 bonus to your movement, and likewise a -1 penalty for every 10 ft. below. This might be modified by your Dexterity. Not sure yet.
Some actions will require you to make . . .
Other things as yet unfigured-out:
Engage checks, where you go from being a dude in a big melee to a dude fighting another specific dude.
Other maneuvers, and how they influence movement in a stage.
Special techniques like defending a target, following a person, avoiding people, taking cover in crowds, using terrain. Since terrain is abstract, perhaps Hostility and Utility and Visibility are necessary.
Better names for 'areas.' Perhaps Region, Field, Theater, Stage?
Note: The area a combat takes place in contains multiple smaller areas. I'm currently at a loss for what to call them. I'm looking for a name with the proper implication that won't likely also be a physical location. So field, arena, ground, and stage are out. I might go with set, but that makes it sound too much like a money. Sphere might be too esoteric. Scape too lingo-y. For now, I'll use stage for a small area, and field to refer to the total area.
In hindsight as I'm typing this, I kinda wish I'd gone with theater, stage, and set. But anyway.
Preface:
The following rules are intended to allow for tactical movement in combat without requiring a gridded battle map. The most you'd need for these rules is a sketch of the relative locations of different stages of combat. Note that these rules are intended to be somewhat abstract. The players and GM are encouraged to alter the specifics on the fly for a more enjoyable combat.
Areas of Combat
The Field is the overall area where a battle takes place. From the outside in, a field consists of Strategic range (beyond 800 ft.), Long range (150 - 800 ft.), and Medium range (up to 150 ft.). Depending on how large you want to scale things, the Field can have multiple Strategic ranges, and each Strategic range can have multiple long ranges, and each long range can have multiple medium ranges.
But where we're primarily interested is the area where the fighting actually takes place. This is Close range (up to 30 ft.). An area where everyone can see each other and is within Close range of each other is called a Stage.
So:
- Field
* Strategic range
* Long range
* Medium range - Stage
* Close range
* Touch range
Assuming flat, unobstructed terrain, moving anywhere within a stage is generally handwaved, and does not require an action. If a given Medium area has multiple stages within it, moving between the stages requires a move action. If a given Long area has multiple Medium areas within it, moving between the Medium areas takes one full round. If you want to move from Medium area A to Medium area B, and then into Stage 1 in Medium Area B, you'd need to spend a full round and then a move action. Moving to Strategic range generally removes a creature from the combat.
Note: I seriously need better names than 'medium area' and 'long area.' I sound like I'm talking about David Bowie *shudder*
Every stage, in addition to having an actual description, has four traits that affect how combat occurs within it: Mobility, Hostility, Utility, and Visibility. If you're just using basic D&D, only the first one (Mobility) matters. The other three would matter in a hypothetical D&D 4th edition I might work on.
Mobility - Every creature will have a Movement score. If we were redesigning the system from the ground up we could just assign Movement scores, but since we're using D&D as a base, here's how you get it. Take your normal tactical movement rate, and figure out how fast you can run. Then compare that with 100 ft. For every 10 ft. above 100 ft., you have a +1 bonus to your movement, and likewise a -1 penalty for every 10 ft. below. This might be modified by your Dexterity. Not sure yet.
Some actions will require you to make . . .
Other things as yet unfigured-out:
Engage checks, where you go from being a dude in a big melee to a dude fighting another specific dude.
Other maneuvers, and how they influence movement in a stage.
Special techniques like defending a target, following a person, avoiding people, taking cover in crowds, using terrain. Since terrain is abstract, perhaps Hostility and Utility and Visibility are necessary.
Better names for 'areas.' Perhaps Region, Field, Theater, Stage?
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