Combat turns

I'm researching this game so I might MC it for my friends and I was wondering, how do you figure combat turns? Considering there's no initative or speed stat, is that up to me to decide or is there an actual rule for it?

Go around the table and find out what everyone's doing. Nobody rolls dice until everyone's had their say.

For the most part, characters' actions are simultaneous, and the players can roll at the same time.

Occasionally, you'll need to know the outcome of one action before you can make decisions about another. Just have one player hold off rolling until after the other.

But like I say, most actions can be simultaneous, no problem.

-Vincent

The book also talks about how Hx interference is "the closest this game comes to opposed rolls".

If you go around the table and Marie says "I seize control of the situation, by beating the shit out of Uncle", and Uncle says "oh hell no, I seize control of the situation by beating the shit out of Marie!", is there a mechanical preference between having them both roll to seize, and having one seize and the other interfere? Or do they both roll to seize while both rolling also to interfere?

If they're simultaneously seizing, how does that mechanically resolve -- a plain reading of the rules would suggest they both do their damage *twice* (since each is making a move which inflicts and takes damage), subject to great/little harm etc., but that doesn't seem right. 

If one is seizing and the other is interfering, and the seize is a miss, to what extent does the MC decide what the miss means, and to what extent does the interferer decide?

I know the answer is probably "it depends, what makes sense in the fiction?", but are there some best practices here?

They can both sieze and both interfere for sure. Only exchange harm once though. Each can pick options from the list accordingly. If they're both siezing control and both take definite hold it likely resolves in a stalemate.

If one is siezing and one interfering, and the sieze is a miss, and everyone is looking to you to say something, make a Move from the MC move list. A good one is offer an I pportunity: to the defender.

Correct! Both roll to seize, both roll to interfere, there's one exchange of harm, both choose options.

If both take definite hold of it, they cancel out, and neither takes definite hold of it.

If you're worried about timing their choices, you can have them commit on paper, and reveal simultaneously.

-Vincent

Thanks a bunch everyone. And, I might just jack this to ask general questions about play, like so: i've pitched the idea to my friends (and i don't yet have the pdfs, i plan on buying them if it goes over well, ive been looking at the free stuff on the apocalypse world website), and they seem to like it. However, one wants to be a "fast" character. considering there's no speed stat or anything, is that just up to my discretion to decide how "fast" they can be? or how should i solve that as mc? i apologize if its a stupid question lol

How and why do they want to be fast?

In terms of actually how fast they are (and general things), I always assume a baseline of a pretty average human, then adjust for diet, training, general healthiness, weirdness (like a super-soldier quarantine with embedded adrenaline boosters, hardened skeletal system, and lab-grown muscles; or a jaguar-human hybrid mutant; or a brainer whose maelstrom impulses push her to the limits of human condition).

If no other PC even cares, then I'd just say of course - within human limits - he's the fastest guy around. If someone does, they all and you should, of course, discuss it like reasonable adults.

If they're envisioning a fast, nimble character (especially in a fight!), I'd probably recommend the Battlebabe. But, any character with a good cool would be ideal. You should also check out eye on the door, graceful and deadly, maybe some skinner moves (I don't have the book in front of me at the moment!).

You can also write up custom moves to play up their fastness, regardless of playbook, like so...

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When you draw your handgun in the blink of an eye, roll+sharp. On a hit, you can of course get your gun out and fire off some shots before anyone else. On a 7-9, the MC will also choose one and ask if you still want to hit the trigger:

- it's messy, and anyone in the general area of the target is open to incidental harm
- you don't as such harm them, but distract, shock, cow, or suppress them (they're stunned)
- someone else is just a half-step behind you, and maybe your eyes aren't on them

On a miss, you still get your gun out right-quick, but the MC will give you some dearly bad news, like: it's unloaded, someone's come between you and your target, it backfires, or the like.

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When you set your eyes on a location, ask the MC what's between you and it, then tell him how you're going to get over or around those things. Barring extenuating circumstances, like a broken leg or someone spraying the area with bullets, you can get there. If you need to get there before anyone else, roll+cool. On any result, you do. On a 7-9, the MC will tell you one. On a miss, he'll say two.
- you had to push yourself damn hard to do it, and you take -1-forward
- you suffered a minor injury, like a twisted ankle, muscle strain, cuts and bruises (1-harm ap if you're at 3-o'clock or better, s-harm if not)
- no one beat you there, but someone or something unwelcome is waiting for you when you get there all the same

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Whenever someone you can see and hear acts, their player should ask you first: "What do you do before that?". If you can't or won't do a thing, tell them to carry on.

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The important thing about moves like these (I think, but I've been wrong!) is they preserve the sense of being the "best" at something, while still allowing a variety of (not-all-good) outcomes. A miss on these two isn't saying, ever, you weren't fast enough.

- Alex

Thanks a bunch Alex! And yeah, they were planning on battlebabe anyway. and you also gave me a stat to roll. these guys typically play d&d so, easing them from "stats everywhere" to "eh some stats" is going to be a bit of an issue. btw, im the MC asking questions so i can run a game without falling flat on my face. first time ill be running aw as well. also, totally stealing some of those custom moves

I'd recommend offering those as advancements, not off the bat (for two or three reasons, I can expand if you care to hear). Act under fire is the general catch-all-stat for "trying to do something involving danger or risk of failure", so that should be your fallback for, oh, doing things fast where it matters. But, don't forget, say, sharp (read a person, particularly "What are they about to do?" is super useful for making a character feel quicker than anyone else).

The key difference, for me (you can see more here on the forums, under "Apocalypse World" and "Blood & Guts") is that the stats here aren't really "What are you doing?" or even qualities of the character (like D&D or other RPGs), but actually how you're doing something (which explains, of course, the stat sub moves). So, I could see a hard character being fast, as he grits his teeth and pushes his body to it's limit, or a hot character using grace and speed, or so on.

I would recommend checking out Dungeon World if you're players find they like Apocalypse World's mechanics but also want a fantasy, D&D-esque game (I love both!)

You're welcome, by the way, glad to help! :)
- Alex

i just got an interesting question for myself: i know you're not supposed to plan any fronts 1st session (and i'm not) but im curious as to how many fronts is good, just in general? if it helps at all, im thinking a world of disease, decay, and rot. zombies and grotesques, afflictions, just...really gross, gritty, putrid things
and question about the forum..um...can i edit the title at all?

Thanks a bunch Alex! And yeah, they were planning on battlebabe anyway. and you also gave me a stat to roll. these guys typically play d&d so, easing them from "stats everywhere" to "eh some stats" is going to be a bit of an issue. btw, im the MC asking questions so i can run a game without falling flat on my face. first time ill be running aw as well. also, totally stealing some of those custom moves

@metroidgeek

I am in the same boat as you. Having just came upon this game after years of DnD, I had to explain it and the stats as a way to tell a story as opposed as a way to have complex tactical battles and then it kinda sunk in for my players. One of my characters wanted a really fast character, went so far as asking if he could have this custom maneuverability system, being a fan of the player I obliged and the battlebabe with her +3 cool and custom long range weapon, and perfect insights (allowing her to get a better jump on people) was the perfect place to start. Get your players to figure out what they want to be really good at, the playbook and custom moves will follow.

i just got an interesting question for myself: i know you're not supposed to plan any fronts 1st session (and i'm not) but im curious as to how many fronts is good, just in general? if it helps at all, im thinking a world of disease, decay, and rot. zombies and grotesques, afflictions, just...really gross, gritty, putrid things
and question about the forum..um...can i edit the title at all?

I usually shoot for 1-4 plus the home front. You want to have enough so the players feel like they're juggling a few concerns, without overwhelming yourself or the players.

- Alex

Thanks everyone, especially for the quick(ish :p) responses and the help. first session should run either this saturday or next, and ill be sure to say how it goes. and ill use this forum for any other questions i have, such as this one: is it possible to customize the base stats at all? and if so, how would i do it?

edit: another question, how come the battlebabe seems to be the only character with a +3 stat? is there a reason or what?

I wouldn't mess with the character's stat-lines at all, they were created that way for a reason and therefore should be left as such.

The battlebabe is supposed to have a +3 stat line as a built in +1 cool is a part of the character

I would refer to the following post in the "Blood and guts" section of the forum.

http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?topic=91.0

I would go check out that entire forum section before you start playing if you can. It gives a lot of insight on why things are laid out they way they are in the game as well as addressing things that might look like inconsistencies at first glance but are actual design features of the game (like the BB starting with +3 cool).


Also, I found another useful post about the battlebabe that really helped me understand that character, how she fits into the game and how the stats are laid out.

http://apocalypse-world.com/forums/index.php?topic=132.0

Thank you Diesel, i shall enrich my mind with the apocalyptica. and sorry if these are obvious questions

edit: i realize the stat lines aren't to be messed with, but.....if i do keep it, how do i explain to my players the lines arent to be screwed wtih? they like that level of customization, considering they're d&d primarily