- A brutal mix of grappling and striking designed to break any opponent.
More than Judo but make it Russian, SAMBO was developed over the course of roughly twenty five years starting in the early 1920s, SAMBO combinds boxing, Greco-Roman Wrestling, with Judo, Karate, and combat techniques sampled from fifty seven martial arts from countries within the USSR. There are two major schools of SAMBO; Sport, which more closely resembles its Greco-Roman Wrestling and Judo roots, and Combat, the Russian military combative. SAMBO itself is an acronym for Samozashchita Bez Oruzhiya, translated as self-defense without weapons. Within these two schools, there are six associative, more targeted styles along with derivatives, such as Concrete or FCF-MMA SAMBO and Systema.
Combat SAMBO, designed for military application, focuses on a mixture of quarters grappling and striking designed to keep pressure on the opponent as the soldier breaks them down. During, and immediately following, World War II, Combat SAMBO was refined by returning soldiers who refined techniques based on what worked on the battlefield. SAMBO powers through obstacles to find openings that might not present themselves. This is not simply Russian stoicism, but an intelligent brutality that acknowledges the dangers of combat that minimizes risks by facing them head on to eliminate the source.
Associated Weapons: Baton, Bayonet, Combat Knife, Rifle
SAMBO typically focuses on a squared stance with hands in a loose ready guard. As the fighter moves in, this can appear more like a bladed stance as they shit their torso and facing. This allows the grappler to make stronger connections quickly without having to pivot their body once engaged, but leaves them more exposed which puts emphasis on the arms and guard.
Bonus Video – Taking a SAMBO Class with Sensi Seth
Author’s Note: All builds presented in this series should not be taken as the only way to interpret a given style. Players and GMs are encouraged to treat these as a framework to build their own character’s style.
Style Progression – Very Slow
Fighting Style: Combat SAMBO
- Parent Attribute: Constitution or Mental
- Primary Role: Offense
- First Secondary Role: Defense
Common Specialties:
- Crippling Strike
- Grappling
- Heavy Blow
- Trade Blows (Follows Being Hit)
Common Combos:
- Bring Them Down: Grapple – Trip – Crippling Strike
- Brutal Assessment: Heavy Blow – Set Up
- Overbear: Grapple – Heavy Blow
- Stay Down: Trip – Heavy Blow
Key Talents:
- Brawn
- Discipline
- Etiquette
- (S) Military Etiquette
- Intimidation
- Outlast
- Perception
- Study: Military History or Russian History
Additional Boons
- Advantaged TY
- Amazing MA
- Extra Stamina MA
- Languages: Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian TY
- Brawn Supports Crippling Strikes TY
- Outlast Supports Trade Blows MA
Super Style – Combat SAMBO
SAMBO experts are legendarily strong. Correspondingly, this supersized SAMBO embraces these concepts. Focusing on breaking past defenses, while not giving up ground the Combat SAMBO fighter can hold the line, or bring down even the strongest foes.
Example (Classic Power Level)
Combat SAMBO 12
- Parent Attribute: Constitution
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Penetrating) MA2
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Armor (Boost Armor) MA2
Unmoving TY
Secondary Role: Support: Strength MA
Limited Uses: Penetrating only when Grappling
(S) Brutal Assessment 4
(S) Crippling Strike 7
(S) Overbear 4
(S) Trade Blows 10
Skilled Combat SAMBO practitioners shrug off harm as they close ranks, battering anything in their way. Capable of superhuman feats of strength, each blow from the fighter can spell the end of opponents not strong enough to exchange blows with these beasts of battle.
Cost 1 Power + 12 Selections + 11 AP
Boons
Amazing MA
Combo: Brutal Assessment TY
Combo: Overbear TY
Extra Stamina TY
Languages: Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian TY
Brawn Supports Crippling Strikes TY
Outlast Supports Trade Blows MA
Cost 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 9 AP
Use In Conflict
While lacking some of the classic tank Power Advancements, such as a Full Role for Defense, that’s all part of Combat SAMBO’s strategy. The hero is tough enough to Trade Blows with all but the most lethal of opponents. Taking those hits from an opponent opens the character up to unleash their Combos with a now drastically reduced penalty thanks to the Trade Blows Specialty. There is a pacing Combat SAMBO practitioners should learn, Trading Blows for a Brutal Assessment, then Trading Blows again to follow with Overbear, now at virtually no penalty. This can lock up a foe, leaving the character to deliver Crippling Strikes and breaking their opponent. This is only the beginning though, as the character advances, Specialties in Heavy Blow, and Crippling Strike Combos, along with the Boost Devastation and Impervious Power Advancements, will only help to lock in that “Breaker.”
