This chapter deals with ranged and melee combat between characters. Ship to ship combat is defined in its own section in the chapter that deals with Vessels.
Actions¶
Every participant in combat may choose to take three actions per turn. The participant can take 1 action, 1 reaction and 1 free action. Perks, items or other specialties of a character may modify the amount of actions he or she may take.
Actions are activities the player may choose to perform during his turn. Be it shooting or aiming a firearm, performing a skill check or running across a hallway to reach an elevator. Valid actions are:
- Use the character’s speed points for movement.
- Use a non-complicated item, like reloading a firearm, pull the pin and throwing a grenade etc.
- Attack an enemy.
- Aim at an enemy.
- Perform a skill check.
A reaction is an action that is only performed if a certain condition is fulfilled. The reaction is valid until the next turn of the character who declared it. If its condition does not kick in, the action is lost. If the condition kicks, in the player begins his action during the action that triggered it.
Sometimes the game master may wish to declare a contest between the participant that does the action and the one that does the reaction. For example, one participant has a reaction in place to draw his gun, if the opponent reaches for his firearm. The game master decides that a dexterity challenge is required to determine who draws first. Both players roll a ten sided dice and add any dexterity modifier to the result. The participant with the highest result wins and draws his gun before the other.
Free actions are small actions that take little to no time. Usually only one free action is allowed per turn. Talking up to ten words is considered a free action.
Movement¶
A character can use his available speed points to move about during combat. Movement always consumes one action, regardless of how many speed points are consumed. The general rule is that, for each point of speed available to the character he may move one metre.
Certain actions use up more than speed points than others. See the table below to determine how many speed points are expended for various actions.
| Action | Movement points |
|---|---|
| Movement | 1 per metre |
| Running | 1 per two metres |
| Jumping | 2 per metre |
| Jumping (running headstart) | 1 per metre |
| Crouching | 2 per metre |
| Crawling | 3 per metre |
| Climbing | 3 per metre |
| Changing combat stance | 1 |
| Change stance from prone | 2 |
When changing stance a character has to expend one speed point. If the character is prone he has to expend two speed points to change stance.
Any terrain that hinders a persons movement is considered difficult terrain. Such terrain doubles the amount of speed points needed for any sort of movement, except changing stance. The following are examples of difficult terrain: stairs, uphill slopes, snow, mudd or wet surfaces.
If a character is out of speed points the character cannot move anymore. He may however use his round to regain his speed points.
A character can use effort points in case of speed points, or if the character is out speed points. Effort points can also be used in addition to speed points, if the character does not have enough to complete a movement. For example if the character has to run for three metres, and then make a one metre jump across a cavern, but only has 2 speed points left; he may chose to take the remaining two from his effort pool.
Turns¶
Combat takes place in turns. Each player plots what he wishes to do, and communicates this to the GM. A player may plot all of his actions (as stated above).
Upon all players have decided upon their actions and informed the GM, each player rolls initiative to see when he gets to act. Rolling initiative is done by rolling a ten sided die (d10) and adding the dexterity modifier and any other relevant bonuses. Then all player characters do their actions in the order they rolled initiative. Non player characters behave in the same way, and also reroll their initiative each round. Everyone may chose to spend effort points, with each spent effort point increasing the initiative by one. This must be done before rolling for initiative.
In an alternate system (as preferred by Johannes) each participant of combat rolls their initiative at the beginning, which then remains fixed throughout the encounter. This system is preferable if you find that your encounters last too long and you wish to speed them up.
Surprise Round¶
One side of the encounter can initiate a surprise round, if the other side of the encounter is unaware. The surprising round gains one full round, in which the surprised side cannot use any actions. After that surprise round, the encounter continues normally.