Hi Hamish Cameron
After some gaming partie of The Sprawl I can say I like your game 😀
However, I try to make combat more… cinematic.
I explain. I find the “Mix It Up” move to expeditious. When I make a combat scene I want more tactical movement, more slow motion, and less concequences when player get 7-9 on mix it up because, if the combat take more time, the 2 options to choose is too disabling.
I have see this move in the alpha version :
Manoeuvre (Mind)
When you attempt to gain a tactical advantage over an opponent, through advanced planning, careful positioning, or clever manoeuvring, roll+Mind. On a 10+ hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. You may
spend 1 hold per roll for:
• Inflict +1 harm.
• Take -1 harm.
• Receive +1 forward.
• Receive +AP forward.
And a this other on a other place :
Snipe
When you attempt to do violence to target from a great distance, roll +Cool
10+: Your shot finds its mark, choose one: [Benefits]
7-9: Your shot finds its mark, but choose two [Penalties]
Maybe moves like them will be great for combat option, no (with some adjustement) ? Or maybe have you some advanced moves in your pocket for combat simulation ?
I have some players that they like combat aspect and they have say me that a single move to resolve a combat is weak because they like that the physical confrontation are more detailed.
I like the moves you mention here. You have a lot more in Apocalypse World 2ed that you can reskin and import easily.
The last chapter in the book, ‘Hacking The Sprawl’, talks about adding moves when you want more depth for some aspect of your game.
To make the physical confrontation more detailed (and I certainly love a detailed action scene), I usually set the objectives for mix it up more narrowly: e.g. The difference between “I seize control of the security room” and “I disarm the guard closest to the door”. As I mention in the hacking chapter, if you zoom in on closer actions and each mix it up accomplished less, you will want to rethink the amount of harm inflicted (by lowering weapon damage or boosting armour) and perhaps when the harm move is rolled.
For an example of how I zoom in on combats for emphasis, check out my deconstruction of Elysium as a mission in The Sprawl: plus.google.com – Attn: OrbitalOps // ..analysis of prior security breach complete.. // review …
Yes I know for hacking the sprawl. But I m affraid to break the game balance. So It’s why I ask you if you have already write some tested moves for tactical combat.
I don’t have a larger list in my notes, but as Alpo _ notes, the AW2 Battle Moves might be a good place to start.
I like manoeuvre but it’s quite abstract and requires a certain kind of tactical thinking in play that many of my playtesters weren’t engaging in, so I cut it when I reduced the number of moves overall. It should work well enough with the rules as they stand… but I forget whether I tweaked mix it up after I removed it, so make sure it does what you expect.
For sniping, my view is always that if the sniper has the shot, the target is dead. Or maybe if conditions are adverse, act under pressure. But if you want to put a specific focus on it, you could certainly add a move like that. You might also look over the Hunter (ad maybe Killer) moves to see if you need to make adjustments there to give advantages to someone sniping.
(But no, I don’t have any playtested expanded combat moves.)
I need your opinion about this created move :
MANEUVRE (EDGE)
When you attempt to gain a tactical advantage over an opponent during combat, through advanced planning, careful positioning, or clever manoeuvring, roll+Mind.
On a 7+ : receive +1 forward on your next Mix It Up roll
On a 10+ choose one
Inflict +1 harm.
Take -1 harm.
One of my basic rules for move design is that if you can change a “+1 forward” to a thematic and flavorful option, you should do so.
That relates to my main question. What does this move look like in play?
PbtA moves should have a clear fictional trigger, a mechanical core that provides interesting options, and outcomes that point back into the conversation.
It’s not clear to me how this move leads you back into the fiction.
(This is also part of why the original Maneuver move was removed.)
So I would think about what you imagine the outcomes looking like, and try to describe them in the move options. Some outcomes with complications in the 7-9 and some outcomes without complications for the 10+. These might end up being long lists, and you might end up wanting to split up the move (which might be the direction you want to go anyway.)
You might say 7+, choose one: (list of 3-4 fictional outcomes that give fictional positioning). 10+ hold 1; when you take advantage of that positioning, spend you hold to gain +1 harm, take -1 harm, or add +AP.
I would to mean by this move :
– A tactical movement like a bypassing: “I turn arround my target before strike it on back !”
– A strike with caution: “I go on cover behind the pilar, before fire on my target”
– Simply strike a weak point: “I aiming my gun to lock the specific weak point of his armor”
– Create a breach in the opponent defense: “I take his arm and do a clock move with it before strike the neck of my opponent”
Question : Is The Sprawl fully compatible with Apocalypse World V2 moves (specifically with battle moves and subterfuge moves) ?
Not out of the box, but you could tweak them.
What do you thing about this moves :
Go under cover (edge)
When you place yourself behind a cover during a shootout, roll dice + Edge
10+ you get 3 holds.
7-9 you get 1 hold.
As long as you remain there and it is neither destroyed, nor circumvented, if you suffer a harm, spending a hold to ignore it.
Hunting Game (Edge or Cool)
When you are the hunter, roll dice + edge. If you are the prey, roll dice + cool.
7+ If you are the hunter, you catch your prey. If you are the prey you escape.
7-9 The MC chooses the place where the hunting game ends.
6- Your target escapes or you find yourself trapped, and the MC play a move.
Taking the advantage (Edge)
When you use tactical maneuvre in comabt situation, like bypassing the target or using a martial technique coming from special forces.
7+ you get +1 forward on your next «Mix it Up » move.
10+ you may use « Play hardball » move and get +1 forward.