[X] My Assistant

[Yerameyahu]

I like the idea of most 'realistic' initiative systems, but I'm not prepared to enjoy the contrived reverse-time stuff, or a bunch of secret-ballot stuff. In the end, game-ier is better.

[Epicedion]

I agree, the more "realistic" an Initiative system gets, the less fun it usually is at the table. If you make it too realistic, nothing distinctively cool ever happens, since the mechanics to simulate those things become too complex. Most RPG turn-based systems follow the flow of a cinematic-style fight, with the action focusing briefly on an individual and then moving to the next individual. You get to say "hey, remember that fight where my character jumped off the fire-escape and landed on that street sam to keep him from shooting a grenade into the rigger's van?" And then another player says, "Yeah, that was just before my character shot the gas tank on the troll's flamethrower with a tracer round." Each moment like that is a distinctive piece rather than a part of a jumbled mess.

[Epicedion]

I've gotten a chance to playtest my Initiative house rule, too! Refresher: critical success (4+ hits) on the initiative roll grants an extra IP. Any extra IPs from ware/etc adds +1 to that threshold per extra IP.

This worked out really well. The players got into a big firefight with a bunch (6) of Lone Star cops, and instead of mowing through them in one combat turn as usual, they managed to stretch the fight out for 3 combat turns with only 2 Lone Star fatalities (and one unconscious Lone Star mage) before the hacker got the van moving and the infiltrator CS gassed the remaining agents (which effectively prevented pursuit). It worked out so that one or two Lone Star agents would get an extra IP each turn, and the extra actions really kept the pressure on the team to stick to cover.

In the course of the combat, the team also picked up a couple of extra actions, which (combined with their gear), still gave them a significant edge over the cops. The extra variety in the combat turns really forced them to think and take very decisive actions when they had the opportunity, rather than rely on their own extra IPs to clean up.

We also learned that Fichetti Security pistols really aren't very effective against someone with Titanium Bone Lacing and a Lined Coat. Well, the Lone Star guys learned that, anyway. Just before the CS gas.

[Brainpiercing7.6...]

I've gotten a chance to playtest my Initiative house rule, too! Refresher: critical success (4+ hits) on the initiative roll grants an extra IP. Any extra IPs from ware/etc adds +1 to that threshold per extra IP.

This worked out really well. The players got into a big firefight with a bunch (6) of Lone Star cops, and instead of mowing through them in one combat turn as usual, they managed to stretch the fight out for 3 combat turns with only 2 Lone Star fatalities (and one unconscious Lone Star mage) before the hacker got the van moving and the infiltrator CS gassed the remaining agents (which effectively prevented pursuit). It worked out so that one or two Lone Star agents would get an extra IP each turn, and the extra actions really kept the pressure on the team to stick to cover.

In the course of the combat, the team also picked up a couple of extra actions, which (combined with their gear), still gave them a significant edge over the cops. The extra variety in the combat turns really forced them to think and take very decisive actions when they had the opportunity, rather than rely on their own extra IPs to clean up.

We also learned that Fichetti Security pistols really aren't very effective against someone with Titanium Bone Lacing and a Lined Coat. Well, the Lone Star guys learned that, anyway. Just before the CS gas.

I like this rule, I must say.


(And they should have had TBolts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )