Post by GuardianTempest in Strife: The Scalable Wargame (Core Rules) comments

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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,

STS_Gamer27 days ago

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.

GuardianTempest26 days ago

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.

STS_Gamer26 days ago(+1)

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.

GuardianTempest21 days ago (1 edit)

Gosh I'm so sorry for being late. I didn't get an e-mail notification.

I appreciate this and it makes sense. I think another point of confusion is the Damage section specifying its own "modifier in parenthesis" that's different from the Size's.

EDIT: Wait, no, I misread. It uses the existing Size (or modified Size) for calculating Damage for the modifier. Although I want to know if Current Offense (Base Offense+Size) has bearing on Damage.

I think I'm getting the hang of this.

STS_Gamer20 days ago

Oh, yeah, I do need to make that more clear. So, the damage is to all the numbers, so Offense, Defense and Size would all drop, to include numbers in (parenthesis), so it would be a -x to Off, Def, Size (damage modifiers)…. and if the Size drops below the number in [brackets] by any means, the unit is destroyed.

GuardianTempest18 days ago

Wonderful. I'm rereading Strife for more things to point out.

For range, instead of color, perhaps it can be differentiated with prefixes? ^(Altitude), V(Depth), G(Underground). Example: 100m, ^500m, v50m, G25m.

I understand that unit skills transform into a different one upon reaching a certain size, or in different circumstances. The numerical threshold indicating what Size a skill transforms is great. I'd like to know if there is a guideline for deciding how the rating changes.

For derived skills like Helm/Drive (from Tactics & Operations), I see they are seldom valued separately from their parent skills. Benny from the Black Lagoon splat has a dedicated Helm skill at 60% compared to either parent skills. But if John Preston from the Equilibrium splat tries to drive his motorcycle, do I use either the "base" skill (Tactics) or the "grown-up" skill (Operations)?

Making sure about the pre-post transition skill use: If a character has Training at 60% and uses it for Morale at Size 3, that's a -15% penalty, right?

My reading of splitting your attacks: -1 Offense to all attacks for each attack past the first. I got that. But the "Offense 9 vs Defense 4 and Defense 4" example seems contradictory to what I've read. Or perhaps I missed something?

Combining units is a little hard to follow though. AFAIK, for different Offense levels only the strongest is used as a base and a plain + means is like 0.5, right?

It seems like the Combat Section is multiple different resolution systems, but they're presented as if they're all part of the main.

That's what I got so far before the more granular optional rules.

STS_Gamer17 days ago

I like the idea about using prefixes.

The skills change primarily due to the size, and that is really the only trigger for changing.

The derived skills almost always use the smaller skill as that is the one that is more personal and small scale. I did this so that the “characters” don’t become too different from the “unit.” It is a bit of a cheat.

The penalty based on size is correct.

The multi-attack rules were mot tested at all and were just sort of.. put there. They are not good. Same for the unit combining rules. There were kinda just… last minute additions I thought up and wrote.

The various combat resolution mechanics were all supposed to be optional depending on how much detail as wanted so that you can go super simple (magic the gathering style, # vs #) or a whole complicated RPG level detailed system. They are expected to be chosen at the beginning of the campaign/game and not really interchangeable mid-game.

Thanks for the feedback!

GuardianTempest5 days ago (1 edit) (+1)

Alright, it's time I finished this.

Optional Mechanics:
- I'm not familiar enough with the modifier list but I appreciate that it's there. I think my only suggestion is "Attacking 'off-hand' or otherwise suboptimally"
- I would like some kind of formula for immediately calculating to-hit percentage for players who don't have the table on hand.

Initiative: Just to be sure, if a unit with a higher Initiative attacks a unit with lower initiative, the combat resolves as if the latter attacks the former first (low init unit's Offense vs high init unit's Defense)?

Stacking Units: I could never quite understand this subsystem. I play RTS games so it's way above my understanding.

Endurance, Range, Speed, Terrain, and Facing:
- ~~So Endurance is basically the "sprint" option, aye?~~ No, it's not. I do want to know when the logistics reset is made.

I don't have further comments on the rest, but they could be streamlined. I think I'll have to understand Platinum to say more.

STS_Gamer5 days ago

Off-hand term changed Equation added Equation: Offense – Defense = 50% +- 10% for the difference

adds 2% ++ adds 5% - subtracts 2% Examples: Offense 7 – Defense 7 = 50% Offense 3 – Defense 6 = 50% -3 = 50% - 30% = 20% Offense 14 – Defense 12 = 50%+20% = 70% Offense 9(++) – Defense 6(-) = 50% +5% +30 -2% = 83%

Your understanding of initiative is correct, lower is better as it signifies better tech and skill.

The logistics reset is made at some point, but I have no idea when… I never thought about it before.

Streamlining the rules is something I have been failing at for years.

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