S&S: Combat

TIME IN COMBAT:

• A round of combat is 10 seconds of time in the game world.
• A round is divided into 10 segments, with each segment being only 1 second long.
• Segments occur in order: with "segment one" occurring first and "segment ten" occurring last.

GRID SCALE

While Storm & Steel can be played without a tabletop grid and miniatures, it does rely somewhat heavily upon their use. 1" grids are recommended for a playing surface. Each 1" square represents a number of feet in the game. Storm & Steel uses three scales:

• 1" = 3-1/3': Every 3 squares are equal to 10' This is the default suggested ground scale, as this allows three human-sized miniatures to easily stand and fight abreast in a 10' wide dungeon hall.
• 1" = 5': When space is at a premium on the tabletop, this scale can help. However, this can cause a lot of clutter if three human-sized miniatures are standing abreast in a 10' wide dungeon hall.
• 1" = 10': Great for outdoor scenes, particularly if miniatures of a smaller scale are available.

Note that most gaming miniatures do not fall into the 1"=3-1/3' scale and will generally be smaller than this ground scale. This is helpful in that it allows miniatures with wide bases and set in exaggerated poses to fit fairly well together.

CHARACTER SPACE

GROUND SPACE: All characters are assumed to occupy an approximated amount of floor space during combat. Below is a quick list of the typical minimum amount of ground space characters will take up during a fight. This is the general area that the character moves around in. The spaces can be imagined as a square or a circle. Characters that are exceptionally large or small might increase or decrease the listed area by 1/2'. Females and young of most races often have smaller frames and would generally subtract 1/2'. The specific spaces will be listed in racial descriptions.
Humans: = 3'
Elves: = 2-1/2'
Dwarves: = 2-1/2'
Gnomes: = 2'
Halflings: = 2'
Notes:

• Characters can reduce their space by 1' to make room for fellow adventurers to allow them to pass by them or stand closer in tight spaces. Characters generally cannot pass through the same space as another without some sort of contested die rolls.
• A GameMaster may rule that certain well-practiced adventurers might be able reduce the amount of space that they occupy by 1/2' when fighting alongside each other.
• Looking at the list above, a reader can easily see how many characters may stand and potentially fight abreast in a 10' dungeon hall: Humans = 3; Elves = 4; Dwarves = 4; Gnomes = 5; and Halflings = 5.

CHARACTER VERTICAL SPACE:

• The vertical space of a character is typically their height plus 1/3 of their height.

CHARACTER SPACE AND WEAPON LENGTH:

• The length of a melee weapon is used to represent the nominal striking range of a weapon during combat (not the extremes).
• The range of the melee weapon typically starts at the frontal facing area of a character's space; or 1/3 above their height; or at foot level when facing down (as if striking downward from a ledge while standing).
• The range of the melee weapon typically ends at the weapon's length away from the starting area of character's space.
• A character's weapon may be used to strike at something within their own character space, such as a snake, faerie or grappled creature.

CHARACTER SPACE AND REACHING AN ENEMY:

• The nominal distance between two fighting opponents is equal to the length of the shortest weapon that either combatant is using.
• If a character is trying to reach an enemy with an ally in front of that character (i.e. fighting from the 2nd rank), the character must have a weapon that is at least as long as the ally's character space PLUS the shortest weapon length between the ally and the enemy.

MOVEMENT:

INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT RATE AND FACTORS:

• Characters are assigned a base movement rate as a result of the race that was chosen for the character.
• Movement rates are adjusted down by armor, shields, and encumbrance due to other items carried.
• All characters may move up to a specified distance per segment, based on their individual movement rate.
• All characters may move on every segment (see exception immediately below).
• Characters whose group loses the group initiative roll may not move on segment one, unless they were running/charging on the last segment of the previous round.
• Characters may move up to a distance equal to their NORMAL distance or their CHARGE distance.

NORMAL Movement:

• Normal movement is movement that is relatively easy to perform without compromising defense during combat.
• No bonuses or penalties of any kind are given for performing normal movement.
• Spellcasters can typically only move up to one stride (3-1/3') per segment when casting spells.
• Movement backwards is typically one stride per segment.

CHARGE (RUNNING) Movement:
Charging is a risky and somewhat reckless form of aggressive movement and attack that uses speed and power to attempt to overwhelm an opponent. It can involve making heavy bodily contact in order to knock an opponent off balance and expose them to the attack; or moving at fast speeds to cause an opponent to misjudge their timing during their defense; or a charger placing themself completely behind their weapon for greater thrusting power; or leaping in the air and descending upon their opponent with their weapon overhead; or running alongside an opponent using the momentum of their running-swing for impetus; or several combinations of the above!

• Typically done when not already defending from - or striking at - an opponent.
• If charging at another while already engaged, any aware enemies (obviously aware or that make perception roll) that have direct and relatively easy access to the charging character - and is within striking range - may make an attack of opportunity or resolve their next attack of the round on the charging character, assuming they have any more attacks available.

CHARGING DISTANCES UP TO 10':

• Awards the charger +2 to hit and damage.
• Awards the charger +2 to push back opponents.
• Awards the charger +2 to knock down opponents.
• Awards the charger +2 when contending for a space.

CHARGING DISTANCES OVER 10':

• Awards the charger +4 to hit and damage.
• Awards the charger +4 to push back opponents.
• Awards the charger +4 to push back opponents.
• Awards the charger +4 when contending for a space.

CHARGING AND INITIATIVE:

• A charging character resolves their attack on the same segment that their weapon comes within striking range of their target, even if their normal initiative segment for that weapon is later in the round.
• A charging character resolves only one available attack on the segment they are making a charging attack, even if they have several attacks per round or segment. If more than one weapon is being wielded at the same time during a charge, the other weapons may be used on the same segment (penalties for using more than one weapon at a time applies).

CHARGING AND WEAPON LENGTH:

• If any nearby defenders have weapons of greater length than the charging character and the charger is within striking range, they may use an attack of opportunity or resolve an available attack against the charger - on the same segment their weapon comes within striking range, even if their attack was slated to come later in the round.
• Charging characters strike simultaneously with defenders that have longer weapons than the charger, even if the charging character is struck unconscious.

-GameMasters may create their own rulings in regard to what the maximum difference in weapon lengths can be, when deciding if a character that is doomed to go unconscious can still strike against defenders with longer weapons. Suggestion: Being within one stride might be sufficient - possibly two - if the charger successfully "contends for a space". In any event, a character who is slain under similar circumstances will not be able to complete the charging attack. CHARGING PENALTIES and RISKS:

• Charging penalizes the charger by reducing their defense bonuses by half or by -2 (whichever is worse). Defense bonuses for spells are unaffected.
• If a defender braces a spear-like weapon on the ground to receive a charging attack and successfully strikes the charger, the charger takes double damage (including all damage bonuses).
• If an enemy attempts to trip a charging enemy, the saving throw to avoid falling is at -2 for charging distances up to 10' and -4 for charging distances over 10', which incidentally, is equal the charging bonus.

Running backwards is typically 2 strides (6-2/3') per segment, but subject to actual movement rate. NOTES:

• Charging may continue from one segment to the next - and from one round to the next. So, even though a charging character may only be moving 5' on the current segment, they may be treated as if charging over 10' if they were continuing a 20' charge from the previous segment - or even the previous round.
  
• Charging characters may not normally engage in attacks of opportunity on the way to the target. They may treat the charging attack as a free attack of opportunity if the opponent has their back toward them, thus, saving an attack for later.

GROUP INITIATIVE ROLL

STARTING COMBAT: When a combat round begins, each side (the GameMaster and the players) must roll a d6 to determine how quickly their characters generally act. The side that rolls the highest, wins; and the side that rolls the lowest, loses. If the same number is rolled on both sides, it's considered a tie. The results are the following:

WIN = Attacks and spells occur 1 SEGMENT SOONER

LOSE = Attacks and spells occur 1 SEGMENT LATER

TIE = NO CHANGE on default segments.

MOVEMENT AND LOSING INITIATIVE: Whichever side lost the group initiative roll may not move their characters on segment one, unless they were already running/charging on the last segment (10) of the previous round. However, those running/charging characters on the losing side may only move at the NORMAL during segment one (not the CHARGE movement rate). This ruling may apply to certain flying (but not hovering) characters, as well.