my Universal Conflict System: foundation of my open narrative combat system

System Summary

A combat system that
has 3 scales: Individuals, groups, and whole organizations and works
follows 3 particular elements that is universal. This rule of 3 helps
in limit the mental overhead of using the system, and
allows the user to scale upward or downward, or from vaguer or more
specific.

Future works will
expound and add more and more detail and variables that will create
immersions and better simulate conflict and challenges, meanwhile the
system will priority its basic structure which depends on three
Elements:

Element 1:
Pacing and Metre
Element 2: Course of
Action
Element 3: Reactions
and Consequences

Pacing and Metre

This is the first
element of the Combat System and everything flows from it. There are
three (3), stages or steps:

Stage 1: Set-up and
Buy-in
Stage 2: Initial
Conflict and Managing Tension/Suspense.
Stage 3: Conflict
Climax and closure or wrap up.

Pacing and Metre follows almost everything. The GM has to be conscious of it as well as have it become second nature.

Course of Action

There are three
elements in a course of action. These are: Strategy, Action, and
Objective. These follow from the broadest and vaguest direction,
towards greater specificity.

Course
of Action: Strategy > Action > Objective

Strategies – These
are about economies of attention and resources. This is also where
the player allocates his resources or predisposes his intentions and
motivations. In individual combat this is Stance, in group combat
this is formation, and in organization its Disposition. There are a
variety of Stances, Formations, and Dispositions that make the
individuals, groups or organizations better at a course of action
compared to others.

Strategy and
Anticipations – Strategy allows the Actor (regardless of the scale:
individual, group, or organization) to react because it has
Anticipated a range of possible courses of actions. Its easier to
Defend when in a Defensive Strategy, as compared to an Aggressive
strategy.

The GM may and will often Withhold this information depending on the circumstance. Sometimes the apparent strategy is not easily observed. This is true for NPCs with PCs, being unable to know their strategies. The GM may mislead regarding this, as some Strategies are designed to be such.

Actions – From the
generalities of Intent and attention, we go to something more
specific: Action, Techniques (for an individual), Tactics (for
individuals or small groups), Maneuvers (for Groups), or Projects
(for Organizations). These are the actions and methods employed.

Some actions are
complimented by the Strategies initially declared or altered. One can
be in a Defensive strategy while Attack, but the attack is not as
effective as an Attack from an Aggressive strategy.

Actions are the only thing the Characters can be fairly certain in what they are perceiving. Then again without Strategy and Objective, many subtle nuances may be lost.

Objectives – this
is what the action seeks to result or accomplish. An attack becomes
more specific and nuanced in meaning when used to off-balance,
injure, disable, or kill.

Specificity – When
a Course of Action becomes more specific or detailed it takes
advantage of such details afforded by the situation. When a warrior
masters a particular technique, when he uses that particular
technique he has better odds. It is true in both defense and
anticipation, when a reactor plans to react to something more
specific then they are better in dealing with that specific threat.

Note that the GM may withhold this piece of information when describing the Course of Actions of NPCs and other Groups. Information Asymmetry applies here.

Use Course of Action as a tool to complete the Idea.

Reactions and
Consequences

Reactions depend on
the declared Strategy or Stance or Disposition. Strategy determines
how resources and attention are allocated and it is a finite
resource.

Confusion. As such, when an blind area is struck or attacked there is
little one can do. When ever this happens confusion is the result –
depending on the scale (Individual, group, or organization) the time
confusion takes hold changes. When confusion happens, the Actor (individual, group or organization) can make another course of action against the confused opponent but cannot deviate from their initial strategy. This is the default rule when there is an opportunity presented by successfully confusing an opponent.

Reactions depend on
specifics declared (to the GM or secretly in a card or note), when
such specifics are allowed. When these specifics are wrong, the
degree of failure matters.

Consequences can be
the Objectives met out by the course of action, it can be
causalities, or conditions suffered.

The GM resolves a
Course of Action with the Pacing Metre. As the GM gets better, he can
make the narrative more gripping and satisfying (hypothetically).

Game in the Brain