X-Com: Gray Dawn Movement

Movement

Maneuver and position can be every bit as important to the application of effective force as a precision attack. Movement in combat can be vital: to get out of a dangerous crossfire, to take cover or flank an opponent and negate their cover.

A combatant can move up to three times his MA in meters/combat round. Moving at this rate is considered a flat-out sprint; taking combat actions is possible, but the penalties are severe. For encounters played out in tactical tabletop fashion, one inch/hex/square equals one meter unless specified otherwise.

Movement is declared at the combatant's initiative, by taking a moving stance. Moving is an action. For every action spent moving, a combatant can move his MA in meters. Up to three movement actions can be taken. Just like multiple combat actions, these moves take place 5 initiative points apart. Actions dedicated to movement can later be changed to combat actions instead; if you had declared you'd be taking 4 actions (intending to move twice and fire twice) but decided after the first move that you didn't need to move again, that extra action could then be used to fire, instead.

If only one movement action and one combat action are taken, one can move and fire or fire and move without penalty if the actions are taken 5 initiative points apart. This is to reflect that in a short time (about 3 seconds), a combatant can move a short distance, recover, and not throw off his aim too much. Alternatively, you can attack on the run with all the penalties for extra actions. Say you go on initiative 10. You choose a moving stance and take two actions (one for movement and one for a firing action). You can move on initiative 10 and fire on 5 for no penalty, or (if you can't afford to wait to take a shot) move and fire on 10 at a -3 (firing on the move). If you chose to take 3 actions (one for movement and 2 for firing), the shots would only be at -3 each if you waited for 5 initiative points after the move. If you fired on the move on initiative X, it would be at -6 (-3 for firing on the move and -3 for extra actions). The second firing action would be at -3 (you've had a second to steady your aim, but you're still a bit rushed from pulling the trigger a couple extra times in a short span of time). When only taking one movement action, you can choose to move/fire or fire/move; If you move first, then you are effectively holding your firing action. You can act sooner than 5 initiative points later (and suffer that -3 penalty). However, if you fire first, you must wait for 5 initiative points to pass before you can move. In this sense, any combatant can essentially take a free move shortly after they have fired if they so choose, keeping in mind that moving may rob them of any benefits of cover.

If a combatant invests more than one action toward movement, he is considered to be running for a majority of the round, and his accuracy will suffer. For example, if you choose to run full out (3 movement actions) and take a shot (one extra action), the shot is taken at a -9 penalty (-3/extra action). If you take 2 movement actions and 2 combat actions, each shot is taken at -9 (4 total actions).

Moving does not allow one to take cover, but hitting a running target is obviously more difficult than hitting a stationary one. If fired on while running (2 movement actions taken), add 1/2 of your MA (rounding up) to your dodge/cover roll. Sprinting (3 movement actions) adds an additional +2; a combatant with a 9 or 10 MA who is sprinting will add +7 to any dodge/cover rolls!) If you make it to cover, you can move into it (and take active or full cover), and you then gain the benefits of cover from any subsequent shots. If you can't make it to cover inside of one movement action, casually strolling around a battlefield may not be the best course of action.