Supplement Four
Mongoose
I have learned much about the AD&D 2E game round since starting my campaign, and as the first adventure in that campaign is coming to a climax, I found myself watching the new Spartacus series the night before last and wondering, "How would those fights be handled mechanically in the game?"
I was surprised to see just how well the fights did, indeed, fit.
So, I present to you...
SPARTACUS - IN AD&D 2E TERMS
Start your viewing HERE towards the end of the segment, at 07:35. Watch until the end, which cuts off in the middle of the scene. Click HERE to continue the fight. Watch until 1:18.
The entire scene is just over two minutes long, but notice that Spartacus' actual combat is a standard one minute combat round.
Focusing on Spartacus himself, and not his woman, and speaking in AD&D 2E terms:
Spartacus achieves Surprise, and is at least a level 13 barbarian warrior, specialized in both short sword and dagger, as he gets 5/2 attacks per round. His first surprise attack is to throw his short sword (gladius) at a target. On his second surprise attack, he performs a maneuver using his Tumbling non-weapon proficiency combined with a Shield-Rush (take a look at the first example given under Surprise and Flash Maneuvers on pg. 73 of the Complete Fighters Handbook). Both of these attacks are performed in conjunction with a half move.
With the surprise round completed, we go into a regular combat round. The DM decides what the bad guys will do, and then he turns to the player, asking what Spartacus will do for the round.
Player: "He will kill all of them."
DM: "Oh..well. OK."
Spartacus' woman is run as an NPC.
Initiative is thrown to start the combat round. We're using individual
initiative, and Spartacus' nish roll is so good he beats all of them except one. Spartacus is second to act.
That one bad guy swings and misses (as Spartacus ducks under him). Spartacus' first action is to use the Grab maneuver to pull the dagger from his enemy's belt (pg. 68 of the Complete Fighters Handbook). This is followed by his second action, which is standard melee strikes and defenses. His third attack is to throw the dagger at one of the enemies.
A sword sticks up from a body just three steps away, so the DM allows Spartacus to recover that weapon. Normally, this would take an entire round, but given the sword's position close to the barbarian warrior, the DM rules it is the same as pulling a weapon from its sheath on the character's belt (which is a free action). So, Spartacus finishes his actions this round completing the melee he started in with his second action above (remember, AD&D 2E melee combat is abstract, possibly accounting for several thrusts, feints, swings, and blows).
An enemy, going after Spartacus in nish order, is also a high level barbarian warrior getting 2 attacks per round. He is weaponless, so he uses both as wrestling attacks. The first is successful, a trip, knocking Spartacus to the ground. The second attack results in a hold as the bad guy attempts to kill Spartacus with his bare hands doing 1 point + STR bonus damage per round until the hold is broken. Spartacus fails in breaking the hold this round.
But, the DM stops the fight in this first and last round with Spartacus' woman, as she dispatches one then backstabs the last enemy, hovering over Spartacus, with +4 attack to the back.
Total Combat Time: 01:30 minutes, consisting of a Surprise Round (30 seconds) and one full combat round (one minute).[/url]
I was surprised to see just how well the fights did, indeed, fit.
So, I present to you...
SPARTACUS - IN AD&D 2E TERMS
Start your viewing HERE towards the end of the segment, at 07:35. Watch until the end, which cuts off in the middle of the scene. Click HERE to continue the fight. Watch until 1:18.
The entire scene is just over two minutes long, but notice that Spartacus' actual combat is a standard one minute combat round.
Focusing on Spartacus himself, and not his woman, and speaking in AD&D 2E terms:
Spartacus achieves Surprise, and is at least a level 13 barbarian warrior, specialized in both short sword and dagger, as he gets 5/2 attacks per round. His first surprise attack is to throw his short sword (gladius) at a target. On his second surprise attack, he performs a maneuver using his Tumbling non-weapon proficiency combined with a Shield-Rush (take a look at the first example given under Surprise and Flash Maneuvers on pg. 73 of the Complete Fighters Handbook). Both of these attacks are performed in conjunction with a half move.
With the surprise round completed, we go into a regular combat round. The DM decides what the bad guys will do, and then he turns to the player, asking what Spartacus will do for the round.
Player: "He will kill all of them."
DM: "Oh..well. OK."
Spartacus' woman is run as an NPC.
Initiative is thrown to start the combat round. We're using individual
initiative, and Spartacus' nish roll is so good he beats all of them except one. Spartacus is second to act.
That one bad guy swings and misses (as Spartacus ducks under him). Spartacus' first action is to use the Grab maneuver to pull the dagger from his enemy's belt (pg. 68 of the Complete Fighters Handbook). This is followed by his second action, which is standard melee strikes and defenses. His third attack is to throw the dagger at one of the enemies.
A sword sticks up from a body just three steps away, so the DM allows Spartacus to recover that weapon. Normally, this would take an entire round, but given the sword's position close to the barbarian warrior, the DM rules it is the same as pulling a weapon from its sheath on the character's belt (which is a free action). So, Spartacus finishes his actions this round completing the melee he started in with his second action above (remember, AD&D 2E melee combat is abstract, possibly accounting for several thrusts, feints, swings, and blows).
An enemy, going after Spartacus in nish order, is also a high level barbarian warrior getting 2 attacks per round. He is weaponless, so he uses both as wrestling attacks. The first is successful, a trip, knocking Spartacus to the ground. The second attack results in a hold as the bad guy attempts to kill Spartacus with his bare hands doing 1 point + STR bonus damage per round until the hold is broken. Spartacus fails in breaking the hold this round.
But, the DM stops the fight in this first and last round with Spartacus' woman, as she dispatches one then backstabs the last enemy, hovering over Spartacus, with +4 attack to the back.
Total Combat Time: 01:30 minutes, consisting of a Surprise Round (30 seconds) and one full combat round (one minute).[/url]
