GURPS Forces You to Prep Until You Stop Caring

I am getting many accounts from GURPS people that describe how they have experienced countless instances where their campaigns so frequently imploded. I can tell you why this happens. But first, check out my half-orcs.

Okay, this army is awesome! It is ten times as cool as my kobolds. I have never had a set of figures for either GURPS or The Fantasy Trip that had this much detail or character. The gear on the iconic Denis Loubet drawings has forced me kit them out in a fashion that would never have occurred to me. If I wanted to use second edition GURPS to play out countless Melee type battles… I am just so ready to go!!

Now… I know from my last experiment trying to play out a GURPS scenario with very little prep that I absolutely need this amount of worked up figures in order to play even a brief fantasy campaign. But egad! Now that I actually have these guys ready to go I find I just don’t care anymore. Agh!

• [1] 3-15 Half-orc leader — ST 14, IQ 12, DX 12, HT 12, Spear-14 (impaling/thrust+2/1+2, 4 lbs.), Thrown Spear-14 (impaling/thrust+3/1+3, PB 4, Inc. 5, 1/2 D 14, Max 21), Broadsword-14 (cutting/swing+1/2+1 or crushing/thrust+1/1+1, 3 lbs.), Crossbow-14 (impaling/thrust+4/1+4, PB 5, Inc. 19, 1/2 D 280, Max 350, 6 lbs.), Goat’s foot (2 lbs.), Quiver with 10 bolts (1 lb.), Chain mail (PD 3¹, DR 4², 45 lbs.), Buckler-15 (PD 1, 2 lbs.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 63 lbs., Medium Encumbrance (2), Move 4.
• [2] 3-16 Half-orc mage — ST15, IQ 13, DX 11, HT 13, Quarterstaff-13 (crushing/swing+2/2+1, 4 lbs.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 4 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.
• [3] 3-17 Half-orc with broadsword — ST 13, IQ 11, DX 12, HT 11, Broadsword-13 (cutting/swing+1/2 or crushing/thrust+1/1+1, 3 lbs.), Longbow-14 (impaling/thrust+2/1+2, PB 5, Inc. 13, 1/2 D 195, Max 260, 3 lbs.), Quiver with 10 arrows (1 lb.). Basic Speed 5.75, Total Weight 7 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 5.
• [4] 3-18 Half-orc with spear — ST 17, IQ 9, DX 12, HT 14, Spear-13 (impaling/thrust+2/1+4, 4 lbs.), Thrown Spear-13 (impaling/thrust+3/1+5, PB 4, Inc. 5, 1/2 D 17, Max 25), Chain mail (PD 3¹, DR 4², 45 lbs.). Basic Speed 6.5, Total Weight 49 lbs., Light Encumbrance (1), Move 5.
• [5] 3-19 Half-orc with crossbow — ST 13, IQ 11, DX 12 HT 12, Broadsword-13 (cutting/swing+1/2 or crushing/thrust+1/1+1, 3 lbs.), Crossbow-14 (impaling/thrust+4/1+4, PB 5, Inc. 13, 1/2 D 260, Max 325, 6 lbs.), Goat’s foot (2 lbs.), Quiver with 10 bolts (1 lb.), Chain mail (PD 3¹, DR 4², 45 lbs.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 57 lbs., Medium Encumbrance (2), Move 4.
• [6] 3-20 Half-orc firing bow — ST 12, IQ 10, DX 13, HT 11, Scimitar-14 (cutting/swing+1/1+3 or impaling/thrust+1/1, 3 lbs.), Longbow-15 (impaling/thrust+2/1+1, PB 5, Inc. 12, 1/2 D 180, Max 240, 3 lbs.), Quiver with 10 arrows (1 lb.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 7 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.
• [7] 3-21 Half-orc lieutenant — ST 18, IQ 11, DX 12, HT 15, Bastard sword-14 (cutting/swing+1/3f+1 or crushing/thrust+1/1+3, 3 lbs.), Small Shield-15 (PD 2, 8 lbs.), Chain mail (PD 3¹, DR 4², 45 lbs.). Basic Speed 6.75, Total Weight 56 lbs., Light Encumbrance (1), Move 5.
• [8] 3-22 Half-orc swashbuckler — ST 12, IQ 11, DX 14, HT 12, Rapier-18 (impaling/thrust+1/1, 2 lbs.). Basic Speed 6.5, Total Weight 2 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.
• [9] 3-23 Half-orc with axe — ST 13, IQ 10, DX 12, HT 12, Axe-13 (cutting/swing+2/2+1, 4 lbs.), Knife-13 (cutting/swing-2/2-3 or impaling/thrust/1, 1 lbs.), Crossbow-13 (impaling/thrust+4/1+4, PB 5, Inc. 18, 1/2 D 260, Max 325, 6 lbs.), Goat’s foot (2 lbs.), Quiver with 10 bolts (1 lb.), Buckler-15 (PD 1, 2 lbs.). Basic Speed 5, Total Weight 15 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 5.
• [10] 13-24 Half-orc with tower shield — ST 14, IQ 10, DX 12, HT 12, Broadsword-11* (cutting/swing+1/2+1 or crushing/thrust+1/1+1, 3 lbs.), Large shield-15 (PD 4, 25 lbs.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 28 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6. * Weapon skill at -2 if you have a large shield.
• [11] Half-orc sentry — ST 13, IQ 10, DX 12 HT 11, Broadsword-13 (cutting/swing+1/2 or crushing/thrust+1/1+1, 3 lbs.), Scale mail (PD 3, DR 4, 50 lbs.). Basic Speed 5.75, Total Weight 53 lbs., Medium Encumbrance (2), Move 3.
• [12] 13-26 Barbarian Half-orc — ST 15, IQ 11, DX 13, HT 13, Axe-15 (cutting/swing+2/2+3, 4 lbs.). Thrown Axe-15 (cutting/swing+2/2+3, PB 2, Inc. 2, 1/2 D 15, Max 22). Basic Speed 6.5, Total Weight 4 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.
• [13] 13-27 Half-orc with jagged sword — ST 12, IQ 9, DX 13, HT 11, Scimitar-14 (cutting/swing+1/1+3 or impaling/thrust+1/1, 3 lbs.), Heavy Leather Armor (PD 2, DR 2, 20 lbs.). Basic Speed 6, Total Weight 23 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.
• [14] 13-28 Half-orc bowman — ST 13, IQ 11, DX 12 HT 13, Longbow-15 (impaling/thrust+2/1+2, PB 5, Inc. 13, 1/2 D 195, Max 260, 3 lbs.), Quiver with 10 arrows (1 lb.). Basic Speed 6.25, Total Weight 4 lbs., No Encumbrance (0), Move 6.

Oh, but these guys still need some skills. You know the drill! Make an IQ roll for each one that enter your campaign. On a success, give them 4 points in a random skill and then another one for each one they made it by.

Random Half-orc Skill:

1. Riding (Horse)
2. Brawling
3. Intimidation
4. Carousing
5. Barbarian (Roll below))
6. Leader (Roll below)

Random Half-orc Leader Skill:

1. Tactics
2. Strategy
3. Diplomacy
4. Leadership
5. First Aid
6. Weapon

Random Half-orc Barbarian Skill:

1. Climbing
2. Fishing
3. Hunting
4. Survival (Woodlands)
5. First Aid
6. Tracking

The cleric/mage/shaman rolls on this table to determine how many spell colleges he is familiar with:

1. One spell college
2. One spell college with 1d6 additional spell points
3. Two spell colleges
4. Two spell colleges
5. Two spell colleges, one of which gets 1d6 additional skill points.
6. Roll twice on this table

Shamans gets 2d6 skill points to spend in each one, doubles add and roll over.

The leader figure may roll on the either the leader table or the standard skill table as he wishes. The barbarian figure may roll on either the barbarian table or the standard skill table as he wishes.

Each skill result on these tables represent four character points worth of ability.