Combat Styles

[carandol]

While using a pistol in close combat is certainly cinematic, I wonder how realistic it is. Particularly blackpowder ones.

There's a bit in one of the Three Musketeers Novels (I think it's Twenty Years After) where one of the musketeers gives the advice that if you're faced with a man on a horse, you should shoot the horse, then stab the man when he falls off!

But I guess that's cinematic, even though the cinema hadn't been invented when Dumas wrote it!

 

[doomedpc]

Certainly pistols and carbines were used at close ranges - there are eyewitness accounts of such tactics. Likewise highwaymen were a real threat, and holding up (and defending) a coach at pistol point is not just a cinematic device but a reality for travellers on dangerous roads (impressively against the odds at times - large heists, being made by small groups, against well defended parties). There are also examples of "gentlemen" breaking off from the main combat to fight smaller skirmishes, away from the main battle.
A very real tactic for mounted combatants would be to ride up, discharge your carbine(s)/pistols, and then lay about the enemy with your sword (or beat a hasty retreat if they unsportingly shoot back!).

Long Live the Mainspring!
Peter Cakebread

Cakebread & Walton
Purveyors of Fine Imaginings

 

[Da Boss]

That looks like a pretty robust system. I'm personally not a fan of giving half ability to similar weapon groups, I would rather keep things simple.

Assigning a bonus CA based on mastery of combat style is nice, it gives something special at the 90% mark. There should probably a caveat that you only get 1 bonus CA per round no matter how many styles you have mastered and that the CA can only be spent on actions using the style (i.e. attack and parry).

Thanks

Not sure about the half skill - will have a think on it.

I should have been clearer re the CA - I agree you only get one no matter how many skills / stylesare above 90.