Duelmasters: AB article (Dakhr)

From: leeme@cnsvax.uwec.edu

Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1993 17:42:45 +0000

The following is an article by Admiral Dakhr.  I don't know who he is/was,
and I think I only fought one of his guys ever in a tourney (won it, of
course :) ).

From 5/4/88 --- Retyped 3/22/90 M.Lee

Still More About Aimed Blow Warriors

A general synopsis for AB warriors that will win more than they lose.

First, guidelines for set-ups:
    ST: must be 10+ unless SZ is 14+ (generally)
    CN: must be 11+ unless SZ is 14+, then it need only be 10
    WT and WL must each be 12+, with WT+WL=29, 30 as a good setup
    WT: seems to be very important for attack ability
    WL: seems to be very important for low speed warriors.
    SP: NEVER add pts to SP.  3 is plenty, 10 is excessive
    DF: must be at 14+

Coordination must be normal or better, so SP+DF=21+.  (Add to SP
    only if necessary for this, otherwise add 6 to DF first).
         If you try for a warrior within those guidelines, he'll do all right
    if you can run him properly.
         Weapons and armor selection--
         'Classic' is QS.  Should be good if the warrior fits, but you lose
    the advantage of having an off-hand shield or weapon.  I like to use the
    LO or EP with an off-hand HA, shield, DA, SH, EP, or SC.  SS with off-
    hand shield, DA, SH, EP if you can't use the LO or EP for some reason.
    Use a hatchet off-hand only after 5-10 fights.  I'd use WH, but RSI
    considers it to be unorthodox.
         Backup weapons will be unnecessary since your AB's can use his hands
    and feet well.  Wear light armor; let your weapons and feet be your
    defense.  (The parry tactic reduces your ability to avoid blow; use it
    with caution).  I like ARM or less.  Wear a steel cap vs defensives and a
    helf or full helm vs offensives.
         Fighting strategy--
         I like to go 1-9-1 or so in the first minute so that offensive L,
    ST, PL, SL wear themselves out while the AB practices his adequate
    defensive skills.  If DF, SZ, and WT are high, try a PR strategy in the
    first minute - say, 3-6-3.
         For some AB, the path of the SCUM is the most effective - you will
    be a scum with good attack, so god help the warrior that tires.  He'll
    probably end upwith head wounds or a useless limb.  Mostly, try this if
    your WL, ST are high and your WT is medium, with at least 5 or 6 attack
    skills.  These warriors often get beaten upon for 7-8 minutes, then turn
    around to hit their opponent for serious damage to win.
         Other AB warriors, especially if large, can be more offensive.
    Primarily, this depends upon the set-up.  Try moderate activity with high
    offensive effort.  I prefer to let the warriors own abilities decide what
    to do, so I don't use offensive tactics unless I know who I'm fighting.
    Besides, offensive tactics reduce defense, which is our big advantage
    against other offensive styles.
         Against defensives, we rely upon our ability to maintain a sustained
    offense, ad infinitum.  No other style can sit around with 3-5 activity
    and 3-7 offense effort and keep a Total scum warrior guessing where he'll
    be hit next for as long as an AB can.  At higher numbers, like 8-5-8, an
    AB can pick apart and take out most defensive warriors in less than 2
    minutes, but he can sustain it for 4+ (depending upon endurance).  You
    can try doing a 10-10-10 for kills; it hasn't worked for me.
         Admiral Dakhr, mgr of Dahkr's Exp (21)