Hey guys (and probably girls),
for some time now I have been testing several RPGs, but one thing that annoyed me again and again are the same lame rules for turn based combat. In my opinion, speed is one of the most important factors in meelee, but all it does in most games is determine the initiative order. But since everyone has the same number of actions each turn, after some rounds that doesn't really matter any more. Big, heavy weapons usually do more damage per hit and have negative initiative modifiers or similar penalties, but that's it.
Are there games that have better rules to simulate combat? Anything that is more realistic than turn based combat? Or do you even have rules of your own?
At the last convention a german publisher presented a new game called "Splittermond" (sphincter moon) that tries a different approach: There are no rounds any more. Each action requires a certain amount time, slow actions like attacks with a heavy weapon need considerably more time than fast jabs with a dagger. Each player's position in the initiative order is marked on battle clock. The first player does his action, moves his marker backwards for the required number of ticks and it's the next player's turn. That way the initiative order changes permanently and speed becomes very important. E.g. a nimble fighter has a chance to act twice as fast as the knight in full plate carrying a big two-handed axe.