I’ll begin with rolling on BOLD connections. I will reward the characters with 50 reward points for each combination used.
| Verb |
Gerund |
Noun |
| negotiate |
preparing |
party member |
| digress |
avoiding |
wealth |
| proclaim |
working |
a fear |
So there are three day and three night watches that last 4 hours each. On each watch I will be rolling for encounters and in the HFGE.
CRGE at this point is in a state of “To Knowledge”.
I will roll on Zweihander to see what season it is.
98: It’s Winter.
I will roll on Zweihander to see the general weather descriptor.
It’s cold, clear, windy.
Day 1. Watch 3.
Encounter Engine: 3: Goto 5: Wandering Monster.
Terrain Engine: 5: Goto 3: Plains
Weather Engine: 9: Goto 6: Showers. Since the weather is Cold, I decide it’s sleet.
Encounter Number: 15: Ogre
Encounter Generator: 3/17: No encounter
So we got some Ogres. I’ll start asking some questions.
Q: Have the Ogres detected the party? (Likely, it’s a large party).
A: No. One of the guards, scouted ahead and reported back to the group.
Q: Are there many Ogres?
A: Yes, and unexpectedly.
There are 1d6+2=6 Ogres.
Unexpectedly: Key Grip. Wrap up and move towards the next scene. Doesn’t make any sense. I will disregard this and keep the surge count at 4.
Q: Did the Ogres appear to be orcish?
A: Yes, and they carried war banners with them. They are definitely stragglers from the disbanded horde.
Donjon: Ergarad: Female Human Soldier, Neutral. Ergarad is stout, with red hair and narrow green eyes. She wears studded leather and wields a military pick. Ergarad is inquisitive and soft-hearted.
Evie will try to use “digress avoiding party member”
Evie’s company escorts the group of refugees. Ergarad, a town guard has moved ahead of the group to scout.
A few clouds have covered the skies and lightly shower the company with sleet.
“Gustav, why do you think Bianka didn’t protest us leaving her behind?” Evie asks Gustav.
“Who knows my lady, maybe the prestige you emanate made her aware of her roots and she couldn’t handle it.” Gustav replies.
“Filthy lowborns. They should know their status and stay put. What does she expect? To become rich killing rats?” Rudiger intervenes.
“If they’re the size we found in the sewers, that wouldn’t surprise me. Don’t be so harsh Rudiger. She’s proven her mettle against orcs, skeletons and beasts”. Evie puts Rudiger back in line, as they see the scout return in the distance.
“Ogres. Half a dozen. Up ahead in the road.” Ergarad says trying to catch her breath.
“Did they see you?” Rudiger asks.
“No. I came back as fast as I could. They’re certainly part of the orc horde.” She adds.
The commoners start muttering. Some are scared.
Q: Do they ask to return to Westenhofen?
A: No
“We should find a way around them” Gustav proposes. The group agrees. Evie realizes she can’t force the commoners to fight ogres, so she doesn’t refuse.
“We’ll lose a whole day to circumvent them, but I think it’s worth it.” She adds in the end.
So they will abandon the Road hex. In the next two hexes they will make navigation rolls. If they succeed, they will manage to get back on the road, irrespective of the HFGE.
Day 1. Watch 4.
Encounter Engine: 7: Goto 1: Small settlement.
Terrain Engine: 6: Goto 18: Hills
Weather Engine: 7: Goto 16: Storm.
Encounter Generator: 1/16: No encounter
The heavy sleet rain caused 2d10+2 Peril: 15. All are at Ignore 1 Skill Rank.
The few clouds give way to dark thick clouds. The rumble of thunder fills the sky as lightning strikes in the distance. Heavy sleet falls on the caravan and walking has turned into a chore as they walk off road.
The path through the plains slowly leads a way to the hills and the ascent is harder and harder.
Everyone is soaking cold wet as they reach a small settlement. It must be a handful of houses comprising of a community.
“Cover at last!” Ergarad exclaims and starts to walk towards one of the houses, but Evie motions to Rudiger, who in turn grabs Ergarad’s shoulder.
Evie recalls the events leading them to the Hooded Man. An eerie feeling overcomes her.
“It’s too dangerous! We must move on.” She tells the group.
“But the fish are more dry than we are!” A man protests.
“Do you want to sleep with them then?” Rudiger asks intimidatingly.
Evie will try to persuade them. I’m not quite sure which skill should be used for a simple persuasion check. I’ll use Charm in this case.
The Silver Tongue talent applies but Evie’s Charm skill rank doesn’t apply for a total of +20.
Evie: Charm (62): 68: Failure
Rudiger intervenes (Tyranny applies): Intimidation Routine (55): 17: Success. 6 Degrees of Success.
Commoners: Resolve (45): 23: Success: 5 Degrees of Success.
Due to frightening bellow, they suffer from Stress as well.
They suffer 1d10+1 mental Peril: 8/6: They move a further step down to Ignore 2 Skill Ranks. They also gain 3 Corruption Points.
“Our travels have shown us that it’s not safe to enter unknown dwellings in the countryside. Orcs could have taken shelter here. You haven’t left the walls of Westenhofen in a long time. Maybe your whole lives. Let us guide you.” Evie appeals to them without success.
“You think because you have some noble blood you get to tell us what to do? We’re cold, wet and we need shelter. We’re going inside.” Says one of the men and continues towards the houses.
“WHERE do you think you’re going?” Rudiger’s bass voice echoes as he puts his hand on the hilt. “We’re a team and the risk is too high. Discussions are over. Unless you want to try your fate with me” he adds and looks at each of them menacingly. They look at each other and put their heads down.
Rudiger will try to use “proclaim preparing a fear”
They all move in silence after Rudiger’s scary display of power.
As they head away from the settlement, some of them wonder if they made the right choice following this party of adventurers.
Rudiger turns to Evie. “These vermin must learn their place.”
Evie isn’t worried yet about Rudiger’s display. It’s not the first time she has seen him like that. And in both cases he has saved the day.
She nods at Rudiger. “When they can’t listen to reason, we can’t have them risking our safety. I understand. Just stick to scaring them. I don’t want us to have to explain any deaths. We have enough on our plates.”
Gustav: Eavesdropping (42): 9: Success
“We will clear our name lady.” Gustav who has heard the conversation intervenes. “Surely your father’s name will be enough to shed light to any confusion regarding past events. Also, if you don’t mind me saying, we don’t know if our accusers have survived.”
Evie smiles. She knows well her servant. She doesn’t need to keep up appearances like she did in court. “Maybe. Who knows if our luck has changed.” She responds.
Since no member of the party has the Navigation skill I want to ask if there is a member in the caravan who does. I ask UNE Power Level, and get Comparable. So, no one has the Navigation skill. Gustav has the highest intelligence so he gets to try.
Gustav: Navigation (45): 49: Failure
So unless they get a critical success in the next hex, they will lose track of the road.
Day 1. Watch 5.
Encounter Engine: 9: Goto 6: distant/improbable lair/monster settlement.
Terrain Engine: 10: Goto 19: Mountains
Weather Engine: 8: Goto 13: Overcast.
Encounter Number: 19: Lion
Encounter Generator: 16/19: No encounter
In order to facilitate the distant/improbable chance for the lion’s den, I will give an extra awareness roll for the party.
Under the heavy sleet rain, their path leads them upwards and upwards. The sleet stops, but mud is everywhere and the hills have turned into mountains.
“We will need to find shelter soon.” Ergarad finds the courage to tell the party. She’s talking to Evie, but looking at Rudiger.
“We should have found shelter already. Night will fall quickly in the mountains.” Rudiger agrees.
Gustav will try to use “negotiate working wealth”
Gustav finds an opportunity to talk to Evie alone. “My lady. Our resources are dwindling. If we are to succeed we’re going to need crowns. Maybe we should see to returning to the estate. Your income may cover this, otherwise we might have to… find some work. But this isn’t for a lady of your status!”
“There! There is a cave in the distance.” Someone from the caravan shouts to them, interrupting Gustav before Evie has a chance to answer.
“Gustav. Go ahead. Check it out.” Evie orders her servant.
Gustav: Awareness (42): 71: Failure.
Gustav returns a couple of minutes later. “The cave mouth seems big enough lady, for all of us. But we’ll need to reach it to say for sure.”
“Then that’s where we’ll go!” Evie decides, and the caravan sighs in relief.
Q: Are there any remains outside the entrance of the cave?
A: No
Q: Are there lions outside?
A: No
Through the forested mountains, the group reaches the cave. In front of the cave is a plateau, and the mountainside goes straight up behind it. The cave is right in front, suggesting a big size.
They take a good look, and decide to go inside. The cold of the night will surely take its toll and they can’t risk it.
Gustav: Awareness (45): 45: Success
Q: Are there lions inside? (Likely)
A: No
Q: Are there many visible remains in the cave?
A: Yes, and unexpectedly
So mountain lions are primarily nocturnal and are most active at dusk/dawn. Therefore they should have left for the hunt.
Unexpectedly: entering the red
Oh! And they heard the party and return just in time as the group enters the cave. There’s no escape!
How many lions? 1d6+2: 7
Ostler: Handle Animals (55): 98: Failure. The horse turns and flees.
Q: Is the group surprised? (Likely)
A: Yes, and all of them didn’t expect this.
As the group goes inside, Gustav notices bones in a corner of the cave.
They start investigating.
Rudiger picks up a rib cage and sees teeth marks, right as they hear a loud growl and a scream. The horse neighs, kicks at its master and gallops off outside before they can react.
They turn around and see a pack of seven mountain lions blocking the cave entrance.
They draw their weapons as the lions attack the unarmed commoners.
Note: Below follow the mechanics of the combat. I have only included them to show how tough it was for me to run this battle. I really recommend that you jump over this part and go to the narrative in the end.
Setting up the combat scene. The party and the guards should have entered deeper into the cave. It’s the most logical thing to do since they need to scout ahead.
Q: Are they deeper into the cave? (Likely)
A: Yes and the commoners are alone in the rear it will take an extra 1d3 rounds to reach them.
Q: Do the commoners bear any kind of arms?
A: Yes
I will randomly roll the profession of each commoner as they get locked into combat with the mountain lions. They will have the relevant trappings.
I will use the Underlings rules for the commoners but not for the mountain lions.
The mountain lions by default will keep 2APs for Punishing attacks.
Round 1:
Surprise Turn:
Each mountain lion charges at a commoner. On first sighting they cause Stress, so I will roll a general Intimidate for the Mountain Lions. If successful, I will roll separate resolve for each party member and a general resolve for the NPCs.
ML: Intimidate (50): 27: Success: 7 Degrees of Success.
Evie: Dauntless! She can’t be intimidated.
Gustav: Resolve (40): 74: Failure.
Rudiger: Resolve (41): 6: Success: 4 Degrees of Success.
Commoners: Resolve (45): 76: Failure.
All but Evie suffer from Stress: 1d10+1: 3 Peril. No Further peril and 3 Corruption points.
ML1 vs Artisan: Melee Attack (60): 42: Damage: 11/4: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury
Resist Takedown (45): 15: Success.
ML2 vs Jailer: Melee Attack (60): 8: Damage: 16/4: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury
Resist Takedown (45): 81: Failure. Prone.
ML3 vs Servant: Melee Attack (60): 44: Damage: 16/4: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury
Resist Takedown (45): 80: Failure: Prone
ML4 vs Rat Catcher: Melee Attack (60): 31: Damage: 12/4: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury
Resist Takedown (45): 93: Failure: Prone
ML5 vs Peasant: Melee Attack (60): 74: Failure
ML6 vs Doomsayer: Melee Attack (60): 99: Critical Failure
ML7 vs Peasant: Melee Attack (60): 20: Damage: 15/4: Moderately Wounded: Injury: Moderate Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain!
Turn 1:
Initiative:
Evie: 18
Gustav: 11
Rudiger: 9
Commoners: 9
ML: 10
ML1 vs Artisan: Melee Attack (60): 44: Critical, Damage: 12/4: Grievously Wounded: Injury: Grievous Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain!
ML2 vs Jailer: Melee Attack (60): 20.
-Jailer Defends with Shiv (45): 76: Failure. Damage: 14/4: Grievously Wounded: Injury: Grievous Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain!
ML3 vs Servant: Melee Attack (60): 85: Failure.
ML4 vs Rat Catcher: Melee Attack (60): 35.
-Rat Catcher Defends with Shiv (45): 71: Failure. Damage: 16/4: Grievously Wounded: Injury: No Injury.
ML5 vs Peasant: Melee Attack (60): 47: Success.
-Peasant Defends with Threshing Flail (45): 39: Success.
ML6 vs Doomsayer: Melee Attack (60): 90: Failure
ML7 vs Laborer: Melee Attack (60): 59: Success.
-Laborer defends with Splitting Maul (45): 54: Failure. Damage: 22/4: Grievously Wounded: Injury: Grievous Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain!
So 4 Commoners Dead. The remaining 3 locked in combat will attempt to fight back. The rest are too scared to do anything.
Servant attacks ML3 (45): 26: Success.
-ML3 will parry (60): 44: Critical Success.
Rat Catcher attacks ML4 (45): 72: Failure.
Peasant attacks ML5 (45): 21: Success.
-ML5 will parry (70): 74: Failure. Damage: 9/6: Lightly Wounded.
Doomsayer attacks ML6 (45): 85: Failure.
The party and the guards spend three turns in movement to join the combat.
Round 2:
Evie attacks ML1 (45): 2: Success.
-ML1 Parries (50): 78: Failure. Damage: 8/6: Lightly Wounded.
Gustav attacks ML1 (50): 18: Success.
Damage: 10/6: Moderately Wounded. Injury: No injury.
ML1 attacks Evie (60): 76: Failure.
ML2 attacks Gustav (60): 97: Failure.
ML3 attacks Servant (60): 55: Critical Success. Damage: 14/4: Grievously Wounded. Injury: Grievous Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain.
ML4 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 35: Success.
-Rat catcher parry (45): 14: Success
ML5 attacks Peasant (60): 93: Failure
ML6 attacks Doomsayer (60): 82: Failure
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 84: Failure
Rudiger attacks ML7 (42): 42: Success.
-ML7 parries (60): 12: Success
Sword & Board: (42): 88: Critical Failure
Ergarad attacks ML7 (45): 10: Success.
-ML7 parries (60): 04: Success
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 23: Success.
-ML6 parries (60): 36: Success
Rat Catcher attacks ML4 (45): 47: Failure.
Peasant attacks ML5 (45): 22: Critical Success.
Damage: 7/6: Moderately Wounded. Injury: No Injury.
Doomsayer attacks ML6 (45): 00: Critical Failure.
Round 3:
Evie attacks ML1 (45): 46: Failure.
Gustav attacks ML1 (40): 35: Success.
-ML1 Parries (70): 90: Failure. Damage: 10/6: Severely Wounded: Injury: No Injury.
ML1 attacks Evie (60): 34: Success.
-Evie parries (42): 24: Success.
ML2 attacks Gustav (60): 61: Failure.
ML3 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 24: Success.
-Rat Catcher parries (45): 45: Success
ML4 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 51: Success.
-Rat Catcher parries (45): 9: Success
ML5 attacks Peasant (60): 19: Success.
-Peasant parries (45): 99: Critical Failure. Damage: 16/4: Moderately Wounded. Injury: Moderate Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain!
ML6 attacks Doomsayer (60): 67: Failure
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 10: Success.
-Rudiger parries (52): 1: Success
Rudiger attacks ML7 (42): 72: Failure.
Ergarad attacks ML7 (45): 42: Success.
-ML7 parries (60): 35: Success
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 41: Success.
-ML6 parries (60): 45: Success
Rat Catcher attacks ML4 (45): 44: Critical Success. Damage: 6/6: No damage.
Doomsayer attacks ML6 (45): 31: Success.
-ML6 parries (60): 12: Success
Round 4:
Note: I’m kind of bored. There is almost no progress and everything is so tiresome. Zweihander isn’t meant to run 10+ opponents combat solo. So I scratched that and decided to go on another approach. More narrative.
Lions are animal predators. They kill to eat, for sport or for territory.
Evie: Easy Leadership (62): 91: Failure
They will try to disengage and move tactically outside.
Evie: Maneuver
Gustav: Maneuver
Q: Do the lions go after Evie and Gustav?
A: Yes, and they’re unlikely to disengage easily.
ML1 hustles & attacks Evie (60): 43: Success.
-Evie parries (42): 39: Success.
ML2 hustles & attacks Gustav (60): 24: Success.
-Gustav parries (40): 3: Success
ML3 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 83: Failure.
ML4 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 94: Failure.
ML5 attacks Doomsayer (60): 6: Success.
Doomsayer parries (45): 54: Failure. Damage: 16/4: Moderately Wounded. Injury: No Injury.
ML6 attacks Doomsayer (60): 5: Success.
-Doomsayer parries (45): 27: Success.
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 98: Failure.
Rudiger: Attack ML7 & Maneuver
Rudiger: Attack (42): 73: Failure
Rudiger: Maneuvers
Ergarad attacks ML7 (45): 39: Success.
-ML7 parries (60): 5: Success
Ergarad: Maneuvers
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 36: Success.
-ML6 parries (60): 54: Success
Guard: Maneuvers
Rat Catcher attacks ML4 (45): 81: Failure
Doomsayer attacks ML6 (45): 43: Success.
-ML6 parries (60): 72: Failure. Damage: 10/6: Lightly Wounded
Q: Do the disengaged commoners maneuver out?
A: Yes
Round 5:
So much for my plan for a different approach.
This is no longer fun for me.
I’m not yet willing to abandon Zweihander since I believe this to be partly my fault trying to run such a large fight. But everything is sooo slow.
Evie attacks ML1 (45): 19: Success.
-ML1 Parries (50): 93: Failure. Damage: 11/12: Grievously Wounded: Injury: No Injury.
Gustav attacks ML1 (40): 64: Failure.
ML1 attacks Evie (60): 85: Failure.
ML2 attacks Gustav (60): 52: Success.
-Gustav parries (30): 13: Success
ML3 attacks Rat Catcher (60): 19: Success.
-Rat Catcher parries (45): 72: Failure. Damage: 13/16: Moderately Wounded: Injury: Moderate Injury. Bleeds. Underling: Slain.
ML4 hustles & attacks Ergarad (60): 70: Failure.
ML5 attacks Doomsayer (60): 8: Success.
-Doomsayer parries (45): 3: Success.
ML6 attacks Doomsayer (60): 88: Critical Failure
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 95: Failure.
Rudiger attacks ML7 (42): 54: Failure.
Ergarad attacks ML7 (45): 93: Failure.
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 73: Failure.
Doomsayer attacks ML6 (45): 82: Failure.
Round 6:
Evie attacks ML1 (45): 79: Failure.
Gustav attacks ML1 (40): 94: Failure.
ML1 maneuvers away.
ML2 attacks Gustav (60): 51: Success.
-Gustav parries (30): 72: Failure. Damage: 16/4: Moderately Wounded. Injury: Moderate Injury: Hyperextended Elbow.
ML3 hustles & attacks Evie (60): 48: Success.
-Evie parries (45): Failure. Damage: 9/9: Lightly Wounded.
ML4 attacks Ergarad (60): 79: Failure.
ML5 attacks Doomsayer (60): 49: Success.
-Doomsayer parries (45): 82: Failure. Damage: 20/22: Slain!
ML6 hustles & attacks Guard (60): 71: Failure
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 85: Failure.
Rudiger attacks ML7 (42): 75: Failure.
Ergarad attacks ML7 (45): 93: Failure.
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 36: Success.
-ML6 parries (50): 12: Success.
Round 7:
So this drags on and on. I was about to switch to Oracle combat resolution but I’ll stick to Zweihander.
Evie attacks ML2 (45): 66: Critical Failure.
Gustav attacks ML2 (40): 3: Success.
-ML2 parries (70): 7: Success
ML2 attacks Gustav (60): 35: Success.
-Gustav parries (40): 73: Failure. Damage: 14/4: Grievously Wounded. Injury: No injury.
ML3 attacks Evie (60): 69: Failure.
ML4 attacks Ergarad (60): 82: Failure.
ML5 hustles & attacks Ergarad (60): 49: Success.
-Ergarad parries (45): 61: Failure. Damage: 23/23: Grievously Wounded. Injury: Grievous Injury: Severed Artery: Slain!
ML6 attacks Guard (60): 88: Critical Failure
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 72: Failure.
Rudiger attacks ML7 (42): 50: Failure.
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 97: Failure.
Round 8:
Since this goes to slaughter, the party members will attempt to run for their lives.
Evie: Runs
ML3 attack of opportunity (60): 14: Success: Damage: 7/3: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury. Evie Resist Takedown: 14: Success. Evie Runs Away!
Gustav: Runs
ML2 attack of opportunity (60): 25: Success: Damage: 15/6: Slain. Fate Point!: Escapes Death. Gustav runs away!
Q: Does ML2, ML3 go after the party who fled or the commoners?
A: False Presupposition
They attack the combatants. The guard and Rudiger.
ML2 hustles and attacks the guard (60): 48: Success.
-Guard parry (45): 98: Failure. Damage: 12/6: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury.
ML3 hustles and attacks Rudiger (60): 39: Damage: 12/9: Lightly Wounded
ML4 hustles and attacks the Guard (60): 68: Failure
ML5 hustles and attacks Rudiger (60): 76: Failure
ML6 attacks the guard (60): 32: Success
-Guard parries (45): 77: Critical Failure. Damage: 13/7: Severely Wounded. Injury: No Injury.
ML7 attacks Rudiger (60): 79: Failure
Rudiger: Runs away
ML3 attack of opportunity (60): 75: Failure
ML5 attack of opportunity (60): 1: Success. Damage: 14/9: Moderately Wounded: Injury: No Injury
ML7 attacks of opportunity (60): 38: Success. Damage: 17/9: Grievously Wounded: Injury: Grievous Iniury: Fate Point: No Damage.
Guard attacks ML6 (45): 17: Success.
-ML6 Parries (60): 29: Success
Combat narrative
The lion pack jumps on the surprised group. Claws are dug deep into shoulders. Teeth rip off chunks of meat. The lions prove their predator nature as the scared caravan looks in horror.
The few men and women locked in combat try to fend off the beasts but they cannot.
The guards and Evie’s party join up trying to make an opening out of the cave. But the lions are set up in a way that this is so difficult.
“Everyone! Gather together in a formation! Light torches! Keep them at bay!” Evie shouts.
No one seems to listen. The beast growls cover the sound of her voice.
Slowly the party maneuvers in a way so as the cave exit is behind them, and the lions are in the inside.
Blows are exchanged and the commoners perish one by one. Gustav and Evie are wounded.
Ergarad the guard, is jumped upon by a lion that severs her artery. Blood speed everywhere and she falls down dead.
“Let’s make a run for it! They have enough to eat for the whole winter! Run!” Rudiger shouts. Evie and Gustav run away, and the lions lash at them, but by some divine grace they survive.
Rudiger and the other guard are left alone against the lions. As they fend off their last strikes, Rudiger runs away as the guard keeps fighting.
Far away from the cave, they look at their wounds and each other as they pause for a second to catch their breath.
Their looks speak volumes. Did anyone else survive?
They took these men and women with them for a better future and they all ended up as food.
And they’re in a sorry state. Wounded. Injured. Cold. Unsheltered. How are they going to make it through the night?
Summary
I’m pulling the plug here.
Zweihander isn’t to my solo play tastes.
I may have been biased based on what I expected after my reading of the system, but I believe that my bias was correct. My issue lies with the design. The writing is just one face of the design.
So I’ll break down the problems.
1. Chaotic structuring. In order to read about injuries I had to check 3 different chapters. Combat, Healing, Gamemastering. Seriously the page flipping is immense. Maybe when I know the rules a bit better I’ll remember it by heart, but that’s not user friendly.
2. Combat resolution. I think it’s derived from WHFRP, but it does away with all the innovative. An attack sequence may include 5 separate rolls! (Attack, Opposed Parry, Fury-Damage, Chaos-Injury, Injuries table). It’s slow, cumbersome and in return doesn’t provide narrative feedback. Not to mention it’s frustrating when the chances for injury are so low.
I’ll add to this the weapon tables, where the weapons are differentiated by their qualities (vicious, punishing, etc) and not by stats. Another characteristic I have to check for combat resolution!
3. Ancestral Traits. In my opinion ancestral traits should be common for all members of the same ancestry. I get the going for character variety, but it doesn’t make any sense for only a few dwarves to have dark vision.
4. Skills ranks don’t have an apparent effect. A man-at-arms in average is only 10% better in combat than a peasant. And if they’re imperiled by one rank, they’re at the same. Only talents may make some difference.
I understand that concerning solo play, a combat of so many opponents is tough to run, but I did this successfully in both Savage Worlds and Star Wars D6.
But if I had taken a fewer combatants approach like in MERP, Mythras or Hârnmaster, I’d expect the narrative feedback these games have.
Don’t get me wrong. Zweihander is a great game with a very detailed implied setting and lots of information on professions, grimoire and bestiaries. It just didn’t fit to my solo roleplaying needs.
I may return to it some time in the future, but not soon.
As for Evie’s company, it seems I’ll have to do another conversion for them.
I am a bit disappointed because I was very happy with how the story evolved. Combining CRGE with false presuppositions and likelihoods was interesting, and the in the heart of the unknown HFGE was excellent as always.
What I really enjoyed though was the BOLD connections. I’ll definitely be keeping this mechanic for future party solo roleplaying. It gave narrative depth! One could even evolve it further with social mechanics and passions and alignments depending on the game system!
Todd are discussing. 
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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