One of the things that first attracted me to The Fantasy Trip as a role-playing game is its tactically interesting combat system, in which facing, mobility, adjusted DX, weapon choice, distance, line of sight, obstacles, and talents and spells all come into play to allow complex, exciting battles with meaningful choices every turn. From my perspective, the weak spot in the combat rules is section on Hand-to-Hand; HTH is just a little too coarse-grained compared to standard combat. Inspired a bit by what grappling guru Douglas Cole did for GURPS with GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling and Fantastic Dungeon Grappling, I’ve developed some house rules that wholly replace the HTH rules outlined in Melee and In the Labyrinth, especially through the new option of grappling, creating richer tactical melees with only a modest increase in complexity.
WHAT IS HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT?
Hand-to-hand combat occurs when enemies are in the same hex. This close proximity favors natural attacks like claws and teeth, and short or compact weapons. Therefore, in HTH, pole weapons cannot be used, and, except for daggers, short swords, and hatchets, and cesti, all weapons are treated as clubs. HTH attacks with bare hands or 1-handed weapons are made at +4DX; no grappling or takedown (see below) rolls get this bonus. A prone figure in HTH with a standing figure does not engage them. These rules wholly replace the HTH rules to allow for a greater variety of actions and effects.
HTH may be entered into in any of several ways, each described below.
ENTERING HTH DURING MOVEMENT
Stepping HTH from a Rear Hex
During Movement, a figure chooses option (b) Charge Attack and steps into the target hex from a rear hex side. The figures do not drop their weapons and do not fall to the ground. Attacks by either figure against figures outside their hex are made at -2 DX, and against each other within their hex as described above. A third figure entering the hex will reduce all attacks by -4DX. No more than three figures can stand in a hex. Both figures can act during the Action Phase.
Tackling
A figure can attempt a bring an opponent to the ground with a Tackle during Movement; they choose Option (b) Charge Attack or (j) Shift and Attack, drop a ready item if necessary to make at least one hand free, and move into their target’s hex. The two immediately make a 3/DX contest, adjusted for the defender using all of the following modifiers which apply:
- Tackle comes from defender’s front hex: +2DX
- Tackle comes from defender’s rear hex: -6
- Tackle comes from defender’s side hex: -4
- Defender’s MA is higher: +2
- Defender is kneeling: -6
- Defender has Acrobatics +2
- Per difference in Unarmed Combat level (Treat Brawling as UC I): +/-1
- Attacker is armed: +1
- Attacker is flying: -2
- Defender is flying: +2
If the tackle is successful, both figures fall in the target’s hex. If the attack fails, the attacker falls to the ground on the opposite side of the target or in their own hex, at the GM’s discretion (Acrobats can avoid this by succeeding on 4/DX). Either way, the tackler has used his action for the turn. If a successful tackle is from a side or rear hex, the defender may only use their action to try to ready a weapon or try to disengage. If the tackler rolls a 16+, the tackle fails AND the defender gets a free hit on them! Nota bene: a defender with a ready polearm enjoys priority if they make their attack against a figure attempting to tackle them.
ENTERING HTH DURING ACTION PHASE
To initiate HTH in the Action Phase, a figure chooses option (j) Shift and Attack, and either steps into the target hex from a rear hex side OR drops a ready item if necessary to make at least one hand free and shifts into their opponent’s hex from any direction to attempt a tackle or grapple.
Grappling
Grappling represents any of various holds made with a free hand, tentacle, jaws, etc. A grapple can be made against a figure in one’s adjacent front hexes or their own hex (although very large creatures or those with long limbs may be able to grapple more distant targets).
The roll to establish a grapple, is identical to a standard attack roll with one exception: a roll of 16+ also results in the defender getting a free hit on the assailant. If the grapple is successful and the attacker is less than 3 hexes in size, the attacker shifts into the defender’s hex (larger grapplers may do this, but are not required to). They are now in HTH; they do not fall to the ground and they do not drop their weapons.
Most grapples do not inflict direct damage, but instead subject victims to a DX penalty based on the relative size (in hexes) of the attacker to the defender: -2 DX if they are roughly the same size (see chart below).
Grapple Penalty Imposed
If attacker’s relative Penalty
Size is at least*
1/3x opponent’s -1 DX
2/3x -2 DX
2x -3 DX
3x -4 DX
4x+ -5 DX
*Grapples by figures less than 1/3 the size of their target impose no DX penalty, but several small grappling figures (e.g. a rat swarm) acting together can be considered to be equivalent to a figure sizable enough to impose a DX penalty.
A figure can opt to target limbs or the head with their grapple attack (in most instances for figures 1-hex or smaller, head grapples should only be allowed by those already in HTH, and leg grapples only by someone kneeling, prone, or very short), using the aiming penalties on ITL 121 and with the following effects replacing those listed under Aimed Shots:
- A figure with a grappled arm cannot use that arm.
- A figure who has at least half of their legs grappled must roll 3/DX or fall. If they remain standing, MA is reduced to 1 (moving requires a ST contest and drags the grappling figure).
- A figure with at least 3/4 of their legs grappled has MA 0 and must roll 5/DX or fall.
- A head grapple increases the size-based DX penalty by 3.
An established grapple by an unarmed figure who has at least two free hands can be developed to produce a greater effect by winning a DX Contest modified for the attacker by a +/-1 penalty/bonus per difference in Unarmed Combat level (treat Brawling as UC I). If the attacker is larger by at least 1 hex, apply a further bonus equal to the value of the standard size-based DX penalty they impose on the target. A figure who successfully develops an established grapple may immediately—and on each turn the hold lasts—do one of the following as their action:
- any grapple: inflict additional size-based DX penalty (minimum 1). When a figure’s adjDX goes below 3, they are considered helpless, see ITL 126.
- any grapple: attempt a Throw (see below).
- limb grapple: deal to limb armor-bypassing ST-based damage modified by -1/hex by which the opponent is larger.
- limb grapple: wrest an item held by a grappled arm for their own use or cause it to be dropped.
- head grapple: develop grapple into a choke hold to deal armor-bypassing unarmed ST-based fatigue damage modified by +/-1 per hex larger/smaller than opponent (minimum 1 damage), each turn until the grapple is released. A figure may opt to stop dealing fatigue when the victim loses consciousness.
Grapples may be broken by succeeding with a quick contest identical to that used to develop a grapple, with the figure attempting to break being considered the attacker. A standing figure who has broken a grapple may disengage to a free hex (see below).
Critical successes and failures on grapple rolls are treated as normal, except that rolls of 17 and 18 additionally impose a -4DX penalty for 1 turn.
Throws
Any established grapple can be used to attempt to throw the opponent to the ground. To attempt a throw, a figure needs to succeed on a 3/DX roll, modified by -2DX if they are not grappling with two hands. A figure’s saving roll to remain standing is modified by +1/-1 per difference in Unarmed Combat level (treat Brawling as UC I). If the throw is successful, the attacker can opt to follow the victim to the ground.
DISENGAGING FROM HTH
Standing Figures
A standing, ungrappled figure may move out of HTH by shifting to an adjacent hex during Movement, or choosing the Disengage action and moving to an adjacent hex. If he is grappling his HTH opponent, he must let go of the hold.
A standing grappled figure may disengage from HTH by using their action to break the hold and then immediately stepping into a free hex.
Fallen Figures
A fallen ungrappled figure in HTH may move out of HTH by choosing the Disengage option and succeeding on 4/DX roll. If successful, the figure immediately crawls to an adjacent hex and stands at the end of the turn. A figure who is grappling his opponent in HTH must let go of their hold in order to disengage.
Thanks to Tim Meyers, John Paul Bakshoian, and Peter von Kleinsmid for their feedback that helped refine these rules.
The material presented here are my house rules intended for use with the The Fantasy Trip system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games. The Fantasy Trip is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games. All rights are reserved by SJ Games. This material is used here in accordance with the SJ Games online policy. The art here is copyrighted by Anthony Shostak.
Musings from Myriangia 