The West That Wasnt - Action Point Combat System
Eventually in any game narrative time gives way to action time. In action time, detailed accounting of actions, movement and resources becomes necessary. The action point system is provided to enable a challenging and fun action environment.
Action Points
The combat system in TWTW is designed to be used with a tactical map, utilizing either hexes or a ruler. The Judge should set the scene by placing the appropriate terrain features on the field. Players will control their character, while the Judge controls all NPCs.
During action time, each character has an allotment of Action Points (APs) that may be spent each round. All maneuvers, gear and skills have action point costs that must be paid for them to be effectively utilized during action time. Characters have APs based on their Reflex and the following table.
Most characters have 10 APs, with a range from 8-14. These points are allotted each round (described in the initiative system below). Unallocated points are considered surplus for tie breaking and initiative purposes, unused (allocated but unspent) are lost.
Movement
The following are AP costs for movement. Characters may change facing up to 60 degrees (one hexside) per pace of movement for free.
Drop prone: 1 AP
Stand up: 2 AP
Maneuver: 1 AP per pace (up to Dex)
Maneuver: 2 AP per pace (up to 2x Dex)
Run: 1/2 AP per pace
Duck behind cover: 1 AP
Emerge from cover: 1 AP
Change facing 60 degrees without moving: 1 AP
Change facing more than 60 degrees without moving: 2 AP
Change facing 120 degrees during a move: 1 AP
Mounts have special movement costs that depend on the quality and type, as do vehicles.
Attacks
Attack AP costs are for the attack itself, and any gear being used may add the APs for its use as well. The rules for melee attacks and ranged attacks are slightly different, and are listed separately.
Hand to Hand
In hand to hand combat, multiple attack types are possible, and they can be combined with whatever weapon is chosen. The attack types are quick, standard, heavy and careful.
A quick attack is an attack made with speed as the primary focus. A brawling jab and sword thrust are examples of quick attacks. A standard attack is the normal attack for whatever equipment or skill is being used. A brawling punch or sword slash are examples of standard attacks. Heavy attacks are attacks designed to deliver maximum damage. A haymaker punch or double handed sword thrust are examples of heavy attacks. Careful attacks are attacks that sacrifice speed for accuracy. Any attack can be careful, as long as the extra APs are spent.
Quick attack: 1 AP
Standard attack: 2 AP
Heavy attack: 4 AP
Careful attack: 2 AP
Quick Attacks
Quick attacks cost 1 AP and have a Penetration value of one lower than normal (minimum 0), additionally they reduce the effect row by one.
Standard Attacks
Standard attacks cost 2 AP and have the listed effects for the given attack type. No adjustment is made.
Heavy Attacks
Heavy attacks cost 4 AP and increase the effect row of the attack by one.
Careful Attacks
Careful attacks cost 2 AP extra to perform. All careful attacks receive +1 to the result of the attack test.
Hand to hand attacks may utilize weapons as well. The AP value for the weapon is added to the AP value for the attack. To use brass knuckles with a quick attack would cost 1 AP. To do a standard attack with a knife would cost 2 AP.
Ignore the attributes in the hand weapons table, I will get those redone later once the basic system is fleshed out.
Readying Melee Gear
To use gear, it must be ready. The AP costs assume the item is stowed in an appropriate manner. In most cases this cost should be sufficient, but it may be modified at Judge's discretion when gear is stowed in an unusual manner or otherwise difficult to access.
Ready knife: 2 AP
Ready sword: 3 AP
Ready spear: 4 AP
Ready tomahawk: 2 AP
Ready ax: 3 AP
A piece of gear need only be readied one time per combat. A weapon that is ready may continue to be used until stowed.
EXAMPLE
Defense
Characters in hand to hand combat can also allocate APs to defensive maneuvers. A block is versus a single attack and allows the use of the off hand (or occasionally, the primary hand) to physically stop an incoming attack. It is an active defense. Attacks must be blocked individually. Dodge is a passive defense and works against all attacks coming in from a 2 hexside direction.
Block: 2 AP
Dodge: 3 AP
EXAMPLE
Ranged Attacks
Ranged combat exclusively involves gear. Each type of gear has an AP cost to use. Gear also may have costs to aim, cock or load as well. Gear must be appropriately ready, loaded and prepared to fire.
Readying Ranged Gear
Gear must be ready before it can be used. The ready action is akin to drawing a handgun or blade, removing a rifle from a scabbard, etc. As with hand to hand gear, the ready cost listed here should be used in most cases. The Judge will inform players when gear costs extra APs to ready.
Ready small weapon: 1 AP
Ready handgun: 2 AP
Ready carbine: 3 AP
Ready long gun: 4 AP
Ready knife: 2 AP
As with hand to hand weapons, ranged weapons need only be readied once per scene, and may be continually used until stowed.
Using Ranged Weapons
Ranged weapons have a variety of attributes and values which are listed in the appropriate table for the weapon type. The handgun table is shown here for reference.
Each entry on the handgun table has a value in the aim column that is the AP cost to aim the weapon, as well as the penalty that the weapon incurs if fired without aiming. In the SPD column is the AP cost to fire the weapon, followed by the cost to cock it. Weapons with a dash do not need to be cocked before firing. The user may choose to cock the weapon, as described under Double Action.
Note that the time to fire the weapon is not just the time to pull the trigger. The trigger pull alone on almost all weapons varies only by an instant. Firing the weapon also requires bringing the barrel to bear on the target, and longer barrels take longer to effectively move into firing position.
Fast Draw
As a staple of old west fiction, Fast Draw is a skill that deserves a bit of exposition. Without the skill, anyone can draw their weapon, and if they choose to do nothing else, except maybe fire, they will have plenty of surplus APs to help them break initiative-based ties. However, some individuals are better, and those individuals have this skill.
Fast Draw is a Reflex based skill. A successful Fast Draw test reduces the AP cost to ready the weapon by 1 AP. Each bump reduces the ready cost by a further 1 AP, to a minimum of 0. Further bumps add one surplus AP each.
To use Fast Draw, indicate to the Judge your intent at the beginning of the round. The Judge will also indicate if any hombres under their control will be using the skill. Place action counters for shots during movement as if the Fast Draw has succeeded. Then, after all movement is complete everyone who is attempting Fast Draw resolves their test, and the actions resolve based on the new order. A failed Fast Draw test means the weapon is drawn, but for full AP cost. A calamity means the weapon is not drawn, and the AP are spent. Only one Fast Draw attempt may be made per round (except in the case of simultaneous attempts with each hand). Characters may need to be reordered for action resolution after Fast Draw checks.
EXAMPLE
Multiple Attacks
It is possible to spend APs on multiple attacks in the same round. As long as the points can be paid, the attacks can be made. There is a cost to such haste, however.
Characters receive the same result set (one card draw) to resolve all attacks they make during a round. This means the limit for attacks is the level of the skill being used. This is true irrespective of the attack type.
Each cell may only be used once. The first attack will use the highest, the second, the next highest, etc.
Two Weapon Fighting
Characters with the two weapon fighting talent (or perk, whatever we decide to call these) can draw one card per weapon. Each weapon is resolved independently.
Fan Firing
Fan firing is a special attack that can be made with a single action pistol. The hand holding the weapon holds down the trigger while the off hand "fans" the hammer, cocking the weapon after each shot. Fan firing is resolved like any other multiple attack, with the following exceptions:
If any result in the column is a Calamity, check the weapon for malfunction. AND
Increase the reliability of the weapon by one (increase the likelihood of breakdown). AND
Add one to the TN for each shot after the first, cumulatively.
Initiative and Declaration
During each round of combat, the first thing that must be determined is the order of actions. Each player must determine how many APs they will use that round, and then determine when their action will resolve. Rounds are divided into four phases (I-IV), actions within each phase are considered to be virtually simultaneous.
On the character sheet is a track with the numbers 1-14. This is for initiative declaration purposes and AP tracking. Each player places their initiative token on a number within the track that will be the number of APs they will use that round. This number cannot exceed the total APs the character has available. A player that does not allocate before drawing their card is assumed to be using all available APs.
The AP tracker also lists values for 1/2 and 1/4 of the AP value, which will be explained below.
Choosing Less
Why would any player choose less than their total APs? There are two reasons fewer APs may be chosen during a round. The first is that characters who use half or less of their APs receive a bonus of +1 in the Phase determination, and those who use one quarter or less receive a +2. Doing less increases the chance of going first.
The second reason is in-Phase timing. While the actions within the same Phase are considered to be virtually simultaneous, there is an order of operations, and the first tie breaker is surplus APs. The character with the most surplus APs goes first in the Phase. The second tie breaker is equipment attributes. The final tie breaker is Reflex die type. Characters who remain tied act simultaneously.
Resolving Initiative
Once the available APs for the round have been chosen, the player resolves a simple Reflex check to determine in which Phase they act. The TNs for each Phase are:
Phase I: 10
Phase II: 8
Phase III: 5
Phase IV: 2
The TN to act in the given Phase is located in the upper right corner.
Characters who generate a 1 or less hesitate and do not act that round. They still have their full defense, and may use APs for defensive maneuvers. Characters who generate a Calamity hesitate and have no APs to spend on defensive actions.
After determining the Phase, the player should place their initiative token in the appropriate box on their character sheet. This may be kept hidden until the Phase occurs, if the player wishes.
Action
Now that we know when characters will go, what exactly will they do? What follows is a description of how to moderate the turn. In TWTW, movement and action are handled separately. The turn begins with movement, followed by action.
Combat Movement
Unlike most games, the turn begins with the last character in Phase IV. Starting with this character, and going in reverse order, each character takes their move. If a character wishes to perform a maneuver, but not move (such as popping their head out of cover to take a shot), the player should place a movement counter next to their figure on the map to indicate such.
To make a move, the player moves the character the appropriate number of paces and decrements their Action Point tracker the appropriate number of APs. Characters who are maneuvering also pay those APs at this time. Be sure to accurately track the path the character takes for the move. This will be important later.
While characters are moving, any character who has not yet moved may place a fire counter on any point during the movement of another character to indicate when they wish to fire at that character. This represents the faster character (who is moving later because we started at the end) taking their shot, which will be resolved later. Once all characters have moved, move on to combat actions.
Combat Actions
Combat actions begin with the first character in Phase I. Each action is fully resolved before moving on to the next one, and all APs are paid before resolving the action. Characters may save APs for defensive actions later in the turn.
EXAMPLE
