In defense of the First Blood Rule...

[Supplement Four]

It seems the first thing to go, when a GM is looking at Classic Traveller rules, is the first blood rule (the rule that states all damage from the first time a character is wounded is taken, in total, randomly from a single stat...instead of allowing the defender to take damage as he sees fit).

I know I've been a critic of it. So have many others. "It's very deadly!" "Why does the effect only happen once during a combat? Why can't it happen later to the same character--maybe as the reward for a critical hit?"

Lately, I've been studying the first blood rule, and I've flip-flopped my position. Gone retro. I'm un-modifiying my modification.

Why?

Because if you look of the effect of the first blood rule, it works quite well.

Just like in the discussion about some CT weapons having a 100% chance to hit due to modifiers, one can't look at just the rule and stop. One has to look at the effect of the rule as it plays out.

So, with the first blood rule, what happens?

Well, players respect combat because that first hit is a doozie. All damage, summed together, then taken randomly from a single physcial stat. That could end your combat encounter even before it began.

Unlike hit points in a standard D&D scenario, where a character with 80 hit points doesn't even blink at the enemy swinging a longsword doin' 1d8 points of damage, in Traveller, weapons can kill, and kill you quick on the first attack.

Or you can be put into a state of shock, unconscious, from such a wound.

Now, my big problem was that it seemed "unrealistic" that the first blood rule was never applied again. It seemed like a strange game mechanic to only appear once in combat.

But now, thinking about the entire effect of the rule, it actually makes a lot of sense.

Players respect combat before they are damaged because of the first blood rule--because the first blood rule, if damage is high enough, can take them out, even kill their character.

Once the character is wounded, though, the first blood rule is not needed. Stats are already lowered from first blood damage (if the character is still in-action). So...what happens?

Yep. You guessed it. With their character's lowered stats, they're still very respectful of of any type of damage.

The sum total of the rule is: Traveller combat is kept realistic and deadly yet playable as a game.

That's a fine line to walk. Deadly and playable. And, the CT guys pulled it off.







Eneri, our example character, has physcial stats 756. He's hit by a weapon doing 3D damage. Damage is rolled: 3, 1, 2. First blood rule says to total that damage and apply it to a single physical stat randomly.

As luck would have it, it's applied to Eneri's STR. If the random roll would have indicated either Eneri's DEX or END, Eneri would be down, in shock, unconscious for around 10 minutes, with a light wound.

Now, Eneri's stats are 156. The first blood rule will not be inacted again. But, Eneri's still very respectful of combat. Why? He's got to take damage in lumps equal to that thrown on the dice. If another 3D hit comes his way, rolling something like: 6, 1, 3, he'll be in trouble. Because that "6" die will ensure that he will sustain a Light wound and go unconscious.

 

[Supplement Four]

Stun

Even though I'll be moving my game back to using the first blood rule (for reasons stated above), I do still use an associated house rule.

Under CT rules, a character is not really wounded (as we would think wounded) until two stats are reduced to zero. Damage when no stats are one stat is reduced to zero heals pretty quickly. So, any damage that does not reduce a stat to zero or only reduces one stat to zero is really minor abrasions, cuts, sprains, bruises and the like.

I think it's a little harsh, then, that once a stat goes to zero, the character is automatically incapacitated for 10 minutes.

What about stuns? What about being momentarily incapacitated for a few moments but then being able to act again?

Remember the scene in Saving Private Ryan, on the beach at Omaha, when Tom Hanks is blast-stunned for a few seconds? That's not modeled in the Traveller system.

My little house rule here sticks it in.



STUN

Whenever a character has one stat dropped to zero due to damage, make a 2D check for END or less. If successful, the character is stunned that round (15 second combat round), unable to act, but the zeroed stat is raised to 1 on the next round. And, play continues normally.

If the Stucn Check fails, then the character is incapciated for 10 minutes as per normal rules.



The first blood rule will, many times, incapacitate a victim, reducing only one stat to zero. My Stun Rule helps explain a bit more about what is actually happening in that combat.

 

[Supplement Four]

Superficial Wounds

Another House Rule I'm considering using has to do with superficial wounds.

Traveller calls any wound that does not reduce two stats to zero a minor wound. I call any wound that does not reduce one stat to zero a superficial wound. Thus...

Superficial Wound = Damage with no stats at zero.
Minor Wound = Damage with one stat at zero.
Serious Wound = Damage with two stats at zero.



Superficial Wounds are light scrapes and bruises, fatigue and the like.

Minor Wounds are more serious scrapes and bruises, strains and the like.

Serious Wounds are actual gunshot wounds, deep cuts or puncture wounds, serious burn damage and the like.



My House Rule is for superficial wounds only: If a character is suffering from superficial wounds, the player may decide to make a check on the effected stat. 2D are rolled for the wounded level or less. If successful, the stat is "healed" by one point. If not successful, then the stat "wounded" by one point. Attempting the check is completely up to the player, but only one check per combat round can be made.

For example...

A character's wounded stats take him from 896 to 756. The player, at his option, can either try a 2D STR check or a 2D DEX check. The DEX check is harder, but the player would like to heal his DEX because he's in a gunfight.

2D for 5- is the check. If successful, his stats will be 766. If not successful, his stats will be 746.

The player can attempt the check once per round as long as only superficial wounds have been sustained.

 

[Supplement Four]

For Gunshots Only...

In the Rule 68A Thread, I illuminated an aspect of CT combat.

That is: Even with the first blood rule, most gunshots result in the victim taking a minor wound, unconscious for 10 minutes.

The reason for this is simple mathematics. Most weapons do 3D damage. Average damage is 10 points. Average stat is 7. So, it takes an average of 14 points for a serious wound to occur. Therefore, most firearms will inflict a minor wound on the target, when the target is hit.

My guess is that Marc & Co. wanted to keep the game "playable" as well as "realistic" when it came to firefights. Therefore, characters are "knocked out" a lot as a result of gunshot wounds and not outright seriously wounded or even killed. (What fun is it to kill characters or play a seriously wounded individual?)

In order to make gunshots a tad more "realistic", I'm considering this House Rule (for gunshots only).



Any gunshot that results in Superficial Damage (no stats at zero) is considered a graze (or like wound).

Any gunshot that results in Minor Damage (one stat at zero) requires that Deterioration Damage be applied to the victim.

Deterioration Damage is a loss of one point, from the victim's most wounded stat, every combat round, until two stats are reduced to zero, making the gunshot a serious wound. Any medical attention applied to the victim before the second stat is reduced to zero will also stop Deterioration Damage (so, it is possible to halt wound deterioration into a serious wound). If the wound deteriorates into a serious wound, it is treated as a normal serious wound.

Any gunshot that results in Serious Damage (two stats at zero) is treated normally.



Let's look at an example.

Riik fires at Pache, hitting him with a round fired from an autopistol. The weapon does 3D damage, and the damage throw equals 13 points.

The first blood rule is used, and the 13 points are applied to Pache's STR. Pache's physicals of 986 is reduced to 046.

Here, Pache can attempt the Stun roll (earlier post). 2D are thrown for 6-. Pache rolls a 5, so Pache is stunned.

Under the stun rule, Pache's physicals are now 146.

Pache cannot attack Riik this round because Pache is considered "stunned" and is unable to act.

Round 2, Riik fires again, and again he hits, doing 3D damage. The roll is 2, 1, 1. Now, Pache can determine where to apply the damage. What Pache decides to do is apply all damage to his DEX, reducing it to zero. He decides to press his luck, attempting another Stun roll.

So now, Pache's stats are 106. The stun roll is 2D for 6-. But, Pache's roll is an 8. Pache is not stunned. Now, he's incapacitated.

Here's where the gunshot rule comes in: Next round, -1 point comes off the most damaged stat. Pache's END is not damaged at all, so the only choice is STR. Next round, Pache's stats become 006, and he is not suffering a serious wound--the gunshot.

Thoughts?

I kinda like it.

 

[Mithras]

Now you've got me thinking about switching back to the First Blood rule as written. I currently apply all weapon damage rolled to a single stat, I never chop it up into component dice. Which makes my games deadly. But I like your reading of the reasons for it ... that dash of realism, with playability and the longevity of a character through a fire-fight (hopefully).

Interesting!

 

[Supplement Four]

Now you've got me thinking about switching back to the First Blood rule as written.

Now that I understand it, I think I'm going to use the First Blood Rule as written too.

The Deterioration I mention above for gunshot wounds of minor wound status...instead of making that automatic, I think I'll look to that JTAS article you mentioned in the 68A thread for inspiration. A throw is made to see if the wound deteriorates. The throw in the article is 7+.

Still pondering...

 

[Darkhstarr]

I don't use the first blood rule anymore, though I agree with it. I let the player apply it to any stat. Even so, they realize that combat is deadly. And even a medical op on hand isn't going to raise it back up again quickly. They tend to get creative rather go head first into a situation. My really loved the rule-for her it's that combat should as short & deadly as possible.

She figured early on that if she going to run a combat-oriented PC in Traveller it better roll enough weapon skills & the right amount of firepower to end the fight in the first round. It's part of the reasons their so many exotic weapons in my campaign-usually designed for her characters.