Simple rules for Hand to Hand Combat and Large scale combat or wargaming in online roleplay, John Norman's Gor

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This method was first developed by Gerard de Gre in the early 1900's and is expanded on here to fit role-playing and wargaming in the Gorean environment.

Hand to Hand or melee combat
Character combat power or "hit points"
Large scale combat
Role-Playing Guidelines
Note 1, appendix
Note 2, Appendix
Note 3, appendix
Note 4, appendix
Note 5, appendix
Note 6, appendix

Wargames have existed since the invention of war. They were popularised by HG wells in his book:

Author: Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946.
Title: Little wars; a game for boys from twelve years of hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent girls who like boys' games and books
Published: London, F. Palmer <1913>
Subjects: War games.

And I am not making that title up either.

Since this book many more books have followed some of which ::gasp:: have dealt specifically with hand to hand combat. Surprise! there is an incredibly simple, beautiful system that could be used and it only requires three people and is fool proof,. Wanna know? well here yah go.

each player picks one of the following three actions which correspond to attacks and defences

1. cut to head
2. parry and lunge
3. stop thrust

See Note 1 in appendix.

Now all we need is what we have already, the proctor and two fighters or more. One fighter is designated the defender by virtue of the scene or by decision. I will get to how this works with more then one fighter in a moment. Each fighter relays his action to the proctor prior to writing his action in the room. The proctor then finds the result from this simple table.

	*Defender*
*Attacker (man initiating melee)*	Cut to head	Parry & lunge	Stop-thrust
Cut to head	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker	Hit on Defender
Parry & lunge	Hit on Defender	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker
Stop-thrust	Hit on Attacker	Hit on Defender	both moves blocked

This may look complicated but let us consider that this is actually just the childs game of Paper, Scissors, Rock

	*Defender*
*Attacker (man initiating melee)*	Paper	Scissors	Rock
Paper	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker/Scissors wins	Hit on Defender/Paper wins
Scissors	Hit on Defender /Scissors wins	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker/Rock wins
Rock	Hit on Attacker/Paper wins	Hit on Defender/Rock wins	both moves blocked

Both combatants send their move to the proctor or "caller" in Instant Message™( also called private, message in IRC before any written action in the room. This prevents players from reading ahead. Then each player writes his action as normal in the room or channel. The "caller" then describes the resulting action and then both combatants have the chance to respond in writing.

See Note 2 in appendix.

Demo 1
In this demo smallwarrior has chosen to defend. Wouldnt it be nice if he wrote in a "defensive style?" See note 3 in appendix

Both Players have already sent their actions to the Proctor/Caller, the Proctor/Caller announces the beginning of the round

BIGWARRIOR, has chosen to be the attacker. His IM window to proctor reads:
BIGWARRIOR:Cut to Head.
smallwarrior, who is defending, his IM window to proctor reads:
Smallwarrior: Parry &lunge.

Proctor/Caller:::The two fighters begin the match, the crowd leans forward in anticipation::
BIGWARRRIOR:::He moves toward him, eyeing him with cold stare. Feeling nothing for his opponent as he attacks with a high slashing arc::
Smallwarrior: :: he spits the word,:: COWARD! :: as bigwarrior attacked ferociously, hoping to void his blade he struck back with equal venom, lunging forward stabbing for the heart ::

The result of these two actions is Hit on Attacker visually the defender is ducking to lunge and avoids the cut to the head strike.

See Note 4 in appendix

Now the proctor, rather then being a pathetic counting machine can actually write. Slaves or Free Women, who usually proctor such events, are now given a marvelous opportunity to write a combat scene without violating any Gorean tradition of male dominance. the proctor/caller, must also keep and send a log of the "action IM windows," especially in death matches etc. (Im windows can be copied and pasted and then sent to the combatants in email.) It is hoped by myself that any disputes could be settled easily. Lost IMs to the proctor/caller could simply be resent. I do not understand why there would ever be a problem with this but i am sure there will be. But i digress.

DEMO CONT...
The PROCTOR/CALLER takes over:
Proctor/Caller:::The two fighters begin the match, the crowd leans forward in anticipation::
BIGWARRRIOR:::He moves toward him, eyeing him with cold stare. Feeling nothing for his opponent as he attacks with a high slashing arc::
Smallwarrior: :: he spits the word,:: COWARD! :: as bigwarrior attacked ferociously, hoping to avoid his blade he struck back with equal venom, lunging forward stabbing for the heart ::
Proctor/Caller::: The two battle in the dusty of the arena, bigwarrior slashing at the head while small warrior lunges under the blow to stab at his heart. As the crowd gasps collectively, bigwarriors blade flys over smallwarrior as the point of smallwarriors blade gashes bigwarriors chest, blood gushing over the steel::

Here is where it gets a little stickier. This system is taken from Featherstone's Advanced War Games
Featherstone suggests that certain units have certain "combat powers." These powers add up to the number of wounds a unit can sustain. This works marvelously well for us here in AOL Gor and would allow us to put in training programs to track combat wins, rewarding succesful fighters. Warrior castes could keep records of fights if they cared to, rewarding players with combat power points. That is all beside the point and is up to individual cities and players. Featherstone gives these values for combat power.

Type of Unit	Combat Power
light foot soldier	2
Heavy foot soldier	3
Mountedknights (Tarnsman? Tharlarion riders?)	3+1
light mounted (kailla riders?)	2+1
Commanders	Add one to combat power

See Note 5 in appendix.

OK. So this was made originally for knights etc and is awfully fast for combat in Gor where we care about our characters so lets up the numbers to a realistic AND ESCAPABLE number.

Type of Unit	Combat Power
light foot soldier/Free woman's gaurd/ panther girls/sleen/tharlarion/kailla...	2
Heavy foot soldier/Any and all men, not mounted, of all castes who care to fight.for whatever reason yet have no warriors training./larl/tarn	4
Mountedknights (Tarnsman of non warrior caste? Tharlarion riders of non warrior caste?)	4+4
light mounted (kailla riders?)	4+2
Commanders/Warriors/Torvald/ Exwarriors with training/tahari desert riders/Wagon people and other groups with a cultural and book tradition of combat training. For the purpose of Gor it is best to include "pirates." in this.	Adding 2 to combat power of normal man so 6
Kur	10

So... what does this mean in light of our demo

DEMO CONT...
The PROCTOR/CALLER takes over:
Proctor/Caller:::The two fighters begin the match, the crowd leans forward in anticipation::
BIGWARRRIOR:::He moves toward him, eyeing him with cold stare. Feeling nothing for his opponent as he attacks with a high slashing arc::
Smallwarrior: :: he spits the word,:: COWARD! :: as bigwarrior attacked ferociously, hoping to avoid his blade he struck back with equal venom, lunging forward stabbing for the heart ::
Proctor/Caller::: The two battle in the dusty of the arena, bigwarrior slashing at the head while small warrior lunges under the blow to stab at his heart. As the crowd gasps collectively, bigwarriors blade flys over smallwarrior as the point of smallwarriors blade gashes bigwarriors chest, blood gushing over the steel::
Proctor/Caller:Smallwarrior 6 BIGWARRIOR 5
This could also be reversed to count UP rather then down. Some people prefer it that way.

See Note 6 in appendix

Large Scale Combat Rules

Large scale combat or combat occuring between two military groups is even easier to play out in Role-Play. Using the Proctor/Caller system the combat system simulates reality quite clearly. In any large engagement the opposing forces always have one thing in common. They consist of a center, a right and a left flank. Thus using the same three action system large bodies of men can be written to make attackes on one of those areas of their enemy.

	*Defender*
*Attacker (man initiating melee)*	Right Flank	Center	Left Flank
Right flank	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker	Hit on Defender
Center	Hit on Defender	both moves blocked	Hit on Attacker
Left Flank	Hit on Attacker	Hit on Defender	both moves blocked

Instead of the individual characters being hurt or killed as in hand to hand combat, the entire combat group is affected by these attacks. Instead of individual deaths being recorded, Morale is measured. When a units morale falls below a certain level it will scatter and run leaving the attacker to the spoils. Of course a defending or attacking unit whose Morale falls to certain levels may always retreat before that occurs. This leaves us with only calculating the level of Morale of units and it is doine the same way as with individual characters. Indeed the values are almost the same except they keep in mind the defences of the defending units who will have the protection of their fortress or city or simple trench.

Type of unit	Morale Plus added morale for defenders advantage in Light cover, bushes trees vineyards orchards shields and helmets.	in Medium cover Low walls, rocks, sand dunes ,heavy forest, jungle,marshland (vosk delta), ravines and defiles(a narrow passage where few can pass such as a canyon or ravine)	in Heavy Cover Trenches, Houses, Street to street fighting, dug in positions, higher ground.	in Very Heavy Cover In the defenders city besieged behind walls and in attacks on the sieging units
Archers	2+1	2+2	2+3	2+8
Standard Infantry	3+1	3+2	3+4	3+5
Heavy Infantry (mercenary groups)	4+1	4+2	4+4	4+5
Light Cavalry (riding tharlarion, kaiila)	6	6	6	6
Heavy Cavalry (high tharlarion)	7	7	7	7
Tarn Cavalry	7	7	7	7
Siege engines (catapult, ballistae)	8	8+2	8+4	8+6

Good roleplayers if engaged in a battle over important territory or property that would be well gaurded should allow the defender time to gather the warriors who would command these forces for defense. The necessity of securing a proctor for such a battle will insure fair play. Above all players should know the composition of their forces before hand. If a player has been playing his forces as light tharlarion cavalry it would be highly ungorean of him to change them to heavy at the eve of battle.

Siege engines are a tricky matter. Obviously, siege engines in a defending city will have an advantage. They are well stocked from reserves and kept in good working order. Also they are well armored unlike their mobile counterparts. Their ammunition is only limited by the number of stones in the walls of the city. Yet a city would not be bristling with these weapons and players will need to remain in reason over there use. Importantly, siege engines were very very rarley used in the field being far too immobile against cavalry and infantry to do much good. An attacker would have to have them transported to the field and would usually only do so in the case of a major attack such as that upon a city.

Role-Play Guidelines

At one time I had a character in the builders caste. For every Ship that was built or fortress that was razed a log of In Character scenes was made. This was necessary to prove that the action took place and that what was intangible could be made tangible. In Gor Warriors and men of all castes should take as much care in their role-play. Showing up with an army of men, hjaving never had an IC scene where these men were marching, having never given your enemy any indication that you intended to invade him, is simply assanine. Role-play isnt about who has the biggest cock or who wins necessarily. It is about who is the most clever and who can role-play in such a way that. not only does the player have fun while winning but ALL the players enjoy playing, even if they are losing.

The same is true in terms of Hand to Hand combat. If you are playing a massive warrior who can never be beaten. You should have some evidence that it is true. with the dice system. Pure chance dictates who will win and there is absolutly no chance that one player will have either the intuitive powers or the cleverness to be better then any one else. People may say that the system outlined above is as random as dice, but I have seen, and know some people who could play some one rock scissors paper ONCE and never lose to them again. There is something about trying to predict your opponent and the realisation that YOU are in control of the out come that is compelling. I believe this system may create that feeling even if it is an illusion.

Multiple Attackers and Skirmishes

One thing that happens a lot in AOL Gor is the multiple attack. The brawl or what some actually try to call "a war." Mostly these scenes add up to a bunch of guys arguing over order of battle and arguing OOC. I find them disgusting. A friend of mine Kron of Victoria was once heard to remark. "I can see the zit face boys hunched over the table shaking their dice in their sweaty fists." What a poet.

Obviously once we switch to a Proctor/Caller system these sort of skirmishes become more difficult to roleplay spontaneously. Any group of attackers would need to bring their own proctor or they would need to give their enemy an equal chance to get their own Proctor/Caller. Obviously the matter of Trust in the Proctor/Caller will come into play but since the P/C must deliver the logs of the IM windows cheating would be a hassle not worth doing. Depending on the size of the battle, (number of fighters involved,) their might need to be more then one or even two proctors. Some people might say,

"well right away you take away the spontaneity and ruin the roleplay"

Anyone who has watched what passes for a multiplayer conflict in AOL Gor who thinks that it is spontaneous and understandable has a screw loose. players popping into taverns riding tarns, endless stoppages for misrolls. There is NO continuity or flow. YES we are taking away a certain amount of spontaneity but in fact we are IMPROVING roleplay. The addition of a proctor who organises and describes the action provides the foundation of the scene.

In the case of multiple defenders and attackers the action becomes more difficult. Ideally, each group of 3 to 7 combatants would have their own caller to keep track of and describe the action. essential in the battle would be the designation of defender versus attacker.

Now...Imagine a tavern. perhaps an argument begins, two men arguing about to fight. The nearest witness is grabbed to proctor it and it begins the same as it does now with one exception. before one of the fighters types," slashes at his chest" he first IMs the Proctor/Caller with "Stop-thrust" or the one of the actions he feels is appropriate. The Proctor /Caller does not reveal the action but prompts the man attacked to IM with his response, the defender does so, and then both men write out their actions in the chatroom or channel. The Proctor/Caller then describes the outcome of the fight. Now another man comes in:

Both men IM P/C with their actions. W1 IMs P/C with Stop-thrust W2 IMs P/C with Cut to Head
Warrior1::: ::shouting angrily he launhces through the air slashing his blade at his chest
Warrior2:::snarling, wheeling about enrage he brings the blade down at his head in both hands::
Proctor/Caller: Warrior One knocks away the blows of Warrior two and slashes him across the chest:: W1 6 W2 5
Warrior 2Arrggh!! :: blood spraying from his chest::
Warrior 3: Warrior 3 enters
W1 IMs P/C with Cut to head, W2 IMs P/C with parry and lunge
Warrior1:You Bastard! :: shouting:: You killed my Best Bosk Cow! :: He spins in a wide slow turn slashing to divide his neck from his shoulders::
Warrior2:Well you deserved it for killing my Verr goats you ass!::Parrying his blow to duck underneath and stab him in his fat belly::
Proctor/Caller: W2 narrowly misses getting his head cut off and W1's blade knocks a 2 gold piece mirror to shards as W2 stabs W1 in his gut:: W1 5 W2 5
Warrior 3: What in the kings is going on here!
Warrior1: Brother! :: he shouts grabbing his torn belly:: Help me kill this sleen! he killed Bessie!
Warrior 3: I will help you brother! ( player announces his intentions)
W3 IMs Proctor/Caller with his action, Cut to Head Proctor/Caller can then inform him who he is after in the order of combat. The Order can either be one after the other or attackers versus defenders. W1 attacks IMing P/C with cut to head, W2 defends with Stop Thrust
Warrior4:Warrior 4 enters
Warrior1:::The glittering short Sword flys toward the Bosk killers eyes::
Warrior 3:::Weilding the great axe of the north he trys to hack the mans head off::
Warrior2:::Resilent to defend his honor he slashes and hacks at the legs of his honorless enemies:: (player defends against two opponents)
Proctor/Caller: ::moving like the wind between the two attackers , W2 slashes them on the knees and thighs , he is everywhere and no where at once, fueled by the meat of the bosk cow he took in good faith::
W1 4: W 2 5: W3 5:
Obviously the proctors job is getting more difficult but they are after all, the control on the situation. Without their checks and balances the conflict would have degraded to disorder. Note also that the actions have been sent in and can not be changed. Thus, when the defender sees the actions written of his attackers he can write a proper reaction. He knows his Stop -Thrust will defeat hacks to his head and so he might write a more glorious action in the channel/chatroom. Warrior 4 called more then likely by Gorean Cell phone or messenger slave leaps to his fellows aid.
Warrior4:I will defend you brother :: saying to warrior 2::(announcing his intentions he then sends an IM to the P/C "parry and Lunge" against W1. He must designate his enemy as their are now more then one defender)
The P/C informs him he is defending with W2 and thus writes after he does. the P/C is now recieving these IMs from W1,2 and 3 . "Cut to Head to W2, Cut to Head to W1, Short-Thrust to W2,
Warrior1:He tasks me! he tasks me and I shall have him! Around the rings of neptunes moons ill chase him!:: slashing for the eyes of the bosk stealer::
Warrior 3:::The axe swings round and round his head hacking to the arms of Warrior 2::
Warrior2::screaming like a Kur he slashes his blade at the heads of these villians ::(still defending against two men)
Warrior4:::sliding low I cut the kidneys out of W1 who has defamed my homestone::
Proctor/Caller: With a clang of metal W2 knocks aside W1's blow and turning to his right delivers a devastating blow to the temple of W3. W4's blade finds purchase in the ribs of W1W1 and W2 parry each others blows. W3 gets hit by W2 as his stop-thrust fails to W2's cut to the head. W4 is part of "the defence" so his lunge beats the cut to the head by W1.
W1 3: W2 4: W3 4: W4 6

It may seem that the P/Cjob is a hard one, but consider that the P/C doesnt have to watch what is being written in the room once all the actions have been sent to them. They can be computing the results and typing their summary of the battle while the other players are writing their fight scene. Initially you might be thinking, " how can someone even remember the results of the actions?" Fairly easily if you remember that the entire table can be written on a tiny piece of paper like this

		D
A	C-H	P-L	S-T
C-H	*	a	d
P-L	d	*	a
S-T	a	d	*

Lastly was the question of multiple combatants in a "war" situation. Imagine three men attacking one man. The same rules apply, there must be a caller, the attackers all send their attackes independently (possibly coordinated). The defender has a chance to block one or more of the attacks and strike one of his own. The Caller describes the resulting action.

Appendix

NOTE 1: these are general descriptions. Stop thrust, or cut to head are also equivalent to right side slash, over hand slash, underhand slash, etc. parry and lunge apply to pole arms, spears, fists, as well as swords, etc. any of the movements can correspond to any written action. Cut to head is the only specific body hit and it basicly refers to a "high" hit. anything at shoulder level and above.
For example:
PLAYERONE sends his action to the proctor/caller, ("stop-thrust.") He then types in the chatroom or channel something like this

"His hand flies through the air with a malignant whistle slashing at the rib cage and then stabbing inward with a surge of hate:: " This style of writing will replace the boring inarticulate current style which essentially adds up to "Cuts at the mans arm" "slashes for his gut" "leaps and sends a flying heel to the jaw."

The action sent to the caller should relate to the written action in the chatroom/channel, whenever possible. For that reason a list of general equivalents should be made as a basis for written action. Additions to this list are welcome (send additions to alexandertheii@aol.com)

NOTE 2:either combatant may hold up the fight by not sending his action as long as he is typing something. The moment he is finished writing his action in the chat room or channel, AND has sent one of the three moves to the proctor/caller, THEN the "caller" begins to describe the result.

NOTE 3: for missile weapons the movements are irrelevant, the attacker attacks and the defender defends the description will always be something along these lines: Attacker: ::fires his bow aiming at so and so:: Defender: ::DUCKS!::

NOTE 4: A defender who succesfully blocks and strikes the attacker should then become the attacker if only for realism's sake. The order of combat makes no difference statistically. but in terms of who has advantage the switch from defensive to attack posture is symbolic. In large scale fights or where the defender is entrenched this would nto be the case.

Note 5: In the case of the mounted man the first hit is upon their mount. (The # after the + sign.) When the first number of wounds have been inflicted then the mount is dead, and the rider must fight it out on foot. This number is "fudged" statistically to reflect the increased power of the mounted unit but not including the full power of the dismounted rider. I assume this is because while the first number reflects the power of the mount, attacking both mount and rider damages both units simultaneously.In other words, when you get off the dead horse you are pretty banged up yourself by then.