E is for Encumbrance: Hitting the Trail with the Wilderness Survival Guide

In the Wikipedia review of the WSG they state 'Carl Sargent reviewed Wilderness Survival Guide for White Dwarf No. 85, stating that a good wilderness adventure rulebook is hard to write, because of the lack of sharp discontinuities as opposed to dungeon adventures, although "Mohan has pulled it off brilliantly." Sargent called the weather system "splendid", and felt that the rules on encumbrance and movement rates "make sense and work easily".'


I'm interested today in the last point, 'encumbrance and movement rates "make sense and work easily".'


This section is long Pages 30-49, and I am a fan of encumbrance. I'm only tackling the first 4 pages.


So firstly Strength score gives encumbrance allowance in gold pieces, which ends up being Light, Moderate, Heavy or Severe encumbrance. This can be compared in the next table to terrain type of Normal, rugged or very rugged, which leads to NOT a modifier on movement, but a table with standard 1/2 day move in miles per day,and an accelerated movement, all based on a 12" movement rate, which may need to be modified, if going faster or slower than 12". No, I am not going to explain that again.


Interestingly 16 hours is the most one can travel without stopping to eat and rest else movement beyond is reduced to 1/3 normal max.


Animals have their own table. With text explaining rules for fatigue beyond 12 hours of travel per day.


Yaks, as my favourite example, have 2250 gp normal load, 3500 gp max load and travel 12/6 normal terrain, 9/6 rugged, 6/3 very rugged; where the number to the left is normal load or less in inches.


So one table, character on foot, is in miles per half day with normal and accelerated movement.


The next animal table is in inches for movement rate.


The next table is land based vehicles, carts, chariots and wagons - based in miles per 1/2 day.


Well that makes sense and works easily.