I've always liked 6 second rounds.

Bumping this thread for a question.

For initiative systems that use simultaneous resolution (ie, everyone goes at once, either both sides or just your own team), how do you resolve situations that depend on the other person's results?

For instance, let's say you are using a system that has both enemies and good guys go at the same time during some phase.

You are 30 feet away from a bad guy and try to run away. They give chase. In individual initiative, if the enemy won the roll, they could get close to you and attack you before you got a chance to run away. But during simultaneous initiative, both of you move at the same time, so you're always getting away from the enemy. If you are dealing with a ranged enemy, how can you ever catch up to them then?

Or let's say you're on the same team, you are a wizard and want to fireball a bad guy, but then an ally runs in there at the same time to attack the enemy. Does your fireball hit before or after your ally gets there?

These are two different types of situations. When it comes to chases I always resolve them by making an opposed skill roll--usually Athletics for foot chases or some type of Piloting skill for vehicle chases. The way I handle chase rolls is the following:

In order to catch up to the fleeing target the chaser must be within one round distance (based on the chaser's Speed) from their target and succeed on an opposed roll. If they succeed they catch up to the fleeing target and may make a melee attack to attempt to hit or grab them. In the case of vehicle chases, a second Piloting roll may be made to get within boarding distance to the other vehicle if they want to board. If a chase roll fails, the chaser is unable to get within reach that round and must try again next round. If they fail by 5 or more (on a d20 scale) the fleeing party takes a one round lead.

If the fleeing target is more than one round distance away from the chaser, the chaser must succeed on an opposed roll to close the gap, getting one round closer (based on the chaser's Speed) to the fleeing target per each successful roll. If the fleeing target gets more than 5 rounds away within an enclosed space, or 10 rounds away within an open space, the chaser looses them and they get away.

Allies running into your line of fire are a different matter. In that case it isn't a matter of closing the distance, but allies making bad tactical decisions in the middle of near instantaneous actions taking place at roughly the same time. Unless the ally specifically delayed their action until after your attack, they get hit as well. If they attacked before they also get hit as well because they're already there. Only way to avoid an area effect is to not be there when it happens.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;1141545You are 30 feet away from a bad guy and try to run away. They give chase. In individual initiative, if the enemy won the roll, they could get close to you and attack you before you got a chance to run away. But during simultaneous initiative, both of you move at the same time, so you're always getting away from the enemy. If you are dealing with a ranged enemy, how can you ever catch up to them then?

Or let's say you're on the same team, you are a wizard and want to fireball a bad guy, but then an ally runs in there at the same time to attack the enemy. Does your fireball hit before or after your ally gets there?

In the former case well designed systems don't let missile troops move + shoot faster than melee troops can move + move, unless it's horse archers maybe. So this should not be an issue. Many systems allow charge + melee attack to close a lot more distance compared to move + shoot.

On the latter case, you see your ally running in and can choose to abort the fireball, or blast him.

What decides the order in the fireball case--you and other players just deciding who goes first?

And what are the rules for charge and melee compared to run and shoot? Or is it like phase combat?

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;1141556What decides the order in the fireball case--you and other players just deciding who goes first?

And what are the rules for charge and melee compared to run and shoot? Or is it like phase combat?

Fireball - depends on system, eg move may resolve before spell. Or may resolve in order of highest action dice roll (1e Star Wars D6). Or the team may get to decide the order, which would likely be my preference.

Charge & melee vs run & shoot - again will depend on system, but chargers move twice as far is typical. So they'll eventually catch up with shooters.

Quote from: VisionStorm;1141553These are two different types of situations. When it comes to chases I always resolve them by making an opposed skill roll--usually Athletics for foot chases or some type of Piloting skill for vehicle chases.

Yes that's how I've always done it in D6 system including 1e SW with its simultaneous actions, and in 3e/4e/5e D&D when out of tactical grid combat.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1127702When running OSR games, what's your preferred initiative system?

Exactly as core 1E AD&D. (Not ADDICT.) Best summarized as: Each side rolls d6. Highest goes first. Common sense exceptions apply.

All the remaining rules attempt to codify what common sense exceptions there might be. Which makes them rulings, not actual rules. But I happen to like the rulings in the DMG.

1. Ties mean simultaneous combat.
2. Multiple attack routines are staggered throughout the round.
3. Reaction adjustment applied to ranged attacks (I think of quick draw contests).
4. Charge attacks, and hastily closing to melee grants first strike solely according to reach.
5. Weapon Speed is only a factor on ties in Weapon vs Weapon combat, with multiple attacks possible for the faster weapon.
6. Mass of pikes applies exception #4 for first attack, then #5 for counter attacks.
7. Spellcasting in melee is a no-no, but if you must, losing initiative means you lose, tied initiative means you lose, and winning initiative means you may still lose.
7a. In the case of weapon use, subtract losing initiative die from weapon speed and compare the absolute value to the casting time to determine order of action,
7b. In the case of non-weapon use, the winning initiative die determines the segment of attack, which is compared to the casting time to determine order of action.
8. Unarmed combat (aside from specialists such as monks) is resolved first but may be negated by an armed defender making a successful hit check to keep the unarmed attacker at bay.