I'm not a fan of initiative in PbP games due to having to wait for a given player to post.  Initiative to me is something better suited to face-to-face games where everyone is present.

When I run combat in PbP I just have the heroes go (in any order) and then I (the GM) go for the NPCs.  That way whoever can post does so and then if you're waiting for the last PC to go you can set a timer (say, 24 hours before you skip them).

This keeps things moving.

If you're determined to run initiative, I would prefer to keep combat dynamic and re-roll every round so one player isn't stuck at the bottom (another way players check out).

One thing I do in my V&V game is flexible initiative. If there are a number of players in a row with initiatives I let them go in any order to save the "wait for the 1st player in line to go". I also rolled initiatives for both PCs and NPCs, again so no one had to wait on the one person to do their initiative. It is certainly something I could easily do with Supers! RED. It is actually easier because I just tally all the D6s instead of needing to roll 1d10+Agility. With the damage mechanic built into the actual attack vs. defense roll it leaves one step out so basically it goes Initiative then Attacks/Defenses, rinse and repeat.

So far we have 2 "initiative each turn" votes and one "go with the consensus" vote. Just waiting on the rest. :)

I like the flexible initiative idea, or just hold the turn if someone hasn't posted in a couple of days.

See, that's what I'm talking about.  Having to wait on one particular player for days is tedious at best, and a game killer at worst.

Understandable, and thus the flexible initiative idea. And if everyone else goes and the initiatives of the bad guys is next the non-posting player would either be said to be holding their action or I would act for the person if too much time passes.

I will put up an Absences thread specifically so people can let me know if they are going to be away so I can NPC characters as needed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:23, Thu 01 Sept 2016.

I like flexible initiative. I like it a lot. I may steal that.

I put in a section for Combat and another for Combat Maneuvers in the Creating a Character & General Rules thread here: link to a message in this game

A mission thread has been created here: link to a message in this game

Feel free to begin posting whenever you are each able....we are off!

The sooner I get posts from everyone the sooner I can move things along. :)

Not sure where to put Dr. Jetsetter's current equipment list, but I figure this is as good as any place.

Spymaster 3000: Enhanced Senses 4D (Boost: infrared spectrum)
Triple A Heatbeamer: Special Weaponry 3D
Mini-Parachute: Flight 2D (Complication: only gliding)

As per the super science rule, I figure most of these things are only one shot (the heatbeamer and mini-parachute). However, I obviously want the Spymaster specs to sort of work on an ongoing basis while we're trying to detect the enemy. If this is a problem, let me know and I can reconfigure his super science load out.

Yeah they are pretty specific about the single-use thing. I am going to do some asking on the Supers! forum but for now I think one way to handle it is to buy multiple uses. Since all three things are devices you get the Device complication which decreases each cost by 1D. So your Enhanced Senses device would only cost 3D, the heatbeamer 2D, and the parachute 1D. You also don't need the Boost for the Spymaster since you can just have it be an infrared device only unless you are looking for nightvision AND infrared vision. If just infrared you could have 2 uses of the device plus one use each of the other 2. I will get back with more when I have had a chance to brainstorm on the Supers! board...

Yeah, looking at the loadout we had, I pretty much made a character who hits stuff with energy attacks and defends with burnination.

Yes, Acie is a companion so I figure he's coming along with (unless the British have something against him). I'm envisioning that FDR assigned him to keep an eye on and watch out for Dr. Jetsetter.

So to continue on this between some thinking and some input from the Supers! forum I will be maintaining the one-use gadget pool, this is more MacGuyver than permanent inventions. That said you don't necessarily need 4D in Enhanced Senses. If no one is actually hiding 2D in Infrared vision is pretty much an auto-success and you would only have to roll to discern people sneaking about. So if you wanted 3 uses at 3D it would cost 6D out of the gadget pool (device) with the heatbeamer device 3D costing 2D and the parachute coming in at 1D for a total of 9D. You could get 6 uses of Enhanced Senses (Infrared) if you went with 2D. Let me know which option you want to go with.

Another possibility is taking the Durable Gadget boost to Super Brain which allows you to use a gadget 1 more time for each 1D in the boost. So Super Brain 5D (Boost: Durable Gadget 1D) would allow you to use gadgets 2 times before they go poof. Right now you are at 20D so to add the boost would either mean reducing Super Brain to 4D (to keep the same dice total) OR take a Disadvantage of some sort that is worth 1D.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Tue 06 Sept 2016.

Ok just added a little extra to the end of my last post just to make it tie in more with Fury's last post :)

OK cool.

Just to slow things down for a moment today is going to be a very busy day between work and driving 2 hours each way to a metal concert later on. I have enough information from everyone to move forward but won't have the time to do anything until tomorrow so please be patient. :)

no problems enjoy the concert :)

*gasp*
Five points from Gryffindor.

No, seriously, have fun, man. So far, the pacing of the game's been pretty good, from my perspective, but I know combats and encounters can slow up PbP a LOT if people aren't all present and accounted for, so thanks for letting us know.

And it will be my first combat ever running Supers! so I expect to make mistakes so please be patient.

And here we go! This is where I figure out if I overbalanced or underbalanced the challenge for the team. This is all new so please bear with me as I feel out things...

Decided to make a little twist to the combat since the round hasn't officially started; one Me-109 vs. Red Dragon....honestly it is a pretty fair fight if I scale it back from the Jet Fighter stats in the book. Plus it will look badass as all hell! ;)

(The Fury since it is heading into the team area it will make a better target than the others peeling off to either side at speed. Will be some penalty due to the poor lighting, probably -1D to your roll since there is enough lighting to make it shadowy.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:05, Sun 11 Sept 2016.

So I just wanted to point out to those who may be less familiar with Supers! RED that Red Dragon's defense against the gunfire showcases one of the cool things about the game. The idea that you can use most any Resistance, Aptitude, or Power as an attack or defense if you can justify it can make for some awesome comic-style action. And even though it didn't get through the armor The Fury's thrown boulder at a diving Me-109 also is pretty cool.

Damage only comes off Resistances, right?

So Red Dragon has 2D to account for with a roll of 15 vs 22.  Ouchie.

I put in an addendum to the post. Extra Effect vs. Armor would make the attack 5D if Red Dragon defended with Armor but since he defended with a different power he was only defending against 3D (which was a low roll of 10 after dropping the pair of 6's).