Rules Only: Initiative, smishitive!

[Supplement Four]

I can't get this mechanic out of my head. I love graceful RPG rules. It's taken from the first edition of WEG's Star Wars game, otherwise known as D6 Star Wars.

When a situation in a game devolves into a combat scenario, we, as gamers, are quite used to throwing initiative and resolving actions in order of the throws. Sure, there's a few variations on a theme, and not all games use initiative (like, um, Classic Traveller). But, the vast majority of games I've seen do use some sort of initiative system.

The elegance of the 1E D6 SW system is that a Ref can just go from roleplaying scenes to tactical combat without the jarring demarcation line that splits roleplaying scenes from tactical combat. I remember in AD&D, when a character made an offensive action, that was the point at which the game moved from the free-flow give and take of GM-player interaction to structured, tactical combat (even if a grid wasn't used).

With 1E D6 SW, the roleplaying scene contines. It doesn't matter who declares what combat action first. It flows organically.





Like this--

GM: You move down the corridor and come to a closed hatch.

Player 1: I'll check to see if it's locked.

GM: You can see the green tell-tale. If you get close enough, the door will automatically swish open at lightning speed.

Player 2: I'm going through. "Let's Go!"

GM: And you, Player 1?

Player 1: I'll follow him, but I'm drawing my blaster.

GM: Player 2, you approach the door, it opens, and beyond is the hangar bay. As soon as you step through, you can see several stormtroopers, here and there, standing in two's or threes. It's likely that at least one will notice you.

Player 2: I'm drawing and blasting the nearest one!

Player 1: When I see him do that, I'll step through, too, and back him up. I'll shoot at the closest one other than Player 2's target.

GM: OK, roll attacks.

Player 2: I've got 4D on my Blaster Skill, but I've got to draw. That penalizes me 1D, so I only throw 3D to hit. (Rolls Dice.) I got an 12.

Player 1: I've also got 4D on my Blaster Skill, but I'll take two shots. That means I penalize both shots by 1D, so I'm rolling 3D twice. (Rolls both shots.) I got a 9 on the first shot and a 14 on the second.

GM: There's only three troopers that can react this first round. Player 1 is shooting at one, and Player 2 is shooting at another.

A third--an Imperial Officer, not in armor--isn't being attacked.

The troopers have 3D Blaster skills, but I'm going to penalize them 1D for reaction time--two unexpected Rebels just popped through the bay door and starting blasting. That's a little startling.

The two being fired at both have Blaster Rifles that they are holding in their hands, but the Officer has to draw his blaster pistol. That's another -1D penalty for him, for a total of -2D.

Trooper One raises his blaster rifle and returns fire (GM rolls 2D). He gets a 7.

Trooper Two returns fire as well (GM rolls 2D). Wow. Boxcars! He's got a 12.

The officer is only throwing 1D. He got a 4.





Normally, in a real game, as GM, I wouldn't address the rules like I did above. I did that to show you how the system easily integrates into a roleplaying scene, with no initiative thrown.

But, with no initiative, how are events played out? Remember, in Classic Traveller, initiative doesn't matter because wounds are not applied until everybody has acted. In CT, you can't stop a foe in his tracks--he'll always get to shoot back, even if you killed him.

No, 1E D6 SW is not like that.

So, how is initiative decided again?

It's the rolls. The actions rolls. Everybody decides what they are going to do organically as the scene plays out. When a throw is required (as when the dice will decide whether a character hits a bad guy with blaster fire), the character taking the shot simply rolls his dice.

AFTER all dice are thrown for the round, the highest roll is taken first, then the second highest, then the third highest, and so on.

In the scene above that I described--

1. Player 2 will fire first. He rolled a 12 on this attack. This 12 will be compared to his target's defense to see if the attack is successful.

2. Stormtrooper Two fires second. He also rolled a 12, but ties go to the player characters. He is the target for Player 2, so if Player 2 could have just killed or stunned or wounded him (which will effect the trooper's turn if the trooper is killed or stunned).

3. Player 1 fires next. His first shot was a 9, so that's the one we address first. He's firing at Stromtrooper One, so there's a chance that Stormtrooper One is killed or stunned before he can react in the next step.

4. If able, Stormtrooper One fires now, with his shot totalling 7.

5. Then, the Officer fires at Player 1, with his total to-hit of 4 (which will probably be a wide miss).

In the next "segment", we take care of any second actions. The only character to have a second action is Player 1, who fired twice. So, Player 1 takes his second shot now.

6. Player 1 fires his second shot with a total of 14. The 14 will be compared to the defense of his target to see if a hit was made.





I just love that system. The more highly skilled characters are likely to shoot before their less-advanced foes. Their totals will be higher, on average.

And, penalizing is intuitive and a breeze. Just take away a die. Player 1 want to make two shots, so he was a -1D to both shots because he shot twice. Player 2 had to draw, so he was -1D.

All three Imperials were surprised at the sudden attack, so that's -1D to all of them. In addition, the officer had to draw his weapon, so he's at a -2D penalty, leaving him with a single die in which to attack (which will probably miss, even if he rols a 6!)





I just love that system.

You make the rolls and play out the combat in a quasi-tactical, quasi-role played scene. The allows the action to be quick, and the GM can heighten the fun with his description.

When in doubt, there's not a lot of fiddling with modifiers. Is a penalty is warranted, take away a die.

Fun, fast, breathless action.

 

[aramis]

It was dropped in favor of a more standard initiative system rather promptly because it was cumbersome as all hell in play.

And it was EVEN MORE artificial for many -

You had to have everyone declare their action, and roll their actions, before you knew who had acted first. And actions that didn't require a roll didn't fit well with the system.

 

[Shonner]

That is the old way of GMing. Almost painfull to read nowadays. I haven't used initiative, or combat rounds ever with Traveller. Tried it with GURPS once, which was once too many.

 

[pennshome723]

The system I use is basically simple:

Everyone rolls a d6 and depending on their DEX score they can add bonus. The bonus are as follows:

Dex: 15 ...gives you a +3 Reaction Adjustment
Dex: 12 ...gives you a +2 Reaction Adjustment
Dex: 9......gives you a +1 Reaction Adjustment

Total Surprise........... +1 Reaction Adjustment
Setup waiting........... +1 Reaction Adjustment

Thus if a player is waiting in Ambush, and setup sited in on a Target, plus they roll d6 and get a "6" and they have a Dex of 15 they could have a score of: +1 +1 +6 +3 = 11

So in a Combat round I start at Initiative "11" and count down. Also if multiple combatants go in the same Initiative round, I refer to each combatant's Dexterity, with the highest going first. Also if there is a tie, I then determine what they are doing, armor worn, and etc to see whom goes first. If someone gets a second shot/action it happens 4 Initiatives after their first action.

I have used this system for many years and it works pretty well.

 

[atpollard]

Unless initiative is absolutely critical to the encounter (like two gunslingers in a western shootout), I simply ignore it or award it based on circumstance (like an ambush).

In my experience, it matters so seldom that any mechanic (however simple) is not worth the effort.

[When it is critical, I like to just roll D6 ... high goes first.]

 

[JBHemlock]

I mostly wing it based on the tactical situation, like atpollard does. I do like the sound of the MT "tactical points pool as initiative" method, but I've never really gotten around to trying it out yet.

 

[Midgardsormr]

I'm currently using a sort of hybrid of T5's initiative rule.

By default, everyone acts at the same time—initiative is not rolled—but a character who wants to attempt to act first can seize the initiative. If they do so uncontested, then they get it, and their action is resolved before anyone else moves.

If two characters (who aren't allies) attempt to seize initiative, it's a contested Tactics roll, with the winner acting first and the loser acting at the same time as everyone else.

Regardless of the outcome, anyone who attempts to seize the initiative is more vulnerable: any attack made against them gets a +1 Mod to their target number.

Initiative lasts only for one combat round. If you want to maintain it, you have to seize it again, with the attendant penalty.

Ambushes are handled in the CT manner: a character that is not aware that they're under attack does not act.

Generally, I try to reduce the number of evaluations that need to be made in a given combat round, so any time I can ignore things like initiative and status checks I do so.

I haven't solved the interaction between initiative and suppression fire (again, from T5 rules). I am thinking of allowing characters who were using suppression fire in the previous round the opportunity to attack the fast-acting character. If I permit suppression in the current round against the fast character, it seems like it would be a no-brainer for every opposing character to use suppression fire every time any enemy seizes initiative. But at that point they're not really suppressing anything, they're just getting in a free attack.

 

[Supplement Four]

It was dropped in favor of a more standard initiative system rather promptly because it was cumbersome as all hell in play.

And it was EVEN MORE artificial for many -

You had to have everyone declare their action, and roll their actions, before you knew who had acted first. And actions that didn't require a roll didn't fit well with the system.

Not at all.

It's not a structured system like, say, AD&D Second Edition, where all players declare actions. Yes, people are basically declaring actions, but they do so in an organic way that continues with the roleplaying scene.

A typical roleplaying scene--the give-n-take with the GM--usually goes like this:

GM: At the end of the corridor, about 30 feet away, is a massive door with a big, round handle on it. It's closed to you.

Player: I approach.

GM: OK, so now you're in front of the door.

Player: I'm going to press on the door, trying to push it inwards, into the room I assume is on the other side of this thing.

GM: It pushes open easily and quietly. That's surprising for such a big, heavy door. Inside, you see....





Combat is done the same way, except things that you can't control, like whether or not you hit your target, is done with dice. And, the result plays out with the GM's description.

Like this...






GM: ....On the other side of the door, you see this creature. It's a big hairy looking thing, vaguely humanoid, wearing a loin cloth of animal skin. Maybe it's this planet's inhabitants. You've never seen the kind before. He's about nine feet tall, and carries a massive club spiked with metal points. He's running towards you!

(Here, the GM will roll dice behind the screen. This is the creature's Running check. That's the creature's first action--to approach the intruder. His second action will be to club the intruder, but notice these actions aren't "declared", per se. The GM just describes what's happening.

(Then, the Player can react. Of course, sometimes, the GM's NPCs are also reacting to the player's actions--the player opened the door, and the creature on the other side reacted with an attack.)





Player (knowing now that he's opened the door and sees this big, honkin' alien charging him): I'll pull my blaster and shoot! Two shots!

(Player rolls dice for his first shot and tells the GM. If the attack is higher than the alien's run throw, the blaster fires before the alien can get to him. If the run throw is higher, then the Player Character was a bit slow pulling out his blaster. The alien will get to him, and then the Player will fire at point blank--not a good idea to charge people with blasters.)





GM (after the player has just told him that his blaster attack is higher than the alien's run throw. Then, the blaster attack is compared to the creature's defense.): Like lightning, your blaster in in your hand as you squeeze off a round. It goes wide, he's upon you and swinging his club!

(GM rolls dice for the club swing. Player rolls his second shot. Which ever throw is higher goes first.)

GM: He swings, stunning you! You drop your blaster as the weight of his blow knocks you to the ground!



(Technically, we're moving into round two, here. But, it's not that obvious in the game, the way it is played.)

GM: As you look up, blurry eyed, the wind knocked out of you, you see this big, furry alien grip that massive club with both hands and raise it up above his head. He's going to pound you with an incredible blow!

Player: I'm going to roll out of the way!

(GM rolls the club attack. Player rolls the dodge. The higher roll goes first. If the Club attack wins, he'll pound the player. But, let's say the player's dodge roll wins.)

GM: Where you got the energy, you don't know, but roll to your right at the last second. The alien screams, slamming his club into the spot where you were a moment ago. You actually feel the ground tremble on impact. A splinter from the club flies off your face.

Player: I'm going to get up and run!

GM: The Alien is coming around for another swing!

(Player rolls DEX to get up from the prone position. The Alien rolls his club skill for the attack. Which ever roll is higher determines which action happens first....





See how organically and smooth that plays? It's almost as if the mechanics take a backseat to the action, as it should be. The game rules are not as much "in your face" as they are in most RPGs. It's almost as if the GM is just making it up as he goes along, playing off of whatever the player says (but, in reality, the dice throws are governing the action along with the GM's description).




I think it's a marvelous system. I've never seen an rpg system quite like it. Some systems are close, but not quite like this (from the games I've played).

 

[Carlobrand]

I'm glad you like it, but it seems neither organic nor smooth to me. It seems more like piecing together bits of a puzzle and then showing everyone the picture that results. I would have trouble maintaining my sense of excitement in such a system.

 

[aramis]

S4 - it was replaced in the Rules companion, a year in to the product run, with a much more standard initiative system of sacrificing dice to go first, and simultaneous actions within each haste step and action number, and 2E uses a Dex roll for encounter initiatives by side.

It was replaced, in corporate terms, "almost immediately" - the interim Rules Upgrade (roughly 1st Quarter of '88 - I was still living in my parent's place) added the haste stages, but retained action by total die roll within, trying to fix the broken aspects of the "high roll goes first" within 1E core.

 

[Supplement Four]

I know the RC changed it. I never did like "Haste". Other than this system, I think I like R&E the best.

 

[Marchand]

I dislike initiative but I've never really come up with anything better.

The whole idea of using competitive weapon skill rolls to resolve combat, at least firefights, is a bit odd really. Makes more sense for melee - who hits whom is down to who can use their sword better. But as far as I can see, marksmanship and squad tactics are two different skills.

But then if you move over to something like, everyone make a Tactics throw; OK, who succeeded (or got critical success / fail...); now we roll to hit... it's way too cumbersome, for me anyway.

I'm increasingly tempted by a much more absracted system divorced from the wargame roots. I saw something like it in Freelance Traveller - roll to see how "intense" the combat is (which equals how many skill rolls each side has to make), then make the rolls (usually randomly determined - could be gun combat, could be athletics or whatever), then each side takes wounds based on number of failed rolls.

 

[aramis]

I know the RC changed it. I never did like "Haste". Other than this system, I think I like R&E the best.

So.... You like best the two WORST expressions of the engine. Got it.

 

[Supplement Four]

So.... You like best the two WORST expressions of the engine. Got it.

Matter of opinion, there, Wil. Matter of opinion about "worst".

I never did like Interrupts in MT, either. Which, I would guess, is your connection with Haste, since the two are similar.

But, hey, to each his own. One man's crap rule is another man's inspired idea.

 

[Putraack]

FWIW, my crap/inspired idea: I've become a fan (not necessarily a total one) is the Savage Worlds initiative system. Deal from a standard deck of cards, one to each player, and one for each significant NPC or group of NPCs.
- Play in descending card order, Ace down to deuce. (in case of ties: Spades-Hearts-Diamonds-Clubs).
- Deal again every round.
- The Joker is Wild, he can go at any time, even interrupting another's action.
- Deal another round at the start of every round. Shuffle after a Joker comes up.

Since it's a game with advantages, some PCs/NPCs can get more than one card, picking the best one. Some leaders can substitute their card for their followers' card. Most of the time, these are small elements of the system. It's also pretty clear, everyone knows how to read cards.

IMO, one of the biggest advantages is that when the cards are dealt face up, everyone at the table can see who's up and who's going next. A small advantage is that the GM can hand off the deck to one of the players to deal, and that's one less thing he needs to handle.

It doesn't work for all games, and it doesn't fit every occasion, but it is handy and simple.

No, I have not tried it in a Traveller game yet, but I might someday. I could easily see weapon Recoil as a factor affecting card draws (reduce the actual card number, or force a re-draw?)

 

[aramis]

Matter of opinion, there, Wil. Matter of opinion about "worst".

I never did like Interrupts in MT, either. Which, I would guess, is your connection with Haste, since the two are similar.

But, hey, to each his own. One man's crap rule is another man's inspired idea.

Well, since new copies still are sitting in distributor shelves of 2-R&E... or were about 2 years ago, since a local comic shop got them for 20 cents on the distributor dollar... It didn't move that well. It didn't draw the fans well enough, either.

And 1E was patched rapidly because the fans told the devs what wasn't working. Few settings draw fan input faster than Traveller - Star Wars and Star Trek certainly are up there.

The gaps in SWd6 1.0 mechanics are pretty well self-evident

• RAW, Can't resolve anything until everyone has declared actions *
• No provision for determining who declares first, either †
• the piles-o'-dice required for even moderately experienced characters can be a pain, due to the highest roll happens first ‡
• Haste is an extension of the action segments already extant on p. 13. It's just a 1D penalty to move your action segments 1 up the progression.
• The round is defined pretty rigidly even in 1.0 (Page 46) *
• Use of Dex for movement sequencing is stock rule. It's got issues with the first supplement... §
• Too big a gap between scales (PC's to adventure class ships) §

* The rules are that once the action starts, you go to combat rounds. GM decides the NPC actions, players then declare all actions for the round, then resolve first actions, then resolve second actions, then third ations (if any), etc., then go back to next round.

† "Go around the table" lead to a BUNCH of arguments in the various groups I've seen. About half the time, it turned into "declaration popcorn", and when taken literally as a directive, about half the time, the people on the ends both seemed to want the other end to declare first.

‡ This is in part due to the psychological need for most players to have their own dice, the utility of having enough for the action for that segment, and a reaction roll for each character for the segment as well. So, basically, each player needs at least 5d6, possibly 6d6 to 8d6, and another pool with 1-2 fewer dice in a separate set.

§ It becomes a problem in that the game has two scales - Ships and people; When you add the SW Sourcebook, you get an additional semi-scale - Walkers. (Speeders use the ship scale. SWSB p. 58) All vehicles move in the first segment, every time. A PC moving in the first segment can usually go before a sail barge. Mind you, critters are essentially vehicles on the people scale... The new FFG starwars has the same issue - only two scales - putting ground vehicles in an uncomfortably small window. d6 SW 1E+RC may have had too many scales, at 6 (PC, Walker, Speeder, Starfighter, Capital Ship, Death Star), but two and the half-scale is too few.

 

[Supplement Four]

We'll have to just disagree on this one. I know that my experiences talking about D6 SW on the net over the years have revealed that most I've spoken to prefer R&E.

But, hey, maybe that's just my perception.



EDIT: If I type in "best edition of d6 star wars" to Google, I get several hits to forums and what-not. Perusing those, it seems that my perception is validated. For example, here's the first hit. The first 9 answers to the OP in that forum cite R&E as their favorite version of the rules (I didn't go past the first page--didn't want to put a whole lot of time into this).