Whispered Asides and Backroom Squabbles: OOC

[Urson]

Ok, just a quick note: I will be out of contact from Friday the 31 to Monday April 3. That weekend is Whos-Yer-Con in Indianapolis. I'll post a short after-action report when I get back. If you need to NPC Jake for that weekend, go ahead.

[Pulpatoon]

I'm looking forward to your report!

[kensanata]

How easy is it to reload a musket? Is it going to be one shot per fight, one shot every two rounds, or anything like that? My personal interpretation would be that muskets are fired just once in close quarters. Next up is the bayonet charge. Or the stabbing with forks.

[GreyWolfVT]

You know Pulpatoon this recent action just gives a whole new meaning to "Another one bites the dust." well it was good while it lasted gonna just let the nutcracker kill me off entirely ... no action is taken by kurt...

[Pulpatoon]

My gut is that a musket would take a round to reload, but there's nothing in the rules as written, and ItO's combat rounds are pretty abstract, so I'm going to say that you can deliver a shot per round.

Which brings up the issue of ammo.

Whaddaya say we try out the Ammo-die scheme?

We'll say an average supply of ammo is worth a d6. Doubling or tripling your ammo supply gets you a bigger die.

Every time you end a combat situation in which you discharged your firearm, roll yer ammo die. On a result of 1, reduce your die size. d10 -> d8 -> d6 -> d4 -> out of ammo.

Unless you have specifically listed "extra ammo" on your inventory, your ammo die is a d6.

Sound good?

[Pulpatoon]

Suicide by Nutcracker, GreyWolf?!

Do you want to roll up a new character, or are you looking to retire from the game?

[kensanata]

I'm not sure sure how I feel about ammo. It depends on the kind of game we play. If there is plenty of opportunity to refill then tracking it is pointless. In my B/X games people return to town or encounter arrow shooting enemies all the time so I stopped tracking ammo. The alternative here is a game where every shot is precious, Resident Evil style, in which case tracking those precious shots would be more appropriate, a bit like scrolls. But then again, perhaps items that only get used a limited number of times should be more powerful. Long story short: using an ammo die is ok, I don't really mind either way, but I'm not a fan.

[Pulpatoon]

Splinters was equipped from the Wooden Army camp, so it seems fair to assume that the Wooden Soldiers have musket shot—although the party has seen no sign of any Wooden Soldiers other than Splinters so armed. So the Bivouac could be a source of ammo, or not. In either case, it is more than likely that the party will have strained relations with the Soldiers after their violent exit.

There is presumably ammo at the bottom of the beanstalk, in the village of Ballyjack. But that's getting harder to reach, the deeper you go into the Castle.

I wouldn't hold out much hope for foraging ammo along the way.

So, ammo is a finite and dwindling resource.

But ItO is not a resource-tracking game. The game hand-waves away things like tracking torches and rations, with a quick "You got that stuff." Ammo is never mentioned. This suits me just fine, as it's all I can do to remember to track HP, and I still screw that up as often as not.

Rules-as-written, I guess a gun can fire infinitely. This may not be so big a deal. My first vision was of Splinters firing d8 after d8 of damage from his sniper-spot, which seemed too powerful. But combat tends to be pretty short in ItO (as poor Hans can attest). Several others are armed with rifles, and they haven't become combat-panaceas.

Here's some options:
1. Ignore ammo.
2. Ammo dice.
3. Track actual ammo usage (BOOOO).
4. Running out of ammo is a possible fumble-condition.
5. Ignore ammo, but make firearms take a round to reload.

Number 5 might be my favorite. Nothing to track, and it encourages "fire your gun and draw your sword" behavior, which is very flavorful for the flintlock-era.

But, given that there hasn't been a problem, perhaps we don't need a solution. I'm happy to go along as we are, and then revisit this list should we feel the issue needs addressing.

Lastly there's the dreaded GM fiat. If you guys spend long enough in the dark without resupply, I'll just announce at some point that you're low on torches, or water, or toilet paper. And I could do that for ammo, too.

[GreyWolfVT]

Suicide by Nutcracker, GreyWolf?!

Do you want to roll up a new character, or are you looking to retire from the game?

well at this juncture I think I'll retire my good man. Though I must admit it was a wicked ride Pulpatoon

[coil23]

Horton would just like to add puzzlement at how the soldiers would have any rancor if the party were to return. There was a violent incident that unfortunately took two of the soldiers' lives. As you can plainly see on Horton's torso, he too briefly fell victim to the mysterious assailants. (They attacked from behind but struck his front. It was fantastic and frightening.) It would behoove everyone to find out who or what attacked the camp on the flank while the rats were attacking on another front. And the soldiers could perhaps explain how something could sneak past this giant nutcracker to attack the camp from this side. Yes, that information might go a long ways to unveiling their common enemy.

Just wanted to throw that in.

[Pulpatoon]

Never too early to start honing a good alibi.

[Pulpatoon]

well at this juncture I think I'll retire my good man. Though I must admit it was a wicked ride Pulpatoon

Via con Crom, GreyWolf.

[mb.]

As the other noisy cloud of smoke producer in the party, I'd favour number 5 as well. No thanks with tracking anything, but a round to load a flintlock (if you know what you're doing, otherwise it just became a short staff) sounds reasonable.

[GreyWolfVT]

well at this juncture I think I'll retire my good man. Though I must admit it was a wicked ride Pulpatoon

Via con Crom, GreyWolf.

I guess Kurt, Will & Hans via con Crom

I however will be around still

[Pulpatoon]

With the recent departure of Mjulius and GreyWolf, we're down to 4 regularly-updating players. I've pm'd Stirling and Wizard Lizard to see if they are still following the game.

Four is a perfectly cromulent number of players, but I put it to you: would you like to open this game up to active recruitment? Would you like to take on a second character, if you don't already have one? Do you have anyone, either on this board or off it that you would especially like to see subjected to the dark pleasures of CASTLE GARGANTUA?

[ChubbyPixie]

I'm open to open recruitment, or whatever you think is best. I honestly would have trouble running another character.... unless, it were something simple, like an animal, or a mute, clockwork automaton.

[Wizard Lizard]

Hey, I'm terribly sorry for not taking the time to come and check out the game for so long, it seems my schedule got the better of me. Maybe I'll try and get back into posting regularly when I have my diploma (which, hopefully, should be in a few months) but as for now, I'm going to have to drop out. Please feel free to murderize Vanis or keep NPCing him as needed; I've not held my side of the posting schedule deal so I don't really think I should have a say in it.

I wish you guys good luck with the Castle's grotesques inhabitants, may your damage roll high and your saving throws never falter.

-Wiz

[Pulpatoon]

Good luck with the diploma, Wizard Lizard! You'll be welcome back with open arms whenever you choose to return!

[Pulpatoon]

Two new updates in the rules thread, codifying things we've been discussing here.

ON THE PROPER USE OF FIREARMS

THE SCOPE OF AGENCY IN A CRUEL AND CAPRICIOUS WORLD

[GreyWolfVT]

Well heck the end of Kurt and Hans really bites (pun intended) but it appears the truth is that now they are all dust in the wind... or gummy human mashed flesh in a giant nutcracker mouth I guess if you want to get literal and graphic...