Yesman Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 hello, The GM for a Roman based fantasy game I'm playing in asked me to make up a martial art for the roman soldiery. My initial thoughts were that skill levels would serve better for common soldier training, but he seemed pretty keen on the MA idea. I wrote up an Armatura style based on what little I could find. I'm not the most knowlegable person on the Roman military, or for that matter the Hero MA system so any helpful advice is welcome.. [u][b]Armatura[/b][/u] [b]Cost Martial Arts Maneuver[/b] 1 Weapon Element: Blades, Shields 1 Extra Weapon Element: Spears 3 Thrust: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, Weapon Strike +2 DC [Notes: From shield wall +1 DCV per side "covered" by an ally up to +2] 4 Shield Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort [Notes: Only with Shields. Shield adds it's DCV to OCV.] 4 Return Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike, Must Follow Block 4 Hold: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, +15 STR to resist Shove; Block, Abort 4 Push: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, +15 STR to Shove [Notes: Only with Shields] 3 Defensive Turn: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +3 DCV, +5 STR to resist Disarm, Bind, Grab Weapon; Dodge, Abort [b]Martial Arts Cost:[/b] 24 [b]Cost Skill[/b] 2 WF: Blades, Polearms and Spears 2 PS: Soldier 11- 2 KS: Armatura Training 11- 1 Fast Draw 8- 1 Tactics 8- 3 Teamwork 11- [b]Skills Cost:[/b] 11 [b] Total Cost: 35[/b] edited to change a manuever name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please As far as it goes, it looks fine. I'd agree totally that I can't see any justification for a roman army martial art - from what little we know, their training consisted of a little weapons training, a fair bit of lifting heavy things training, some digging training and mostly marching in straight lines in response to signals training. Everything else you were expected to pick up as you went along. Roman Gladiators (at least from the imperial era) on the other hand, probably could qualify for martial arts. Just my two bits.... cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altamaros Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Aside the Defensive turn, it also seems to be okay for me (after all, they use a large shield and a short sword without a so none of these weapons really qualify) Roman Gladiators (at least from the imperial era) on the other hand' date=' probably could qualify for martial arts.[/quote'] peraphs one for each type of gladiator; i don't know if a gladiator was trained from the start as a "specialist" (secutor, myrmydon and so on) or received a general training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Very nice! I third the general agreement on the needlessness of such a Martial Arts style. But nice job regardless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Comet Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please As far as weopans based martial arts are concerned I'd have to agree. Ancient aoxing and wrestling styles would have been be available though. Wouldn't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Absolutely. But they weren't the "Roman Legionnaire Martial Art." What's more, while some of the lower-class legionnaires might have known some wrestling and boxing, I would assume that "upwardly mobile" legionnaires (who were trying to better their social standing with service) would not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Comet Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please I think a knowledge of legionaire battle tactics and perhaps some levels in co-ordinated attacks would be more appropriate. Although I think the basic Roman formation of advancing behind a shield wall with gladius and pilum wouldn't have required much. Simple and effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Some sort of skill with thrown weapon would be good for that reason. And lest we forget, they had archers as well, and engine specialists. But all of them had some form of engineering skill - whether basic fortification building, or road construction and other things. So maybe a package? Including the MA skill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Comet Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please As far as weopans based martial arts are concerned I'd have to agree. Ancient aoxing and wrestling styles would have been be available though. Wouldn't they? Jeesh! My spelling really takes a nosedive when I work nights! And who could forget the Ancient art of Aoxing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trencher Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please They were not afraid of putting themselves in harms way to finish of their enemy. I would give them an - in dcv manuver to simulate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Comet Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please They were not afraid of putting themselves in harms way to finish of their enemy. I would give them an - in dcv manuver to simulate that. Nightshift is definitely catching up on me. What's an "in dcv manoeuvre"? I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trencher Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please A manuver with minus in dcv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Comet Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Gotcha! It all makes sense to me know. Please forgive my sleep induced befuddlement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please If Fencing gets its own MA writeup then Roman tactics certainly deserve the same treatment. The one thing that distinguished roman soldiers from the barbarians around them was thier tactics and relentless training, and a MA (and a the accompaning skill set) is an excellent way of representing that in my opinion. Good work. I'd use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please If Fencing gets its own MA writeup then Roman tactics certainly deserve the same treatment. The one thing that distinguished roman soldiers from the barbarians around them was thier tactics and relentless training, and a MA (and a the accompaning skill set) is an excellent way of representing that in my opinion. Good work. I'd use it. Actually, what distinguished Roman soldiers and barbarians was not their relentless training because they got anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. What distinguished them was better equipment (armour, swords that didn't bend), discipline (Roman soldiers could take high losses and still stay in the fight, whereas their barbarian opponents often lost heart and started to run away if things looked dodgy), combined arms (the footsloggers were backed up by cavalry and archers, and artillery where needed, which often took the edge off their opponents' attacks), better organisation (they very often had better information on their enemies' whereabouts than the enemy had of them, meaning they could choose a battle ground that favoured them) and most important of all they had quartermasters, meaning that they could stay in the field more or less indefinately with a line of supply whereas their enemies would start to starve after only a short time in the field. Vegetius's book Epitoma Rei Militarii outlines legionary training in detail. He makes it very plain that the prime targets of training were (in order) the ability to run fast carrying a heavy load, the ability to stay together in groups, physical fitness, discipline and (#5 and last) skill at arms. Recruits practiced running long distances carrying bags of rocks and also did weightlighting, running and jumping in the greek style. Weapons training was done with double weight weapons (to build up strength) but most of it appears to have been simple tactics practiced against a wooden stake and it seems to have recieved roughly the same amount of time as carpentry and construction training. Oh, and they got training in reading and writing, if they were illiterate - legionaires were required to be literate. The Romans were tough buggers, no doubt about it, but it is very plain - to use your own comparison - that compared to fencing, roman weapons training was crude, simple and relatively fast. It worked, though! Cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoid Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please Another thing to consider for a roman solder in FH would be the Teamwork skill as they were usually trained to fight in formations and assist each other out in fights. If I mind right for the Gladiators they were usually trained in one style and if they managed to stay alive and as they because more skills they gradually aquired more of the styles to give a better show to the spectators, although I might be wrong about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please I'm actually curious as to whether or not Romans on any level or career learned Pactranation (sp?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stompy Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Re: Roman Martial Art, comments please I agree that a martial art for the Roman army is a poor idea. A significant bump to STR, some cool tactical maneuvers, and some abilities based on Roman Military discipline would work much better. On a side note: Think of the possibilities if you had a PC / NPC use Roman Geko style martial arts. It would use tons of Escapes, Grabs, NND attacks, and HKA’s against joints. If you use sweeps, add some redirect attacks and it gets real ugly…. OUCH. As an Example… Think Royce Gracie in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.