Brawler phalanx

Rules & Game Mechanics
#1

Recently, we concurred the Rakghoul Outbrake campaign with my players and on the final sessions I threw rakghoul hordes at them, using the phalanx rules. I had but one problem with them: the 1 per round limit on the maneuvers.
It makes sense for the marching droid armies, but somehow was lackluster for the swarming rakghouls.
It was okay for the players, they still got overrun once, but i figured the mechanics would fit better for melee/brawl minions if they could still exchange their action to a maneuver.

What to do you think? Would be too overpowered? Should have use another mechanic for this? How would you depict it?

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#2

I would certainly allow the Rakghouls to substitute an Action for a maneuver, but I’d also change it so that they don’t “overrun” when they first engage an opponent. They’d have to get another maneuver to overrun them.

The RAW on Phalanxes isn’t intended for melee attacks, so you end up with an all-or-nothing situation where they either don’t attack, or they attack twice.
There’s also a balancing concern in that when engaged, you increase the difficulty of Ranged (Heavy) attacks twice, meaning you’re less likely to hit at all. That isn’t the case with Brawl.

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#3

Probably right. Though keeping the overrun rule as is makes them want to push back the group instead of just running away constantly. I want to make them sweat with these situations, not just tax them for +2 strain of running for a couple of rounds.

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#4

I had actually not considered that they could take 2 Maneuvers and overrun the target immediately, granting 1 attack. That makes some sense, but would require playtesting.

Maybe when they engage the PCs, they get a single attack on that turn. If they remain in engaged range on their next turn, they further overrun their opponents (requiring an additional maneuver to disengage) and get 2 attacks.

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#5

That seems reasonable! Still, they would be a real threat. I often find that melee/brawler NPCs need some help (ambush, corner, leap) to be a valid threat for PCs as they can’t take 2 maneuvers to move without sacrificing their attack. It’s just disappointing when a Nexu can be beaten with a 2 strain maneuver.

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#6

Technically, Nexu can take a second Maneuver for 2 Strain, it just becomes Wounds.

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#7

I was under the impression that you can’t take voluntary strain with rivals and minions. I have to check it again!
Edit: You are ofc right! Minions can’t but Rivals can suffer strain and take wounds

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#8

I agree, but I do also find this limiting for some NPCs, particularly for flyers like the Blood Eagle (Strongholds of Resistance p55). For it to engage and attack a PC starting from flying up above it has to actually hurt itself. It just does not really make sense to me that creatures whose natural attack involves swiftly moving in would be wearing themselves down so much… although maybe that is realistic? Can’t keep up the pouncing indefinitely…

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#9

One fix to this is to adopt the beast handling rules from Stay on Target, which treat creatures as vehicles with speed equal to half Agility rounded up.
With 2 Maneuvers (accelerate 0-1, Move), a Nexu could get to anyway within Close range, and then one Maneuver is enough for future turns.

However, I don’t like that very much, as mixing vehicle-type movement and personal scale gets wonky.

Another way would be to say that creatures of Agility 3 or more can move twice as far in a single Move maneuver.

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