Hey gang,

I've been running a larger than normal group through my campaign and we are having a great time. I know not everyone is happy with the new system but we have found it has, by and large, fallen into the background and we totally lose track of time in the games.

I'm seeking advice on this: there are six players in the group - for larger, dramatic combats [like the demon/beastman climax for EfE] they fight takes a good bit of time and I would like it to go a wee bit quicker. I know that the system gets a little bogged in a groups of 5+ and we all accept that - but I don't want a big dramatic fight to suck up half our limited session time.

Currently, and as of yet not implemented is that the players will assemble their die pools for the roll BEFORE their turn actually arrives. I think that will shave a bit off - other than that however....any ideas/suggestions/tips from you fellow GM's about trimming the fat off the combat?

Faster combats is what I strive for in every system I play:

A couple things work for me:

1. Just like in other game systems, players NEED to have their own dice. If that means them going out and buying 2 sets of dice, then so be it.

2. When you set initiative, find out what order they're going in. While one person is making their action, tell the next person, "Bob, you can start your action."

3. Players need to know the rules and their characters. This comes with practice. Throw some mooks up against them periodically.

jh

For my game with 6 players these are the guidelines I'm trying to stick to. I haven't enforced them fully because most are new to RPG's and are still learning the system, but I've been guiding them in that direction:

• Know what you want to do ahead of time. Thanks to the initiative system, players know when their turn comes up by just looking at the tracker. If no players have an action ready, they forfeit that turn for the round. That alone gets them active.
• Assemble the dice pool ahead of time (2 core sets currently and 3 dice packs coming for next session).

With those two adjustments we managed to really stream-line combat, to the point that one of the players actually complained that combat went by too quickly last session.

We're just a group of 3+GM, but our combat is pretty quick. Everyone have their own dice though and no one shares cards. I actually feel the combat system is very smooth and even though you have to roll 15 dice it's not that big a deal, because every player knows the basic pool before it's his turn and then I may add a bit. Just make sure there is enough dice for everyone and that players create their pools before it's their turn. We use cups for rolling the dice and players simply keep their pool in that and many times they will be rolling the same pool many times in combat with a few additions.

You focus much on the execution, not on the design.

WHFRP battles can become very uninteresting hit / miss series of actions where the end result is (usually) all enemies dead/routed, some PCs dead/injured. Now this is not worth of 1-2 hours of game time, is it?

Don't allow this to happen.

First of all, whatever your battle is about keep the number of actors small. Even in a large scale battle the active participants should be 2-4 NPCs.

Secondly, make the setup interesting: location, special moves it allows, enemies have unique characteristic / behavior etc.

Thirdly, try to incorporate a secondary level of contest to the battle: what are parties trying to achieve during the battle other than kill each other? Time may play a factor as well as tactical positioning. This way battle becomes more than just a fight fest.

Try to avoid filler-battles that are there just because you could not think of any other encounter to take place. Each battle should count and the end-result of it should make a lasting difference.

I run sessions so that after each session it is possible for the players to either succeed or fail in their given objectives and I incorporate this setup to the next adventure.