The Duelists - supplement for melee combat

[gm_michał]

Hello,

I've been tinkering with traveller melee ever since I've started running it.
Few weeks ago I got my "eureka" moment and since then I was pulling nights working on it.

I think it's ready for playtest, so I'm trying to recruit some playtesters.

I have (free obviously) one shot listed at startplaying.games (link in reddit post). I'll run it as fencing tournament with 8-10 premades to choose from.
I plan to test core mechanics in this run, and maybe some special rules, like mounts or fighting space t-rexes.

If you're interested in stabbing some sophonts I'm more than welcome to accommodate you. You can join via spg or shoot me a dm here or on reddit.


Few words about mechanics:
Besides adjusting melee specialisations it's independent and "bolted on".
Duelists expands "melee attack" into 3 separate rolls, ads fencing actions, "in melee range" becomes 3 range bands and ads advantage points to measure who is doing better in the fight.


Design philosophy is similar to mercs mass combat: it may not be good fit for every group of Travellers, there is no need to bring it up in every barfight, but it's great if you want to let melee character have some memorable moments.

 

[gm_michał]

Couldn't add link to reddit.
It's called "The Duelists playtest"

 

[To Tha Moon!]

This would be a good one to run with Blades.

Many Traveller characters carry Blades.

Foils for fencing, not too often.

I'd like to see what you've done, tho.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[gm_michał]

It works for all weapons. Although I wouldn't be bringing fencing foil to anything remotely considered real fight

Title is more of nod to 1977 cinematic masterpiece "the duelists", starring Keith Carradine and Harvey Keithel and telling a story of 2 French officers who have a beef with each other and are having several duels. Neither remembers at the end why they fight.

 

[ottarrus]

In my Traveller experience, blade combat comes down to three scenarios:
- the quiet guy who has an 'undetectable' bone/ceramic dagger or blade wherever he goes
- the odd Marine who picked up Cutlass 2 while in the service and now absolutely HAS to have it everywhere [I had one PC try and carry her cutlass into a high-end restaurant to meet a patron while dressed in civilian attire and was annoyed and surprised when the maitre d' refused her entry]
- and Nobles or IN officers dueling over affairs of 'honor'.

Insofar as 'dueling in the Third Imperium goes' let me refer you to the article MgJTAS #7, 'Code Duello Fallseppi 882'. I understand that you're talking about mechanics in your dueling experiment, but the subject came up.

Please keep us updated on the progress of your effort, gm_michal. I'm interested to see how it turns out.

 

[gm_michał]

In my Traveller experience, blade combat comes down to three scenarios:

4th: on Vior during "last flight of Amuar" party got hired by locals to find&rescue group of corporate scientists kidnapped by religious sect.
A lot of viking-themed locals vs SWAT-armed party.

In different campaign I had officer with soc 10-11 carrying around rapier. Locals (islands in rift) considered him a bit odd, but he was from Imperium, so they didnt bother him much.

Insofar as 'dueling in the Third Imperium goes' let me refer you to the article MgJTAS #7, 'Code Duello Fallseppi 882'. I understand that you're talking about mechanics in your dueling experiment, but the subject came up.

Thanks. I wasnt aware of that, ill take a look.
I considered writing about dueling custom/laws but decided against it. With referee chapter Ill be at nearly 20.

Please keep us updated on the progress of your effort, gm_michal. I'm interested to see how it turns out.

At this point I just need playtests, referee chapter and spellcheck.
Cover art is amazing btw.

 

[gm_michał]

Here is the cheatsheet for the system.

 

[gm_michał]

From the playtest I've run: highly trained Vargr (Dex DM+1, Athletics (Dex) 2, Melee (Weapon 2, Infighting 2) against 4 thugs (777---, athletics 0, melee 0).
Vargr rolls 2d6 x3 for each turn, and spends those rolls on actions, gain and spend Advantage Points (cheatsheet above)
Multiple combatants are getting in each other's way, so the first two rolls 1 die less (2x 2d6), and the third and fourth get only 1 die.


Gangers stepped out of the shadows, Traveller had no beef with them, but he had to get past them. One of them threw an empty bottle at the wall, This one is Breaky.

- Oy! Mutt! It ain't good hood for the likes of ya, get lost!
- I am just passing through, I don't want any trouble.

- What he sayin’? Cant understand what them Wolfmen are sayin'! - one smelling of tobacco joined in, Smoky.

- He whimperin’, let's give him reason to whimper, ey lads? - this one kept scratching his head, like he had lice or something, Scratchy.

- Aye! - Leader closed in- You dont have reason to whimper, Mutt!- the leader said, putting a hand on Vargr's cloak, Handsy, it seems – Yet!


Round 1:

Vargr: 8, 6, 8

Gangers:

Handsy: 6, 4 (Short)
Breaky: 7, 4 (Medium)
Scratchy: 2 (Long)
Smoky: 4 (long)

Initiative:

Vargr: 6+1
Bandits: 6 (Handsy)

Vargr: Grapple (8+3) Handsy: Block (4+2) (only available target)
Vargr Grapples gains 1 Advantage Point (successful hit grants 1 AdvP)
Vargr: Grapple (8+3) Handsy: (Out of dice, he uses free „2” as his Combat Die) Grapple (2+0), Vargr Bites for damage 1d6+3 (+3 for the Effect)= 8, Handsy wounded, Vargr gets 1 AdvP,

Turn Ends, Vargr loses 1 AdvP

Handsy regretted putting his hands on Vargr the moment he did. Alien moved like lightning, broke Handsy’s grip, and sunk his teeth in the human's throat.

Round 2:

Vargr: 4,7,7 (1 AdvP)

Gangers:

Handsy: 8, 9 (Short, Grappled)
Breaky:2,7 (Medium)
Scratchy: 6,8 (Long)
Smoky:7 (Long)

Vargr: Grapples for 7+3, Handsy defends 9+0, Vargr bites for damage, deals 1d6+1=7 dmg, Handsy Out of Action, Vargr gains 1 AdvP
For 2 AdvP Vargr Moves Smoky to Medium
Vargr Footwork for 7+3, Scratchy Footwork for 8+0 (Defenders choice which one gets attacked), Vargr gains 2 AdvP, Draws telescopic staff, Bandits draw blades,
Vargr Displaces the Weapon for 4+3+2=9, -1 AdvP (select target), Aims at Breaky, Breaky Blocks with 7+2. Vargr Spends 1 AdvP for +1 gets a total of 10, gains 2 AdvP,

Turn ends, Vargr drops 1 AdvP

Vargr tore into his victim's neck, severing veins, tendons and muscles, Handsy fell to the ground, pressing both hands against the mangled neck. Traveller moved fast, drew a short club from his belt, that extended into a six-foot staff, and gangers drew their long, machete-sized, knives. Cheap steal and advanced polymer rang, when Vargr smacked into Breaky’s weapon, pushing it aside.

Round 3:

Vargr: 3, 8, 2 (1 AdvP)

Gangers (all at medium range)
Breaky: 4, 9
Scratchy: 8, 3
Smoky: 6

Vargr Feints (in secret) for 3+3+2=8, Breaky Parries for 9, Vargr gets 1 AdvP (Feint gives 1 AdvP against successful defense),
Vargr Strikes, for 8+3, spends 1 AdvP, aims for Breaky, Breaky Out of the Way for 4+4, gets hit, Vargr gets 3 Advantage points (1 for successful Strike, 2 for Out of the Way), Vargr deals 2d6+1=10 dmg, Breaky is hit and moves from Medium to the Long range,

Vargr Throws Lunge at Breaky with 2+3+1=6, -1 AdvP, Breaky Out of the Way for 2+4, Vargr spends 1 AdvP and hits for 11 damage, Breaky is dying at 0/0/0 with crushed windpipe,

Turn ends, Vargr drops 1 AdvP

Vargr reversed his swing and made a telegraphed attack at Breaky, who moved his blade to intercept the off-worlder weapon, just to expose his side for another reverse swing, that, despite Breaky’s leap backwards, bruised his ribs painfully. Keeping pressure, warrior threw trust at his marks face, went too low and smashed into gangers throat, Breaky fell to the ground, gasping for air through a collapsed windpipe.

 

[gm_michał]

Another handout for the Duelists.

 

[gm_michał]

I've managed to test out a couple of stress points, that I was worried about:
1. Large Opponents (works)
2. Mounted combat (works)
3. Interface between The Duelists and Traveller Combat (works)

Attached is a screenshot from this run.

 

[actionman]

[I had one PC try and carry her cutlass into a high-end restaurant to meet a patron while dressed in civilian attire and was annoyed and surprised when the maitre d' refused her entry]

NSFW