Combat Summary, Elements, and Examples
From SSDC, Inc.
A combat round is three seconds (segments) long. Each round passes through the following three phases.
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Initiative Phase
Each player rolls d10 and applied their Initiative Modifier (IM) to determine their initiative. The lowest initiative acts first. Initiative numbers can do negative.
Declaration Phase
In order of initiative, from slowest (highest initiative) to fastest (lowest), players declare their actions.
Action Phase
A character can take two half actions or one full action.
Half Actions
Here are a few examples of half actions.
- move your character's sprint number in meters
- fire a single shot or burst
- change targets
- draw a weapon
- throw a grenade
Full Actions
Here are a few full actions.
- move three times your sprint number in meters
- fire on full auto
- most skill checks
- generate a matrix
Determining a Hit
An M-20 Blaster pulse cannon has a 20% chance to hit a target at range bracket 3 (16-25m). Our man Henry the Mutzachan has 5 levels of pulse cannon skill (go figure!) and a Manual Dexterity attack bonus of +02 (82 Manual Dexterity score). He is aiming at Fredd the Python who intends to dismember poor Henry. Fredd is size class 8. The M-20 can only fire on semi-automatic mode (no penalty). Finally, it is dark. The total chance to hit Fredd equals: ( (M-20 accuracy) + (Henry’s skill level multiplied by four) + (Manual dexterity attack bonus) + (size class modifier) - (darkness penalty) ) (20 + 20 + 2 + 20 - 20) = 42% chance to hit.
Automatic and Burst Fire
A Gen Human (Manual Dexterity of 52) is firing an M-60 machine gun at two different Python Lizards (size class 8) who are 30m away (range bracket 4). The lizards are 2m apart. Consequently, two of the bullets are fired in between the lizards and are lost. The M-60 has a ROF of 7. The second target incurs a -20 penalty to hit. The Gen-Human has 6 levels of Archaic Powder Gunnery skill. His chance to hit the first target is 40 (M-60 accuracy) + 24 (6 levels of skill) +20 (size class 8) = 84% chance to hit. His chance to hit the second target is 84- 20 = 64% chance to hit. He rolls and hits both targets. A d3 is rolled to determine how many bullets strike the first target. A d2 is rolled to determine how many bullets strike the second target.
Segments and ROF
Here is come clarification on segments and ROF.
A combat round has 3 segments. In a single combat round you can fire full auto (1 full action), which means you fire your weapon's ROF in each of the 3 segments. You can also fire 1 or 2 bursts (1 half action each) in a combat round. Each burst means you fire your weapon's ROF. You can also squeeze off a single shot (ROF 1) in 1 half action. If you fire 2 bursts, then they go off in the 1st and 2nd segments.
How Many Shots Hit
A Thompson sub-machine gun fires four rounds per segment. A d4 would be rolled to determine how many hit the target. A Steyr ACR has a ROF of 3. A d6 is rolled to determine how many rounds hit (1-2=1, 3-4=2, 5-6=3).
Critical Hits
This is where the fun is :)
Fredd originally had 18 body points. Henry has been using Fredd as a laser target for several rounds and Fredd is now down to 4 body points. Henry's next shot only does 1 point of damage, but with Fredd down to 4, that's a critical!
Grenades
Henry the Mutzachan throws a grenade at our friend Fredd the Python. The range is 10m. The percentage chance to hit at that range is 70%. Henry has 2 levels of throwing skill. Henry has a 78% chance to hit Fredd. Henry rolls a 98. He misses. A 12 sided die is now rolled. The result is a 6. The grenade landed directly behind Fredd. The distance from the grenade to Fredd equals (98-78)/5 or 4 meters. Fredd is struck by 6 fragments and suffers no concussion damage.
Archaic Hand Weapons Combat
Ed the Eridani is using a two handed sword. He has 8 levels of Archaic Hand Weapons (Two Handed Sword) skill. The two handed sword has a ROF of 1/4. (Note: Eridani automatically get an extra attack on top of the assumed 1 normal attack). So Ed the Eridani would be able to make one attack per round with his two handed sword: 1/4 ROF (two-handed sword) with 2 extra attacks from 8 levels of skill lowering the ROF to 1/2, and the Eridani’s bonus attack lowering the ROF to 1 allowing him to attack with his normal 1 attack.
Larry the Human is in a bar fight that just got ugly (Who would have ever guessed!!) Larry is using nun chucks (He thinks he is the Black Bruce Lee). Larry has 3 levels of skill (I don’t think that’s enough to beat that Ram Python). Larry will get 3 attacks per round with his nun chucks. He gets two because the nun chucks’ ROF is 2 and one extra attack for having 3 levels of skill.
Multiple Attacks
A character in Archaic Hand Weapon Combat with 4 attacks (1 in the first segment, 1 in the second, and 2 in the third, see Attack Matrix above), can choose to parry for each of the first 2 attacks and then attack his opponent with the next 2. This situation makes writing down your actions before hand important (and a lot of fun; did you pick the right time to parry?)
Matrix Combat
Henry the Mutzachan and Ernie the Empath are rumbling. They roll initiative; Ernie rolls a 3 and Henry has a 5. Ernie goes first (sort of... see what happens next)! They declare actions; Ernie generates Pain (2 sec) and Henry generates Fire Blast (1 sec). Uh-oh. Even though Ernie won initiative his matrix will take longer to generate (a full action for 2 sec) than Henry’s (2 half actions for 1 sec). Henry fires and reduces Ernie to a greasy mound of ash.
Fredd the Python and Henry the Mutzachan are involved in the final show down. No guts, no glory! Henry attempts to generate a Fire Blast matrix. Henry rolls initiative and gets a 3. This power takes 1 seconds to manipulate (2 half actions to complete). Fredd, with 4 attacks, rolls a 7 on a d10. Henry wins! However all Henry is able to do is complete the half action of generating the power. With 4 attacks, Fredd is able to strike with his two-handed sword in his first half action. He scores a hit. Henry takes damage to his armor. Henry can’t complete the Fire Blast because his concentration has just been broken. Fredd reaches out and cuts Henry’s throat. Henry should have realized that you can’t generate most matrices under close combat situations.
Mortality
Fredd the Ram Python gets blasted into little lizard pieces by a Calsham 4 laser cannon. Normally, Fredd dies at -15 body points. Fredd has a constitution of 116. Poor Fredd seems to have taken a little bit more damage than was necessary to kill him. He is currently at -52 body points. If our hero had only been at -45 or less, the wonders of modern medicine could possibly revive him. But there is just not enough Fredd left. If he hadn’t received catastrophic damage, he could have been revived.
Wound Recovery
Fredd stabs Henry in the throat. If Henry receives prompt medical attention, he will not suffocate. However, he will only get back 1 body point per 8 full days of rest. Henry is out of action for awhile, unless he has some BRIs.
Super-Healing (Bless the BRI)
Henry the Mutzachan lost 2 body points. He started with 5 body points. He has a compound fracture of the left leg which heals at 1 point every 10 days. 40% of his body points have been lost, so his Constitution is dropped to 60% of the norm. He gains back 1 point every 10 days or 20% of his total Constitution every 10 days. Therefore, his body recovers Strength and Constitution at 02% per day.
Henry has the same wound, but is injected with a BRI that heals him completely in a few minutes. He only gains back his Constitution at 20% per day and won’t be completely fit for duty for 2 days.
