Fighting…

and Why
It is Horrible
Fighting is terrible and chaotic. The very best
laid plans can go awry, and a single well-placed
blow can end your character’s life. It is brutal
and random and, over time, their odds of
emerging unscathed get worse and worse.
Avoid fighting.
When your character does fight despite this
admonition, the following rules may be of some
use.

By Jason Morningstar. Art by Howard Pyle, from Otto of the Silver Hand, 1888.
Edited by Steve Segedy. Copyright ©2018 Bully Pulpit Games LLC.
Rules for Fighting
When there is a fight, no matter the size, carry out these steps in order.
1. Clearly articulate what both sides want.
2. Determine Momentum.
Momentum is a broad concept that applies to everyone in a fight, be they 10,000-person armies or individuals
squaring off. Answer these questions.
Does your character’s side:
□ Have better training and leadership?
□ Have higher morale and greater confidence?
□ Have the advantageous terrain, tactics or position?
□ Have superior weapons and armor?

If you cannot agree which side possesses a particular Momentum advantage, or if it is clear that neither does,
skip the question.
Each “yes” is a +1.
3. Add up your respective Momentum bonuses and roll a six-sided die for each side. Add the bonus to the
result.
The side with the higher number is Giving a Beating.
The side with the lower number is Taking a Beating.
The side Giving a Beating “wins” the battle and achieves its objective. In the event of a tie, both sides
are Taking a Beating and nobody gets what they want. They can always try again later, under different
circumstances. They probably will.
4. Determine individual outcomes. Does your character, personally:
□ Have previous experience at Giving a Beating (if doing that) or Taking a Beating (if doing that?)
□ Have nowhere to retreat?
□ Have a desire to kill and destroy?
□ Have certainty about the rightness of this fight?

Unlike Momentum, these are not binary options. Both sides might be experienced, backed into a corner, in a
murderous rage, or convinced they are righteous. Each “yes” is a +1. Add them up and roll a six-sided die.
Important: If your character is Taking a Beating, treat any result over six as a six.
5. Consult the appropriate outcomes table.
 Outcomes Table For Hand-to-Hand Fighting

1 Your character is killed ignominiously, butchered like an animal.

2 Your character is disastrously injured and is going to die. It could be quick (bleeding out from
a severed artery; a cut throat; a tension pneumothorax) or slow (a gut wound that will never
heal; a penetrating head wound) but it is inevitable. This could also represent infection from a
severe injury (see #3). If you were Taking a Beating assume a pathetic outcome—your character
has been sensibly left for dead. If you’ve already experienced this result, which is unlikely, treat
it as a 1.

3 Your character is severely injured. This might include the loss of a hand, foot or limb, or
horrific disfigurement, or a blow that leaves them blind or deaf. Perhaps a jaw and all its teeth
are shattered to fragments. Whatever it is, it will change their life forever. If you were Taking a
Beating assume a wretched outcome—your character might have been robbed and left for dead,
for example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 2

4 Your character is injured in a way that obviously marks them permanently. It will leave a scar,
which might be visible and terrible, but this injury might also be a limp, or a destroyed eye, or a
limited range of motion, or chronic pain that draws their features into a perpetual frown. If you
were Taking a Beating assume a poor outcome—your character might have been taken prisoner,
for example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 3.

5 Your character is physically unhurt but traumatized by the experience. When confronted with
combat in the future, they will never have a desire to kill or destroy, and previous experience
counts for nothing. A dull chord of terror vibrates at the thought of violence—expediency and
necessity may well demand it, but they will never again relish it. If you were Taking a Beating
assume a good outcome—if escape from the field was possible, your character slipped away, for
example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 4.

6 Your character suffers some mild but painful injury, such as deep cuts that require stitching,
missing teeth, an amputated finger, a broken bone or a dislocated joint. If you were Taking a
Beating assume the best possible outcome—if orderly retreat was possible, you remain with
your allies for example. Complete recovery is likely. If you’ve already experienced this result,
treat it as a 5.

7 Your character is physically unhurt but traumatized by the experience. When confronted with
combat in the future, they will never have certainty about the rightness of the fight. They can
fight, and even fight ferociously, but violence happens in shades of grey from now on. If you’ve
already experienced this result, treat it as a 6.

8 Your character is physically unhurt but much worse for the wear—exhausted, deeply disturbed
by the experience and their actions, and filled with a torrent of conflicting thoughts and
emotions. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 7.

9 Your character is banged around, but in a heroic and honorable way. They may be winded,
or stained with gore, but the whole affair was more invigorating than anything else. If you’ve
already experienced this result, treat it as an 8.

10 Your character fought magnificently. It was a dance of death, and they stepped with grace
and purpose to the lively tune. They are not even soiled by the blood of their dying enemies. If
you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 9.
 Outcomes Table For Fighting with Guns

1 Your character is killed abruptly, shot down like a dog.

2 Your character is disastrously injured and is going to die. It could be quick (bleeding out from
a severed artery; a massive exit wound, a bullet in the brain) or slow (shock and blood loss, a gut
wound that will never heal; pericardial tamponade) but it is inevitable. This could also represent
escalation of a previous severe injury (see 3). If you were Taking a Beating assume a pathetic
outcome—your character has sensibly been left for dead. If you’ve already experienced this
result, which is unlikely, treat it as a 1.

3 Your character is severely injured. This might include the loss of a hand, foot or limb, or awful
disfigurement, or a head shot that leaves them blind or deaf. Perhaps a bullet shatters your
character’s spine. Whatever it is, it will change their life forever. If you were Taking a Beating
assume a wretched outcome—your character might have been injured, then shot a second time
and left for dead, for example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 2.

4 Your character is injured in a way that obviously marks them permanently. It will leave a scar,
which might be visible and terrible, but this injury might also be a limp, or a destroyed eye, or a
limited range of motion, or chronic pain that draws their features into a perpetual frown. If you
were Taking a Beating assume a poor outcome—your character might have been taken prisoner,
for example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 3.

5 Your character is physically unhurt but traumatized by the experience. When confronted with
combat in the future, they will never have a desire to kill or destroy, and previous experience
counts for nothing. A dull chord of terror vibrates at the thought of violence—expediency and
necessity may well demand it, but they will never again relish it. If you were Taking a Beating
assume a good outcome—if escape from the combat zone was possible, your character slipped
away, for example. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 4.

6 Your character suffers some mild but painful injury, such as deep cuts that require stitching,
missing teeth, an amputated finger, a bullet fragment or a powder burn. If you were Taking a
Beating assume the best possible outcome—if orderly retreat was possible, you remain with
your allies for example. Complete recovery is likely. If you’ve already experienced this result,
treat it as a 5.

7 Your character is physically unhurt but traumatized by the experience. When confronted with
combat in the future, they will never have certainty about the rightness of the fight. They can
fight, and even fight ferociously, but violence happens in shades of grey from now on. If you’ve
already experienced this result, treat it as a 6.

8 Your character is physically unhurt but much worse for the wear—exhausted, deeply disturbed
by the experience and their actions, and filled with a torrent of conflicting thoughts and
emotions. If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 7.

9 Your character is banged around, but in an admirable and badass way. They may be winded,
or filthy with grease and cordite, but the whole affair was more invigorating than anything else.
If you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as an 8.

10 Your character fought valiantly. It was a symphony of destruction, and they conducted the
orchestra with verve and elan. They probably didn’t even see the many people they killed. If
you’ve already experienced this result, treat it as a 9.
Example: Breaking the Siege
Your character is part of a 30,000 person army besieging a massive castle. A huge assault, intended to force
the gates and seize the fortress, begins. The attackers are well trained and led, and have superior numbers
and therefore confidence. Inside the castle, the defenders obviously have the better position, and they are
beautifully equipped. Each sides’ Momentum roll is +2. The GM rolls a 2 for the defenders, and you roll a 3 for
the attackers, resulting in totals of 4 to 5. Your character is Giving a Beating. Atop the wall, the battle is savage.
We don’t care about the nameless defenders your character fights, so only you roll. Your character has never
Given a Beating before. They have a way to retreat. But they definitely have a desire to kill and destroy, and to
them the cause is just. They get a +2 to their roll. You roll a 1, for a final result of 3. Three is very bad—a severe
injury.
You decide they lose a hand, lopped off by a defender in the initial assault. The attacking army wins, however,
and the castle falls.
Example: An Assassin Strikes
Your character is using the privy when an assassin with a garotte makes their move. In terms of Momentum,
the assassin is better trained, has more confidence, has the advantage of position, and has a superior weapon.
They get a +4 and you get a +0. The GM rolls a 2 for the assassin, and you roll a 4. The final results are 6 to
4—you are Taking a Beating. For outcome, you’ve Taken a Beating before, have nowhere to retreat, and you
are certain defending your life is right, but there’s no blood lust involved. You get a +3. The assassin also has
previous experience and desires to kill you. They get a +2. The GM rolls a 6 for the assassin, and you roll a 2.
The final results are 8 for the assassin and 5 for you. Since you are Taking a Beating, that’s a pretty good result.
You’ve had a five result before, however, so it becomes a four.
The assassin finds the attack quite strenuous and
stressful! Your character suffers a serious injury that
marks them, and you decide the garotte damaged your
windpipe, resulting in a permanent wheezy rasp. Since
the outcome is supposed to be poor, you add that the
injury weakens you and makes you tire easily from lack
of oxygen until it heals. The assassination attempt fails.
Example: Bank Shootout
Your character is robbing a bank when an unexpected
guard appears and gunplay ensues. Nobody has any
training, no one is confident, the guard has tactical
advantage, and you have superior weapons. Both sides
get a +1. The GM rolls a 1 for the guard and you roll a
6—you are Giving a Beating.
For the outcome, you are new and have never Given
a Beating before (you’ve only Taken a Beating in the
past), you could run, you don’t want to kill, and you
are robbing a bank. There will be no bonus to your roll.
The guard has no experience, could run, wants to kill,
and certainly feels righteous. They get a +2.
The guard rolls a 6 (a result of 8, lowered to 6 because
they are Taking a Beating) and you roll a 4. You’ve seen
four before, so it becomes a three.
You fire at the same time. Your shot hits the guard’s
arm, a through-and-through injury that is painful but
not permanent. The guard shoots your character in the
face and permanently blinds them.