Hypothetical Combat Question

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Jwok

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Hypothetical Combat Question
« on: September 11, 2014, 02:17:47 PM »
Say a Troll-Killer is tromping through the woods, hunting for the Mud Hag (an admittedly foolish endeavor). The Mud Hag decides she does not wish to toy with the Troll-Killer, and sends a pack of wolves to tear him apart before he reaches her.

My questions:
  • How does one stat out a pack of wolves? Would it be a single "unit"? How would it's harm be set up? Armor? The lack of "gangs" here leaves me not sure how to move forward
  • When the wolves attack, should one use single combat to decide how things turn out? Does this count as a war company? Should the Troll-Killer roll for his own war? Strong instead of war?

Hope these questions are helpful!
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Re: Hypothetical Combat Question
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2014, 02:40:11 PM »
The rules for Monsters suggest that the claws and teeth of a mortal beast do 3-harm, and that the hide of a mortal beast provides 1-armor.  The battle moves suggest that if the pack outnumbers him 3+ to 1, they get +3 harm, +3 armor.  Nasty.

But d you treat this as a battle, or as single combat?  Good question.

Re: Hypothetical Combat Question
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2014, 04:52:43 PM »
So I've been thinking alot about this, and it may be the wrong answer, but it seems to me that if something is not single combat you should not use the single combat rules and if something is not battle, you should not use the battle rules.

Now, depending on how the wolves work it could be single combat. Think of the pack as a swarm from D&D, instead of individual wolves. I don't see it working as battle. While I could see a single warrior holding a stairwell against an invading army as battle, I'm not sure a stand against wolves works. Also some of the move options in battle suggest that it should not involve a single combatant(like a single combatant takes harm personally) however that could just be given as a free spend I suppose.

I would run this situation though as a series of standard moves. Show evidence of what's coming through the howling of the wolf pack. Most likely this will cause them to look around, triggering Take stock. If they fail, wolves attack, and inflict harm as established. If succeeds, they can describe their actions which will trigger either leap into action or undertake great labor depending on if they attack or try something else. I they fail, more harm or possibly captured, their prize weapon broken, or something similar. Continue on this vein until the scene is resolved, most likely in the Troll killer's death, but perhaps (s)he prevails.

It does bring up something one of the guys in my group has a problem with. There is not standard, reactive option similar to do something under fire. I feel that "leap into action" and "Undertake Great labor" will work for this, he does not. We've yet to put it to the test but in my head I see it working, hence my view of the scene above.
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Re: Hypothetical Combat Question
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2014, 11:05:24 PM »
"So, Troll-killer, this swarm of wolves here is going to tear you to pieces if you proceed. What do you do?" Offer a choice, lay groundword for harm as established.