What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

[BLHarrison]

Particularly one that will remain active once someone has set off part of it?

[Steve Long]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

Since this is a how-to, I've moved it to the Discussion board.

[Maccabe]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

What about a Killing Attack, area effect, trigger [when someone steps on a mine] ,only a specifc hex explodes while rest of the minefield remains active [Limited Power] or Selective [only certain hexes]. Only affects ground based targets.

[The_Patriot]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

The easiest way is to build a single mine then use the doubling rule for how many mines are actually in the minefield. I would assign a difficulty modifier of 0 to -4 to a regular Dexterity check, depending upon how many mines are actually placed in the area, to avoid stepping on a mine. The other option is to map out the area ahead of time and place each of the mines on the map, but I'd still use a Dex check to see if someone actually steps on a mine. Detonating a mine will just remove one of the mines and leave the remaining mines unaffected.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

What about a Killing Attack' date=' area effect, trigger [when someone steps on a mine'] ,only a specifc hex explodes while rest of the minefield remains active [Limited Power] or Selective [only certain hexes]. Only affects ground based targets.

 

This is how I would go about it. Selective Area Effect Killing Attack, charges (based on how many mines), continuous, uncontrolled (or is that 5th editionitis?) activate on 8 or less (+1 per hex travelled within the area of effect), Limited effect (-1 per 1 that a mine clearing skill roll made by, -1 per 2 for normal perception dedicated to spotting mines), only for those travelling on the ground.

 

As a GM I would not want to plot out the minefield and then plot out the movement, so I would rely on a random roll based on travel speed and how good the person was at looking for mines. I would give bonuses to those following a trail-blazer on the activation roll (they might still trigger mines just off the safe path if they are careless).

 

My idea is an area within which there is an attack ongoing. It only shows effects when it gets triggered by people moving across the surface of the minefield and it can be traversed safely if people take their time. You can model more densely packed minefields by changing the modifier for movement (+2 or +3 per hex traversed). You might, if you have the will, add a triggered autofire - adding an extra attack based on even faster movement, though I think that any movement will be curtailed by the first attack (though a second attack may be activated by movement due to knockback).

 

Of course, when the charges run out it means the minefield is clear....

 

 

Doc

[Sir Ofeelya]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

People make things so complicated. Is there a need to stat out a minefield? Is it part of a base? If not, just have your mine's killing attack nd6K activate on a 8-. Perhaps make a roll for the PC based on their PER to step on the mine and realise what they have done.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

People make things so complicated. Is there a need to stat out a minefield? Is it part of a base? If not' date=' just have your mine's killing attack nd6K activate on a 8-. Perhaps make a roll for the PC based on their PER to step on the mine and realise what they have done.[/quote']

 

I agree that many times people can put the detail in and so they do. I guess it depends on what you want from the minefield. :-) If you want a quick surprise attack on the players characters as they approach then what you suggest is ideal. I think that many times I would probably go with that. First player to fail a roll takes an attack but you build the tension as you ask them to make rolls that they do not know the reason for. Perfect.

 

If you need a but more realism - more heroic level, use of skills to notice and to infiltrate and by-pass the mines then you want a more detailed trap with more detail to the build - one that takes into account, knowledge, skill and how quickly the players want their characters to traverse the minefield. All of that can be a significant scene in a gaming session and take a significant amount of time.

 

So. I guess it comes down to whether the mine field is supposed to be incidental (quick stats good) or a significant part of the scenario (more detailed stats almost needed). That is a good rule to prepare anything in HERO. It is too easy to get drawn into the detail of the game even when it is not necessary. The downside of that is that it highlights what people often see as unnecessary complexity of the game.

 

Doc

[Sir Ofeelya]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

What I really need is to STAT out a banquet the PCs are attending. Should it be an area affect DEX drain (as they get stuffed with food) with a triggered EGO drain if they touch alcohol? Or should I just say you ate and drank your fill?

[Doc Democracy]

Re: What is the best way to stat out a minefield?

 

:-)

 

Depends if it is simply colour or whether they are Knights of the Round Table who have failed their gluttony rolls and are now going to pay a price during a fight for straying from the path of righteousness. :-)

 

To my mind, even a fight could be dealt with through one or two rolls if the fight is essentially just colour...

 

Doc