New FS2 GM here, starting my players out in the Ancient Juncture and wanted to set up a scenario a few sessions in where they have to chase down a carriage with mail or taxes or somesuch while on horseback (one of the characters is a steppe nomad Archer and would be sorely disappointed if I just stuck them all in a carriage of their own), and I'm struggling a little bit in how best to stat out the foes. For the carriage itself, I figure Acceleration and Handling should probably be slightly worse than the basic Horse; Frame isn't likely to matter (no horses were harmed in the making of this film) but I guess would fall in the 2-3 range (more than a snowmobile, less than a car). I'll offset the worse Acceleration with a Driving schtick, since the players with multiple horses will be at significant advantage in inflicting Chase Points, even if I throw in a couple of guards with the carriage.
However, when I go to look over Featured Foes with vehicles, they largely appear to come with inferior stats to those listed in the player-facing Driving chapter, for example the Sinister Bodyguard's Luxury Sedan at 2/4/6 (assuming this is Accel/Handling/Frame, don't think I saw that spelled out anywhere) vs. the player Luxury Sedan 8/7/7, so I'm not sure what to make of that? Can anyone give me some pointers so that I don't have to dry run an entire chase scene to see if the numbers work?
Edited to add: the Driver Attack rules also seem a little punishing for horseback fighting. I can buy taking some Chase Points (you lose some momentum to make the attack) but I might just waive the attack penalty entirely? Or even only apply the Chase Points if the attack fails.
Also worth noting that the players are pretty stacked on Driving. Gave the Archer a 13 in place of another skill, Bodyguard comes with a 13, and a third player is a kelpie-like Supernatural Creature so I was going to let her substitute Creature Powers in monster form.
I think that the vehicle stats in the Foe stat blocks are still in 1st Edition vehicle rules format (like the suggested stats for the Mini Cooper in the Compact Car footnote in the vehicle section), so I'd recommend referencing the vehicle chapter itself for the FS2 stats.
And I agree about your ruling for Driver Attack - horses have the advantage that a) you can steer with your knees*, and b) they've got a mind of their own, so they're less likely to randomly hit a cart of cabbages while you're attacking from their back.
*Technically, some cars can be steered with your knees, but it's not advised, will invalidate your insurance, and really is only useful for holding them in a straight line rather than swerving in a chase.
Thanks for the reply! I'm not familiar with the 1st Edition so I'll definitely have to work with what I can then. I'll report back on how the modified driver attack rules play out when I get a chance!
No worries. Threw me when I saw them in the stat blocks, too, until I had a vague memory of the FS1 vehicle rules. I could be wrong, but I think that's where they come from. I'm sticking with the FS2 stats from the vehicle chapter myself.
A few years ago I ran a Stagecoach-style coach chase set in the old west in the Past Juncture. I don't hae numbers anymore but it was loads of fun!
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Something else to consider is that a personal steed is probably "named" unlike a team of horses pulling a carriage.
The carriage has to be driven, it has no agency. Meanwhile the Archer's steed is their trusty companion and can be expected to keep station while the archer is loosing off a volley of arrows.
If you want to get to the point of jumping onto the carriage to wrestle the reigns from the driver "Chestnut Lightning" will hang around so you can make your escape once you've set the carriage to go over the cliff.
I'm not sure that addresses the question you asked but it's what came to mind when considering the use of unarmoured horses in chases. Which leads me to another one: Barding.
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Oh yeah. And always remember that horses have minds of their own. I'm reminded of that one scene from True Lies where Schwarzenegger is chasing the terrorist villain through a skyscraper on a police horse, and the terrorist makes a motorcycle jump all the way across to another skyscraper, and when old Arnie tries to do the same thing on the horse, the horse isn't having it and almost dumps him over the edge. You can practically hear the horse going "HELL NO! You're out of your mind if you think I'm doing that!"
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