Good Monday, Gamer!
The ORB (Outer Rim Blues) finds our crew, Drace (human pilot), Darro (Human tech), and Hurrach (Wookie explorer), docking at a derelict Nebulon-B class frigate. They are here to grab a crate in a cargo bay for Lyra Dax in exchange for information. But they are not the only visitors to this derelict frigate! They hustle through the ship and lose time navigating around collapsed or sealed-off sections. Nearly got vented into space by a hacked turbo-lift. Faught a droid spider, also here for this precious crate. I made the frigate a point-crawl. Wrote up a list of factions(3) and hazards and added a good old fashioned Apocalypse-styled Threat Clock named "and a Remnant Arrives."
Returning to the Halls of Arden Vul, I've been small-scale testing Old School Essentials in this mega-dungeon, and I had an experience —a revelation. It was about a detail I feel went unsaid in the combat rules; the procedure is there —but not the why. In a combat encounter, I'm running these sessions RAW. Using group initiative and the phases lock in step. I think the table agreed it seemed silly, like the phases don't matter so much because Side A is going through them all first, then Side B, Side C... right?
Then we rolled ties twice. Two rounds back-to-back, and then those phases matter. Everything is simultaneous. Sides A and B move, and then both sides have missiles, magic, and melee, all simultaneously. It was BRUTAL ❤️❤️ Now, I'm thinking about that experience. Do I leave it alone or dump the initiative and keep it all simultaneous? Ideally, how do I get ties more frequently so the rounds breathe? I like the idea of an initiative mini-game.
Meanwhile, in Middle Earth, Hallas, a Ranger of the North, has taken up a quest from Balin, Son of Fundin. Dark whispers plague a Dwarven territory. What nameless Shadow lurks in the wilds? So begins my solo run of The One Ring using the Strider rules for solo play. In the Ruins of the Lost Realm book, there is a landmark site called The Old Dwarf-mines. I think that’s where Hallas is headed. I want to engage the journey rules and need to decide where he starts his journey.
Also congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs on their victory over the 49ers yesterday at the Usher Concert in Las Vegas!! Here in KC, they closed school Weds…it’s a Red Snow day for the parade!! 🤣
You could also try, when there is no tie, also go phase by phase: missiles A then B, melee A then B, etc.