Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by Big Andy

I believe there is enough room in the tent for all kinds of gaming. And I believe that there are way more non-Serious Gamers than Serious ones. Maybe the percentage of Serious Gamers is higher in your neck of the woods than most places. In fact, given your descriptions of the various personalities in your area from over the years, I think there maybe something in the water up there, lol.

But keep playing. Keep running games how you like to play. It sounds like you have never lacked for players, so I think there certainly is a place for your kind of gaming. I know Gronan has said he has no lack of players trying to play in his games. There is a thirst for it.

Agreed with all your points. However, the problem for me is that I have to take the tent to the local game con or the FLGS. In effect, I have to set up a sort of 'trade show booth' and hope that custom comes my way. Back in the day, the usual custom was that we'd get together at each other's places or at either the 'private club' of the CSA or the Little Tin. That's now gone, and the only time that I get players is when I pack up the van and set up shop. And that's getting to be a 'no option' option due to the size of the baggage train.

Originally Posted by Big Andy

Tekumel questions- how much access do the temples give to scholars, to things like libraries and their own scholars? I understand that if you belong and are of high enough circle you get access to stuff, but what about to an allied Temple? A rival? Thumis is the teacher, does he have libraries where anybody can go do research? I assume some of it would be "donation" based but is there a general policy? I would also assume that they have a public section and a private side, correct?

Do all the Temples have libraries and research arms? Are some temples more specialized, like Karakan and Vimulha may not have big libraries but what they do have is lots of stuff on war and combat? Like shelves of Osprey books, lol?

Allied temples let you in if and when you or your own temple can provide a favor or quid-pro-quo. Access is usually pretty good, although the really secret stuff will not be on the 'open shelves'. Rivals better have a pretty hefty inducement handy, and they will be very carefully chaperoned in the stacks.

Yes; there are 'open' stacks, and 'closed' stacks. Just like any modern major library, actually. The Temple of Thumis is not a public library; you need connections of some sort to get in, just like any of the temples.

There are 'open-to-anybody' - who can read, of course, which is not the norm - libraries, but they are run by the Imperium and they do look over your shoulder to see what you're reading; it goes in your dossier that the OAL keeps on you. And yes, 'donation' expected.

Yes, Yes, and Yes. A good medium level Temple of Vimhula will have a library like my own, which is one of the reasons I started it in the first place.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

What we used to call 'travelling' and 'bounding' 'overwatch', where the various sections / people of the party covered each other's moves;
Communication - saying to the party, and not just to the GM, what they were wanting or about to do;
Covering people engaged in a task by someone with a ranged weapon or spell - covering fire, as it were;
Rearguards that guarded the rear of the party.
Archers or crossbowpersons carry one arrow or bolt that has oil-soaked tow wrapped around the head, so that it can be used as an 'illumination' or 'incendiary' round - giant spiders have webs, webs burn, ambush blown;
Carry lanterns, not torches - and carry them low, so as not to blind everybody;

Them was the basics we covered in this game session.

All good and necessary stuff, if you ask me!

Originally Posted by AsenRG

All good and necessary stuff, if you ask me!

But modern rules have been designed to eliminate much of that. For instance in 3.X and pathfinder, the elimination of facing, so a figure has 360 degree vision.

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

But modern rules have been designed to eliminate much of that. For instance in 3.X and pathfinder, the elimination of facing, so a figure has 360 degree vision.

I don't remember PF, but in 3e you have facing, which determines bonuses to hit like +2 from the sides and +4 from the back, and potentially stuff like sneak attack damage. Sneaking on unsuspecting enemies also lets you use their "flat-footed" AC, which is generally lower, and allows you attacks with improved damage.
PF is a clone of 3x, so I guess it's similar, but can't remember the exact rules due to lack of experience.