Forums of the Megaverse®

In the follow-up article under my GM Field Guide section, something targeted more specifically to newer GMs and Players.

Scholarly Adventures | The Bazaar #41: Topography & Tactics. For new GMs to the Palladium Books system, the first hurdle is realizing the system is not written to specifically support battle mats or grid-paper designed maps. I put down a few thoughts on considerations and factors for use when scheming out your combat scenes or more dynamic moments of action. There is some discussion on the merits of 'theatre of the mind' vice battle mats/3D terrain in Rifts, though I'm not going to make any universal recommendations; there are pros and cons to either. I also discuss some smaller section-level missions that GMs can really start making terrain and topography make a difference in how they plan their encounters.

https://www.scholarlyadventures.com/pos ... hy-tactics

How does topography influence the design of your campaign encounters?
What tips or tricks have you seen/used in order to handle the d20 influence on Rifts/Palladium Books?
Are you a devotee of battle maps/3D terrain or an acolyte of the 'theatre of the mind' approach?

I have found imagination to be weak in most people.
They are acustomed to seeing instead of imagining.

When the players can "see" a map of where they are positioned in relation to each other the enemy and everything in between their tactics change.
Suddenly distance matters when it comes to spells and psionics.

Cover exists, then suddenly people start to use it.

A player discovers a traps/landmine and the whole group imagines more do where they don't know they are or not are.

A good villain plans ahead lays an ambush for the players. In a location of the vilains choosing they lie in wait or lure them to the spot. The place is prepared with places to hide and spy form. Sniper attacks are possible. The enemy can arrange signals between each other (signals the players can detect or their 6th sense goes off) to surround them by coming out from cover behind them.

Good strategy for bandits, wild psi-stalkers, merc groups, CS squads, etc.

I have found the players respect the tactical enemy more than the mindless robot who fights head on until they die.
Villains who run when they are losing are more relatable to players. Also, if the players are losing its good to know that their enemy will take them prisoner or slave. Great time for seldomed used skills like escape artist, pick locks, concealment (lock picks, knife, etc), pick pockets (to steal their jailors key, etc), roleplaying with the other prisoners to escape (great of one of the players can cast a ritual with the prisoners PPE), spell/psionics (death trance), fasting, etc.

Over course, most players think of being taken alive as the same as being killed not the beginning of the second act of an adventure.