Mneme CE Combat Rules/Running Combat
Chapter 4: Running Combat
Narrative Combat Summary
The Mneme system emphasizes narrative flow over tactical minutiae:
- Describe the Clear and Present Danger - Emphasize what the PCs can immediately perceive
- Allow players to ask for details and clarifications
- Ask for player actions - clarify stakes, difficulty, and consequences
- Resolve action and show how outcomes change the situation
- Repeat for each player
3 Key Factors
The three factors used to predict and resolve outcomes:
PC Conditions
Conditions making things difficult for PCs (modify Difficulty)
Adversary Conditions
Conditions making things difficult for Adversaries (modify Fail Effect)
PC Dice Modifier
The PC's Competence + Equipment + Actions
Key Performance Indicators
- Dice Face to Succeed
- PC Conditions minus PC Dice Modifier plus 8
- Anything greater than 12 is an automatic fail
- Dice Face resulting in Injury
- Dice Face to Succeed minus Adversary Conditions minus 1
Combat Cycle
The combat cycle follows the Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act):
Phase One: Lay out the Conditions
Describe conditions and update them. Players ask for current status.
Phase Two: Determine Actions
With conditions known, players declare their actions.
Phase Three: Roll
Resolve actions with determined Conditions and declared Actions.
Phase Four: Outcomes
Actions have outcomes that change conditions. Let players recount conditions to check understanding.
Narrative Combat Techniques
Describing Threats
- Start Close
- Begin with what is immediate to PCs, expand outward
- Characters with low initiative may be unaware of immediate threats
- Occam's Razor
- While dozens of factors can influence events, boil down to only a few key factors
- Fog of War
- It's okay to get it wrong - brains irrationally jump at shadows
- Mis-assessment is part of combat reality
- Passes
- Break down description - don't elaborate beyond eye contact or non-verbal cues from players
- Focus on "What will hurt/kill/maim me?"
- Telegraph
- Telegraph adversary motions if the PC should know better
- Remember: one roll per turn
Managing Information
- Think CONDITIONS → ACTIONS
- Use the checklist: Awareness, Terrain/Surroundings, Range, Concealment/Visibility, Cover, Sizes, Movement
- Player Reiteration
- Players sorting each other out and reiterating the situation is efficient
- Listen to their assessment - this is proactive help
- Taking Notes
- If overwhelmed, take notes and refer back
- Players reiterating for their understanding is highly efficient
Terms
- Adversary
- Any target or opposing force, group, or factor
- Obstacles
- Barriers between the PC's and their objectives
- Resources
- Manpower, soldiers, support personnel, materials, equipment, supplies, and logistics
- Forces
- Resources deployed or in active use (vs. Resources in reserve)
Related Pages
- Mneme CE Combat Rules - Main index
- Chapter 5: Conditions
- Chapter 6: Actions