theinfn8

I went with a Change Environment (-30m Running), with something like AoE 3m, OIF ("Great Weapon"). If you want it to have a PRE component, PRE Roll to Activate. Basically, if you're fast, you can make it by the guy with the giant sword, otherwise, you're stopping to fight.
A more advanced version might increase the radius, decrease the PRE roll requirement, or tack on a Trigger Attack with the sword that resets itself.
This kind of thing is where the bigger two-handers shine. The montante material that still exists has methods designed specifically for holding ground. It isn't meant for the guy to hold the gap (or bridge) indefinitely, just long enough for back-up to arrive and help push back.
 
 
 

As I mentioned upthread, Horatio had two friends with him, so he wasn't covering the whole width by himself, until the bridge had been damaged enough that it was on the brink of collapse. Then his friends left, leaving him to cover the presumably narrower remnant.

It seems he fell/jumped into the Tiber and died, since his two companions were later elected as Consuls, and he wasn't. Of course, none of these accounts are reliable.

That doesn't cover the general case, but raises the obvious question: is there a general case that's worth dealing with, especially when the "solutions" are powers/talents that characters presumably need to choose from a myriad such constructs.

Suppose the limit is really what magic is capable of in the world. And since a lot of magic users are also envisioned as scientists of a sort, they may reach some of the scientific levels that we operate in the modern era. What good is armour when you unleash those nano-golems to tear it apart at a micro level?
 
You bring up a good point, one that is brought up in Hammer's Slammers, every time there is an increase in armour tech (in their case armor tech), there's a commensurate increase in weapon tech.

As far as stagnation of tech, a lot of settings are rise and fall epochs. The tech is developed (including magic as a tech) and then there's a fall with a dark age and the tech is lost. Usually it is because of something (someone) stupid with magic. In that type of setting it's not an issue of technological stagnation, but of academic loss. The presence of magic isn't even necessary for this cycle, as witnessed by our own world and civilizations.

The biggest civilizational collapses were caused by either such levels of corruption and perversion the state collapsed in on its self (or was conquered by another nation), or disease and other catastrophes crushed innovation and caused things to roll backward.  We're probably watching one of those collapses happen to our civilization right now as we watch.  Its extremely difficult, based on human history, for any civilization to continue to prosper and advance for very long at all.

That is certainly true, the history of our species is littered with stupid and worse those who thought they were smarter than they really were. We also can create blind spots so dense that we refuse to accept the new just cause it's new. 

That’s why you hire retainers. 😁Lest that’s what the OSR blogs suggest they always did.

Yeah I am leaning heavily toward arrows not being armor piercing so much as certain armors being vulnerable to arrows, so its not so much a characteristic of the attack as it is a weakness of the defense.  That way I can build alternate materials being vulnerable to arrows (copper, bronze) and iron and steel or better tends to bounce it.

Solid suggestions already. Personally, I would mostly treat everything from a narrative slant. The combat parts would be exactly the same, since a character's assumed skill level will be the same in dream and out.
 
Depending on your players' skill level with Hero, those that "awaken" to the idea of being in a dream could temporarily gain access to a power framework for "dream powers" that they can change up with an Ego roll (or skill if it seems appropriate, like an archer using their knowledge to say "bows don't operate like that". If they are in the dreaming long enough (like, mini-campaign level long) you could increase the pool size over time as the PCs power grows.
 
Just some thoughts.

Sounds like these ought to be treated as a “sub game”, though allowing the dreaming characters assumptions to be the framework of the dreams reality. People often can’t tell if they are dreaming, and navigate the dream environment as if it was real, with fantastical elements taken at face value. So I’d say run it as if it was a separate but related campaign, and have the players have to make INT rolls at -5 to remember events that occurred in the waking world. Different characters may have different dreams or a different emphasis in a shared dream. Use their skills, as is, but throw in Ego rolls and such for non standard events. 

The vast majority of SCA guys I have run into were in metal, but with weight saving adjustments you wouldn't find available in period (typically aluminum, but leather covered plastic popped up every now and then). Actually, my current legs are an old aluminim set gifted to me from one such person after bringing a mercenary force to bolster their force in a local crown war. Most of them were dual kitting for Adrian Empire and SCA and Adria's armour requirements kind of favour all metal.
 
And you're right about cost. The price of the metal also wasn't the only limiting factor. Size of plates was as well. The technology for creating large plates with a consistent thickness was... new, depending on the time period. And hand working metal into shape can thin the armour in spots creating weaknesses. This is one of the reasons a "plate of coats" was pretty common up to a point. Cheaper with less chance of thin spots. You would pay good money for a smith/armourer that could work the metal without those imperfections.
 
My experience with pure leather armours are... limited (again, rules that favour the wear of metal). But my "field repair kit" is a couple hammers, a handful of rivets (various sizes), a metal punch, a leather punch, buckles, and leather straps. If I'm wearing mail I also grab a pair of pliers and a small section of chain I can steal rings from. The strapping tends to get the brunt of the wear and cracks or breaks in plates basically mean that piece is done, it needs to be replaced completely (welding a plate back together is never as good as the original). Dents are kind of normal and a light touch with a hammer will fix most issues. But it all adds up weight-wise. The kit is probably close to the 25 lbs range. In game terms, that's less treasure weight or more burden for LTE.
 
Unfortunately, I have little time for fighting anymore.

Oh man, so true. Fighting in mid summer SoCal heat required constant water intake. You basically sweat out everything you take in. I would imagine fighting in a long pitched battle all day would be horrendous.

I have played RPG style games since the late sixties, first with chainmail, then D&D and then Hero system in the eighties. I also played E.P.T. (Empire of the Petal Throne) and C&S (Chivalry and Sorcery) as well as a number of other game systems. I have Always been somewhat unhappy with the presentation of weapons and combat in most systems. I am an archer, been so since I was six, in my teens was involved in experiments with a variety of bows and crossbows. Most systems rating of light, medium and heavy bows completely miss s the mark (pun intended) Two bows of differing style (longbow vs recurve) of the same poundage will in fact have different penetration. The experiments presented some unusual results, using a 90 lb. compound and simple iron bodkin tipped wooden shafted arrows against 10 and 12 gauge plate no penetration and virtually no scratch. Against 14 to 16 gauge plate gouge on the 14, denting on the 16, heavy denting against 18 gauge, and against20 gauge deep dent and splitting of the metal. 
   I personally shoot a 55 - 60 lb. recurve and a 45 - 50 lb. longbow - horse bow. With my 55 lb. bow and the iron bodkins I only dented the 18 and 20 gauge plates and only scratched some of the others. However with high carbon steel and heat treated bodkins my 55 lb. recurve penetrated the 16 gauge plate and gouged all of the Heavier, a friend with a 60 lb. draw Yumi style bow (Japanese asymmetrical) penetrated the 14 gauge .5 to 1.5 inch, on the 16 g average of 2 inch 3 - 4 on the 18 g  and treated 20 gauge as though it was tissue paper. Now, admittedly none of the plates was hardened and range was 50 meters the 90 lb. compound penetrated all of the plates, As for other weapons and penetration, swords are mostly ineffective against simple plate armor let alone something like Gothic or Maxmillian plate. You need to go to axes, hammer's and maces to achieve damage to a plate wearer and then it is mostly hydro-static damage. 
    I am about to start a new campaign, and will be recording on duplicate character sheets damage to their weapons, armor and sundries as well as bonus damage to opposing targets based on maneuver's  weapon type , pushed strength and other factors, letting them know as their equipage deteriorates. As GM it is your job to maintain playability and introduce as much reality as you can. Have you ever fired a bow down a corridor  that's 10 ft. by 10 ft. I have, beyond 8 to 10 meters nearly impossible, (corridor was actually 8 ft. wide and 10 ft. high) . Beyond 10 meters arrows kept bouncing off the roof, and finding a path thru cardboard figures in front of you problematic.  

Wrath and Nature
 
The Story
 
Centuries ago, a leader was wronged greatly by the deeds of his neighbor. In his wrath he mobilized his army and attacked. He promised sacrifices, glory, and a place of honor for the God of Wrath when he eliminated the enemy. In return, the leader was granted a powerful artifact to accomplish his goal. At first, he laid waste to not just the kingdom but also squandered the power of the artifact destroying the land as well. To the point that when it came time to make the final push to destroy his enemy, he had nothing left.
 
The leader was forced to flee with the remnants of his army, back across the blasted landscape. But his actions and failure had drawn the ire of two gods, Nature and Wrath both cursed him and the entire army. Nature turned the scattered force into stone, creating a massive field of standing stones, but Wrath wasn't happy with that alone and cursed the spirits of the soldiers and their leader to be forever constrained by those stones, never allowed to pass on, always suffering.
 
The Location
 
During the day, walking among the stones, reddish sand and mud one is filled with the majesty of the site, but is constantly filled with a sad sense of loss. In small pockets inside the valley and up to it's edges, nature is slowly turning back the devastation. It may take centuries more, but Nature is nothing but patient.
 
At night the eerie wailing of the soldiers can still be heard echoing through the air. It is whispered that spending the night within is to invite Spirits of Wrath to attack, or worse to possess those who hold anger in their hearts and incite them to great acts of evil. Either way, those who survive a night in the valley are forever changed by the experience.
 
Two towns have taken root on opposite edges of the valley, surviving in the restored areas. One venerates Nature and the other has those who venerate Wrath. The towns function as waypoints for travelers who want to traverse the valley. Since it is unsafe at night, a group can cross the entire valley in one day if they are capable of maintaining a nice steady pace and they have a navigator skilled enough to not get lost in the maze of ravines and standing stones.
 
Several sealed burial sites, convenient caves really, have been found for the countless dead, those wounded in battle with no medical help or starved during the march back. Somewhere in the blasted ravines and crags of the valley it is said that the artifact still sleeps, hidden before the destruction wrought upon the army. Adventurers use the towns as jumping off points as well, making forays into the valley. But even during the day it is unwise to disturb the souls trapped and tortured within.

Oh man, so true. Fighting in mid summer SoCal heat required constant water intake. You basically sweat out everything you take in. I would imagine fighting in a long pitched battle all day would be horrendous.

You just described a longsword...
 
You can both block with it and attack with it. Used properly it is a mobile section of armour the opponent has to attack through or bypass by targeting other locations. You can also slam someone with the crossguard or pommel and some longswords were even equipped with spiked crossguards to help with that.
 
My argument still stands. Shields are weapons
 
My snarky comment aside, while I respect the shield and what it does for foot soldiers, it needs to be actively employed to gain most of the benefit in the skirmish style fighting we find ourselves in with fantasy RPGs. Since we are discussing armour emulation, you could, perhaps, say that a shield adjusts your DCV more than it reduces damage (adds to PD) like other "armour". But its ultimate benefit, even in Hero, comes from it being actively used in combat (Block), which is an attack.

That’s why lately I ask myself or the player have you seen it? Or read it? I’m trying to emulate fiction. Last game my son asked if he could use his arrow to stab a goblin. Well, I figure Legolas could do it in the movie. So gave him a minor penalty to hit and damage. He hit and was satisfied and so was the rest of the players. 😁

Definitely wearing armor, properly fitted, is much less encumbering than carrying it around even well-packed.  My quick and dirty calculation was just "half weight for encumbrance" but perhaps one step down would be better.

The normal LTE rules will actually prevent a fantasy hero character from using full plate for much more than 4 hours before they become exhausted.   Assuming characters have a 10 Maximum REC before paying double.  Full plate weighs 40kg, a large shield weights 7kg, throw in a weapon and some other gear and the character carrying at least 50kg.   In a Fantasy Hero (Heroic) game END cost 1 per 5.  That means a character with at least 2 SPD is using 4 END per phase just for STR, if he moves that brings his END use up to 6 for the turn.  That means a character with a 10 REC loses 1 LTE per 5 minutes.  So, after 4 hours and 10 minutes the character is completely out of END.  It will take him 25 hours to fully recover all his LTE.   After 5 hours of rest the character will have recovered 10 LTE (or his recover), which would allow him to walk for another 50 minutes.  
 
If the character has a higher SPD it gets even worse if he is using his full SPD.  You can reduce your SPD, but only to 2.  
 
Most people forget that moving cost END and don’t factor that in.  There is no need to create special rule for this, all you need to do is to apply the rules that already exist.  The maximum weight a character can carry without having to worry about LTE is about 25 KG.  That pretty much restricts you to DEF 5 or less armor.  If a character does not buy up his REC to near max, it is even worse. 
 

Hey Herophiles! On the evening of September 27 I'm appearing on Marc Tassin's awesome Out Of Character podcast! Please come give us a listen to hear us talk about fiction, gaming, and all sorts of related topics!
 
 

@LoneWolf, are many attack spells are going to go against ED? Typically Heroic level characters and monsters have an unequal PD to ED. That also would provide a small bonus to the mage.

I have completed and published the digital version of The Jolrhos Codex!  Its up on DriveThruRPG in the Hall of Champions section.  I hope to have it up here on Hero soon as well as in print.
 
The Codex is the rewrite of my old Fantasy Codex, with doublechecked math, new spells, streamlined layout and content, and specifically built to be for my Fantasy Hero campaign setting rather than generic.  Also added are Bard Songs and Priest rituals, as well as campaign rules for building spells.  As a result its slimmed down, but has more content.
 
The full spell builds (and NPCS, songs etc) are all in hdc files that are bundled with the book.  Because of this, there is no preview (I cannot figure out how to make a preview available with the zip bundle).

This, spot on. It was one of the first things that struck me when I saw the published guidelines for plate, the average attack will do nothing against plate. You need to push one of the larger two-handed weapons to do any damage, get really lucky, or have a combat technique to negate some of the advantage of armour (half-swording FTW). Those special fighting techniques were also not something the standard fighter on the field would possess. But then, considering the exorbitant cost of plate, it was well worth it to those who could afford it.
 
But, for the sake of running a game, we make exceptions. How many people actually play the "Real Armour" part of the disads? How many people charge their players for the upkeep (replacing buckles, strapping, pounding out dents, etc)? Make the players spend time doing maintenance while adventuring? Good armour is going to require a lot of maintenance in the field to protect it against the elements and stave off rust and rot. Some of the real major disadvantages of plate are distinctly *not fun* for most play groups.

Okay, here is a primer (and please jump in to correct me, fellow board members). Let us limit our scope to simple, killing weapons that have one basic function, and thus are not built as multi-powers. Since you didn't provide a book and page reference for your laser rifle, I can't comment on it. Let's build two weapons, a combat knife and a .22-.270 deer-hunting rifle, and then we'll add a scope to the rifle.
 
Knife - A knife is HKA 1/2D6 for 10 base points.
Advantages:The knife is armor piercing (+1/4), and doesn't cost more Endurance than the STR used to swing it (reduced endurance: 0 END; + 1/2). That makes it 10*(1.00+0.25+0.50) = 17 Active Points (remember 17.5 rounds to 17).
Limitations: The Knife is an obvious, accessible focus (-1). We could decide that it is inobvious, as a combat knife could mean a switchblade or other easily concealable tactical folder, but we decide that it's more of a Rambo-style knife. Now it's a "Real Weapon," but it is a modern knife in modern times, so maintaining it isn't likely a real burden. We'll say that we're building it for a heroic, instead of superheroic game, so taking the real weapon limitation is assumed (and thus -0), so we won't worry about it. Likewise, restrainable is inherent to a focus you take out and weild with your arms (-0). The weapon ends up being 17/(1.00+1.00) = 8 Real points.
 
Rifle - how much an individual gun does is really dependent upon your campaign. To make life easy, let's make our rifle do RKA 2D6 for 30 base points.
Advantages: There easily could be no advantages to add to the active cost, but let's think about the range, since you brought that up. The basic range of the weapon is in fact, as you suggested, the same as the power. That would be 30 (base points) x 10m = 300m. How far a bullet travels if you ask it in a high school physics question is not the distance you can successfully hurt something with it. Since we aren't converting the thing into a sniper rifle, let's say that over half a kilometer is unlikely, and give it one level of long range (+1/4) and a maximum range of 300 x 2 = 600m. Looking over other potential advantages (armor piercing for armor piercing bullets of course, indirect for mortar rounds, no range penalty for guided missiles maybe), nothing else looks too important. Thus our rifle is going to be 30 x (1.00 + 1.25) = 37 active points.
Endurance/Charges: Note that we didn't pick up reduced endurance (0 END; + 1/2) for this one. Therefore, we have to explain how it pays for it's effects. Since it doesn't have an endurance reserve (although a self-recharging laser rifle or something might do that), and the weilder can't pay the END cost (as a magic wand might allow), it is going to have to use charges (bullets). These will be simple cartridge based clips. We'll say it is a 4-cartridge clip, and that no special rules about clips or reloading time or anything apply. This will be a -1 limitation that we'll add in with the limitations. If it was a 30-round tommie-gun drum clip, it'd instead be an advantage.
Limitations: The rifle is an Obvious, accessible focus (-1), and we already covered the charges limitation (-1). A rifle needs maintenance or else it will start to jam, so it qualifies for the Real Weapon (-1/4) limitation, but we've already stipulated in this campaign that maintenance requirements are an assumed part of equipment, so (-0). The rifle is two handed, for a (-1/4). Trying to shoot it one handed will subject you to some significant penalties. Same with firing it if you are a 80-lb weakling, so take STR minimum (-1/4). Finally, the gun qualifies for the Beam (-1/4) limitation. You can shoot a person, or possibly shoot a lock off a door, but if you actually have to cut your way through a wall or something, your little tiny bullet holes are going to do bupkiss. Thus your rifle ends up as a 37/(1.00+1.00+1.00+0.25+0.25+0.25) = 13 Real Points.
 
Now some weapons have innate bonuses to OCV or Rmod, which we would have to add, but let's do that with the scope.
 
Scope: this adds powers to the rifle. It could include basic OCV, range penalty remission, or even darkness penalty remission. For simplicity's sake, we'll limit it to range. Let's say that we want to be reasonably able to hit something at 100m, a +8 rMod. That's just 8 2-pt. Penalty Skill Levels taken with obvious accessible...whatwhatwait? Oh no! Penalty skill levels for a single weapon cost 2-pts apiece. You cannot apply limitations to them. Alright, we'll find another way around this. Okay, since we aren't using a power framework, active points are not our primary concern, real points are, so let's use basic OCV (5 pts. apiece). Eight levels of that are (8 x 5) 40 active points. To that we can add Limitation (only to counter range-based penalties; - 1/2), limitation (bonus only applies when set or braced; - 1/2), along with OAF (-1), and real weapon (-0 in this case). Thus, the scope costs 40/(1.00+1.00+0.50+0.50)=13 extra points.
Another method is to use 3-pt. PSLs, even thought the scope presumably is designed for one type of weapon (rifles) and thus qualifies for 2-pt PSLs (but 3 pt. skills can apply limitations). Check with your GM. That makes the active costs (8*3) 24 points, but of course you can't apply the (only to counter range-based penalties; - 1/2) limitation. Thus the total real cost is 24/2.5= 10 points.
 
Taking a guess at your laser rifle, It could be RKA 5D6 for 75 Active Points, but it could be 4D6 with a +1/4 advantage (perhaps the GM is applying Inobvious:does not leave bullet casings at scene to the rifle, perhaps it is armor piercing, or a level of extra range). To get to exactly 24 real points is a challenge (2 total points of limitation would be 25, 2.25 would be 23), but adding a bit of OCV, Rmod, and who knows what else won't make it ridiculous.
 
Yes, weapons are a lot cheaper than powers. They can be taken away, shot, and usually come with charges instead of being power by your END (and rarely have > 16 charges). 

This, spot on. It was one of the first things that struck me when I saw the published guidelines for plate, the average attack will do nothing against plate. You need to push one of the larger two-handed weapons to do any damage, get really lucky, or have a combat technique to negate some of the advantage of armour (half-swording FTW). Those special fighting techniques were also not something the standard fighter on the field would possess. But then, considering the exorbitant cost of plate, it was well worth it to those who could afford it.
 
But, for the sake of running a game, we make exceptions. How many people actually play the "Real Armour" part of the disads? How many people charge their players for the upkeep (replacing buckles, strapping, pounding out dents, etc)? Make the players spend time doing maintenance while adventuring? Good armour is going to require a lot of maintenance in the field to protect it against the elements and stave off rust and rot. Some of the real major disadvantages of plate are distinctly *not fun* for most play groups.