The section on Combat isn’t long, it’s only two and two third pages in length. The game uses 1 minute rounds that are called melees or melee rounds. Once combatants square off, initiative is rolled via a d20, highest roll going first. All hand to hand combat rolls are made using a d20, applying any bonuses or penalties, with all rolls 5 or higher landing and doing damage unless parried, dodged or absorbed by armor. Now armor, depending on the type of armor worn (or in some cases creatures or beings who are naturally tough or “armored”) has a number that is called an Armor Rating. The rating listed is the number that the attacker needs to roll over in order to apply the damage directly to the opponents hit points. If the roll is equal to or lower than the AR, but 5 or higher, then it’s the armor itself that takes damage. The damage that non living things take is called Structural Damage Capacity or SDC. As the SDC of armor gets reduced, it’s AR drops. After enough damage, the armor might lose all of it’s protectiveness- just falls apart. This seems like a really nice and easy way to introduce a bit of grit to the game without making things overly complicated.
I’m guessing that if you really wanted, you could drop SDC and use the AR as a form of armor class vis a vis D&D. You’d probably have to modify as needed.
Successful strikes can be parried or dodged. Here is where the Men At Arms are going to do well. All Men At Arms enjoy automatic parries to all attacks that they would reasonably be aware of. Non men at arms OCCs cannot parry or dodge at all, unless they take the Non MAA Hand to Hand skill, and only then can they parry at the cost of using their attacks per melee. According to the rules as written, only MAA can perform dodges. There are not an unlimited amount of dodges as you are actually creating distance between you and what you are fighting.
There is also a rule for combatants forfeiting dodging or parrying and instead opting for a simultaneous attack, which means that both combatants could be hit.
Further along the rules go over multiple attackers, bonuses that can be applied (or penalties) and…. Saving Throws.
The author describes Saving Throws as a type of spiritual or endurance dodge or parry. There are eight categories of Saving Throws- Spell Magic, Wards, Circles, Poison/Drugs/Toxin, Coma/Death, Insanity, Psionics, and Fumes. Next to each Saving Throw there is a number that you must roll equal to or greater than. Success means that you either completely avoid the damage or effects, or that the damage or effects are lessened. It is interesting to note that Saving Throws are static- they do not improve with level. Everyone has the same scores here, with the exception of certain classes of psionisist who may have lower Saving Throws for Psionics (with non-psychics having the highest save). In addition, it is stated that higher level Men Of Magic can increase the potency of their magic, resulting in higher than normal saves needed, determined by the strength of the spell they cast (I’ll get into this more in the Men Of Magic section).
The section on Combat is then rounded out with a couple of charts concerning damaged armor and repairing damaged armor. Lastly, there is a small paragraph detailing creatures and beings that do not wear armor, but due to their natural (or unnatural) toughness, are given an AR.
Moving along we get to an armory and equipment section. Here we are shown the different armor/weapon types available, their cost in gold pieces and statistics. A detailed picture of a knight type in a full suit of armor naming the various parts of the armor is a nice touch. Also appreciated is that nearly each weapon has a small, but useful picture next to it showing what it looks like.
Reading further we learn that there are superior crafted weapons and armor- items made so well that they infer bonuses. Dwarven made arms and armor is the best to be had, with the arms and armor crafted by the kobolds close on their heels. Magic weapons and armor are detailed later in the book.
Lastly this portion ends with a generic equipment with lists for clothing, containers, field equipment, lighting, field equipment, food, drink, and a bit of miscellaneous items.
Next post will begin a section that I really enjoyed reading, Magic.