Thanks for the writeup Lenny!
So I went to visit Lenny and did a ‘Session Zero” combat playtest with Lenny and Charles a couple of days after their first session. I’m recounting this from memory so I may have forgotten a couple of things.
They used pre-generated characters from the Monsterberg adventure – Lenny took Kalina Krol, a beguine mystic, and Charles had Gerd von Gleichen, a Furrier from Konstanz. Gerd had militia experienced and was well armed with a heavy arbalest crossbow and a longsword, and wearing Gothic half-armor. Kalina was less well armed but carried a latchet crossbow and a sword, while wearing a mail shirt under her habit.
The scenario started as Gerd and Kalina were strolling down a forest road. They were approached by three young bandits. They started trying to parley with the young fellows and offered them food, but both rolled very low on their Diplomacy checks (unusually for Kalina who is something of a diplomat) and the Bandits had predatory intentions. I rolled on the Encounter Reaction table on the ‘Hostile’ column and came up with ‘Attack’.
The bandits were carrying javelins and were armed with small dussack sabers, and wearing felt coats for (limited) protection. As they approached, things turned hostile and the bandits decided to attack, so we rolled initiative. One of the three bandits charged with his dussack while the other two hung back to throw their javelins.
Gerd managed to draw his longsword before they closed in. He was hit with two javelins, one of which bypassed his armor and caused a significant wound. I think Kalina, while behind Gerd, spanned her crossbow and shot the lead bandit, wounding him. Then the lead bandit, who was charging, attacked Gerd with his dussack. Gerd has the MF ‘Versetzen’ so he used this to attempt a simultaneous attack and defense with two dice. They fought for two rounds IIRC, and using Versetzen Gerd parried the blow and wounded his assailant twice, the second time (using three dice) he scored a critical hit which did 20 damage and killed the guy. We rolled on the ‘Grave injuries’ table and it came up as a cut throat. Gerd sliced his blade right through the guys throat and he fell instantly dead, blood spurting.
I did a morale check which the Bandits failed, so the remaining two Bandits fled down a side trail leading into the forest from the road. Kalina and Gerd pursued warily, spanning their crossbows on the way. They arrived in a clearing where the two remaining young bandits had approached a campfire where their three larger uncles were rising. These men were Brigands. Better armed with spears, shields, and sabers, and wearing iron lamellar armor with iron caps. The younger Bandits had gathered more javelins from around the campfire.
We rolled initiative again. Kalina and Gerd went behind cover to steady their crossbows and used the protection of the trees. The fight started with an exchange of missiles, as Gerd shot, seriously wounding one of the Brigands with a bypass attempt. Kalina also hit and seriously wounded the same Brigand with her latchet crossbow, scoring a critical hit (we said he was struck in the face, the bolt careening off of his cheekbone and leaving a huge gash). Kalina was in turn hit by 2 javelins but her hidden armor largely protected her.
One of the Brigands had top initiative order, and he charged Gerd with his spear. Once again Gerd managed to use Versetzen to parry the blow and wound his assailant, who was now near death, but then the other two Brigands attacked, one managing to score a bypass hit which caused substantial damage. Gerd was down to about ten hit points. Seeing Gerd wounded and beset by three tough Brigands, Kalina drew here sidesword, ran up and stabbed the lead Brigand with it, scoring an ‘Artful strike’. This finished off the lead Brigand.
Kalina and Gerd then initiated dialogue, warning the Brigands that they had friends coming. They both rolled high on Bluff skill checks. I rolled on the morale table and it came up with a Flee result, so the remaining Brigands and Bandits decamped for the woods.
We ended it there. Again I may have mixed up a couple of details but that is basically how it went (Lenny can correct me). Next time we do one of these I’m definitely going to record it.
