Newbish n00b questions, MkII

[stubby]

So what would the mechanic be to resolve where the thing lands as it shoots out the other end? Just eyeball it and apply common sense and perhaps WISG rolls? I mean, Current Fields don't use UR, but then again, the range is unreliable.

That's probably the way to do it. I don't know if I can come up with anything more specific for something as open-ended as this.

One thing I might suggest though, is to measure out the distance into the air, put the victim at that point, and then drop it to see where he lands randomly.

[stubby]

I was thinking as a projectile application for my more tek-oriented factions. Like an experimental railgun prototype that can shoot very straight (no rolling vs UR), but has unreliable range due to unstable magnetic flux or w/e teknobabble.

Then the question becomes, how is it aimed? Is it aimed at a fixed point, and can only fire at enemies who walk across its line of fire? Or does somebody have to handle physically re-orienting the railgun to point at a target? If the latter, then there should be a Use roll to account for their skill in pointing it properly.

I'm assuming that just like w/ conventional Launchers, projectiles shot out the end would do "d6 of Damage for each point in their current Structure Level"?

That brings me to another question: would projectiles still do that same damage (from their mass) even if they didn't have a chance to build up momentum?

For Launchers, the power of the Launcher itself is providing the Momentum - so the projectile leaves the Launcher with as much strength as if it had already flown the full distance, even if it's hitting a guy one inch away.

Similarly, I think an object being launched out of a Field is already moving with its full velocity, so if it exits the Field at a speed of 13" but only goes 1" before it hits something, it should be treated as if it has the full 13" of Momentum.

For example, under minifig weapons:

Random Objects
Size:- Cost:- Use:4 Range:CC Damage:1 Skill die -2

Thrown Objects
Size:* Cost:* Use:* Range:3" Damage:* Notes: * use Close Combat stats

So would I be correct in assuming that a Random Object, when thrown even 3 or less inches, does at least 1 point of damage?

An object in CC gets its damage (literally, now that damage is based on Skill) based on the power of the person swinging it. A Field doesn't generally have a Skill rating, but it can be treated as Skill d4 in a pinch; 1d4-2 is not guaranteed to do a point of damage.

The classic example of a Field with Current is a flowing stream. If there's a coffee mug floating down a stream at 1d6" per turn, and I happen to be standing in its path, it doesn't seem to me that I would expect it to do any particular damage. On the other hand, a two-by-four fired at rifle velocity would do some damage even if it's not big enough to have Momentum. So this question is tricky.

[stubby]

Okay, so what would the UR be? Equivalent to a Launcher? (Size x2)

That seems like the closest equivalent, so that'd probably work.

And would it be able to propel a theoretically indefinite number of Size 0 projectiles in a round, since Size 0 objects don't burn up inches of a hazard field? Say, for example, someone dropped a hopper full of minifig tools onto a magnetic accelerator track and they all went flying out the other end.

Nah, 0 plus 0 doesn't equal 0 in BrikWars. If you're dumping in a whole load at once, you'd measure the size of the load of minifig tools all together, and use that as the projectile size. Even if you were tossing them in one at a time, I might still make you measure the size of the whole load anyway, if I thought you were trying to be a rules weasel.

You'd only be able to aim the thing once in a round in any case.

[*CRAZYHORSE*]

7. This has probably been addressed before but darned if I can find it. What size combo of external "pushers/pullers" does it take to move a non-self-propelled platform? For example, I've got a 4" siege engine on wheels - how many minifigs does it take to push it toward the enemy castle, and at what speed would they be doing it? Would it take half as many horses?

Yeah I would like this to be clarified as well. For some reason I tend to build a lot of a lot of static structures onto creatures such as a siege tower on the back of a troll or a tank build around a horse instead of having treads.

For example I have one medieval all terrain troop transporter which is basically basically an APC with out treads but built around and carried by two horses.
- How do I determine the speed? Right now I allow it to go the full 10 " because it's two 2" creatures carrying one 4" construction.
- Does it matter if the construction they are wearing is armor plated or not?
- What happens if one of the horses is injured and it's move is reduced to to half speed? Does that mean the whole creation now moves at half speed? Can it turn faster to the left than it can to the right because the horses are at opposite sides of the creation?
- What happens if one of the horses dies completely?
- Does it make a difference if a creature doesn't carry something but just pull it because it is on wheels?

These are the kind of things that where never super clear to me

[stubby]

6. If a crit fail on a Parry causes the defender's weapon to be knocked away, does a Crit success on a parry do the same to the attacker's weapon? I just house-ruled this into a home game when it came up, because it seemed a shame to waste three 6s in a row + change and watch the opposing Hero's lance sail away 20" - that shit is just too damn funny.

Then to make it better, in the process of getting disarmed, the Hero used their Heroic Feat to do some fancy flick of the wrist and impale the parrying orc upon the lance and send him - still alive and wriggling - across the battlefield with it.

That is pretty funny. I'll think about this. I can picture it pretty easily between weapons of the same size, but it's harder to picture between weapons of different sizes.

It might also be funny to introduce advanced weapons that are specifically for disarming or weaponbreaking - hooks and sais and swordbreakers that disarm on a successful parry.

7. This has probably been addressed before but darned if I can find it. What size combo of external "pushers/pullers" does it take to move a non-self-propelled platform? For example, I've got a 4" siege engine on wheels - how many minifigs does it take to push it toward the enemy castle, and at what speed would they be doing it? Would it take half as many horses?

This is currently touched on in a couple of places:

• a properly harnessed Horse or team of Horses can haul a wheeled cart or chariot up to twice as many inches in Size as the number of Horses pulling it (7.1: Structure).

  Carrying Items
  A minifig's ability to assemble Structures is limited only by his ability to gather building elements together.
  
  A minifig can pick up, carry, and drop an element (or group of elements) up to the size of a 2x2 brick with one hand, at no cost to Movement or Action. Using both hands, he can carry objects up to a 2x4 brick in size just as easily, although he can no longer Sprint. He can push or drag larger objects around at Half Speed, up to 2" in Size.
  
  If minifigs work together to combine their strength, they can add their Sizes together to combine their carrying capacity.
  
  As a more general rule, Creations with the ability to carry things can pick up and carry objects their own Size at no cost, and push or drag objects twice their Size at Half Speed. If a Size 0" Vermin is able to carry objects, it can carry one minifig equipment item at no penalty, or two equipment items at half speed.

I just started adding rules for hands and other manipulators to chapter 10 over the weekend; that last paragraph will be moving to this new section. The consolidated rules will look something like this:

• Creations with the ability to do so can pick up and carry objects up to their own size at full speed, pull wheeled objects up to twice their size at full speed, and push or drag non-wheeled objects up to twice their size at half speed.
  
  Objects with armored sections are very heavy, and are treated as if they were twice their actual size. Creatures can carry armored objects up to half their own size or pull wheeled armored objects up to their own size at full speed, and push or drag non-wheeled armored objects up to their own size at half speed.
  
  For objects that are Too Big to pull or carry, creations can Divert All Power or use Teamwork to increase their effective strength, just as if they were trying to power a large weapon (8.1: Weapon Size).

[Jabberwocky]

Is it acceptable for a minifig to do damage with a prostetic device? Such as a hook hand or peg leg or those robot limbs?

[stubby]

I don't have set rules for it anymore, but it's totally possible. You'd probably buy them as Hand Weapons (or Short-Ranged Weapons, for guys like Noborg) and just leave it at that. You lose a hand (or leg), but you get a weapon that you can't accidentally drop or have stolen.

If you really felt bad about losing the use of one hand, you could drop a point off the weapon's Use rating or something, but for the most part it seems like more detail-tracking than it'd be worth.

[stubby]

Creations with the ability to do so can pick up and carry objects up to their own size at full speed

Ossum. So I can have one minifig (1") pick up another minifig (1") who picks up another minifig (1"), and so on, and have a Cirque du Soleil-style acrobat tower run around at full speed.

Then the bottom minfig is carrying a stack of minifigs, which is greater than 1".

I guess I should change "objects" to "an object."

"Our correspondents from the battlefront report that after spending a few rounds flexing, straining, grunting, and looking like he was constipated, Joe Peasant was able to hoist a whole tank unto his back. And now back to Bob with the weather - how's that fog of war rolling in?"

This on the other hand seems fine. Diverting All Power is temporary though, so after the first turn he would just be crushed to death.

[*CRAZYHORSE*]

Okay I have a question. A flying creation has it's power level limited to it's own size right. But is that only when it is flying or does that also count for when it's grounded.
So for example I understand that a dragon can only do so many claw swipes and bite attempt when it's flying but shouldn't he be aloud to more viciously attack when he is landed on the ground?

[stubby]

Okay I have a question. A flying creation has it's power level limited to it's own size right. But is that only when it is flying or does that also count for when it's grounded.
So for example I understand that a dragon can only do so many claw swipes and bite attempt when it's flying but shouldn't he be aloud to more viciously attack when he is landed on the ground?

I don't know if I ever thought of that twist but it sounds rad and therefore I'm going to try to remember to put it in a rulebook example.

[aoffan23]

Oddly enough, I just read that section. One thing to note is that the rules say "creations flying in the air" rather than "flying creations." So once a creation lands, it is not longer flying in the air, and thus counts as a standard propulsion creation.

At least that's how I interpreted it. Clarification is probably a good idea though.

[Jabberwocky]

I don't have set rules for it anymore, but it's totally possible. You'd probably buy them as Hand Weapons (or Short-Ranged Weapons, for guys like Noborg) and just leave it at that. You lose a hand (or leg), but you get a weapon that you can't accidentally drop or have stolen.

If you really felt bad about losing the use of one hand, you could drop a point off the weapon's Use rating or something, but for the most part it seems like more detail-tracking than it'd be worth.

shall i take that as it not being possible to use 2 handed weapons with a fake limb? i can sort of understand with the hook... however a tac grip can get around that. seems kinda silly with a robotic arm/hand.... i suppose fudge it

[stubby]

Yeah, I think it has to be a case-by-case basis based on the type of prosthetic and type of weapon and players' tolerance for fudge.

[aoffan23]

Similar to the grounded air creation question:

Does something that is being carried by/riding on a flying creation count as flying? I assume the power limits for non-flying units (minifigs, horses, etc.) remain unchanged, but what about flying creations? If a small dragon lands on the wing of an airplane, can it use 2x it's size in claw attacks to rip apart the engines?

Also, does falling/being thrown into the air counts as flying for the sake of power limits?

Lastly, does flying have any strange effects on grapple attacks?

[stubby]

Similar to the grounded air creation question:

Does something that is being carried by/riding on a flying creation count as flying? I assume the power limits for non-flying units (minifigs, horses, etc.) remain unchanged, but what about flying creations? If a small dragon lands on the wing of an airplane, can it use 2x it's size in claw attacks to rip apart the engines?

Also, does falling/being thrown into the air counts as flying for the sake of power limits?

If you're not using your own power for flying, then it doesn't use your Power. So a dragon launched out of a catapult has full power until it opens its wings to start controlling its flight.

Lastly, does flying have any strange effects on grapple attacks?

"Flying Vehicles without a hovering ability must always be moving forward in order to stay in the air, and must use their full Move every turn or else they stall out and crash. A non-hovering Flying Vehicle cannot remain in the air if it is reduced to Half Speed for any reason."

So any load that would slow down a unit to half speed would bring down a flying creation. If you are big and you grapple something small, it can't fly until you let go.