Stage Combat: “They Fight”

It is assumed that every cast member knows how to fight. For the sake of dramatic resonance, a cast member knows how to use any main hand melee weapon, and an offhand weapon or shield.

Specialization is not needed in a specific weapon or type but certain Core Capabilities confer certain bonuses.
Certain weapon choices may confer bonuses but there is no “specialization” penalty in picking up a weapon. There is a minimum Might or Agility needed to use a weapon effectively.
The same is true with armor. Any armor can be worn limited only by the armor’s minimum might requirement.

Non-Lethal combat (brawling) is conducted the same as lethal, but with hands or objects and the damage is deducted from Character Vitality. Might Core Capability Damage Bonuses will apply in non-lethal combat.

Combat and Damage

The Derived Capability from character generation is used to determine chance of striking an opponent and the Prime Capability for that type of attack is used to determine damage bonuses if any. There are basically three types of attack:

Missile Strike (at least one hex distant) Bow, Thrown, Arcane Item, Gaze
Melee Strike (adjacent enemy)
Magic Strike (adjacent or ranged depends upon the incantation or spell)

Example:

Warrior with a Melee Strike of 14 must roll a 14 or less on a 20d to score a strike on a 0-level monster with Armor Class 0 (Note Armor Class in this case is the reverse of OSR thus that old Armor Class 0 is in this case Armor Class 10.).

Each Monster level adds 1 point to the die roll.

Each Armor adds 1 point for each level to the die roll.

A Melee Strike of 14 against a 3rd level Monster with Armor Class of 2 would need a roll of 9 or less on s 20 die to strike (14-5=9).

Unique Damage

Aside from the obvious weapons used in strikes there are less obvious ones. Throwing a clay pot with lamp oil on a target is a missile strike that does no damage. Throwing a clay pot with a burning wick would do burn damage on a successful hit. DN determines what weird damage might be allowed (like burning oil, holy water, acid). Weird damage can be decisive so handle with care.

Damage is applied to Life Force. Damage is by weapon weight or spell. Any successful strike will cause damage to the target life force. Thus the basic strike system is brutal and battles are over fast. Special or magical costumes or armor may modify damage by reduction to damage dice. For more nuanced and longer fights see the optional Armor Damage Reduction system.

Armor Class

Armor will mitigate defense by making it harder for a strike attempt to be effective. Armor has a Defensive value expressed for the Monster or Character. The target may have normal armor or intrinsic armor like scales. The Defensive value is added to the attackers Melee or Missile Strike die roll.

While in practice armor is a continuum of protective values and weights, the basic system limits the number of types used. There is Body, Head ,and Shield armor. Armor Value is determined by the armor type and whether a shield is used.

Armor will not mitigate magical damage and may increase the damage depending upon the armor and the spell specifics. (Fire may do more damage to non-metal armors and electrical may do more damage to metal armors.)

Armor Type / Class / Move in hexes / Min Might

No Armor /AC 0 / Move 14 / no minimum Might
Reinforced Silk / AC 1 / Move 14 / no minimum Might
Helmet / AC 1 / Movement unaffected / no minimum Might
Shield / AC 1 / Movement unaffected / no minimum Might
Gambeson / AC 2 / Move 12 / no minimum
Woven Leather / AC 3 / Move 12 / minimum 8 Might
Boiled Leather / AC 4 / Move 12 / Might min. 10 Might
Mail / AC 5 / Move 10 /Might min. 12
Plate & Mail / AC 6 / Move 8 / Might Min 14
Gothic Plate / AC 7 / Move 6 / Might Min 16
Dragon Scale / AC 8 / Move 6 / Might Min 16

Advanced Armor Class Equivalencies

General Style	Minimum Might	AC	Move	D&D Armor Class
Normal clothing	none	0	14	10
Reinforced Cloak, Arming Doublet	none	1	14	9
Gambeson	none	2	14	8
Reinforced Gambeson	none	3	12	7
Leather	8	4	12	6
Reinforced Leather	9	5	10	5
Chain or Scale, Shirt	10	6	10	4
Chain or Scale, Hauberk	11	7	9	3
Brigandine	12	8	9	2
Partial Plate, Laminar	14	9	8	1
Full Plate (Gothic)	16	10	6	0

Weapon Weight & Damage

Most weapons and armor will fall between Very Light and Heavy. Specialized weapons are at the whim of the DN and will often be magical or exotic.

Damage by Weight Class

Rather than list every known weapon and express it in damage dice, damage is given in weights and common sense and logic will dictate where a player’s chosen weapon will fall. One can use your favorite weapons tables and estimate the conversion. The underlying concept is to increase damage and thus decrease the number of successful strikes needed to conclude a fight.

Damage by weapon weight class (Melee & Ranged)

Weight	Very Light	Lite	Medium	Med Heavy	Heavy	Very Heavy
Damage	1-6	1-6 +2	2-12	2-12 +3	3 d6	4 d6

Melee Weapons General

Damage varies by weight and range is adjacent hex. (Optional minimum Might to use effectively)

Very Lite: (No Might Min)
Fists, Claws, dagger, cane, wooden club rock
Lite: (No Might Min)
shillelagh, short staff, long knife (seax), hatchet, hunting spear
Medium: (Might Min 10)
Short sword, War spear, War Axe, Iron Mace, Quarter Staff
Medium Heavy: (Might Min 12)
Long sword, Falchion, Flange Mace, Great Axe, Bill, Halberd
Heavy: (Might Min 14)
Zwei hander, Great Maul, Glave, Military Flail, Pole Axe
Very Heavy: (Might Min 18 or more)
Giant monster sized weapon. Ogre club, Giant’s axe etc.

Missile Weapons General

Missile Weapons have minimum range (1 hex) a maximum range determine by weapon. Max range is the effective range during fog of battle. It is not mass volleying range. It is assumed to be aimed shot at an unpredictable target. May strike once per moment unless noted.

Very Lite: (No Agility Minimum) Range: 4 hexes
Dagger, dart, rock, Flask/bottle, grenade
Lite: (Agility Min 8) Range: 14 hexes
Sling, Short bow, hunting crossbow
Medium: (Agility Min 10) Range: 16 hexes
Long Bow, Crossbow, staff sling,
Medium Heavy: (Agility Min 12 + Might Min 10) Range: 18 hexes
War Bow, stirrup crossbow
Heavy: (Agility Min 14 + Min Might 12) Range: 20 hexes
Composite Bow, Windless Crossbow
Very Heavy: (Agility Min 16 + Min Might 14) Range : 24 hexes
Siege Crossbow (takes 1 round to load)

Advanced Armor Weight Equivalencies (Optional)

Use the following table for wider variation in armor type and potentially higher DAR values.

General Style	Weight	Minimum Might	AC	Base Beats	D&D Armor Class
Normal clothing	Very Lite	none	0	14	10
Reinforced Cloak, Arming Doublet	Very Lite	none	1	14	9
Gambeson	Lite	none	2	14	8
Reinforced Gambeson	Lite	none	3	12	7
Leather	Medium	8	4	12	6
Reinforced Leather	Medium	9	5	10	5
Chain or Scale, Shirt	Medium	10	6	10	4
Chain or Scale, Hauberk	Medium	11	7	9	3
Brigandine	Medium	12	8	9	2
Partial Plate, Laminar	Heavy	14	9	8	1
Full Plate (Gothic)	Very Heavy	16	10	6	0
Shields
Buckler, Targe	Light	none	1	No effect
Round, Heater	Medium	none	2	No effect
Pavise	Heavy	14	3	-2 Move

Advanced Combat Mechanics (Optional)

These special actions are not open to monsters. A monster might have its own special attack. These attacks are open to all character levels.

Range Bonus: At half range or less, the strike value is increased by +2. A 60’ (12 hexes) range weapon targeted at 30’ (6 hexes) or less gets strike value +2 turning a Range Strike Value of 13 to 15.

Exploit Advantage: If the first Strike (melee attack) is a success a second follow on attack may be attempted at -2 to die roll.

Reckless Strike: +4 to strike roll. If successful gain additional +2-12 damage. If target survives they get immediate riposte at -3 to strike die. (May get another attack if have not completed their Melee phase.)

Quick Shot: Missile Phase. If equipped with a bow (not crossbow) player may be attempted the Quick Shot allows 2 missile strikes but each attack is at +2 to die roll.

Cripple Shot: +4 Strike Die, On a successful strike the target’s movement is halved.

Melee Defend: At the end of a Movement Phase a player may elect to defend rather than strike in Melee phase. Melee Defend adds +3 to the strike roll for to up to 2 opponent’s. Melee Defend replaces the Melee Strike option for that Moment.

Shield Rush: Movement Phase. If equipped with medium or large shield a “shield rush” may be attempted in which the player moves at least 3 hexes to rush a foe. A successful melee strike give 1-6 damage and displaces the target 1 hex back with the vacated hex being occupied by the striker. This is the only attack that can be made during the movement phase.

Back Attack: Much is made of attack vector in many TTRPG settings. This neither simulates real-life nor helps game flow. A player has a front and back (ignore flanks). Attacks at front are normal. Attacks from the rear are +4 to strike value, but hard to achieve.

A person or monster will always turn toward their attacker unless surprised/bushwhacked. Thus, no flank or rear attacks can be made unless one of three conditions are met.

Rear Attack

Defender has been successfully hit in the combat round already (Pinned).
Defender is magically or physically constrained (Held)
The attacker uses skullduggery attack from the rear. (Bushwhacked/Back-stabbed)

Force Retreat/ Knock Back (optional): If a target takes more than 50% LF damage in a single strike, they are forced back one square at attacker choice. They must also make a morale check. Attacker may advance into vacated hex.

Theatrical Roll Results (Very Optional)

Fore “critical” rolls use the theatrical rolls mechanic. On a natural 1 the strike is fortuitous. On a natural 20 the strike is disastrous. Roll on the chart below.

Fortuitous Result/ Lucky (Chart used even if no other physical damage done).

Target takes +2 Damage
Target takes +4 Damage
Target Crippled, movement halved until healed.
Target Bleeds lose 1LF per round until wound bound or magically healed
Target Bleeds lose 2LF per round until wound bound or magically healed
Target knocked down. Next movement phase may stand up, but make no attack.

Disastrous Result/ Unlucky (Chart used even if damage is done.)

Off Balance: Foe gets immediate attack during your phase and again in their phase.
Off Balance: Foe gets immediate attack during your phase and again in their phase.
Stumble: Foe gets immediate attack during your phase and again in their phase. -2 to strike die.
Weapon Dulled: -2 to damage rolls until repaired.
Weapon Damage: -4 to damage rolls until repaired.
Weapon Broken. No longer usable. (magic weapons do not break)