Re: [HoE] [Goff] Hand to Hand and AP

["Steve Crow" <crow_steve@hotmail.com>]

>In a message dated Wed, 3 May 2000  9:58:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
>"Grand Master Nilus of the Dark Angel Chapter" 
><grandmasternilus@hotmail.com> writes:
>
><< I Dont no if this question has been answered or not but Ill ask again 
>with
>an example
>What Happens when a Player H to H weapons Damage is reduced to Zero<<
>
>Normally, I don't "officially" answer HOE questions--I'm just on here as a 
>slighty-more-informed-than-average Marshal, but since this one hits a 
>question that ties with the DL rules, I'll bite. :-)
>
>

It's much appreciated, particularly since John Hopler seems to be busy (and 
understandably so! :) ).  As an occasional RPG writer myself, I stand in awe 
of his ability to pump out Junker, Cyborg and Iron Oasis in the time period 
he did.

> >>Does the Templar
>
>A) Do know Damage at all(seems kinda unfair since he does have a massive
>str)
>
>b) Does he do just his STR and if so do further AP levels reduce that
>For Example if the AP was 7 would his strength be reduced to 4D8<<
>
>A) is correct. He does no damage, which really isn't that unfair when you 
>consider AV 5 completely stops a NA assault rifle which hits with a whole 
>lot more pounds/square inch force than the strongest human can. :-)
>
>Short of some sort of magical edge (like Steve's new gift), he's not going 
>to hack through the armor.
>
>BTW, just to be a rules weenie (since it's kinda my job <g>), a normal 
>sword only does 2d8.
>

*nods* That was our take on it too.  And why the whole proposed new Templar 
Gift thing kinda came up.  It seems an odd weakness for Templars to have 
given their reputation, and their sword-favoritism (in some ways as much a 
symbol of the Templars as their powers).

One clarification:  I didn't mean to imply that Templars were entirely 
useless in HTH combat, or that HTH combat overall was useless.  But  as a 
personal obvservation from my own campaign:

Early on this swordfighting vs. AV thing is not a problem.  But as 
characters become more experienced and threat levels ascend, the armor of 
those threats goes up (just compare Infestations and Killer Clowns to Boise 
Horror, for instance!).  This is natural and logical.  But...while other 
PC-types ability to get through that armor goes up (Doomsayers and Sykers 
get more special abilities and increase their strain, Junkers build more 
potent devices, gunfighters become better with a gun and they can make use 
of AP rounds and become better at scroungin' for them), the Templars' 
ability to do so does not.

IMO, my suggestion would be to possibly go with the non-lethal damage option 
in the rules in some cases, regardless of the size of the attacker.  This is 
_not_ in the rules "officially," but it seems to make some sense.  A Templar 
with a 2d8 Battle-Ax hitting an AV 4 cyborg in the head is going to _hurt_ 
(or at least do some stunning type damage, IMO) even if he can't get through 
the armor.

Your mileage may vary.  Alternately, hope Pinnacle eventually introduces 
some of those HTH AP weapons that almost certainly must have existed pre-war 
(or so the Junker rules would suggest).

> >>Let Me know what the official ruling is
>
>Thanks
>Dan<<
>
>There you have it and no problem!
>
>John Goff


---

Steve Crow

"Worm Can Opener Extraordinare"

Check out my website at:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/

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