[Triff]

Originally Posted by Dredj

Sorry to get a little off subject, but I always wondered about the use of combat rounds. I always thought that people in a real life and death battle would strike more and faster in the time period of a single round. I've had this explained to me that it's because the opponents are circling each other and looking for an opening. Or it's to only make note of the hits that actually do real damage. ANd I do understand the bookkeeping aspect of it. But every fight I've ever witnessed in real life, the opponents rush right in and throw a successive flurry of hits and hit each other very often. But all the actual fights I've ever seen were fist fights with the purpose of wearing down the opponent to submission--or beyond.

Well, you've heard the common explanations - for brawls the fact that many of the "hits" do not give any damage comes into play. Fistfights is an odd ball in the combat system though - with most fights leading to death and not unconsciousness.

I admit, I've never seen true melee combat outside of a martial arts tournament.

The rules work better with weapons. I participated in two stickfighting matches in switzerland a couple of years ago, where we used very little protection, and the potential for fractures where a real danger. In those fights more time where used for circling, looking for openings and feinting than real commited attacks. RPG combat will never be realistic though, we have to settle with the balance of "realistic feel" and playability we're comfortable with. Which is why combat is the most houseruled chapter of most RPG books. Everyonoe have their own opinion of where the balance of realism and playability should be.

I'm not trying to pick on anyone's combat round procedures, but just raising a question that's been bothering me for years.

Have you made any houserules for it? (one very easy way would be to say that the combat round is shorter than what's stated default - like 3-4 seconds instead of 12s, but I'm not sure if that's a big improvement either.

Trif, your combat round homerules look very workable.

Thanks!

Are there any rules in the new BRP book about non-round combat rounds?

Nope! BUT, if you have any, please do share!

SGL.