Re: [DL] boring fights? (long)

[rs95065@weir.co.uk]

Some of our combats have really dragged.  My posse tends to end up 
resembling a group of misfits with little or no team spirit.  The 
posse are gun heavy including, 2 gun hexslinger, 2 gun mexican 
(sorry spaniard ;-)), harrowed bounty hunter, a mechanical freak 
(with a gattling rifle) and a huckster (we used to have an indian, 
however the huckster brought a tunnel down on him!).  Rather 
predicably guns tend to be the first port of call when it comes to 
combat.  

The 2 two gun's tend to dominate, and when they draw a series of 
high cards, everyone else sighs and sits back, picks up a sourcebook 
and wait for an update on who's alive at the end of it all.  This 
leads to folk all of a sudden saying - what do you mean it's five, 
I've got a seven of diamonds, and with people humming and hawing 
wondering who is left up after the initial hail of lead.  

I think many factors are to blame including the way the group 
roleplay and my style of GMing (I tend to be a bi lenient).  However 
I plan to take a harder line, forcing people to amek their decisions 
more quickly and to think ahead and anyone requiring an update on the 
situation will spend their action getting it.  Hopefully this will 
put off those who ignore combat until their action comes round.

When I first Marshalled Deadlands I completely forgot about stun as 
we were all new to it, combat was pretty long then anyway and so I 
decided to leave it out completely.  I plan to introduce it with the 
revised rules for when someone is dealt a more serious wound.  

I think boring fights just occur when the rule system and people's 
style of gaming just don't quite mix, then it's up to the Marshall to 
recognise it and change things to regain the interest.

Roy
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