Exploring The Game Mechanics Of The Warriors of Mars

 The Warriors of Mars was a TSR game that unfortunately ran afoul of copyright laws as a result it was never continued or developed after its first printing. I have played its’ mass combat rules for fun in the past. I am taking a look at its PC rules… it uses a level system of 1-13, and uses experience points to level up. The only “class” it had seems to be fighter. Hit points or wounds for PCs are based on level and implied gender default +1. As I read it  there are not hit dice just a base number with Martians topping out to 14 hit points and John Carter specifically clarified as having 15 hit points. Wound Points might be a better term than hit points for this game’s wound system. Armor is pretty nonexistent on Barsoom, with only one civilization using a tiny shield. This game has a kill and wound number. Let’s take a look at those rules first.

As you can see if on the first attack the attacker rolls the right number they automatically kill the defender. Now the number of wounds necessary to kill a PC/NPC would equal the level determined hit points plus one additional hit, so a first level PC would have 2 hit points but would be killed at the third hit. Now based on the specific notes above in the rules + and - can be assigned to initiative, defence, attack, and damage. Weapon type affects advantage and disadvantage for initiative and attack. Also following or not following the Barsoomian code of battle has an effect as well.

The way I interpreted the code is every time the combatant that goes up against an individual or group that has violated the Code of Battle they receive a level increase against those opponents permanently but not others. (Note the rules do not clarify my interpretation but I think this is a logical reading of the advantages but one could argue renown for fighting by the code results in permanent level increases against all opponents in the future as well). Thus let’s say our PC heros fight a villain who breaks the code, thus even if all survive in the future every time they encounter villain X they will get an auto increase in the encounter. Conversely let’s say PC A decides to Break the Code advantage will be given to their opponent.

There is definitely a sort of “renown” or “honor” social score in Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom Mars Series of books. If this game had been developed further I could see someway of tracking that having been added in. There are several options for this concept in modern game mechanics. Everything from point systems, perks awarded like hero coins, or sliding morality scales type mechanics with consequences good and bad.

Definitely a potentially deadly system for PCs in the RAW.

Keep on gaming folks!