TW 2013 NPC's

[Michael Lewis]

How do you keep track of your 2013 NPC's ?

I'm trying to think of the most efficient way to keep track of NPC's/turns/ modifiers during combat. This coming Monday will be our 2nd session. The 1st session was really slow.

Michael

[Tegyrius]

If I have a bunch of identically- or similarly-armed NPCs, I prefer to run them by fire team (2-4 guys) rather than individually. Assume they're all taking the same actions simultaneously. It's not wholly realistic at all times but it does cut down on the overhead.

Also, if you're using a dry-erase or wet-erase map board, write initiative values next to each figure or group.

- C.

[stg58fal]

Kind of a long response, bear with me please.

It depends on if it's star NPC's or rifle fodder, scene extras, etc.

For star NPC's, I make character sheets for them. I made an Excel file that helps during character creation, keeping skill points straight, attribute increases or decreases, even calculates wound thresholds, movement rates, etc. Unfortunately my star NPC's have a disturbing habit of getting killed. Two of them have gotten killed within 3 sessions of each other.

For rifle fodder and the like, I've got some premade general NPC's (bandit/marauder, Russian soldier, etc) on 3x5 cards, with their attributes and important skills. Mostly what they're likely to use against the PC's (small arms, support weapons, hand to hand, hand weapons).

In combat, I treat the star NPC's like another PC. I use a notebook for initiative and write any modifiers next to their name. Rifle fodder either goes as a group, as several different groups if there are a lot of them or the weapons vary wildly, or individually if there are only a couple. EDIT: Basically the same thing Tegyrius said.

I'm most likely going to buy a laptop at some point, and then keeping track of initiative will be much easier. Cutting down on the amount of stuff I have to print or write by hand will be nice, too. I don't want to print out the stuff I write on my own, I REALLY don't want to print out the pdf's of published adventures or adventures from Challenge.

[Michael Lewis]

Kind of a long response, bear with me please.

It depends on if it's star NPC's or rifle fodder, scene extras, etc.

For star NPC's, I make character sheets for them. I made an Excel file that helps during character creation, keeping skill points straight, attribute increases or decreases, even calculates wound thresholds, movement rates, etc. Unfortunately my star NPC's have a disturbing habit of getting killed. Two of them have gotten killed within 3 sessions of each other.

Could you share your spreadsheet? That would be helpful.

[Michael Lewis]

Has anyone used the NPC record sheet for 2013? It has a squad leader and 9 extra npc wound boxes.

I was thinking of making a sheet that has npc info and also keeps track of ticks. I don't know what to include or exclude yet. Is there any info that you included but found that you don't really need it?

[stg58fal]

Could you share your spreadsheet? That would be helpful.

Sure, no problem.

I'll throw in a few more record sheets I made, too.

The worksheet should be fairly easy to figure out, but if you've got any questions, let me know.

A few cautions:

1: The wound thresholds aren't always EXACTLY right, due to how Excel does its rounding. Sometimes it may be 1 higher than it should be. Personally I let my PC's have that 1 point, since 2013 is a much deadlier system than a lot of others out there.

2: Qualifications. IIRC, the worksheet SHOULD work just how it is, since I put each of the listed qualifications on a separate line, as well as leaving space for other possible qualifications someone might dream up. If for some reason I'm wrong, you might want to put the actual value of the skill in the next column over.

3: The record sheets are designed to be printed out and then written on, but you can also just enter the info in Excel. I type for star NPC's and hand players a blank sheet for them to write on. Or give them the file and let them enter it all in Excel themselves.

4: I use generic XP's in addition to the 2013 rules for skill improvement, so you'll see a place for those. Do with it what you will.

5: I make no claim as to perfection of any of these sheets. I have no doubt there's something I overlooked. I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know if you find anything, so I can fix them.

6: I have to convert the files from .xlsx to .xls Excel 4.0 because the board won't let me upload them as .xlsx files. If they're all screwed up, shoot me a PM with your email address and I'll send you original .xlsx versions.

Hope you find them helpful.

[Michael Lewis]

Thanks so much! I'll tell you how they work out.

[stg58fal]

Ive made a revision that i believe will make it easier to keep track of skill points and final skill values. remind me in the morning and when i have access to a computer with internets, I'll upload the revised sheet. (I'm using my phone to post this. I could have uploaded with my old phone, but this one isnt nearly the technological beast that one was. Then again, this one actually works where i live now, and costs like half as much per month, so.....)