Rules Questions/Observations

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Rules Questions/Observations

Postby Arsteel » Wed Aug 10, 2016 9:04 am

I read the rules a few times and had a few questions. Not all of this is rules, but some of it is.

So, first: The rules do not say you need a handle on your weapon, but Appendix A 1.2 does say that tape needs to be on the handle or pommel to show what class the weapon is. There are also no minimum size restrictions on handles. Better yet, 3.7.5 says that you cannot grab an opponent's weapon's striking surface without disabling that limb, but does not say my own weapon.

Can I make a staff/double-ended weapon without a handle, then wrap tape around the weapon as a marker, then use the striking surface as a gripping place?

If no, can I make one with an inch wide handle for tape?

2. Why is there a difference between the strike zone of an Arm/Hand and Foot/Leg?

3. What is the purpose of grappling? It does almost nothing. You can't damage an opponent.

4. Why can't plate armor initiate a grapple with people with plate armor? All other armor types can grapple with their own type.

5. 3.6.2 says that plastic safety equipment is treated as leather armor. Isn't that not period accurate? Wouldn't people who medically require that probably not be getting into grapples in the first place?

6. 3.5.4.4 Kicking small shields is discouraged? What does that mean?

7. 3.7.7 so I could make a period looking crutch and carry it on my back so I can reasonably support myself?

8. Could I use bright colored cloth coverings? Appendix B 1.3 is only referencing to clothing.

9. 3.4.1.2 would be unnecessary as 3.3.1 already covers that, and led to confusion on my part.

10. Personally, I feel that the body should take two hits to disable (and thus kill) since it had extra bones and it was frequent for weapons to glance off of said bones.

11. Does 3.8.3 reference to people getting hit that were not the intended target that were closer than the intended target? If so, why don't they count as getting hit?

12. 1.3.3 Uhm, so I can narrow my strike padding down the side to allow for easier gripping of my striking surface (reference my first question) since you couldn't get the padding through a hole due to the core?

13. 1.3.3 makes it seem like if I have a fatter core I can get away with less padding.

14. 1.3.5 Can someone define maximum flex? If you were to actually find the "maximum" flex, it would break if it went any farther and I wouldn't really want breaking weapons.

15. 1.4.4.2 why are single edged weapons a thing? Mostly just curiosity here

16. 2.4 A minimum dimension on a face of a shield is 12 inches? So the shortest way across the shield can't be less that 12 inches?

Lastly, just some irony, why is the recruit symbol a weapon that would not be allowed in belegarth if it was foam? Chain's too long XD

Wheeee. that took a while. Any adjustments will be below this.
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Re: Rules Questions/Observations

Postby Derian » Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:42 pm

I'll take a crack at this. I've also moved this to the New Member discussion forum as the Rules Question forum isn't really conducive to discussion (read the stickies in the Rules Questions forum to see why).

Arsteel wrote:Can I make a staff/double-ended weapon without a handle, then wrap tape around the weapon as a marker, then use the striking surface as a gripping place?


Technically yes, but you'll find that this is very difficult to use, ineffective, and the place where you grip the weapon on the striking surface will fail after just a few uses.

If no, can I make one with an inch wide handle for tape?


Again, yes, but not a good idea.

2. Why is there a difference between the strike zone of an Arm/Hand and Foot/Leg?


It's a playability issue. The 'Holy Trinity' is, in this order: Safety, Playability, Realism. It's often difficult to determine if you hit a foot on ground or the ground. Same as if you hit a hand on a weapon or the weapon. As long as the foot is on the ground, it's invulnerable, and as long as your hand is on a weapon, it too is invulnderable.

3. What is the purpose of grappling? It does almost nothing. You can't damage an opponent.


It's fun. It also can allow teammates to kill a person while you're grappling with them.

4. Why can't plate armor initiate a grapple with people with plate armor? All other armor types can grapple with their own type.


This is just kind of a quirk of the rules due to how War Council operated when the legislation was voted on. Some people felt that plate wearers should never initiate grapples, and the won that vote. It doesn't really meaningfully affect the game as grappling is not terribly common, and plate is almost unheard of.

5. 3.6.2 says that plastic safety equipment is treated as leather armor. Isn't that not period accurate? Wouldn't people who medically require that probably not be getting into grapples in the first place?


It is treated as leather armor only for the purposes of initiating grapples. It provides no in game benefit like armor does. Knee-pads are a common example.

6. 3.5.4.4 Kicking small shields is discouraged? What does that mean?


It means don't kick a small shield. :) 'Small' here refers to things like bucklers where the likelihood of you missing your kick or the target moving their shield is high. The goal is to kick the shield, not the person wearing the shield.

7. 3.7.7 so I could make a period looking crutch and carry it on my back so I can reasonably support myself?


No, you need another person to support you.

8. Could I use bright colored cloth coverings? Appendix B 1.3 is only referencing to clothing.


Yes.

9. 3.4.1.2 would be unnecessary as 3.3.1 already covers that, and led to confusion on my part.


You're right, it's kind of redundant.

10. Personally, I feel that the body should take two hits to disable (and thus kill) since it had extra bones and it was frequent for weapons to glance off of said bones.


This isn't really a question. I will say that these rules have been in use for nearly 40 years in some form or another, and have been thoroughly playtested.

11. Does 3.8.3 reference to people getting hit that were not the intended target that were closer than the intended target? If so, why don't they count as getting hit?


Closer than the intended target. The idea being that a missile weapon that travels a couple inches wouldn't have sufficient momentum to cause injury. It's also a playability issue.

12. 1.3.3 Uhm, so I can narrow my strike padding down the side to allow for easier gripping of my striking surface (reference my first question) since you couldn't get the padding through a hole due to the core?


Technically, but again, this is a really dumb idea. All weapons must go through 'weapons check' to verify they're safe, typically every day they're in use. Gripping striking surfaces would cause the foam to break down to an unsafe state very quickly. Furthermore, narrowing down the striking surface as you described would likely result in a weapon that was unsafe to begin with.

13. 1.3.3 makes it seem like if I have a fatter core I can get away with less padding.


This is true, but again, weapons must be tested for safety. Too little padding is unsafe, and a weapon that is unsafe cannot be used.

14. 1.3.5 Can someone define maximum flex? If you were to actually find the "maximum" flex, it would break if it went any farther and I wouldn't really want breaking weapons.


'Maximum' is usually defined as the 'maximum' flex that can be achieved by the force exerted by a hard swing. It's not putting the weapon in to some hydraulic press or something to flex it to failure.

15. 1.4.4.2 why are single edged weapons a thing? Mostly just curiosity here


Purely aesthetic.

16. 2.4 A minimum dimension on a face of a shield is 12 inches? So the shortest way across the shield can't be less that 12 inches?


Correct.

Lastly, just some irony, why is the recruit symbol a weapon that would not be allowed in belegarth if it was foam? Chain's too long XD


Mostly just to make people ask me that question.
- Derian -

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Re: Rules Questions/Observations

Postby Arsteel » Wed Aug 10, 2016 1:43 pm

3.7.7 just says reasonable support, not that it has to be a person, but ok.

And yeah, I wan worried about degradation of the foam if I were to grip it.

Thanks for the answers.
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