X-Com: Gray Dawn Player Handout

Character Creation

Follow the link above for character creation guidelines.

Game Mechanics

Overview

XCOM: Gray Dawn uses the CP2020 game system with some modifications that will be explained below.

Opposed Rolls/Target Number

With the standard CP2020 interlok system, some of the stats were far more important than others, and some were flat-out dump stats. I want almost every stat to have some value, and no single stat to have overwhelming importance. (Reflexes, I'm looking at you!)

One of the primary tweaks I want to introduce is blended base stats. For example, in CP2020, an attack roll (with a gun) is Reflex (REF)+skill level+1d10. I feel that in the high-stress situation of a firefight, the cool stat (CL) should play a much greater role than it does.

Shooting at a paper target is one thing, exchanging gunfire with someone/thing that is shooting back is another. Not only do you have to place a shot dead on target (an act of hand-eye coordination), but you have to be able to duck out from behind cover to do it, or not lose your shit and panic-fire. People who do well at the firing range do not always win the day in actual gunfights if they do not have the nerve to employ their talents. If you neglect your cool stat, you shouldn't be able to fully employ your vaunted reflexes because when shit hits the fan you might tend to crack under pressure.

To this end, ranged attack rolls will be based on an average of REF and CL (rounding up)+skill level+1d10. The target number for any attack is the target's defense roll. This number is the average of the target's REF+MA (rounding up)+skill level+1d10. The attack roll must meet or exceed the defense roll to hit. Part of the reasoning behind this change is to allow a different factor in the challenge level of opponents. In the original system, if the Ref wanted enemies to be more survivable, the only way was to pile on armor. Now, you can have slippery, hard-to-hit enemies that are not walking tanks.

Likewise, close combat rolls will be based on an average of REF and BODY (rounding up)+1d10. Any martial art, melee or brawling attack will use this blended stat.

For ease during play, it is suggested to make note of these values for reference somewhere on the character sheet.

Ranged attack roll=(REF+CL)/2 + Weapon Skill + Modifiers + 1d10
Ranged defense roll=(REF+MA)/2 + Cover/Evade Skill + Modifiers + 1d10
Close combat attack/defense roll=(REF+BODY)/2 + Skill + Modifiers + 1d10

Target Number System

When your character attempts some feat or is asked to make a passive use of a skill, a Target number will be assigned to the task, as described in the CP2020 rules. These TNs will generally range from 10 (easy) to 30 (impossible). The roll is (Stat + Skill + Modifiers + 1d10). If the roll equals or exceeds the TN, the skill check succeeds.

While combat is intended to make use of opposed rolls (the target makes a Dodge/Cover roll when it is fired upon to determine the TN to hit it), this can make for a lot of extra dice rolls, especially in a combat scene with a lot of participants. At the Ref and players' discretion, simple TNs for ranged attacks may be used instead, with the difficulty determined by the range:

TN Range/Difficulty
10 Point-blank/Easy
15 Short/Average
20 Medium/Difficult
25 Long/Very Difficult
30 Extreme/Nearly Impossible

Players should still be given the opportunity to make dodge rolls against all ranged attacks, however, and any opponent with the perk "Uses Luck" may also make dodge rolls. If the target is making dodge rolls, add 5 to the dodge roll for each range category beyond short range. Medium range attacks would be dodges at +5, extreme range attacks would be at +15. Point-blank attacks (made at melee range) would be at -5, but depending on the type of weapon used, the target may get bonuses to dodge ranged attacks at extremely close range.

Derived Attributes

On the new character sheet forms you will find the stats "RA" (ranged attack), "CQB" (close-quarters battle), and "RD" (ranged defense). This is to help speed up combat a little bit and give easy reference without having to do a simple math procedure over and over.

Attribute Checks

Sometimes, you will be called upon to make an attribute check. In this case, roll 1d10 and compare it to the relevant attribute. If the roll is less than or equal to your attribute value, you have succeeded. This is frequently used for the luck skill, for example, when a character is scrounging for an item.

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Also note, most skill/stat checks "explode" both up and down. A critical success roll (a 10 on a d10) allows you to roll again and add the result. If you roll another 10, keep going. So a stat of 7 with skill level 4 would have a base of 11; if you rolled a 10 and a 4, the final skill roll would be 7+4+10+4=25. If you roll a "fumble," (a 1 on a d10), roll again and subtract the result from the base roll. If this roll results in a 10, keep rolling. Using the same base stat/skill levels as above, if you rolled a 1 followed by a 10, you would roll again. If you then rolled a four, your skill roll would be 7+4-10-4= -3. Not only would that result in a pretty universal failure, but something horrible probably happened along the way. Maybe you shot your teammate in the back on accident, or accidentally deleted the hard drive on the computer you were working on...

Critical Failures

If an attack roll results in a fumble, the end results will largely depend on the weapon being used. Of course, the Ref has final say over the nature and severity of any fumbles, but the following may be considered general guidelines.

A critical failure occurs when, through the application of multiple penalties and (usually) rolling a 1 that explodes downward, the final attack roll is equal to or less than 0. First off, you must roll for the weapon's reliability on a d10:

Very reliable: Failure on 9 or higher
Standard reliability: Failure on 6 or higher
Unreliable: Failure on 4 or higher

A failure for a firearm means the weapon is jammed, requiring an action and an easy (10) weaponsmith check or standard (15) weapon skill check to clear. This is often the result of a stovepipe jam, double-feed or a dud cartridge. Clearing a jam will result in the loss of 1d3 rounds from the magazine as the action is cycled. A failure for a melee weapon results in the weapon breaking.

Depending on the severity (how awfully negative the attack roll was) of the failure, other results are possible from a critical failure:

For firearms:

Simply missing the target (most fumbles)

Accidentally dumping the magazine

Critical Weapon failure (will require repairs that cannot be completed during combat)

Attacker accidentally shoots himself (do not treat as point-blank fire; roll damage as normal)

Attacker accidentally shoots at an ally (treat as suppressing fire)

(For automatic weapons) Wrong fire selection/cook off

For melee weapons:

The weapon is dropped

The weapon slips, causing 1d3 damage to the attacker's hands

The attacker swings wildly, hitting himself (full damage + BTM bonus)

The attacker swings wildly, hitting a nearby ally

The weapon gets lodged in nearby scenery (the ground, a tree, a wall, etc.)

For martial arts/unarmed attacks:

Overextension (you throw yourself off-balance, your next attack is at a -3 penalty)

You fall down (while prone, you cannot use your dodge/cover skill to avoid attacks)

You hit nearby scenery, causing punch/kick damage to your arm/leg

You swing wild and hit a nearby ally

Your fist/leg gets tangled/stuck in nearby scenery (a window, sheet rock wall, etc.)

Taking Cover

Cover also plays an important role, one that is often neglected in RPGs or by some players. Cover not only protects you from being hit, but provides a psychological boost; if you feel safe, your chances of being able to act out of anything other than instinct is improved. Every level of cover grants 4 points of SP to covered areas, and helps when you are under suppressing fire. Most cover ranges from 1 (light concealment like a wooden fence) to 6 (a jersey barrier or sturdy tree). Cover only protects if the direction of fire intersects; watch out for flankers! Player characters should also consider movement to flank their opponents and minimize their protection from cover. Likewise, armor grants a bonus: for every full 5 SP of torso armor, the target gains a +1 to their suppression roll, feeling they can shrug off fire and take it on the armor. (See "Suppression", below)

In CP2020, target numbers (TN) are used for to-hit numbers. Here, we will used an opposed-roll system. When an attack is made, the target will (usually) make a defense roll, which will determine whether the attack hits. This may reflect the target's mobility and speed; their sheer ability to evade. It can also represent the ability to take effective cover while an attack is made. However it is rationalized, some targets are much more slippery and able to avoid being hit. Optionally, opposed rolls for NPCs may be reserved for special characters, with "mooks" only requiring a TN based on range to hit. An exception is the ambush (See "Flanking Maneuvers" in the movement section).

To make a ranged defense roll, take the average of REF and MA+Dodge/Cover skill+1d10. This is to reflect not only how quickly you can get out of harm's way, but how well you can deal with being attacked and keep things together to effectively defend yourself. Real-life statistics show that the people most likely to survive gunfights aren't necessarily the best shots, but those who can keep it together enough to take cover and protect themselves. To make a close combat attack/defense roll, use (REF+BODY)/2+relevant skill+1d10.

Another advantage to taking cover: If a shot manages to hit and the target location is behind cover, the shot strikes the cover first. If it is a powerful attack and/or the cover is light, the target may still take damage, but if the cover is sufficiently sturdy (such as a boulder, tree or sandbags), all the damage may be stopped. Each level of cover will stop 4 points of damage before it is applied to the target. To be considered viable cover, any piece of scenery should be large enough for the attacker to hide the majority of their body behind it depending on their body position (you can stand upright behind the corner of a building, crouch down behind a car or Jersey barrier, or lay prone in a shallow ditch or behind a tall curb, for example). Depending on what stance you take in combat will determine what body locations are exposed. Taking full cover means that you are hiding behind cover and all hit locations are protected. Taking active cover means that you are peeking out to retaliate. As such, your head, arms and a portion of the torso will be exposed. (hit locations 1, 2, 5 and 6). A very few types of fortified locations (sandbag MG nest, firing slit in a bunker) might cover everything except the shooter's head. A telephone pole may offer a high level of protection, but the hit locations it protects might be minimal. Such a position wouldn't count as cover for purposes of aiding suppression checks, but may (at the Ref's discretion) help mitigate damage. Some types of cover may be quite sturdy, but might not cover a significant portion of the body, such as a telephone pole or fire hydrant, or they might be big enough to hide behind but somewhat flimsy (such as a dense bush or the wall in a house). Instead of trying to determine what body parts these cover, the Ref may decide that these types of cover instead offer a bonus to graze rolls.

Taking cover will also affect the target's ability to witness what is happening in the middle of a firefight. If the target takes full cover (which may or may not be possible depending on the nature of the cover) they may lose track of where enemies are located. While taking full cover any shots that hit the target will usually have to penetrate the cover, first.

If using a hex or grid map, being adjacent to a spot of cover can grant you the benefit of cover (depending on the direction of incoming fire). If using a free map, being less than one inch (or two inches with the "Shoulder Roll" perk) from cover will allow you to take cover.

Suppressing Fire

Sometimes it is desirable to try and keep an enemy pinned down or interfere with his ability to fight. This is achieved through suppressing fire which is a volume of fire laid down in the general vicinity of a target. The incoming fire will distract the target, which makes it more difficult for them to achieve their goals (for example, shooting you), and puts them at risk of being hit by incoming fire if they brave it to attack or leave cover. It also encourages targets to take cover, and if the suppression is sustained from one combat round the next, helps keep them pinned down.

How to Use Suppressing Fire

A suitable weapon must be used to suppress a target. A “suitable” weapon has a high enough rate of fire, and a magazine capable of holding sufficient ammunition. Shotguns, while generally having neither of these, can be used for suppression because of the nature of their ammunition with clouds of buckshot being not only 1. Terrifying, but 2. They cover a large area with lots of small projectiles. A sniper rifle, for example, cannot not be used to apply suppression because of its slow rate of fire and low magazine size. A short list of weapons that can be used is as follows:

• High-capacity automatic pistols

• SMGs

• Assault Rifles

• Machineguns

• Shotguns

• Some Area of Effect weapons (thrown grenades, artillery)

Laying down suppressing fire takes the shooter’s entire combat round, as they are assumed to be snapping off shots at their target for the entirety of that time. Each combat round, before the combatant with the highest initiative takes their action, any combatant can declare that they are going to use suppressing fire during the round. They use their readied weapon, select target(s) and choose how much ammunition they are going to devote to the task. The shooter must have a relatively clear line of fire to the target; there can be no other combatants in the way. Greater volumes of fire will allow greater suppression of a single target or allow for suppression to be spread over multiple targets. This fire will put “Suppression Levels” on the target(s). The more levels, the harder it is for the target to overcome the psychological toll, and the more it will interfere with their actions. A greater volume of fire will also put the target at a greater risk of being hit should they brave the fire.

Suppression Levels by Weapon Type

• Pistols: 10 shots=1 suppression, Full magazine=2 suppression

• Automatic weapons: 10 shots=1 suppression

• Shotguns: 1 ROF (usually 2 shots)=1 suppression

• AoE weapons=special (see below)

When you choose to lay down suppressing fire, the shooter makes an attack roll against each target to see how accurate the suppression is. This attack roll is subject to normal attack penalties (such as wound modifiers, darkness, firing off-handed, etc.). The TN for the roll is based on the target’s range, but even if this attack roll is failed, suppressing fire will have the minimal effects listed above. If the shooter meets the TN, he is able to apply 1 extra level of suppression to the target. For every increment of 5 higher than the TN, an additional +1 level is applied.

Andre is attempting to suppress an enemy at 8m with his automatic pistol. He chooses to fire his entire magazine (2 suppression levels). Short range for a pistol is 10m, so his TN for suppressing fire is 15. The result of his suppressing fire attack roll is 22, so he is able to apply 2 extra levels of suppression (1 for meeting the TN of 15, and another one for beating it by 5 or more), for a total of 4. If he had rolled a 25 (or used a couple points of luck to raise his result to 26), he would have applied 3 extra levels of suppression, for a total of 5.

Effects of Suppressing Fire

When a combatant is targeted with suppressing fire, they must immediately make a suppression check to determine how much it affects them. Suppression checks are made by using the target's CL stat + Dodge/Cover skill + Modifiers + 1d10. The difficulty TN of the suppression check is determined by the total suppression levels placed on them (which may come from different shooters coordinating fire). The TN for a suppression check with 1 level of suppression is 10 (easy). Each additional level of suppression adds 5 to the TN, up to a maximum of TN 30 (5 levels of suppression). It is increasingly difficult to resist suppression from an overwhelming amount of fire, or accurate suppression laid down by a skilled shooter.

• If the target makes their suppression check, they are able to overcome the worst effects of the suppression. Their next action has a penalty to it equal to the level of suppression applied.

• If the target fails their suppression check, the incoming fire has severely rattled them. Their next action has a penalty to it equal to 2x the level of suppression applied. If the target can get behind full cover (such as the corner of a building or a sturdy wall that blocks line of sight and their action doesn’t expose them to the shooter, they can act as if they passed the suppression check).

• If the target fumbles (rolls a 1) on their suppression check, treat this as a failure above, but additionally their initiative is reduced by the level of suppression applied as they hesitate to act. If this reduces their initiative below zero, they miss their action this round. Roll a new initiative score and they can act on the next round.

• If the target critically fails (suppression check roll is zero or less) the target becomes panicked (see “Panic” for a full description of this effect.)

“Next Action” refers to any actions taken during the course of the current combat round (since combatants can take multiple move and fire actions during a round). If you are under suppression, and choose to take 2 firing actions, the penalty applies to both actions, not just the first. However, if you miss your action due to an adjustment of your initiative score, the target will automatically make a check for the “hunker down” action (see below) for the current round to determine if they are hit by suppressing fire, at which point the suppression clears.

Braving the Fire

When a target comes under suppressing fire, it applies penalties to their actions during the round. Sometimes, a target will come under suppressing fire while they are in the open, or a combatant under suppressing fire may try to leave cover. If they are in the open and do not choose to immediately seek cover, or leave the protection of cover they are behind, increase the penalty against their next action by 2 levels of suppression if their next action takes place while they are in the open. If the target can move to cover within his normal movement allowance, they can maintain just the penalty applied by the suppressing fire already on them.

Andre has laid down 4 levels of suppression on a target with his automatic pistol. The target is currently behind cover 8m away. The target fails its TN 25 suppression check. If the target remains behind cover, its next action will be at -8 (4 effective levels of suppression), but if it leaves cover, any checks made while in the open will be at -12 (6 levels of suppression).

All actions the target takes during the round suffer a penalty. If the target exposes themselves (to move, return fire or some other action) they stand a chance to take some of the fire being directed at them. If they fail at their action (whatever it is), for every 5 points the TN is missed, they take 1 hit from the incoming fire.

Movement does not normally require a skill check, but if one is under suppressing fire, moving out of cover exposes oneself, and the target runs the risk of being hit by the suppressing fire. The more the target moves, the more they are exposed, and the greater the difficulty to avoid being hit. If the target moves to leave cover they must make a dodge/cover check with a TN based on how many movement actions they used. If a target in the open moves to take cover, they do not have to roll to dodge suppressing fire for whatever movement they use (however, they will face extra action penalties on their next action if they had to use more than move action to reach cover, just as they normally would, which might, in turn, cause them to be hit by incoming fire).

• 1xMA=TN 15

• 2xMA=TN 20*

• 3xMA=TN25*

• Targets using 2x or 3x their MA can add ½ or their full MA, respectively, to their dodge/cover rolls for the purpose of this check

The suppression penalty applies to the dodge/cover check made when moving from cover under suppressing fire. Remember that movement is an action; the target may move from cover, take one or more hits from suppressing fire, then stop at the end of their movement to take an action, fail miserably and take one or more hits from suppressing fire. Note that, as with targeted full-auto fire, the target of suppressing fire can never be hit by more shots than were fired at them, regardless of how cosmically terrible their skill checks are, but the more stuff a target of suppressing fire tries to do, the more they are exposing themselves to danger.

Andre’s target is armed only with a melee weapon, so he decides to brave the fire and rush Andre. He has an MA of 6, so he would require 2 movement actions to reach Andre. He will need to make a TN 20 dodge/cover check for its move action, and an attack roll to strike Andre. It rolls a 16 for the dodge/cover check, but with a -12 penalty this is reduced to 4, which normally means that 3 shots would hit. However, because of his speed (MA 6) it can add +3 to the dodge roll, increasing it to 7 and reducing the number of hits to 2. His attack roll is better, at 25, while Andre’s opposed roll is only 15, but Andre’s opponent still has a -12 penalty for the suppressing fire and another -3 for taking an extra movement action for a total penalty of -15. This reduces its roll to 10 (failed attack roll by 5) so it is hit by an additional shot. Considering how things turned out, Andre's opponent probably would have been better off just to sit tight and wait for Andre to run his pistol dry.

The target of suppression can voluntarily "hunker down" and choose not to take an action while suppressing fire rains around them. There is still a small chance to be hit through or around the cover, but this “action” will count as their “next action.” If the target hunkers down, they make a LUCK + dodge/cover roll at TN 10. Penalties for suppression are not applied to this “skill” check (hence, sitting tight for a few seconds is a much safer course of action). Combatants who lose their action due to an adjustment of their initiative score automatically take this action while being suppressed. If the target is in the open while hunkering down (from losing their action, panic, not being able to reach cover or by choice), they can only use their LUCK stat, and suppression penalties do apply to the roll. Don’t get caught flat-footed out in the open!

When the target of suppressing fire completes their actions for the current round—even if that “action” is to sit tight and wait for the fire to stop—all penalties for suppression are lifted. Suppression is temporary, and must be sustained to have a continuous effect, which may require multiple shooters to coordinate fire to deal with the need to reload weapons (which will certainly happen with greater frequency if combatants are emptying mags left and right laying down suppressing fire!)

Area of Effect Weapons

Some weapons such as grenades affect all targets in a wide area. While they do not apply suppression in the same manner as direct fire, most combatants will actively seek to not get blown up by a grenade that lands nearby, or they might dive for cover if they hear the whistle of incoming artillery.

If a combatant uses a time-delayed AoE weapon (most hand grenades or indirect artillery), combatants may opt to dive for cover that is within 1 movement action and wait for the grenade to blow or the shells to land, if they are able to notice the incoming weapon, which may require an awareness/notice skill check. If they dive for cover (or simply hit the deck if they are in the open), they will miss their next action, but the effect of the blast is reduced by half unless it is a direct hit (lands within 1m of a target). If any targets have cover between them and the blast, the cover will take this half damage before any is applied to the target. A target in the open hitting the deck still takes only half damage, but they will have no cover other than their armor to take the hits.

This may seem to produce a strange kind of “time warp” effect in the middle of a combat round that is supposed to last approximately 3 seconds, as most hand grenades deployed today will detonate 3-8 seconds after the pin is pulled and the spoon released. The emphasis here is on combat round being “approximately” 3 seconds. If combatant A has an initiative score of 15 and combatant B has an initiative score of 14, A’s actions will be resolved before B’s, even if combatant C (who dove for cover) had an initiative score of 13; even though the grenade blew on initiative 15, they spent the intervening time before the grenade went off ducking for cover. While it is possible to implement a system for delayed grenades and allow combatants to “cook off” grenades to shorten the time between when they are thrown and when they explode, this system is much simpler and does not require anyone track the timers on thrown grenades.

Some AoE weapons, such as impact (launched) grenades and rockets will not allow targets to automatically dive for cover, but they may opt to dive for cover by sacrificing their next action, and with a successful dodge/cover check at TN 15 they can take half damage.

Panic

See “Panic” in the Player handbook

Order of Operations

Combat starts

1. All combatants roll initiative

2. Suppressing Fire phase—any combatants that want to perform suppressing fire do so now.

Suppressing fire phase

1. All combatants declare intent to perform suppressing fire.

2. Combatants declare targets & volume of fire in reverse initiative order.

3. Combatant makes attack roll vs. range TN.

4. Suppression levels applied to targets. Targets make suppression checks.

Regular combat round

1. Combatants take actions in order of initiative score.

2. When all combatants have taken their actions, return to Suppressing fire phase.

Luck Points

Another dump stat, historically, was Luck. In the original CP2020 system, it was very limited in use, and it didn't seem to really reflect a character possessing any inherent "luckiness." Each point in the luck stat gives the PC a "luck point" that can be used as follows:

·Two luck points can be burned to re-roll any roll. Often used to counter fumbles, it can also be used to re-roll failed stun or death saves or hit locations that directly affect your character.

·Luck can be burned after an unsuccessful roll is made to turn it into a success. One luck point=+2 to the roll. (I got this one from the Star Trek game, and rather liked it.)

·Luck is also the base stat upon which graze rolls (see below) are made. Unlucky characters will take full damage far more often.

Luck points replenish at the start of each game session. You don't get any rewards for saving them, so don't be afraid to burn them! But you might want to make sure to keep a couple in reserve. You know, just in case you get shot in the head, or screw something up really bad...

The use of the Luck stat is primarily a PC-only luxury. However, some NPCs have the NPC-only perk "Uses Luck," which will allow them to play dirty. If an opponent forces you to re-roll, you might be in for a scrape...

Damage Application

The primary, instantaneous effect of taking any damage in combat results in the target having to make a stun save. Each time a target suffers any damage, they must make a d10 roll vs. the their body stat. If the roll is equal to or less than the stat number, the stun save is made. Increasing levels of damage and some perks will add penalties or bonuses to the stun save roll. If a stun save is failed, pain and shock have taken the target out of combat temporarily; if they are not in mortal condition, every round when their initiative comes up, they can make a stun save roll. They are out of action until they succeed.

If a target takes enough damage to put them in mortal condition (more than 12 points on the wound track), that wound (and every subsequent injury) will require they make a death save in addition to the stun save. This is the point where trauma threatens to shut down a target's organs, or they run the risk of bleeding out. Without some kind of medical intervention, surviving this kind of damage is generally not possible. Death saves are made in the same way as stun saves, but failing a death save means the target is not only out of combat, but they are unconscious and rushing headlong toward the light at the end of the tunnel. The target will die at the end of the turn (after 10 combat rounds) unless a medic with the doctor skill stabilizes them. The first aid skill can be used to temporarily stabilize a patient, but this is a temporary measure at best; without a critical success on the skill check, the first aid skill will only give the patient an additional 1d6 minutes for real medical attention to attempt to stabilize them. Targets who suffer a crippling limb injury will need to make a one-time death save, even if they are not in mortal condition (see "crippling damage," below). Failing a stun save while in mortal condition will render the target unconscious, as well (even if they make the death save). While in mortal condition, death saves will need to be made every turn (10 rounds) until a medic can stabilize you, and for every turn you are in mortal condition, you are considered to be "bleeding out." A character who is bleeding out suffers an additional mark on the wound track until they eventually perish or are stabilized by a doctor.

In CP2020 combat can be pretty instantaneously deadly, which is often very much in-line with reality. Damage to the head is doubled. Damage multipliers take place after the BTM is subtracted.

Alternate Hit Location Models

The method to determine hit location in CP2020 is done by rolling a d10. A roll of 1 is the head, 2-4 torso, 5 left arm, 6 right arm, 7-8 left leg and 9-10 right leg. As one can see, this heavily favors hits to the legs (40% chance to hit). On a purely random distribution based on surface area, this may make sense. However, most shots (even poorly aimed snap shots) will generally be aimed a bit higher so that on the bell curve of where bullets land, the lower legs and feet should be struck far less often.

Depending on player/Ref preference, I have a couple hit location models to substitute. The first uses a d8 instead of a d10 (or re-roll locations of 9 & 10 on a d10) with the standard CP2020 hit location table. This increases the chance for a head shot slightly, and the torso a bit more (12.5% vs. 10% chance of a head shot and 37.5%/30% for a hit to the torso). It also reduces the chances for a hit to the legs from 40% to 25%.

A second option is to allow single shots to roll for location while burst or automatic fire and explosions all target the torso (or alternatively, all shots will hit the torso unless they are called shots). This would speed up certain aspects of combat by eliminating some dice rolls. This makes cover more useful by forcing opponents to take called shots if they don't want a chance for the cover to soak the damage. It also makes cover more useful against automatic fire. A more "cinematic" style would be to apply all shots except those targeting specific hit locations to the target's torso. This last option is not realistic, but would speed up combat and incentivize taking aimed shots.

Because cover usually protects the legs (at the very least), it is recommended that the original hit location table be used for a target behind cover, to maximize the effectiveness of cover, and also because a target behind cover is likely to be crouching, where the legs would fall more into the "center of mass" target area.

Aimed Shots

Aimed shots at a body location can be taken at a -4 penalty to the attack roll. This requires the shooter to adopt a bracing stance. Alternately, a combatant may opt for a "center of mass" aimed shot. This does not require a bracing stance. It incurs only a -2 penalty to the attack roll, but if the shot hits, roll a d6 for hit location. This targeting mode greatly increases the odds of both a head shot or a torso hit (and if the target is behind cover, may negate some of that protection).

Aimed shots may be taken at only a -2 penalty against incapacitated or prone targets. If aiming in close combat, one need not take a bracing stance.

Aimed shots can only be taken with single or semi-auto fire. It is not available for burst-fire or autofire, because the attack bonus associated with those types of attack rely on the shooter spraying bullets around liberally (which is pretty much the exact opposite of "aiming").

Damage Types

The wound track is a series of boxes on the character sheet. Damage is abstracted somewhat and largely represents the overall level of incapacitation the victim is suffering from. It differs from "hit points" in that one doesn't count down from their total until they run out of damage they can suffer (whereupon they fall unconscious or die), but instead tracks damage upward until they can physically take no more, whereupon they are incapacitated, dying or dead. Even tough guys can get knocked out with a single lucky shot, and sometimes regular joes can take a beating that would make Rambo cringe. Light wound state (1-4 marks) is a light state of injury; you hurt a bit, but can carry on with no penalties. Serious wound state (5-8 marks) is the point where people start to take notice of things; they are generally in extreme pain, they begin to lose focus (-1 to INT) and doing anything other than sitting still tends to cause greater pain, hindering their movements (-1 REF, -1 CL). Critical wound state (9-12 marks) is where the victim has suffered severe trauma from a single large wound or a series of smaller ones. Lack of focus and coordination is extreme (-1/3 or -2, whichever is greater, to INT, REF and CL). Mortal wound state (13+ marks) is the point at which the victim is in a very real danger of bleeding out and dying. Characters that reach a mortal wound state will eventually die unless their wounds are treated. When this state is reached, the character must begin making death saves in addition to stun saves. A failed death save means that the victim has lost consciousness and will die unless stabilized. A failed stun save while in mortal condition means that the victim is knocked unconscious, and is effectively out of the combat.

Wounding Damage

This is regular trauma: Cuts, burns, severe abrasions or blunt force trauma. When an attack or injury causes 2 or more points of damage (after BTM is applied), this is considered a wounding damage. Cumulative wounds increase the chance that a target will become incapacitated, either temporarily from the pain of injuries or from bleeding out. Wounding damage should be considered quite painful; players can roleplay their character's discomfort as they choose, but characters with a low Cool stat should be significantly more affected by pain. Likewise, characters with a high Cool stat, Resist Torture/Drugs skill or the Toughness perk could feasibly block out some of the pain ("I ain't got time to bleed!"). If the character stays active, wounding damage will only heal at the rate of 1/2 point per day. If limited to light activity only or bedrest, wounding damage will heal at a rate of 1/2 point, but if a difficulty 15 first aid or doctor skill check is made, this will double to 1 point per day.
Wound Track Mark: X

Minor Wounds

Any injury that results in only a single point of damage is considered a minor wound. These marks on the wound track should be made differently than other wounds, perhaps with a single hash instead of an "X" in the boxes of the wound track). These are generally dings, bruises, scrapes and minor cuts. Some perks deal with these wounds differently, and 1-point wounds will heal much faster; so long as the character is not in "mortal" condition, up to four 1-point wounds will be "healed" within approximately one day of game time, if the patient is allowed to take it easy and recuperate; carrying on a long march or performing hard labor is not conducive to recovery, and they will only heal at the rate of wounding damage until the character can take it easy and rest for a full day. Even after healing, the injuries may still be there (in the form of scabs, bruises or soreness, but they will cease to hinder the character.
Wound Track Mark: /

Stun Damage

Some weapons/attacks will deal Stun Damage. This type of injury represents pain, soreness or some other kind of incapacitating force that does not leave lasting physical trauma to the victim. Blunt force trauma from things like clubs and most unarmed attacks is half real/half stun (round in favor of stun damage). Stun damage represents pain, soreness and shock. It will affect the character for the purpose of making stun and death saves, but stun damage heals quickly, at a rate of 1 point/hour. If a character fails a stun save from stun damage, they are incapacitated until they pass a stun save when their initiative comes up, just as from receiving a normal wound. A character failing a death save from stun damage is knocked unconscious, and has a chance to recover (by making another death save) once every turn (10 combat rounds). Wounding Damage and Minor wounds will tick off boxes on the wound track filled with stun damage first, but additional stun damage ticks off unmarked boxes on the wound track Like minor wounds, stun damage should be marked differently on the wound track (possibly with a horizontal dash) because it heals differently and has different effects; you don't want to accidentally die from being hit by a taser due to a bookkeeping error!
Wound Track Mark: -

Crippling Damage

If a limb sustains 8 points of damage in a single attack (after BTM is applied), it is considered crippled (or blown off/severed, depending on the type and severity of the attack), but only a maximum of 8 points will be applied to the wound track. If a limb is crippled this way, the target must make a death save to avoid succumbing to blood loss/shock even if they are not in mortal condition (i.e., if an uninjured character gets his arm or leg crippled), he must make a death save at -0, even though he only has 8 points on the wound track (a serious wound state). A crippled limb will require stabilization (skill roll target 15), but this can be accomplished with the first aid skill and does not require the doctor skill. If the wound results in a severed limb and is not stabilized, death saves will need to be made every turn (10 combat rounds, or approximately 30 seconds) until it is (even if the character is not in mortal condition). Subsequent wounds to limbs that have been crippled do not add to the wound track; the limb is already damaged to the point that further shock and trauma will not worsen the target's overall condition, however subsequent crippling wounds may require a check to see if the limb is blown off or severed.

Damage to the head is doubled on the wound track (a 2-point wound to the head would result in 4 points on the wound track). Doubling occurs after BTM is subtracted. If the head sustains 8 or more points of damage in a single attack (before doubling) and is crippled, this is considered an instantaneously fatal wound. The target automatically fails their death save, and will expire without stabilization. Damage to the head does not top out at 8 points on the wound track as with limb hits, and subsequent damage to a crippled head does apply to the wound track.

To determine the extent of crippling damage, the victim must make a stat roll. Use the victim's Body+Luck+1d10 vs. the post-BTM damage to the limb/head. If this check is failed, the limb/head is considered severed/destroyed. If this check succeeds, the limb/head is still crippled and unusable, but the nature of the damage is less; a limb will have one or more broken bones that will eventually need to be set and immobilized. A crippled head may result in a cracked skull, broken jaw, damaged eyes/ears, etc. A failed death save from a severed arm or leg will result in the victim dying through shock or blood loss unless stabilized within one turn (10 combat rounds). A victim with a crippled head may be stabilized and revived; a severed or "destroyed" head will, of course, result in instantaneous, unpreventable death. This is when victims venture far past the realm of "mostly dead."

Stun damage wounds that cause more than 8 points of damage in a single attack might (at the Ref's discretion) have certain special effects such as torn/pulled muscles, sprained joints, concussion, extended stun time, unconsciousness or temporary blindness/deafness.

The torso cannot be crippled in the same manner as the extremities, but wounds to the torso do not top out at 8 points on the wound track; if you suffer a 20-point chest wound, you tick off 20 boxes on the wound track (which would put the target well into mortal condition).
Wound Track Mark: █

Explosion Damage

Damage from weapons such as grenades is considered explosion damage. Almost any weapon that has an area of effect (AoE) is considered to inflict this kind of damage. Since an explosion can easily engulf the victim's entire body, armor may not fully protect the target. Damage from an explosion is applied to the target's torso armor, but even if this is enough to stop the attack, unprotected body parts will allow wounds to be inflicted. Each extremity (head/arms/legs) that is protected by at least 8 SP of armor (or level/2+ cover) is considered protected. Each unprotected limb (<8 SP) will cause two points of damage (four for the head) to the wound track, even if the torso armor stops the blast damage. Example: A standard frag grenade (7d6 damage) would cause (rounding down) an average of 24 damage. If the target is wearing only an SP 14 vest, 14 points of damage would be stopped, resulting in a 10-point wound. Because no other body locations were covered, another 12-point wound would be incurred. BTM would apply to each wound separately. In the previous example, if the target was also wearing an SP 20 helmet, the secondary wound would only be 8 points instead of 12. If the target was also behind level 2 cover (8 SP), the damage would be further reduced to 2 from the main blast (SP 14 armor+8 SP cover=SP 22), and an additional 4-point wound (2 points each for the exposed arms). If the target was wearing SP 14 full body armor with a helmet, the resulting damage would be a 10-point wound from the main blast and no secondary wounds for uncovered locations. Since timed grenades don't go off on impact, there is a chance with the delay to avoid some of the damage; see the suppression rules for details. Explosion damage causes normal wounding, minor wound or crippling damage. If the primary damage or secondary damage from unprotected limbs is 8 or more, (after BTM) roll Body+Luck+1d10 vs. target number 15 to determine if a random (unarmored) limb/head was blown off or crippled.

Grazing

When you take a hit in combat, there is always a chance that any hit will only graze the target, dealing minimal damage. (It's only a flesh wound!). When a successful hit is made, roll for hit location. Apply damage vs. armor. If it penetrates, and the penetrating damage exceeds the minimal grazing damage (see below), make a graze roll (LK+1d10) vs. a target of 15 . If the target number is reached, the attack merely grazes the target, dealing a maximum of 1 point of damage/d6 base damage (any weapons that have +X damage still deal the +X). So, a grazing shot with a weapon that deals 4d6+1 will deal 5 damage. Weapons that deal d10 damage inflict 2 points/d10 on a graze. BTM still applies to this damage. With a BTM of -2, that 4d6+1 graze would cause a 3-point wound (which is a lot better than a 13-point wound)

Some weapons/ammunition types may have graze modifiers, meaning targets are more or less likely to avoid taking full damage from their attacks (for example, hollow point rounds will usually have a graze penalty, while armor piercing rounds will likely have a graze bonus). Head shots suffer a graze penalty of -2, hits to the limbs get a bonus of +2. If the attack just barely succeeds (attack roll is equal to or only 1 greater than the defense roll), there is a graze bonus of +1. Each additional shot in a burst adds a graze penalty of -1. Generally, "mooks" will not make graze rolls.

Lucky characters are lucky for a reason. Grazing head shot damage exceeding the BTM does not inflict double points on the wound track.

Shotguns

Contrary to popular belief (and the FNFF rules), shotguns are not exactly area-effect weapons. They still need to be aimed, especially at standard combat ranges. The CP 2020 rules regarding shotguns are somewhat confusing; they seem to imply that no hit roll is required, and they vastly overestimate the spread pattern. Since we are using an opposed-roll system, shotguns will have an improved attack bonus to reflect the fact that they do spread. At close/medium/long range their bonus is +2/4/6. Their damage is reduced at range as described in the FNFF rules.

Because of their spreading bonus, shotguns are good for overcoming the bonuses granted by several factors, such as cover. If a body part protected by cover is hit by a shotgun, the cover only provides 2 SP/level instead of 4; the spreading nature of the attack means that some pellets may be striking areas that are not covered.

Shotguns raise the target number for suppression by +2/shot rather than the regular +1/attack because of the area they cover, the damage they cause and the psychological impacts of these effects. If you can pour multiple shotgun blasts on a target, it tends to make them duck.

Burst Fire

Some weapons, notably automatic weapons, will have a "burst fire" mode in addition to their fully automatic mode. This is done in an attempt to increase the chances of scoring a hit by placing more rounds in the vicinity of the target while restricting sustained fire that would accomplish little more than throwing off one's aim (and subsequently conserving ammo).

Using burst fire adds +3 to the attack roll in lieu of a weapon's WA bonus (if any). Burst fire cannot be used with a targeted shot.

Instead of 1d6/2 to determine number of hits, roll 1d6. 1-2=1 hit, 3-5=2 hits and 6=3 hits.

When burst fire is used for covering fire, it is slightly less efficient in terms of shots fired/suppression points to target. But, since the shots from each burst will be more tightly grouped, each burst will cause the target to make a defense roll. (Basically, the target takes a handful of d10s equal to the number of incoming bursts and rolls, checking for 1's and re-rolling any of these to see if it results in a critical failure of their defense roll.)

To speed up combat and to make automatic fire more effective against armored opponents, instead of rolling an additional set of damage and applying it to the target's armor, each additional hit from burst fire deals an additional die of damage to the target. If a submachine gun that deals 2d6+1 damage hits a target with all shots from a 3-round burst, it would then deal 4d6+1 damage.

Automatic Fire

Some weapons have an autofire mode (usually ~30 shots/round). This can be directed at one or more targets. If firing full-auto at a single target, make the attack roll and if the target is within close range, add +1 per 10 rounds fired at them. The target makes its defense roll. If the attack roll is equal to the defense roll, one bullet hits. For every point that the attack roll exceeds the defense roll, an additional bullet (up to the maximum number fired) hits. For example, if the target rolls a 15 for its dodge, and the attacker rolls a critical success and gets a 28, 14 of the 30 shots fired would hit (1+(28-15)=14)!

Automatic fire can be spread between multiple targets. If the targets are adjacent (within 1m or 1"), the burst can be spread between them equally. For every meter between the target, five rounds from the total ROF is sacrificed (two targets two meters apart could be sprayed in one autofire burst, but ten rounds would be wasted bridging the gap between them. If targeting multiple opponents, the number of bullets fired at each is considered equal, and a separate attack and defense roll is made for each target, with number of hits resolved as above.

Because firing a weapon fully automatic causes significant recoil, if they are fired at targets at medium range or greater, every ten shots causes a -1 penalty to the attack roll. This is one of the reasons that machine gunners will try to limit themselves to "short, controlled bursts." (In reality, the other reason being that firing a machine gun full-auto for an extended period of time may cause the weapon to cook off rounds!). Bipod-stabilized or mounted weapons can fire without this penalty out to medium range. At short range or less, a full-auto burst will give a +1 bonus to the attack roll for every 10 rounds fired. Burning a 30-round mag would give a +3 bonus to the attack, but a shorter burst of only about 10 rounds would only grant a +1 bonus. Though it may not be realistic (but it can make keeping track of ammo easier), you can choose to fire exactly however many shots you want in a full-auto burst (up to the weapon's maximum rate of fire). You only get bonuses for every 10 rounds. If you fire a 14 round burst, you'd get a +1 bonus to the attack roll, but if you hit, a maximum of 14 shots could hit.

To speed up combat and to make automatic fire more effective against armored opponents, instead of rolling an additional set of damage and applying it to the target's armor for each shot, each additional hit from automatic fire deals an additional die of damage to the target. In the above example, if the combatant was firing a long burst from a 4d6+1 damage assault rifle and hit with 14 shots, the end result would be 18d6+1 damage. Sayonara, sucker.

Suppressing Fire

Suppressing fire can take two distinct forms. One is covering fire, blind, un-aimed shots meant largely to psychologically incapacitate a target and prevent them from pressing the attack. The other is creating a firing lane, a zone of concentrated fire that has a chance to hit any target within or passing through.

Suppressing fire is very quick, and regardless of a combatant's initiative, any combatant can declare at the beginning of the round that they are going to lay down covering fire during the round. This will preempt the actions of other combatants taking a more active role in combat. This also allows characters that are not as skilled in combat to have a more useful, if supporting, role in combat.

Covering Fire

Covering fire is aimed at a target's general location. Because this type of fire is not aimed, hits will be incidental and largely out of sheer luck. No attack roll is made for covering fire, but the target will make a dodge/cover roll; if the result of the target's defense roll is 0 or less, the attack hits (this reduces the number of rolls made and hopefully will speed up combat and logistics over the old system). For every firing action (full ROF) expended, +1 suppression is applied. You can burn through ammo very quickly this way if you want to try and keep their heads down, but consider that an average 9mm pistol carries around 16 bullets; if you empty a magazine at a single target, you can put 8 points of suppression on them, which effectively makes the target number for a suppression check 23! Regardless of how many shots you expend on covering fire, only one attack roll is made, and only a max of one round may hit. Covering fire may be laid down on multiple targets in a single round. Each target must make a dodge roll.

Burst fire weapons can fire multiple bursts (3 rounds). Each burst causes the target +1 suppression. Unlike single-fire suppression, the target must make a dodge roll for each burst. If any burst hits, a maximum of one shot from each burst will hit. This mode of covering fire is not as effective at providing suppression on a per-bullet basis, but can result in more incidental hits. Covering burst fire may also be laid down on multiple targets.

Firing Lane

Full-auto weapons can perform covering fire by creating a firing lane (see below). An automatic weapon sets up a firing lane with a minimum width of 2 meters (or 2"/hexes/spaces on a tabletop) and a maximum of 1 m/5 ROF (a ROF 30 machine gun can effectively suppress a lane 6 meters wide). The level of suppression equals the number of shots fired/width of the firing lane. Most automatic weapons will have a ROF of around 30; this means that you can deal up to +15 suppression to a single target, which will do great service toward keeping their heads down. A target within the lane of fire will only need to make one dodge roll, but if they roll a 0 or less, multiple shots may hit; roll on the burst fire table.

Firing Lane: Area Denial

The second form of suppressing fire is the creation of a firing lane with saturation fire. Like covering fire from automatic weapons above, a firing lane does not need to be centered on a combatant, but can also be directed at a location (for example, down the length of an entire hallway, even if no targets are currently presenting themselves). Only automatic weapons can be used for this tactic. It is coordinated fire for the purpose of area-denial. It is employed as described for suppressing fire in the FNFF rules. Any target already within the firing lane will need to make a suppression roll to emerge from cover. Any combatant attempting to move through it during the combat round will need to make a suppression roll to try it (with +1 suppression for ROF/width of firing lane in meters). If the target succeeds, a dodge/cover or athletics roll at a target number of the number of rounds fired/the width of the firing lane. If you spray an automatic weapon at a piece of cover you know an opponent is hiding behind and they take an active combat stance to shoot at you from behind it, they stand a chance of being hit before they even take a shot. Hits from saturation fire take place before the target can act. Those bullets were already flying, and the only reason you got hit was because you stuck your fool neck out. You lose the initiative on that one, bub. If hit by saturation fire, the target rolls on the burst fire table to determine the number of hits.

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Covering fire is not intended to be accurate. It is the simple act of firing downrange to prevent an opponent from firing. Hits will largely be random and due to sheer luck. Also, covering fire is the only real attack option available to a combatant that has failed a suppression roll, or one that has chosen full cover for their combat stance. Covering fire is the equivalent of sticking your weapon around a corner or over an obstacle and plugging away while exposing as little of yourself to incoming fire as possible (and losing any ability to aim). Covering fire is only effective out to long range (see Range, below), since because it is poorly aimed to begin with, firing at targets at extreme range will likely mean that your shots are so far off the mark that the target may not even realize he is being shot at (which is the whole psychological mechanism behind suppression). Suppressing a target at extreme range will require actual aimed fire.

Since a large component of suppressing fire is psychology and proximity, combatants adjacent (within one space/hex/inch) will also receive suppression from covering fire. Full-auto covering fire increases the suppression effect to two spaces/hexes/inches. Who knows who that wild shot was aimed at? It still hit the log a few feet from your head, so it might have been aimed at you. This should also (as in real firefights) encourage combatants to spread out, or focus fire on targets clumped together. Choosing covering fire for your action will take your entire combat round; you are periodically popping off shots for the entirety of a few-second period. During combat, if you declare your intention to lay down covering fire, you can ignore your initiative roll and immediately begin applying suppression to targets (who will need to make suppression rolls on their initiative.

Covering fire may be key when attempting movement in combat; if potential attackers are suppressed, they cannot make aimed attacks at any targets, making it much safer for an advancing force to move in the open. Additionally, suppressed targets are at an extreme disadvantage should a flanker sneak up on them: suppressed targets are easier to hit. If using opposed rolls, they do not add their dodge/cover skill. If using the target number system, the difficulty to hit is one category lower (-5 to TN difficulty).

A critical failure of a suppression roll (a roll of 0 or less after suppression penalties are applied) may mean the combatant's morale breaks, and he loses his action entirely, or worse. Placing an overwhelming amount of covering fire on a single target can easily take them completely out of action.

Intiative: Stance & Actions

Combat Rounds and Actions

Time in combat is broken down into small fragments of time called rounds. A combat round is approximately 3 seconds long, generally just enough time to move a short distance, or complete one simple action. If you are willing to rush things, more than one action may be taken in a round, but every additional action gives a -3 penalty to every action taken that round. You are not just rushing the second action, you are rushing all of them to squeeze them into a very short time frame. Additionally, some actions that may be automatically successful (such as reloading the magazine in a weapon) may require a skill check if attempted as an extra action.

With the 3-second limit to a combat round, players should try to limit the scope of what they try to accomplish while in combat. One action is one simple action. Un-slinging and shouldering a rifle. Reloading. Throwing a grenade. Firing a 3-round burst. These are all examples of simple actions. If you want to try and multi-task, saying "while I do thing A, I am also doing thing B," that is acceptable, but you are still taking two actions. When your turn comes up, you must choose how many actions you are going to take, if taking more than one. Determine what all your actions will be for the round, and carry them out. These intended actions cannot (usually) be stopped or taken back. If you declare your intent to take two firing actions and target two bursts at an opponent, but he is dropped by the first burst of gunfire, you are still committed to firing the second burst! Multiple actions should be somewhat related to one another, otherwise the shift in focus is too great and should be reserved for single actions taken over multiple rounds. Drawing a pistol or reloading a magazine as one action and firing it in the same round at a -3 penalty is acceptable; Putting two double-taps from an RoF 2 pistol into the same target, each at -3 is fine also. Firing a non-autofire weapon at multiple targets or firing a weapon and then tossing a grenade should take place on separate combat rounds.

Simple actions are just that: Simple. Anything you are attempting to accomplish in a single combat round is something you should be able to do inside of 3 seconds. Some actions may require multiple rounds to accomplish, or are best attempted outside of combat entirely. Trying to operate a computer or pick a lock is not something you can do in 3 seconds; realistically, you can't even make a phone call in one combat round! Every 10 combat rounds is considered one turn, though outside of making stun/death saves for serious injuries, combat turns are not frequently used in combat.

Lastly, your characters do not have to be silent in combat. They can talk, but keep in mind that dialogue should be kept short (besides, combat can be noisy and confusing; participants might only be able to express/understand pretty basic ideas). In a combat round, you generally don't have time to make speeches, have debates or discuss strategies and tactics with other characters. If there is too much back and forth between characters in a single combat round, the Referee may rule that your character is too busy talking, and skip your initiative for the round. If you are waiting for a verbal response from another character before you act, you may have to hold your action or wait until next round to act again. If your character calls out to another PC to ask which target to open fire on, you may have to wait until the speaker's initiative to hear them and then take the shot.

Combat Stance

During a combat round, one's stance determines what combat actions are available to them, the effect of whatever cover they may have taken, and their ability to monitor the battlefield. When the character's initiative comes up, the player makes a suppression check (if needed) and declares the intended stance. Failure of the suppression check will often force a specified stance, and therefore should be made before the player can choose their stance and number of actions. A combatant may also declare that they are devoting their entire round to covering fire. If they do, they must still make a suppression check (if necessary). If they succeed, they can choose whichever stance they want and can immediately apply suppression points to targets. If they fail the suppression check, they will be forced into either a moving stance, full cover or panic, but may still be able to lay down suppression for the round. Any combatant performing covering fire still rolls initiative only to determine at which point during the round they move if they were forced into a moving stance or panic by failing a suppression check. They can take no other actions because they are entirely focused for a few seconds on putting shots downrange.

Moving Stance

This indicates that the combatant is moving during the round, or is still in the open and was moving on a previous round. The moving stance implies that the combatant is taking one or more movement actions and trying their damnedest not to get shot. A target taking more than one movement action gets defensive benefits from their movement, and penalties for firing on the run. If the combatant is behind cover but still has suppression points, a suppression check is required to leave the safety of cover. If this check is failed, another check can be made to see if they can still take active cover. If the combatant is in the open and is required to make a suppression roll on their initiative, a failure means they automatically take a moving stance with some restrictions; they must make a beeline toward cover, and their offensive actions are extremely limited. If they cannot reach cover in one move, they are considered panicked (see below) until they can reach cover; if they can reach cover, they can only perform covering fire or other offensive actions that would be available to someone taking full cover; the incoming fire has rattled them and taken away their ability to aim clearly.

Active Cover

Active cover means the combatant is behind cover, and is actively engaging in battle. He is peeking out, keeping an eye on his enemies or looking for an opportunity to take a shot. If the combatant chooses an active cover stance, he must make a suppression roll if he has taken any fire since his last action. If the suppression roll succeeds, he may take any combat action he chooses. If it fails, the combatant is relegated to taking full cover. When a combat starts, this is usually the default stance until the combatant's initiative comes up.

Full Cover

Full cover means that the combatant is hiding as best as his cover allows, exposing no part of himself to enemy fire. He is not peeking out, so his cover will block his line of sight. This means he may lose track of where his enemies are if they move, but he will not be susceptible to any direct fire (except for covering fire that manages to penetrate the cover). The only offensive combat actions available to him are covering fire and anything that doesn't require he expose himself, like throwing a grenade. This is the default stance for a combatant behind cover that has failed a suppression check. Combatants taking full cover cannot be targeted directly; they can only be fired at with covering fire. A rare exception to this rule might be if the scenery behind which a target has taken cover is small and leaves little wiggle room for the target to hide behind. In such circumstances, it can be fairly easy to determine where a target is. The attacker can take a penalty equal to the level of cover to their attack roll, and if they hit, the target is struck (albeit through the cover, which will mitigate damage)

Bracing

Bracing means that you are sacrificing movement and defense for accuracy. Either while standing in the open or hidden behind cover, you are carefully aiming at a target. Bracing reduces the range penalty by one category: medium becomes close, long becomes medium, extreme becomes long. While bracing, shots up to double extreme range (4 times listed range) can be attempted. While in a bracing stance, you sacrifice your ability to dodge and take cover. Defense rolls made while in a bracing stance do not get to add the dodge/cover skill. Cover will still protect portions of a bracing character's body, however. If the combatant chooses a bracing stance, suppression penalties are doubled (which means that it is exceedingly difficult to attempt things like firing with a scoped weapon while taking fire!). If the suppression roll succeeds, the combatant may take any combat action he chooses. If it fails, he must move for cover if in the open, or take full cover if already behind cover. Bracing can drastically improve long-range accuracy, but can be very hazardous for the shooter in the wrong circumstances. Taking carefully aimed shots (such as aiming for the head) will require taking a bracing stance, otherwise the combatant is assumed to be firing at whatever body locations present themselves, and any hits will be subject to hit location rolls. While firing from the bracing stance, reflex penalties from armor or wound state can be ignored, since the shooter is employing only the fine motor skills of aiming and pulling the trigger.

Panic

Panic is a status effect that may be forced on a combatant by several means. When a PC is panicked, the player temporarily loses control of their character. A panicked character will attempt to flee battle at maximum speed, and may or may not take cover. While the Ref has ultimate say over how panicked units move, the following are general guidelines:

• If there are clear "battle lines," the combatant will fall back.
• If not, the combatant may flee from the nearest enemy/source of incoming fire.
• If the combatant is surrounded, they will flee in a random direction.
• Panicked units cannot lay down suppressing fire.
• Panicked units can still take fire if they run through an automatic weapon's suppressing fire.

Panicked units earn suppression bleed-off each round, and will continue to be in a state of panic until they make a suppression check. If an ally is able to communicate with a panicked unit and takes an action to make a leadership roll with a TN equal to the unit's suppression TN, the unit will exit their state of panic. If one side in a firefight is able to maintain suppression on the other for a long enough time, they may be able to rout the enemy without even landing a single hit to a target!

Optionally, panicked combatants may act somewhat randomly, fleeing from combat, freezing in place, firing wildly or taking other actions that will generally not be very helpful. Roll a d10:

• 1-3: Flee from combat
• 4-5: Drop prone/Freeze behind cover
• 6-7: Drop equipped weapon and flee
• 8: Run toward the enemy lines
• 9: Empty magazine laying down covering fire at random targets
• 10: Take 1d6 actions firing at random nearby targets

A unit can become panicked by the following means:

• Critical failure of a suppression check (final roll is zero or less)
• Failing a suppression check while being flanked
• Certain special attacks or the use of some skills
• Failing a CL check may induce panic (these checks might be called for if certain units appear on the battlefield, an ally dies in your immediate vicinity or if certain numbers of your force are taken out of action)

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Initiative

Streamlined System

Traditionally, each combat round starts with each participant rolling initiative, which is REF + 1d10 + modifiers. This is the combatant's initiative number (or just "initiative") Starting with the highest initiative, each combatant declares and resolves their actions. When the last combatant has completed their actions, the process repeats. A more streamlined approach is for each combatant to roll initiative at the beginning of a combat. These are listed sequentially. When the combatant's turn comes up in the order, the combatant takes their turn, but the initiative rolls are maintained throughout the combat, speeding things up by not requiring everyone to roll again at the beginning of each round.

When each combatant's turn comes up, they will make a suppression check (if necessary), state their intended movement and number of actions they are going to take and resolve them. You can move up to 1 x MA in meters at no penalty; each additional MA worth of movement is one action. Movement is resolved first, actions come second. One cannot "shoot and move," it is always "move and shoot;" this helps reflect that all these actions, while resolved sequentially, still take place in a short span of time. If you are making yourself a target, all combatants may have a chance to counterattack. All actions take place at this time, and then the combatant's turn is done. When all combatants have gone, start over again at the beginning of the list.

Certain actions might result in a combatant's initiative number changing:

• If a character rolls a critical fail on a suppression check, they must re-roll their initiative, re-rolling any result higher than their current initiative number.
• If a combatant devotes their action to making a tactics skill check at TN 10, they can allow one ally (with an additional ally for each 5 the check succeeds by) to re-roll their initiative, ignoring any results lower than the current initiative number.
• If a combatant with a low initiative holds their action for the entire round, they have the option to re-roll and try to get a more favorable order in combat, though for good or ill, they are stuck with this new initiative number.

New initiative results take effect immediately.

If a combatant chooses to hold their action for later in the round they may do so. However, if they choose to act on the same initiative as another combatant ("As he moves out of cover, I take my shot!") they must make an opposed REF check to see if they can act first. If they succeed, they can act as the combatant begins his action. If they fail, they go immediately afterward.

If a combatant rolls a critical failure that results in a zero or less for their initiative result, they miss their opportunity to act during the current round and roll again at the beginning of the next round. If they miss their turn due to being forced to re-roll from suppression, the next roll is their new initiative number (ignoring the "ignore any result higher than the current initiative number" stipulation).

With fewer dice rolls, initiative referencing and less jumping around from one player to the next, this method may allow combat to proceed more quickly, and allows a more cinematic/heroic feel to combat as the participants are able to "do more" during their brief moment in the spotlight.

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.

When a combatant's turn comes up, they choose how many moves/actions they will take. Up to three movement actions can be taken. Each move action allows the combatant to move their MA in meters. Each combatant can take one move action at no penalty to any other combat actions. If you moved 1 x MA and fired, it would be at no penalty, but if you took two moves (2 x MA), the firing action would be at a -3 penalty. Sprinting (3 x MA) and firing would be at a -6 penalty. If the combatant did not move on their initiative, they could also "hold" their free move and move up to 1 x MA at any point later in the round, so long as they have not taken a combat action.

Movement and Cover

Being fired at while on the move does not allow one to benefit from 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 (Or TN). Sprinting (3 movement actions) allows you to apply your full MA to your dodge/cover roll. 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. Being fired on while moving will generally only happen when characters are unable to reach cover within the movement actions they have chosen, when characters are running long distances in the open, or when other combatants have held their actions and fire when targets come out from behind cover.

Flanking Maneuvers/Ambush

If a target has willingly taken full cover or has been suppressed, it is possible to try to move into a flanking position. If you can move to a position that they are not protected by cover, the defender does not get the benefit of their Dodge/Cover skill to their defense roll, just their REF/MA + 1d10 (Or subtract 5 from the TN to hit).

This rule also applies to an enemy that has been ambushed. Unlike targets that have taken full cover or are suppressed and cannot therefore move freely, ambushed targets simply do not yet realize they are in an opponent's crosshairs, and are not expecting to be attacked. An ambush generally only applies to the first round in a combat; once an enemy is given a chance to act (based on his initiative score), he will be able to move and take cover as normal. If enemies are dispatched quietly and in a single attack, other nearby enemies may not be alerted and ambush bonuses may be sustained.

When one force in a combat is ambushing another, one unit will be chosen to take the first shot. All other units on that force (so long as the ambush is coordinated properly and they know what is going on) will get +3 to their initiative for the first round.

Flanking, ambush and suppression of targets are potent tactics, and can be great force multipliers. Proper employment can turn the tide of battle, or allow a smaller force to stand against or even defeat a superior force.

If using the TN system against a flanked opponent, the TN for the shot is reduced by one range category to reflect the target's stationary position and/or limited ability to move.

When the flanked target has the ability to act again, they may change their position or stance to eliminate the penalties of being flanked. If the target is suppressed, they must make a suppression check, however if they fail the suppression roll while being flanked, they will be flushed out of cover. If other, more advantageous cover is within one move (MA stat in meters), they may shift position to stop being flanked, otherwise, they will be panicked, and attempt to flee at full speed until they can make a suppression check.

Point-Blank Fire

If a combatant enters close-combat while armed with a gun and makes a successful grapple attack, they can immediately attempt a follow-up shot at no penalty (single shot/burst/full auto) with the weapon. If the shot hits, it deals maximum damage. This represents the fact that at such a close range, the attacker will have the best opportunity to hit "center of mass," and in the case of shotguns, the shot pattern will have the least opportunity to spread and lose its kinetic energy. Sneaking up and firing at close range can quickly put even a heavily armored enemy down, but be careful: If he doesn't go down, his return fire may be just as deadly! Also note that some types of armor may cause point-blank shots to roll damage as normal. You have been warned.

Firing into Close Combat

It always seems to come up that people want to shoot at an enemy while they are locked up in hand-to-hand combat with one of their allies. This can be very hazardous for your allies. You can take the shot at a -3 penalty, since your ally may be occasionally blocking your shot; this penalty stacks even if you are taking an aimed shot (-4 penalty). If your shot misses the target, all others engaged in hand-to-hand combat must make a dodge roll, but they get a +3 bonus as they were not the intended target. If two or more allies fail this roll, the shot hits the one that rolled lowest. (Yes, this means that you are possibly more likely to hit an ally if several of them are ganging up on a target, but if you want to complain, I'd ask why the hell you are firing guns at a dogpile of your buddies). If, for some insane reason your friends decide to fire a shotgun or burst-fire weapon into close combat, the ally must make a dodge roll even if the original shot hits its intended target (unless, for burst-fire weapons, all three rounds of the burst hit). In that vein, if someone fires full-auto into close combat, both targets make dodge rolls; treat the attack as if it were made against two adjacent targets. If you have to break out these rules, you should then probably find better friends because firing machineguns and shotguns at you while wrestling with people is just bad gun safety.

Firing into close combat puts suppression points on all targets.

Firearms in Close-Quarters

Bigger guns are more difficult to use if an enemy is engaging you in hand-to-hand combat. The defender has a greater opportunity to push the attacker's arms or the muzzle of their weapon away. If defending against a rifle, the defender gains +6 to dodge. An carbine, shouldered-SMG or shotgun gives the defender +4. Using a pistol gives the defender +2. Guns are definitely more deadly than a punch, but they are meant to be used at range; expect their effectiveness to be cramped somewhat if you let enemies take away that advantage.

If an unarmed attacker successfully grapples an armed opponent, they can prevent them from successfully firing until the grapple is broken. If holding the firearm, you cannot use any martial arts to help evade the grapple, only appropriate melee or brawling skills. If you want to use your fancy martial arts in that situation, you're going to have to drop your gun.

Range

The Range listed for a firearm is its "long" range. Medium range is half that, close range is one quarter. "Close" range is one-quarter the listed range; shots fired at this range or less do not suffer range penalties. At medium range, there is a -5 penalty to the attack roll. At long range, -10, and extreme range -15. Shots fired at point-blank range (one meter or less, after a successful grapple attack) inflict maximum damage.
When taking a firing action, you can choose to brace and take more careful aim. This requires the shooter to sit still, and turns them into a stationary target. While bracing, you do not get to add your dodge/cover skill to defense rolls, but to make long-range shots, it may be necessary unless the shooter is extremely skilled.

Shotguns

Shotguns and range work a little differently. They have a long range of 40m, but the nature of their spread means they are more likely to hit at longer ranges. At close range, they gain +2 to the attack roll, at medium range +4 and at long range +6. They also do less damage at greater range, subtracting one die of damage for every range bracket. Shotguns do not have an "extreme" range. At anything more than long range, the individual pellets will lose enough potency that they will not provide substantial penetration.

Scoped Weapons

A scope can only be used from the bracing stance. It will further reduce the range by another category (long becomes close, extreme becomes medium, double extreme range is long and four times extreme range is extreme). Bracing will reduce the range category by one; a shot at long range would be considered medium range. Close range shots with a rifle can be taken out to 100 meters instead of 25 meters! Given time to line up a shot, the concentration perk can be added to long-range shots (increasing the maximum number of rounds you can aim from 3 to 3 + the level of the concentration perk). To gain the +1/round bonus from aiming, an entire combat round must be dedicated to aiming (not just an action within a combat round). Firing on a moving target doubles its defensive bonus from movement.

Taking a bracing stance doubles the penalties from suppression, so making a suppression check while trying to use a scoped weapon may be more difficult (throwing fire at snipers is a highly effective way to prevent them from being effective). Also, while in a bracing stance, you may not add your dodge/cover skill to defense rolls, so using a scoped weapon while enemies are nearby can be very risky.

Some scoped weapons will retain usable iron sights. Many scopes, however, block the iron sights. If attempting to use a scoped weapon without aiming through the scope, reduce the weapon's effective range to pistol category.

Because of weapon recoil, firing a scoped weapon will limit you to one attack/round, even if the weapon is semi-automatic (ROF 2). You may take multiple actions while firing a scoped weapon (aside from multiple scope-aimed attacks), but in the short span of a combat round, one would not be able to get back on target in time for another shot.

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Long-range weapons certainly have some great advantages. Shorter range weapons also have tactical advantages that are sometimes ignored in the pursuit of bigger (must always)=better. If this were truly the case, all our police officers would always carry rifles.

Firstly, there are certain intangible (in tabletop combat) concerns which mostly affect role-playing. Long guns are difficult to conceal and/or carry around all the time. Soldiers in the field don't really care about this too much; they are often laden down with tons of other gear, too, and soldiers don't generally need to hide the fact that they are armed. For a police officer, it is difficult to deal with someone in a non-confrontational way while you've got a shotgun or an M-4 cradled in your arms. At the ref's discretion, certain skill checks may suffer a penalty based on what gear (including weapons) your character is lugging around.

Second, long guns are more difficult to effectively wield in close-quarters. Rifles require a certain minimum amount of aiming, otherwise you might as well just be laying down covering fire. Smaller weapons can be more easily aimed while in a tight spot like a small room or a hallway. Rifles will also more readily telegraph their point of aim. Shots from a carbine or rifle in close-quarters may give the target a dodge/cover bonus (see Firearms in Close-Quarters above), and trying to use a weapon whose sights are blocked by a scope (like trying to fire while not taking a bracing stance) will incur severe aim penalties. The effective range of the weapon may be reduced to pistol ranges, or you may be restricted to using the weapon for covering fire.

Lastly, the shorter a weapon (generally), the quicker it is to get sight alignment, and the sooner the shooter will be able to put shots on target. Longer guns like rifles will require more time to line the sights up on the target. Smaller weapons trade range for utility. Pistols add +3 to initiative. A holstered pistol can be drawn and fired at no penalty; un-slinging and shouldering a rifle- or carbine-sized weapon will take an extra action on the first round of combat.

Reloading in Combat

At some point in time, you are bound to run out of bullets in the middle of a fight. Reloading your weapon will require at least one combat action. If you only take one combat action, you can choose to reload your weapon, and it will succeed automatically. If it is taken as one of multiple combat actions, things get more tricky. Try it sometime (if you have the means to); try to quickly pull a mag from its pouch, drop the old one, drive the new one into the magazine well then chamber a round so you can continue firing. Go ahead. I'll wait. Doing this very quickly requires a lot of practice and good reflexes.

If you choose to reload a weapon that has removable magazines as an extra action, you must make a standard (15) difficulty reflexes check. You can add the appropriate weapon skill to this roll. A success means that you have managed to drop the empty mag, replace it with a fresh one and chamber a round. This readies the weapon to be fired on the next action (be it during the current round or a later one). Failing the roll means you are somehow fumbling the procedure. If you have more actions plotted, you can use them to continue trying to reload. The penalty for extra actions (-3 for every action beyond the first) applies to this roll. It is more difficult to fire off three bursts and then reload quickly, as you are trying to fit a precise combination of actions into an even smaller span of time. For example, if you elected to take 3 actions (fire, fire, reload), each shot would be at -6, and the roll to reload before next round would be at -6, also. A fumble during a reload check may result in dropping the magazine or jamming the weapon. Reloading is an action that may be taken from full cover.

Reloading a tube-fed weapon (like a pump shotgun) can be an art in and of itself. By reducing the weapon to a ROF of 1, you can freely drop a shell into the open chamber, rack the slide and fire. Doing so causes a -5 initiative penalty, like firing after moving without the aiming penalty (tactical system only). If you want to reload multiple shells, you can sacrifice all combat actions during the round to stuffing the mag with shells. Make an easy (10) reflexes check, adding your rifle skill to the roll. If you succeed, the weapon now has one round in the tube, and you can keep making reload rolls (with successive -3 penalties to each one) until you fail one. That is the number of shells you were able to reload that round. Those highly skilled with rifles and/or with high reflexes will able to reload more shells into a shotgun in a short period of time.