Over in this thread, myself and a few others got our knickers in a knot over an example in the book. Luke told us that the example was in hindsight a bad one and, once our general queries were resolved, to let it be.
However, I found myself with an itch I needed to scratch. And just like the ninth Doctor with his sonic screwdriver, I was bored. Hence, the endeavour below. I think it makes for a good “Say Yes 201: Advanced Rules” example also. Questions, criticism and claims of “You have too much free time on your hands” welcomed.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living, dead or on this forum is entirely coincidental.
Drew: Okay, my scene now, and I gotta shitload of stuff I want done in a hurry. All that construction gear I rolled up last manoeuvre? My Offisah is digging some trenches into the palm-forest surrounding his mansion on the island retreat. He’s also putting hardened pillboxes at the junctions where trenches meet. I’ve got Fortifications of 5 and I want 2 extra points of Cover, so-
Duke: How much other stuff you want to get done this turn, Drew?
Drew: More than I’ve got tests for, frankly.
Duke: Do you really need a Difficult Fortifications test at the moment?
Drew: Not as much as I need to advance some other skills urgently, no.
Duke: Okay, Drew. As I doubt it’ll ever be a big deal and I like the image of pillboxes and palm trees, I’m gonna say yes. Put your dice down, you’ve got your fortifications.
Drew: Doesn’t that just leave them as colour? Can’t someone just waltz in and trump them?
Duke: No. You suggested it as part of a build scene, so I’m giving it to you like a one-RP location. It has no actual stats, but you’ve got it and no one can arbitrarily fuck with it unless they whip their dice out.
Drew: Hmm…
Duke: I am giving this to you for free, man, and I’ve got a wife and fifty thousand Naiven to feed. None of my FoNs give a shit about your island stronghold. The way this campaign’s going, I cannot see anyone bothering with it. Am I right? Take the freebie.
Drew: … yeah, okay. I could really use my three tests on those other things anyway.
(Both men fail to notice a glimmer in Max’s eyes.)
A couple of manoeuvres later…
Max: My turn. First thing? I’m gonna blow Drew’s fortifications to kingdom come.
Duke: Yeah, cool, so that’d be… wait, what?
Drew: Beg your pardon?
Max: Drew, your character and mine are allies against the Vaylen. But my character is quite frankly incensed that your slimy, green-skinned, trench-foot-infected grunt had the temerity to build a fortress in the sovereign territory of my character’s family. Not only is it an abuse of our alliance, it’s against the law of this planet, my family’s fief. So here’s what I want: I want that fortress razed to the ground and I want those fortifications out of the way before I send my family’s anvil in.
Duke: Yeah, but – hang on a sec, I mean, nobody’s gonna bother with -
Drew: But your family’s sovereign territory is the whole damned planet! Where else could I have build my stronghold?
Max: I didn’t write the law, I just believe in it when it suits me.
Drew: Heh! You filthy, back-stabbing, worm-loving bastard!
Max: My character’s lack of legitimacy has never been conclusively proven.
Drew: Okay, chief. How’re we doing this?
Duke: Right. Er, yeah. The skill description says the that destroying fortifications is a straight Explosives versus Fortifications test. Max, you need to make a Resources test to get a vehicular-scale bomb – oh, wait, you did that during your building scene in the last manoeuvre, didn’t you? You sneaky, sneaky man. Right, then. Questions? Negotiation?
Max: Can I link Explosives to my disposition roll when I send the family anvil in, Duke?
Duke: Sure.
Drew: Duke, if I succeed, can I put the successes toward actually establishing Cover or Position?
Duke: Only the difference between your success total and his, man. The downside of a freebie.
Drew: Okay, cool. … Actually, Max, here’s a crazy idea. Duke let me have the fortifications for free, so I’m gonna extend you the same courtesy. You can blow my lovingly-constructed pillboxes to hell and gone, but I want to detect that it was your character who did it – so I know you betrayed me.
Max: Oooh! I’m game for that! I’ll just save those bomb components I Resourced for a rainy day. Still, I’m not going to hand you my identity on a plate: I’ll test my Infiltration versus your Security and I still want it linked to my disposition roll when I send the troops in. Duke, is that cool?
Duke: Yep! Fine by me. Drew?
Drew: You bet! My Security could use a test or two toward advancement. Call my Offisah a trench-footed grunt, huh? Let’s see the colour of your dice, Max…