Strangulation

[Just Joe]

Not a pretty topic, I know, but one that sometimes plays a significant role in some RPG genres.

Two questions:

1. In TUMA, p. 172, a strangling garrotte does (3d6) and has a limitation "must be aimed at head". If it hits, does the 2x normal damage apply for hit locations 3-5, or is the hit location considered to be already factored into the (3d6) damage (which is not too shabby for a str min of 4)?

2. How does "good" old-fashioned non-martial arts manual strangulation work? Is it basically just a grab-and-squeeze to locations 3-5, maybe with a few extra touches (e.g., no-recoveries as per holding one's breath and no vocalization as per martial-arts choke hold)?

[Steve Long]

1. The Limitation indicates you have to aim for the Head and take the appropriate OCV penalty. If you hit, you get the damage bonus.

2. Just apply a Grab to Hit Location 5 and then invoke the drowning rules. That takes time, but then again, so does strangulatin' someone. ;)