so I was curious how you guys and girls narrate Rivals and Nemesis within minion groups.

Some of these guys solo may be chumps so to give them longevity sometimes we place them within their gangs or crews to soak up wounds. I have a group that is in the transitional phase of MMO style combat (calculating how many minions and minion groups and overlooking the narratives that is SW). I'm trying to obscure that line of-- don't worry about the mechanics and just have fun and do what your character would do.

So I have a few ideas but I won't be able to use them all the time as they'd get boring and dumb: Random guy runs in front of the shot and goes down. The badguy moves and the shot goes wide hitting a guy behind him. A brave bad guy jumps on front of the shot. The bad guy grabs a human shield to take the shot.

Also-- if rival or nemesis is within a group to bulk up wounds and the PCs want to target the boss do I make them roll vs minion stats as wounds will go on to them or should I roll vs the boss and than apply winds and narratives to his minion meat shields?

so I was curious how you guys and girls narrate Rivals and Nemesis within minion groups.

Some of these guys solo may be chumps so to give them longevity sometimes we place them within their gangs or crews to soak up wounds. I have a group that is in the transitional phase of MMO style combat (calculating how many minions and minion groups and overlooking the narratives that is SW). I'm trying to obscure that line of-- don't worry about the mechanics and just have fun and do what your character would do.

So I have a few ideas but I won't be able to use them all the time as they'd get boring and dumb: Random guy runs in front of the shot and goes down. The badguy moves and the shot goes wide hitting a guy behind him. A brave bad guy jumps on front of the shot. The bad guy grabs a human shield to take the shot.

Also-- if rival or nemesis is within a group to bulk up wounds and the PCs want to target the boss do I make them roll vs minion stats as wounds will go on to them or should I roll vs the boss and than apply winds and narratives to his minion meat shields?

It sounds like you are using Squad Rules from the AoR GM Kit.

IIRC in those rules if the minion takes the hit for the leader they get ganked regardless of the actual injury. If you are not using those rules and are instead using your own house rule or hybrid, then I would suggest ...hmm. I keep going back and forth with it. I think it would be more fair to use the Squad rules wholesale. Using the Nemesis' stats wouldn't really be fair since they aren't really the ones being injured, but the minions are just there to soak up the wounds. I guess I would lean towards using the Nemesis' stats if you pressed for an answer.

I would personally stick with the Squad Rules.

So just squad stats for taking hits until they mulch them down to the boss. But roll boss stats for attack. Suggestions on narrating? Because knowing my group they still quirk an eyebrow if they want to shoot big bad guy and a minion goes down. Even if narratively explained. I'm trying to break them away from the numbers and stats of MMO style RPG and hammer home narratives within the combat.

They joke about TPK but I always reassure that it's their adventure and I'd really tell them if something they are about to fight is totally something new and scary (aka hardcore). But I don't design adventures to kill.

Keep in mind that combat is lots of attacks and environmental effects. Use them in your narration. Hits don't have to actually hit in the narrative in order to inflict injury via other means. In fact, some GMs use simple wound injury as scratches, near misses, and similar stress as opposed to actual wounds which they explain as critical hits. I tend to wander between the two descriptions.

For example: You fire a fusillade of blaster fire across the quickly emptying promenade of the dusty bazaar. Sentients of all descriptions run in terror as both groups trade blazing death. [Player 1] fires at the dark cloaked shape who ducks behind a shielded power converter. (rolling dice - gets a success but no advantage) The blaster bolts hit the power converter rupturing a coolant line which sprays caustic fluid which sprays the tough next to him.

See, it really isn't something we can make a list of. It depends on the current scene and being creative with the environment.

If you have noble PCs and you really want to rattle their cages, instead of using squad rules with combative NPCs, have them be innocents that the nemesis is using as hostages or shields. That should make them mad. Though if you went this route, you should consider rules for allowing them to target the nemesis specifically. The current squad rules do not allow that.

I like that! See I have ideas and stuff but it's always cool to hear others to add to an arsenal of cool narratives!

If you have noble PCs and you really want to rattle their cages, instead of using squad rules with combative NPCs, have them be innocents that the nemesis is using as hostages or shields. That should make them mad. Though if you went this route, you should consider rules for allowing them to target the nemesis specifically. The current squad rules do not allow that.

Heh, that is always fun but yeah I would absolutely have targeting rules. I would consider them engaged with the villain and use the rules that are already there. Automatic upgrade and a despair hitting the meat shield...I mean innocent victim.

I mean I don't mind letting them choose. The mechanic is there...but if they say ok big shiny armor guy with big gun and guys in rags with gun...I'll shoot rags ...than minion stats...but if they want to target big baddy they get baddy stats but minion dies --- I don't mind playing that angle I just don't want to confuse within the mechanics and or narrative.

I mean I don't mind letting them choose. The mechanic is there...but if they say ok big shiny armor guy with big gun and guys in rags with gun...I'll shoot rags ...than minion stats...but if they want to target big baddy they get baddy stats but minion dies --- I don't mind playing that angle I just don't want to confuse within the mechanics and or narrative.

No, we were discussing the villain grabbing an innocent bystander as protection. If it is just normal minions, use the Squad rules or a house rule that is similar.

Gotcha

The rival/nemesis is normally the guy doing the talking and the ordering around. The minions are not that eloquent, keeping to single and two word sentences, nothing more than threats and affirmatives.

Don't forget bodyguards... (See Bodyguard talent). Engaged bodyguards give the target they are protecting upgrades against attacks.

It's like ablative Adversary