Hi, a math equation recommended Platinum w/ Strife as one example of multi-scale combat systems. I'm doing research so I have a better understanding when I design my own. This game intriguing though it's going over my head.
I'm a little confused at the formatting of the statblocks in the supplements. What are the default fallback values when calculating Damage and Resilience for Size 0 characters? I was reading the Black Lagoon supplement and I thought the math didn't seem to add up. (wouldn't the default equation result in a 0 by multiplication?) I guess the correct wording would be "if <value> is 0, it is skipped for calculation"?
For the Platinum half of the statblock, what's the fallback default Size for calculating HP? Would it also be skipped if unspecified (Revy having 13+9 HP)? Also, am I correct in assuming that the "profession skills" there mean "this is the skill level used for any task related to that skill"? For example, Maid 50% means 50% chance of doing Maid-ly things like housekeeping (before difficulty).
I'm interested in using your pre-statted NPCs out of the box but I have only barely understood your systems.
EDIT: Reading the other splatbooks it seems I just stumbled upon a rare error.
EDIT 2: Some splatbooks have Offense listed in the Platinum half of the statblocks, is it because they're the Offense used when attacking a unit in Strife?
Viewing post in Strife: The Scalable Wargame (Core Rules) comments
“Hi, a math equation recommended Platinum w/ Strife as one example of multi-scale combat systems.” Interesting… I love that. I wish you luck in making your own system.
Before I get into answering questions, I’ve been making these games and splats for 3 years now, and as I make each one, sometimes I find new things that I should have done earlier, but only started including it then. I probably should have been far more… precise when making it originally.
- What are the default fallback values when calculating Damage and Resilience for Size 0 characters? In Strife or in Platinum? I got huge lists of ballistics and damage ratings for weapons. It is a hobby. Both Offense and Defense are measured on the same scale 0 to 20, shown below:
This is for Strife: Offense 0 Untrained unarmed
1 Brass knuckles, Knife
2 light pistol, 1-hand melee weapons
3 Swords, longbows
4 Heavy pistol, 2-hand melee weapons
5 Shotgun, Rifles
6 Heavy rifles, machineguns, flamethrowers
7 Heavy Machineguns
8 Autocannons
9 Rockets
10 Light Cannons
11 Guided missiles
12 heavy cannon, AT missiles
13 heavy artillery barrage
14 Submarine full torpedo volley
15 10” cannon volley
16 12” cannon volley
17 Battleship broadside
18 Multiple cruise missile strikes
19 Heavy space battleship weapons
20 nuclear weapons ground zero
Defense
0 Tiny drone, Rat
1 Animals, Hawk
2 Child, Dogs
3 Adult human
4 Basilisk, Huge Alligator
5 Giant Spider
6 Wooden Gunboat, SpecOps Cyborg, Power Armor
7 Attack Helicopter, Spartan II, Yautja Hunter, T-45
8 Armored Personnel Carrier, Chinese Hvy Cyborg
9 Multi-Engine Jet Aircraft, Battle Armor
10 Panzer V, Xenomorph Queen, Protomech
11 Longsword Interceptor, Light Mech
12 Main Battle Tank, Medium Mech
13 Type-47B Scarab, USCMC Cheyenne
14 Type-55 Kraken, Assault Mech
15 Ancient Dragon
16 Kaiju, Glitter Boy
17 PAA Destroyer
18 14th Fleet Heavy Cruiser
19 Russian System Defense Ship
20 Punic-class Supercarrier
This is for Platinum:
Gauntlet 1d3
Unarmed strike 1 per full 10 STR
Brass knuckles 1
One-Handed Melee Weapons
Axe, throwing 1d4
Battleaxe 1d8
Cleaver 1d6
Club 1d6
Dagger 1d4
Dagger, punching 1d4
Flail 1d8
Gauntlet, spiked 1d4
Hammer, light 1d4
Handaxe 1d6
Hatchet 1d6
Kama 1d6
Katana 1d10
Knife 1d3
Kukri 1d4
Longsword 1d8
Mace, heavy 1d8
Mace, light 1d6
Machete 1d6
Metal baton 1d6
Morningstar 1d8
Nunchaku 1d6
Pick, heavy 1d6
Pick, light 1d4
Pistol whip 1d4
Rapier 1d6
Sai 1d4
Sap 1d3
Scimitar 1d6
Shield, heavy 1d4
Shield, light 1d3
Shortspear 1d6
Siangham 1d6
Sickle 1d6
Spiked armor 1d6
Spiked shield, heavy 1d6
Spiked shield, light 1d4
Straight razor 1d4
Stun gun 1d3
Sword cane 1d6
Sword, bastard 1d10
Sword, short 1d6
Tonfa 1d4
Trident 1d8
Waraxe 1d10
Warhammer 1d8
Whip, weighted 1d3
Two-Handed Melee Weapons
Bayonet (fixed) 1d6
Chain saw 3d6
Chain 1d6
Chain, spiked 2d4
Falchion 2d4
Flail, dire 1d8
Flail, heavy 1d10
Glaive 1d10
Greataxe 1d12
Greatclub 1d10
Greatsword 2d6
Guisarme 2d4
Halberd 1d10
Katana 2d6
Lance 1d8
Longspear 1d8
Quarterstaff 1d6/1d6
Ranseur 2d4
Rifle butt 1d6
Scythe 2d4
Spear 1d8
Sword, bastard 2d6
Sword, two-bladed 1d8
Three-section staff 1d8
Ranged Weapons
Bolas 1d4
Bow/Crossbows
25 lbs draw 1d5
30 lbs draw 1d6
40-50 lbs draw 1d6+1
60 lbs draw 1d8
70-80 lbs draw 1d8+1
90 -100 lbs draw 1d10
110 - 120 lbs draw 1d10+1
130 140 lbs draw 2d6
150 - 160 lbs draw 2d6+1
170 - 190 lbs draw 2d6+2
200 - 210 lbs draw 2d8-1
220 - 240 lbs draw 2d8
250 - 270 lbs draw 2d8+1
280 - 300 lbs draw 3d6
Dart 1d2
Javelin 1d6
Net —
Shuriken (5) 1d2
Sling 1d4
Improvised Weapons Dam
Diminutive 1
Ex: Ashtray, crystal paperweight
Tiny 1d2
Ex: Rock, mug, screwdriver, flashlight, wrench
Small 1d3
Ex: Bottle, drill, fire extinguisher, helmet, vase
Medium-size 1d4
Ex: Bar stool, bowling ball, hockey stick, nail gun
Large 1d6
Ex: guitar, computer, office chair, tire iron
Huge 1d8
Ex: ladder, mailbox, oil barrel, park bench
Gargantuan 2d6
Ex: Desk, dumpster, sofa, vending machine
Colossal 2d8
Ex: Junked vehicle, stoplight, telephone pole
5.92 Firearms
Pistol
Super Light Pistol 1d6
Very Light Pistol 1d8
Light Pistol 1d10
Medium Pistol 2d6
Heavy Pistol 3d6
Very Heavy Pistol 4d6
Super Heavy Pistol 5d6
Submachinegun Dam
Super Light SMG 1d6
Very Light SMG 1d8
Light SMG 1d10
Medium SMG 2d6
Heavy SMG 3d6
Very Heavy SMG 4d6
Super Heavy SMG 5d6
Carbine Dam
Super Light Carbine 1d8
Very Light Carbine 1d10
Light Carbine 2d6
Medium Carbine 2d8
Heavy Carbine 3d6
Very Heavy Carbine 2d10
Super Heavy Carbine 3d8
Rifle
Super Light Rifle 1d8
Very Light Rifle 2d6
Light Rifle 3d6
Medium Rifle 4d6
Heavy Rifle 5d6
Very Heavy Rifle 6d6
Super Heavy Rifle 7d6
Machinegun (burst) Dam
Super Light Machinegun 3d6
Very Light Machinegun 4d6
Light Machinegun 5d6
Medium Machinegun 5d6
Heavy Machinegun 8d10
Very Heavy Machinegun 9d10
Super Heavy Machinegun 10d10
Shotgun Dam
Super Light Shotgun(.410) 2d8
Very Light Shotgun (20 g) 3d8
Light Shotgun (16 g) 4d8
Medium Shotgun (12 g) 5d8
Heavy Shotgun (10 g) 6d8
Very Heavy Shotgun (8 g) 7d8
Super Heavy Shotgun (4 g) 8d8
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I guess the correct wording would be “if <value> is 0, it is skipped for calculation”? Yes, and basically 0 = 1, but I didn’t know how to properly say it.
-
Also, am I correct in assuming that the “profession skills” there mean “this is the skill level used for any task related to that skill”? For example, Maid 50% means 50% chance of doing Maid-ly things like housekeeping (before difficulty)? Yes
Thank you for the questions, if you have any others, feel free to ask.
Thank you for the reply. While I'm here I'd like to ask a few more questions.
When making NPCs for Platinum, what is the default fallback Size for calculating HP? Or is HP manually set?
And am I correct in assuming that Resilience is essentially the HP of Strife?
Also, can a Strife unit have both a Size modifier and a Damage modifier? Example Size A (B) and Damage X (Y).
Lastly, does the Damage Modifer have a limit on what matchups would apply? Or could the exsmple anti-tank Missile team lay waste to Mobs in that are area 51,
The default Size for Hit Points… the calculation I use now is: The square root of the weight = SIZ Constitution x SIZ/10 = Hit Points So, a person with 270 pounds has a Size of 16.4. with a Constitution of 12, the Hit Points = 12x (16.4/10) = 12 x 1.64 = 19.68, round down = 19 Hit Points.
Resilience is equivalent in function to Hit Points, but not mathematically aligned in any way as Resilience measures different things than Hit Points.
Yes, a unit can have a Size modifier and a different Damage modifier, but it would be rare. It would be rare because I wanted the Size to be somewhat of a constant, and the variablity to be in the Offense and Defense. If that different modifier is the best way to model something, go for it.
I don’t really go for having balance in matchups, since I rather think asymetry helps to drive scenarios and victory conditions. But, yeah, an ATGM team will absolutely devastate a mob of people. This is why dispersion in modern combat is essential, so that you can minimize the amount of people caught in the blast radius.
I made a lot of changes since the first versions were posted, so I uploaded the new versions.
Thank you, I appreciate the update. I hope I don't intrude but I'd like a few clarifying clauses for first-time readers, such as "if a unit's size goes lower than its Minimum, it is destroyed", clarity if an asterisk only shows up for minimum Size, and something about Size 0 being 1 for calculating Damage/Resilience. That is so non-zero Offense/Defense values mean something for a Size 0 characters, yet Size X pacifist group with Off/Def of 0 would have 0 Dmg/Resilience. Although I say this because I'm not as familiar with it as you are, there may be no need for units with 0 in relevant stats.
I don't know how old your Black Lagoon splatbook is but I keep coming back to it. I think it's the one anime IP I am most familiar with. I also check the Doom splat to see how the statblocks hold up.
No, thank you for the correspondence. I appreciate it. How does this sound: “A unit represented with a number in brackets after the Size is the minimum size before it is destroyed. As an example, a unite with Size 7[3] means that it is Size 7, but can only be reduced to Size 3 before it is destroyed.
It is possible for a unit to have a size, a damage modifier different than its’ size in parenthesis and a minimum size in brackets. So a unit with 5 (6) [3] means that the unit is Size 5, but has a damage modifier of 6, not 5; and has a minimum size of 3, at which point it is destroyed.”
This allows a unit to have a size, a different modifier for damage if required, and a minimum Size if it isn’t 0.