CT Only: Personal Combat Damage Values '77 vs. '81

[aramis]

Doesn't Snapshot also say the body pistol does 3d damage

The Errata for Snapshot is in the Consolidated and corrects it to 2D.

Check the bloody errata, Mike. You're arguing a point Marc already published a correction saying the opposite of your position.

 

[creativehum]

And to toss a curve ball, here's the text from Snapshot on wounding, bold text my highlight:

Is that a curveball?
That seems to be in agreement with everything that's being said.

 

[ffilz]

Is that a curveball?
That seems to be in agreement with everything that's being said.

Well, The Traveller Book implies that at least for first hit, damage dice can be split if they drive a stat to 0.

Otherwise the Snapshot text lines up with 1977 and means that a first hit only affects a single stat, wasting any damage beyond what is necessary to drive the stat to 0.

Maybe it doesn't really contradict, but it is yet ANOTHER wording...

 

[creativehum]

Well, The Traveller Book implies that at least for first hit, damage dice can be split if they drive a stat to 0.

Otherwise the Snapshot text lines up with 1977 and means that a first hit only affects a single stat, wasting any damage beyond what is necessary to drive the stat to 0.

Maybe it doesn't really contradict, but it is yet ANOTHER wording...

Yup. You're right.

 

[rhialto]

My problem with reading the second sentence in the quote above as having the points spill over from characteristic to characteristic is that it renders the first sentence quoted above moot. If one is applying each die to a single characteristic... well, is one applying the die to a single characteristic or not. Because if one is, then one is. If one isn't, then one isn't...What the heck is meant by the first sentence about applying the dice as a single group of damage? Why bring that up at all?

It looks like subsequent posts here have clarified this point: the intent is that you must apply the die in its entirety to a single characteristic: as clarified in TTB, with carryover to other stats cascading until all the points are distributed. Which brings me to:

What sense does the first wound statement of "As a result, first blood may immediately incapacitate or even kill." make if carryover from one characteristic to the next isn't possible? There'd never be a chance of "even kill"-ing, unless you happen to be wounding someone already unconscious, with two characteristics at 0.

The tension arises after first wounds, when the players get to distribute each die.

 

[pendragonman]

It looks like subsequent posts here have clarified this point: the intent is that you must apply the die in its entirety to a single characteristic: as clarified in TTB, with carryover to other stats cascading until all the points are distributed. Which brings me to:

What sense does the first wound statement of "As a result, first blood may immediately incapacitate or even kill." make if carryover from one characteristic to the next isn't possible? There'd never be a chance of "even kill"-ing, unless you happen to be wounding someone already unconscious, with two characteristics at 0.

The tension arises after first wounds, when the players get to distribute each die.

Any weapon that does sufficient damage in one hit to wipe out the physical characteristics will kill with just the first hit. Especially if the target currently has prior injuries from previous combats (new combat, first blood applies again) a Broadsword (4d) or Lasrifle (5d) from book 1 pg 47 could kill right out.

First blood/first hit isn't ignored if the character is already wounded when entering a new fight.

EX) Jimmy Jarhead, IM, (777777) gets into a street fight on Monday. All kinds of edged weapons. Jimmy survives, but his current stats are (473777) after what the medic could do for him that evening.

Next day the poor Jarhead "find" another altercation with some highlanders, who challenge him to a duel with Broadswords (the weapon, not the ship type). While using his cutlass skill that all Marines seem born with he isn't totally defenseless, the very first hit from one of those weapons could easily score enough to kill outright.

 

[rhialto]

Any weapon that does sufficient damage in one hit to wipe out the physical characteristics will kill with just the first hit. Especially if the target currently has prior injuries from previous combats (new combat, first blood applies again) a Broadsword (4d) or Lasrifle (5d) from book 1 pg 47 could kill right out.

First blood/first hit isn't ignored if the character is already wounded when entering a new fight.

EX) Jimmy Jarhead, IM, (777777) gets into a street fight on Monday. All kinds of edged weapons. Jimmy survives, but his current stats are (473777) after what the medic could do for him that evening.

Next day the poor Jarhead "find" another altercation with some highlanders, who challenge him to a duel with Broadswords (the weapon, not the ship type). While using his cutlass skill that all Marines seem born with he isn't totally defenseless, the very first hit from one of those weapons could easily score enough to kill outright.

Yes, I'm completely with you: no argument, as that's how I understand and would play it, too. It's only on subsequent wounds in the same combat that the tension and strategy of allocating dice comes into play (literally).

 

[creativehum]

Hey guys, we're all in agreement, and have been for some time.

We're now reading rhetorical questions as actual questions. But I think the matter has been resolved. (There is one sentence I would cut from p. 35 of TTB to make the rule as clear as it should be. But we know what we're talking about and we're good to go.)

 

[aramis]

It looks like subsequent posts here have clarified this point: the intent is that you must apply the die in its entirety to a single characteristic: as clarified in TTB, with carryover to other stats cascading until all the points are distributed. Which brings me to:

TTB, that only happens with First Blood, not all attacks.

 

[rhialto]

TTB, that only happens with First Blood, not all attacks.

Yes, I know. But thanks.