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Hello folks,
I'm running a PFS season 1 scenario on tier 3-4, not mentioning which one to avoid spoiler.
Suffice to say, here's what's up.
The PCs have alerted two mercs, from an organization, inside of their presence by pulling aside some bars on a window.
From my perspective, mercs from an organized organization know tactics, and would likely set up a triggered ambush near the window.
They are even described as overpowering singular targets between the two of them.
Now, the team waited for a bit, before deciding who climbs in.
At worst (for PCs), they would likely smack down one of the lesser armored PCs with power attack, if that one decides to be the one climbing first.
So in general perspective:
How much would the mercs flanking the window with readied attacks, to hit the 1st to enter, be an acceptable action/tactic?
Or do people mostly have them hide within the house?
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Great question!
Well, if I had a group of experienced players, I might play it like that. If I had a bunch of new players, I might have the guards be overconfident and challenge the first person through the window from the other end of the room. My advice is to think about your table as well as your creature's intelligence score.
I'd also take into account the level of the goons as well as the players. First level goons can be considered anywhere on a range between inexperienced and just plain stupid. But if they have lived long enough to be higher levels, there must be a reason.
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Are you allowing readied actions outside combat? I generally avoid this behavior and reserve readied actions until combat is entered.
Also, if the goons are not right at the window when the PC's are breaking in did you roll perception checks for the party to detect them moving into position? Assuming the whole party doesn't fail their perception checks then there's no surprise round and it's up to who's got the quickest reflexes (initiative) as to whether the goons can waylay the first PC thru the window.
As far as the goons' tactics, I think you're fine. Waylaying people is generally what goons know how to do and are paid to do.
Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento
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You cannot ready actions outside of combat.
But the two goons could move to each side of the window and make stealth checks. If the PC who climbs in first fails their perception check, the bad guys get a surprise round.
As a side benefit, how likely they are to do this can be determined by their stealth score, which is on their character sheet
Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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It suddenly occurs to me. A scene where goons try to set up an ambush can be very interesting. They probably don't have wonderful stealth and most PCs max Perception, so their chances are poor, but that's fine; one of two things will happen.
A) Despite the odds the PCs all flub their Perception checks. Afterwards stories will be told of the day the mighty heroes got ambushed by guys without ranks in Stealth and a serious armor check penalty. Hilarity.
B) The PCs do spot the attempted ambush, and can turn the tables. This is probably much more fun than just running into the guards without any surprise at all, or scenario fiat that the bad guys get a surprise round "because".
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Me, I prefer to use the surprise round in this situation. It's the best mechanic for the job and you see that reflected in all the various surprise-round shenanigans that highwaymen archetypes get. Let the goons get in position, and if the PCs don't see them before they barge into the building, the goons get the drop and can take their standard action in the surprise round to attack. Roll initiative and away you go!
Bonus tactic: roll initiative for the goons ahead of time, line them up on whatever initiative-tracking aid you prefer (and the PCs can't see), and (as long as nobody has made their perception checks) have the goons take their actions to beat on the PCs while your players roll initiative. Provide your players with a little verisimilitude, a sense of urgency!
There's a lot of wiggle room with readied actions and in combat/out of combat. One could argue that the goons, being aware of the PCs, are in combat and the PCs are simply unaware. Thus the PCs couldn't ready an action but the goons could. It's messy. I like to avoid it when I can.
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As far as how to play a level 1 bad-guy-or-gal, ambush tactics are the most basic of tactics. Even animals can perform them and it's reasonable to assume, IMO, that anyone with an intelligence of 2 or higher can conceive of and attempt an ambush.
Depending on their professionalism, as evidenced by class levels/CR, tactics, back story, etc., though, they may or may not make mistakes that you could let the players pick up on. A door is left swinging open, a light is left on where no light would be expected. Someone sneezes from somewhere inside. A steaming hot mug of tea or other drink indicates that someone was here not two minutes ago. Etc.
If the ambush is not pre-arranged but is rather triggered by some action the PCs have taken to announce themselves, then an inexperienced group might not be able to communicate effectively. I'd do things like give them bluff checks to try to communicate tactics silently, stealth checks to stay quiet while drawing their weapons, that sort of thing. If they fail their checks, particularly to communicate, maybe you end up with mistakes: everyone covering the front door while the PCs go in the back, everyone with their melee weapons out and nobody armed with ranged weapons, goons accidentally stepping on/setting off traps, the spellcaster gets stuck in front of the party, etc.
A lot of what you do will be dependent on how fast you can think on your feet with respect to tactics and common tactical mistakes an inexperienced group of mooks might make. If you've got time, you can always try to plan ahead and write down a couple of possible tactical situations (and mishaps) for quick reference.