Regarding Combat

[SDonahue]

I've got a few questions about how combat is represented at Alliance. I'm sure when I get my safety run-down the first weekend I play a lot of these questions will be answered. In the meantime, I'm at work and trying to figure out what kind of weapons I'd like to use and/or make for my character. I've got a martial arts background, and I'd like to make the most of it without doing things that are taboo.

So here are a few questions and points that I want to make sure I understand correctly.

1. A staff cannot be used for thrusting.

2. Could the same be said for a polearm or two-handed sword?

3. Trapping an opponent's weapon is only legal if it's between two weapons.

4. Are there any rules or taboos regarding manipulating someone's shield or weapon with a weapon that has a hook component such as an axe or bill-styled polearm.

5. In doce pares escrima, which uses short, thin sticks (about 2.5 feet in length), a popular method of stricking quickly is to flick your wrist following a block or a feint. If the angle here is greater than 90 degrees, would this still count as a strike or would I have to draw back and use my arm to swing again? I understand that this method should not be used to make hits at an uncallable, untrackable rate like it would be used in a fight, but it may be an interesting method for a non-bard PC idea.

6. I understand that turtling is not allowed, but what about crouching low when fighting florentine or two-handed (to reduce striking surface and disguise the orientation of your body when it's dark)?

7. Is putting distance between you and your opponent by tumbling illegal because of environment hazards like roots (or other players)? I've played in a previous LARP where it was discouraged, but people still did this a lot.

I'd appreciate it if someone could give me some input. My first PC will probably be an adept earth caster bard who will not fight on principle (unless plot presents a tasty opportunity for him to change his ways). But y'know, it'd be good for reference.

P.S. I also understand that if I NPC monsters should be role-played appropriately and I should focus on making combat and interaction fun. I will not under any circumstances try to play a giant rat with a martial arts pedigree and exhibitionist tendencies.

 

[dreadpiratebill]

1. Correct

2. No. You can thrust with a polearm or a two handed sword, but in the case of the polearm only the head of the weapon counts, where as the whole "blade" of the two handed sword counts.

3. Trapping a weapon in this game is definded as pinning or locking the weapon in such a way that the player not not simply pull the weapon back or let it drop to free the weapon. Weapon trapping by this definition is not alowed at all.

4. Weapon and sheild hooking is considered unsafe, and is not alowed. Weapons with such hooks will not pass inspection.

5. You may attack as you call damage, but must strike different locations or have at least 45 degrees of swing to prevent machine gunning. You avoid this problem entierly if you wait a moment and only "call danage" on the flick. If you don't call damage on the feint, it dosent matter where the folow up is (relitive to the feint) scince as far as rules go, the feint (with no damage call) was not a weapon swing.

6. Valid, but in the dark you increase the liklyhood someone hits you in the head. Proceed at own risk.

7. Its a fuzzy one. I would say no, but there is no specific rule. Only rules about being "generaly unsafe". In an open feild against one guy tumbling away might work great for you, but in a croud by the cabins, not so much. I would lean this one twords don't do it, but technicaly you can until a local marshal there evaluates what you meen by this and says no. That being said, I have found its not worth it, as boffer combat doesn't really benifit from such moves.

8. You would be surprised how many giant rats apperently know kung-fu. Its like every tavern in the world has 100 Splinters living in it.

--bill
Caldaria Staff
Caldaria Rules Marshal

 

[obcidian_bandit]

As a follow up, you will be disappointed by how your RL skills transfer into this game. I've played with plenty of people with martial arts, fencing, and other training, and the main problem that people will run into is that the combat system just isn't realistic. Most people take a few events to de-program themselves from all their RL fighting styles before they really get the hang of Alliance combat. That's not to say you won't enjoy it or get good at it, just don't be too put out by the fighting system, you'll get used to it.

 

[Wraith]

One of the reasons I don't use a shield, that. Our reps max size are far too small for me, and effective shield fighting is considered turtling.

 

[jpariury]

7. Is putting distance between you and your opponent by tumbling illegal because of environment hazards like roots (or other players)? I've played in a previous LARP where it was discouraged, but people still did this a lot.

Feel free to try, but expect that people will look at you, chuckle, and stab you. A lot.

 

[chriso]

As a follow up, you will be disappointed by how your RL skills transfer into this game. I've played with plenty of people with martial arts, fencing, and other training, and the main problem that people will run into is that the combat system just isn't realistic. Most people take a few events to de-program themselves from all their RL fighting styles before they really get the hang of Alliance combat. That's not to say you won't enjoy it or get good at it, just don't be too put out by the fighting system, you'll get used to it.

While this is true (really, very, *terribly* true), a marriage can be made between Alliance-fighting and RL skill. Some training does carry over and can be used quite effectively. I suggest getting used to the weapons used and the rules of the game, then using your training within those parameters. You may find you enjoy yourself.

It doesn't matter if the monster is swinging 2 or 20 if it can't hit you.

ChrisO