Ancient History

[drohem]

Westerns can be done well in BRP/RQ. We ran a successful game for a while. It's just deadly.

[Atgxtg]

I would think BRP is fine for Westerns. Like CoC but (hopefully) without the mythos nasties.

Weapon stats are easy. Adapt the Iaijustu rules for Land of the Ninbja for Fast-draws and you are pretty much there.

New BRP would be even easier, since there are option Luck/Fate Point rules that could help the PCs ward off lead poisoning.

I've got knuckleduster an COC if anyone want's some wester firearms written up quick.

Damn, this might be worth writing up as a serious BRP project. It would cover a new field for BRP, and most of the work is already done.


Land of the Gwanji
Western Role Playing with a real bite!

[badcat]

Maybe. I can see both sides. Guns are deadly, but remember the knives and shortwords in the TV series Rome?

Anyway, deadly makes a good game, IMO. Even D&D was more fun at low levels, when the PCs could still fear a goblin with a knife.

Also, speaking of Rome (this was nibbling at me earlier in this thread), in some of the aftermath scenes there was some pretty graphic evidence of slashing wounds on the battlefields (similar to some of the description of historians, posted above). Doesn't really mean much, I know, but the series was pretty realistic in general. So.

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by badcat

Maybe. I can see both sides. Guns are deadly, but remember the knives and shortwords in the TV series Rome?

Anyway, deadly makes a good game, IMO. Even D&D was more fun at low levels, when the PCs could still fear a goblin with a knife.

Also, speaking of Rome (this was nibbling at me earlier in this thread), in some of the aftermath scenes there was some pretty graphic evidence of slashing wounds on the battlefields (similar to some of the description of historians, posted above). Doesn't really mean much, I know, but the series was pretty realistic in general. So.

Pretty much everything is deadly in RQ/BRP. Guns aren't really much deadlier than swords, axes, etc. in RQ. In CoC prety much everything is deadly.

Its the lack of armor that hurts. So some sort of "fate points" idea would help.


I don't doubt that there was slashing damage done by gladiui, there were perfectable capable of cutting as well as thrusting. It is, in essence a big knife and you can use a knife both ways.

[badcat]

Sure, but I have read that training doctrine for the gladius was close with shield and thrust from cover. Thus a 'thrusting weapon'. You have a valid point about armor...and shields. The fact remains that a Western setting is going to be deadlier. For all of the above reasons.

Guns have a slightly higher average damage, always from range, and armor isn't common. Swords are deadly too, but firearms offer distinct advantages. As a summary of sorts.

If you haven't seen Rome, you might be interested. It's way better than most movies set in the timeframe.

[drohem]

Low-level characters are my favorite in 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons and d20 Modern games.

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by badcat

Sure, but I have read that training doctrine for the gladius was close with shield and thrust from cover. Thus a 'thrusting weapon'. You have a valid point about armor...and shields. The fact remains that a Western setting is going to be deadlier. For all of the above reasons.

Yeah, I saw something about Roman fighting tactics. The reasons for stressing thusting were that thrust were faster (you could thrust two or 3 times in the time it takes to slash) and thusts didn't leave you as exposed as slashing did, since you didn't have to lift you arm as much.

I don't think a Wester setting is deadlier, per say, just quicker.

At the end of a session you will probably have just as many dead bodies, only that they got that way with two shits instead of four to six cuts.

Originally Posted by badcat

Guns have a slightly higher average damage, always from range, and armor isn't common. Swords are deadly too, but firearms offer distinct advantages. As a summary of sorts.

Yes firearms have advantages--that why they repaced swords. But since guns are common, the advantages balance out. First shot will be important, but that fits the genre nicely.

Originally Posted by badcat

If you haven't seen Rome, you might be interested. It's way better than most movies set in the timeframe.

Movie? I familiar with the Rome series. Is that what you are referring to?

I have wanted to run a Roman campaign for awhile too. SO far every time I've been about to do so something came up.

I've even considered running a take off on the old Phil Silvers Show, with the PC serving under an "Optio Bilcus".

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by drohem

Low-level characters are my favorite in 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons and d20 Modern games.

Our groups seem to prefer the 3rd-7th level range. Characters are tough enough to take a couple of hits, yet not so tough as to waltz through things. Wizards and warriors are fairly well matched in terms of power, and there is just enough magic in terms of power and exotic abilities to add spice to the game.

Below that, and characters feel underdeveloped and a bit too fragile. Higher than that and the game starts to lose its appeal.

[badcat]

Yes, the TV series. Second season too.

Have a look at 'Roma Imperius'. Rpg by Hinterwelt. It's interesting.

[Atgxtg]

[quote=badcat;4151]Yes, the TV series. Second season too.

My library has the first season on DVD

I've flipped through it and read some reveiws. Wasn't impressed. Nothing that I don't think BRP could do better, plus I don;t like the "alternate thing. THere hasn't been enough "mainstream" Roman RPGs to justify all the alternate ones.

Years aog, I did up some legionaire background tables for Pendragon. I got into all the various positions in the Legion, the immunes and all that. Perhaps I should dig that out for when BRP Rome is released? Maybe I got a supplement in the works?