The new STAR FRONTIERS® combat system is similar to the expanded combat system in the Alpha Dawn game rules in many ways. For example, the procedures for surprise, initiative, declaration, movement, and combat turns are identical. It uses the same character abilities as the old system, so modification of veteran characters is very simple fo rthe referee. But this combat system is very different in its resolution.
This new combat system uses an integrated resolution system completely different in its method of determining whether a character has hit a target and, if so, how much damage is done. This was described briefly in the Resolution System section. With this new system, only one roll is needed to determine whether an attack hit and how much damage it caused. More emphasis is placed on weapon skills than on the character's ability scores. This allows the players more freedom in creating and playing their characters, and gives the ma better chance of surviving combat.
If the new combat system had to be described in one word, it would be "streamlined." The emphasis is on speed and simplicity of play. The combat system is explained in its entirety in this section. Some sections from the Alpha Dawn rules are repeated here as a convenience, to reduce cross-referencing between two books.
COMBAT SEQUENCE
The combat sequence is identical to the original combat sequence. A quick outline of this sequence is presented below, followed by a detailed explanation of each step. Wherever a dice roll must be made for non-player opposing forces, the referee makes that roll.
SURPRISE
The referee should decide which characters may be surprised by an attack. Any
character who may be surprised should make an Intuition check.
If a character fails the check, he does not suspect anything and will be
surprised. When a character of group is surprised, it automatically loses
initative for the first combat turn and can do nothing that turn but move and
take cover.
If a character passes the check, he notices something unusual in the
situation that "tips him off": moving shadows, footsteps behind him, etc. It is
up to the player as to how the character reacts to this information.
Visibility: When characters have an encounter, one factor that affects
whether they can be surprised is how far they can see, or visibility. A
character standing on flat, level ground can see a man-sized object up to 1
kilometer away, but cannot see any details about the object. A character can see
datils at a distance of about .5 kilometer. Of course the weather and terrain
can alter the visibility drastically. Snow, fog, rain, forest, hills, blowing
dust, or heat shimmers can diminish visibility from half the normal distance
down to a few meters. Optical enhancement devices can multiply the distances.
Binoculars and magnigoggles, for instance, triple the normal visibility. A
character can see farther if he climbs to a higher elevation, but the distance
at which he can see detail does not change with elevation.
INITIATIVE
One player on each side rolls 1d10 and adds the highest Initiative Modifier
(IM) on his side to the result. The side with the highest total has initiative
and is side A this turn. If the results are tied, the side with the highest
modifier has initiative.
If there are more than two teams in a fight, simply add more sides (C, D,
etc.) to the sequence as they are needed. The side with the lowest initiative
roll always moves first, with the other sides following in order. If only a few
characters are involved in a fitght, the referee can treate each character as a
separate team and have everyone roll his own initiative.
Holstered and Slung Weapons: If a character's weapon is in a holster
or slung over his shoulder, the character must subtract 3 from his Initiative
Modifier when rolling for initiative. If the caracter is rolling initiative for
a group, the modifier applies to the entire group. If the group is mixed (some
characters holding their weapons, some not), then any Initiative Modifier
reduction for the group is at the referee's discretion.
DECLARATION
All characters must decide what they will do at the start of each turn and
declare their intentions before the first move. The referee declares for the
characters' opponents. Side B must declare first, allowing side A to react to
side B's moves. Declarations should be as realistic and specific as possible.
For example, instead of saying, "I will throw a grenade," the player should say,
"I will throw a doze grenade, set to explode on contact, at the Sathar and then
duck back behind the wall." Declarations must include how many shots are to be
fired, what power settings or bursts are to be used (if applicable), what
grenade or warhead types are to be used (if applicable), and any other weapon
variables that will affect the situation (see Rate of Fire, Variable Power
Settings, Bursts, and other related sections in the Alpha Dawn rules).
Sighting: If the opponents cannot see each other the referee may ask
for declarations before the intiative. This forces players to act without
knowning what their opponents will do.
A character must be able to see his target in order to shoot or throw a
grenade at it. A character can see his target is a straight line from the center
of his square (or miniature base) to the center of his target's square (or
miniature base) is not blocked by an obstacle. If the character is in a position
where he can lean around, over, or under the obstacle to shoot, it does not
block his sight.
MOVEMENT
Moving Through Fields of Fire: Characters on Side B move first. If a
character moves through an opponent's field of fire, the opponent may shoot at
him as he moves. Everything in front of a character is in his field of fire; see
Opportunity Shots. Side A moves after side B. If a character from side A moves
through an opponent's field of fire, and the opponent did not move this turn,
the opponent may shoot at him as he moves.
Melee Distance: When a character starts a turn withing two meters af
an opponent who has declared he will attack the character in melee, the
character cannot move. If both characters declare they are attacking each other
in melee, the character on side B gets to move into his opponent's square. The
only exception to this is the Humma's special ability to charge (see Melee).
Dodging: Dodging is a special type of movement. Instead of running
straight across an opponent's field of fire, a dodging character ducks, weaves,
and zigzags through a dangerous area. Dodging makes a character harder to hit,
but also slows him down; characters who dodge move at one-half their running
speed but are considered a fast-moving target on the Combat Modifiers Table.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
The structural points of various types of doors, walls, and vehicles are
shown for comparison sake on the Structural Points table.
NEW COMBAT TERMINOLOGY
Before reading any further, make sure you have read the chapter on the new
resolution system. The following is based on that chapter.
Dexterity Modifier: The revised combat system relies less on a
character's Dexterity than on his weapon skills. However, Dexterity is still a
factor. A character with high Dexterity will be a slightly better shot or
fighter than someone who is clumsy. Check the Dexterity Modifier table to
determine a character's Dexterity Modifier (DM).
Maximum Damage: The new combat system has a completely different
method of determining how much damage is caused caused by a successful attack.
Every weapon has a maximum damage number., even those that are special or have
variable power settings. The weapon never causes more damage than that number.
If a player rolls a successful attack, he need only note which color result area
his roll is in to determine how much damage the attack caused.
A Cobalt result means that the target suffers the maximum damage. A Blue
result means that the target only received three-quarters of the maximum damage.
A Green result indicates that only one-half the maximum damage was inflicted. A
Yellow result shows that only one-quarter of the maximum damage was inflicted on
the target. Therefore, if a character using a maser penetrator (maximum damage =
32) rolls in the Cobalt result area, all 32 points of damage are delivered to
the target. If the attack roll was in the blue result area, only 24 points would
hit the target. A Green result would deliver 16 points, while a Yellow result
would tag the character with 8 points of damage. This is the damage a target
takes before any reductions for armor or screens. The Fractional Results table
lists the damage caused by a three-quarters, one-half, or one-quarter attack.
Combat Result Shifts (RSs): Shifting result areas change the amount of
damage an attack causes. For example, a +1 RS changes three-quarters damage to
full damage.
New Weapons Classifications: Besides covering some new weapons, the
weapons and skills are grouped together differently. The original rules had
ranged and melee weapons, but the new rules reorganize these into ranged
weapons, area effect weapons, and melee weapons.
RANGED WEAPONS
Any weapon that attacks from a distance and delivers its damage primarily to
a single target is called a ranged weapon. In the new combat system, ranged
weapons include beam weapons, needlers, auto-weapons, byrojet weapons, and
micro-missiles.
Primitive ranged weapons, such as javelins or bows and arrows, may also be
included.
RANGED WEAPON COMBAT PROCEDURE
AUTOMATIC ROLLS
The Resolution Table accounts for automatic hits and misses. Any roll of 25
or less always hits, even on the -X column, and any roll of 98 or more always
misses, even on the +X column.
Automatic Hits: There are two kinds of automatic hits. The first is a
shot that cannot miss. An example of this is a cahracter who holds a gun next to
a canister of compressed air and pulls the trigger; there is no way the
character an miss the canister. The referee must use his common sense to decide
when a shot cannot miss.
The second type of automatic his happes when a player rolls 01 or 02 on his
roll to hit. Such a low roll obviously hits and causes maximum damage. Its
benefit is that a -1 Result Area Shift has no effect; the attack still causes
maximum damage. This is the only way to cause maximum damage when attacking with
a -1 RS.
Automatic Misses: Any shot will miss on a roll of 98-00, no matter
what the character's chance to hit is. This rule applies even to shots the
referee has decided cannot miss; the player must roll the dice anyway, and on a
roll of 98-00 his weapon malfunctions and fails to fire.
Some shots, of course, are just impossible to make due to range, limited
visiblity, etc. Again, it is up to the referee's common sense to identify these
impossible shots.
ADDITIONAL SKILL CONSIDERATIONS
Skill Levels: The weapon skill level possessed by a character for a
weapon he is using determines his base column on the Resolution Table. Beam
weapons Level 2, for example, makes colun +2 the character's base column when
firing a beam weapon.
Any character who uses a weapon without possessing the necessary skill for
that weapon uses the 0 column for his base column and suffers a -1 Result Shift.
No matter how many positive column or result shifts apply to the situation, his
strike column can never shift to the right past the /0 column and he can never
get a Cobalt result (unless he rolls 01 or 02). The strike column can, however,
shift left all the way to the -X column.
Heavy Weapons: Heavy lasrers, sonic devastators, and rafflur M-10s are
considered heavy weapons. When a character fires one of these mounted weapons he
has a -1 Column Shift modifier. A character with no training in that weapon uses
Level -1 as his base column.
COMBAT MODIFIERS
Range: All weapons have three ranges: short, medium, and long.
Shooting at targets at medium range has a -1 CS modifier. Targets at long range
have a -2 CS modifier.
The new combat system divides weapons into six groups: small defensive
devices; pistols, long pistols and short rifles; normal rifles; long-range
weapons; and missiles. All of the weapons within each group have the same
ranges. For example, all pistols have short range of 20 meters, medium range or
60 meters, and long range of 125 meters.
The range groups are letter coded. The appropriate code is listed behind each
ranged weapon on the Weapons table. The range groups are defined on the Weapon
Ranges table.
Telescopic Sights: Telescopic sights allow a weapon to be treated as
if it was in the next higher range group (see their description in the Equipment
section).
Movement: All movement, whether running, dodging, flying, or in
vehicles, is confined to two simple modifiers, one for moving slowly and one for
moving quickly. Notice that the modifier applies to both the target and the
attacker; that is, if both the attacker and the target are moving slowly, the
total modifier is -2 CS. "Slow" is around the speed of a jogging human or a
gently loping animal. "Quick" is anything faster than slow.
Target Size: A number of different concepts are combined in the target
size modifier. In addition to the actual size of the target (man-sized, larger,
or smaller) these modifiers also represent the amount of the target showing. If
a man-sized target is lying prone, is half-hidden, or is otherwise partially
concealed, it should be considered smaller than man-sized when being shot at. In
the same way, a large creature that is burrowed into the ground or partially
blocked by an obstacle is a smaller target, probably man-size.
Advantage Modifier: The advantage modifier is for any condition that
is either advantageous or disadvantageous to the attacker. If the attacker is in
a better position than the defender (above or behind him, for example), or if
the defender is disadvantaged (encumbered, surprised, stunned, drugged, etc.),
the attack gains a +1 CS for each distinct advantage he has. Likewise, if the
attacker is disadvantaged (in a poor combat condition, surrounded by attackers,
encumbered, or groggy himself) or if the defender is at an advantage, then the
attacker has a -1 CS for each distinct disadvantage he has. Advantages and
disadvantages are announced by the referee before the dice roll.
Unusual Firing Procedure: Three specific actions are covered by this
modifier. Careful aim requires a character to not move during his turn and take
only one shot. He does not need to rest or brace his weapon on anything, but he
can do nothing during the turn except fire one shot. If the character is shot or
hit in melee during the turn, the character loses the bonus. This bonus does not
apply to bursts or thrown weapons.
Using the wrong hand for firing or wielding a one-hand weapon is still a
negative combat modifier, except for those creatures who are ambidextrous, like
Vrusks.
Using two weapons at once may seem very heroic to some character, but it
still garnishes a negative combat modifier in addition to the negative modifier
for using the wrong hand with one of the weapons if the character is not
ambidextrous. These weapons can be fired at different targets, if the targets
are adjacent to each other.
There are no modifiers for being wounded. The adrenaline boost from being in
a fight counters the character's pain.
OPTIONS
Energy Settings: Certain ranged weapons have energy settings -- the
amount of energy used (and damage caused) can be set by the character. These
weapons are indicated by the notation "pS" (per SEU) under the Maximum Damage
column on the Weapons table.
At the beginning of the combat sequence, when a character must declare his
intentions, the setting of his weapon must also be declared. The maximum damage
is then considered to be the amount listed multiplied by the setting. For
example, a player running a Star Lawman using a Ke-1500 Laser long pistol
declares his setting to be 8 SEU. In the Maximum Damage column the Ke-1500 is
shown to cause 12 points fo damage per SEU used, and 12 x 8 = 96 maximum points
of damage.
The energy setting for a weapon can be changed only at the beginning of aturn
and the rate of fire for that turn cannot exceed a single shot.
Rate of Fire: Some weapons can be fored more than once during a turn
(this is different from a burst, which is considered one shot). Characters must
declare how many shots they will fire at the start of a turn. The attacker rolls
to hit separately for each shot. The rate of fire for each weapon is shown on
the Weapons Table.
Bursts: Auto-pistols and auto-rifles can fire a burst of 10 bullets as
one shot. A burst can be aimed at up to five adjacent targets in an area up to
10 meters wide, or at just one character. While firing a burst covers a greater
area, it also severely throws off the attacker's aim. Therefore the two factors
cancel each other out with a combat modifier or 0. Only one die roll is needed
to hit all targets. If the burst is aimed at one target, the maximum damage
caused is 44 points. If it is aimed at mroe than one target, the maximum damage
is 44 points plus 12 points of each additional target. These points are divided
as evenlt as possible among the targets. Any leftover points of damage are lost.
For example, a character firest a burst from his 5.56 caliber auto-rifle at a
group of five pirates charging toward him. The rolled result is a hit, so all
five take damage. The maximum damage is 44 plus (5 x 12 = 60) = 104 points. The
maximum damage is 104 points, but the player's dice roll is in the Green area so
only one-half the maximum damage, or 52 points, is inflicted. The 52 points
divided between the five pirates gtives each pirate 10 points of damage, the
leftover 2 points are discarded.
Opportunity Shots: Characters who are firing more than one shot during
the turn can aim at an area instead of an opponent, if the area is no more than
5 meters wide. If an opponent moves through this "covered" area, the character
can fire a shot at him. Opportunity shots are like Careful Aim shots; the
character can do nothing else that turn, but an Opportunity shot cancels the
negative CS modifier for target movement. This tactic is useful if opponents are
hidden at the start of the turn.
Shooting at Targets in Crowds: If a character fires a weapon at
someone who is standing in a crowd, the target is treated as smaller than
man-sized (or man-sized, if the target is larger than man-sized). If the shot
misses the intended target, the attacker should make a second roll on column -X
to see if his shot hits someone else. The referee decides who the shot hits.
This rule also applies th shots at targets that are in melee and attempts to
shoot past someone who is partially obscuring a target.
Ammunition and Reloading: Players must keep track of their character's
ammunition. Weapons that require powerpacks can be operated from powerclips or
from power beltpacks. The eception to this is the rafflur series of weapons and
WarTech's bolt weapons (see the description of these weapons in the Equipment
Section). Beltpacks and powerpacks can power other equipment besides weapons,
however, so players must keep accurate records of their power supply.
A character can reload a weapon with a fresh clip or attack it to a different
powerpack in one turn if he does not run or dodge. A weapon cannot be fired on
the turn it is reloaded.
Structural Damage: The amount of damage caused by ranged weapons used
against structures is shown on the Structural Damage table.
AREA EFFECT WEAPONS
Any weapon that inflicts its damage over a wide area iscalled an area effect
weapon. In the new Star Frontiers combat system, area effect weapons include all
grenades, explosives, missiles (excluding the micromissile), and mines.
AREA EFFECT WEAPONS COMBAT PROCEDURE
Automatic Hits and Misses: Automatic hits and misses are identical to
those for ranged weapons.
Skills: Skill use is identical to that for ranged weapons.
When an attacker wishes to throw a grenade or explosives pack, he uses his
grenade or demolitions skill level, not his throwing skill level. A character
can throw a grenade (or up to 500 grams of explosion) a distance equal to the
sum of his Strength and Dexterity scores divided by 4. This factor should be
determined when the character is created and changed only when ability scores go
up or down. Write this throwing score on your character sheet for easy
reference.
Combat Modifiers: No range modifiers apply to thrown area-effect
weapons; if it is within the characters range, it is close enough. Missiles
always use range category F.
The interpretation of "slow" and "quick" is different for missile combat.
When firing a missile at a target, the referee should consider not only how fast
the target is moving, but how far away it is. A jetcopter flying at full speed
within 50 meters of an attack is moving quickly. Flying at the same speed
hundreds or meters away it may be considered to be moving slowly. The referee
must use his common sense.
The only time target size is considered is if the target is relatively huge
in comparison to the attacker. Then a +1 CS may be granted to the attacker.
Generally, though, area effect damage negates the consideration of size.
Rate of Fire: Note that the type I missile's rate of fire is listed as
variable. This applies to MLTCs (Multiple Launch Tube Clusters) that commonly
fire type I missiles and can be automated to launch more than one at a time.
Normally a hand-held type I missile has a rate of one launch per turn. Type II
missiles require two turns to launch and type III's take three turns to launch.
All grenades, whether fired or thrown, have a rate of one per turn, except the
small, sonic marble grenades, up to three of which can be tossed or fired per
turn.
NEW TERMINOLOGY
Immediate and Secondary Blast Areas: When TD-19 packs and type I
through type III missiles detonate, the blast radius listed on the Weapons table
is the immediate blast area. Everyone in the immediate blast area rolls at the
level of the attack to see what damage they receive (Cobalt = maximum, Blue =
three-quarters, Green = one-half, Yellow and White = one-quarter). Then armor
and screens, Stamina Checks for certain warheads, and other defenses are
considered.
If the blast ocurs in the open, there is a secondary blast area. The
secondary blast area has 1.5 times the radius of the immediate blast area. For
example, if the immediate blast area has a radius of 15 meters, the secondary
blast radius extends anohter 7.5 meters, from 15 meters to 22.5 meters from the
blast point. Anyone outside the secondary blast area but withing the secondary
blast area must pass a Reaction Speed check. Characters who fail the check must
roll on column +1 of the Resolution Table. The results of that dice roll are
interpreted on the Area Effect Weapon Result table.
GRENADES
A grenade has no secondary blast area.
A grenade can be set to explode in one of two ways, either on contact or with
its built-in timer. A character tossing a grenade must declare at the beginning
of the turn which method he is using.
A Cobalt result when throwing a grenade means it hit its target. If it is set
to explode on contact, it has no chance to bounce around. If it is set on a
timer, or it does not make a direct hit, the referee must use the Area Effect
Weapon Miss diagram.
If the grenade was set to explode on contact, it detonates 1 to 10 meters
away from the target in the direction indicated by the Area Effect Weapon Miss
diagram. The actual distance depends on the situation and how far the grenade
was thrown; the actual distance depends on the situation and how far the grenade
was thrown; the referee must use his discretion. The referee also should check
for any damage caused to anyone or anything in the blast area.
If the grenade is on a timer then it could bounce quite a distance. The
direction is determined by the Area Effect Weapon Miss diagram. The diagram
could be anything up to one-half the distance from the thrower to the target.
Again, the referee should check for daamge caused to characters or objects other
than the target in the blast area.
Explosives: Explosives do have secondary blast areas.
Fifty grams of Tornadium D-19 ("kaboomite") causes maximum damage of 40
points to anyone or anything within 1 meter of the explosion. Each additional 50
grams causes an additional 25 points of damage. The immediate blast area
increases by 1 meter for every 100 grams used. Up to 250 grams of TD-19 can be
thrown like a grenade, and causes full damage to living creatures but only half
damage to structures.
Tornadium D-20 is a shaped charge. It has no secondary blast area. TD-20 is
shaped so that its blast is focused in a single direction, rather than blasting
equally in all directions. If anyone is foolish enough to throw a charge of
TD-20 as a weapon, use the Area Effect Weapon Miss Diagram to determine in which
direction the blast is released. The blast radius per gram is identical for
TD-20 and TD-19. A thrown cahrge of TD-20 causes full damage to strucctures, but
only half damage to living creatures.
Plastid cannot be thrown.
MISSILES
When the result of a strike roll for a type I, II, or III missile is in a
White area it indicates that the attack was a complete miss: the missile's
detonation was too far away to do damage to the target. The attacker must roll
1d10 and consult the Area Effect Weapon Miss diagram to see in which direction
the missile strayed. The referee should determine the distance the missile
overshot or undershot its target (anywhere from 20 to 50% of its flight
distance) and check the immediate and secondary blast areas for inadvertent
damage.
When the result of a strike roll for a type I, II, or III missile lands in a
Cobalt area, it indicates that the missile landed on target.
When the result of a strike roll for a type I, II, or III missile lands in a
Blue, Green, or Yellow area it indicates that the missile did not hit dead
center, but that the target is in the immediate blast area. A roll on the Area
Effect Weapons Miss diagram indicates in which direction the missile was off.
The extent of the miss is at the referee's discretion, but the target must be in
the immediate blast area.
Mines: Mines have no secondary blast areas.
Certain type I missile warheads can be affixed with detonators and unusual
delivery systems (outlined in the Equipment section) and used as mines. The
warheads that can be used in such a manner are the electrical discharge, field
crusher, gas, high explosive, sonic, standard explosive, and tangler warheads
designed for use with type I missiles.
Gas: Gas used in grenades, missile, or mines does not necessarily
affect huge creatures. Doze and poison grenades may not contain enough gas to
affect the huge creature's respiratory system. The number of gas grenades needed
to possibly affecct a creature is equal to its current Stamina when the grenade
his, divided by 50, rounded down (but never less than one).
Structural Damage: The amount of structural damage caused by grenades
and missiles is shown on the Structural Damage table. The amount of structural
damage a grenade causes is always doubled it if is placed rather than thrown.
Structural damage from TD-19 and 20 is explained in the individual descriptions.
MELEE
Fighting hand-to-hand or with non-ranged or non-area effect weapons is called
melee. Characters must be within two meters of each other to engage in melee.
(Humma are an exception, being allowed to charge.)
MELEE PROCEDURE
Automatic Hits: There are two kinds of automatic hits in melee. The
first is hitting a character who cannot defend himself (one who is being held by
another character or is stunned). Anyone attacking a defenseless characcter gets
a +3 Column Shift and a +3 Result Shift if the victim is conscious, or scores an
automatic hit doing maximum damage if the victim is unconscious.
The second type of automatic hit happens when an attacker rolls 01 or 02 on
his roll to strike. When this type of automatic hit is made the opponent takes
maximum damage and is knocked unconscious for 1d100 turns.
Skills: Melee relies heavily on a character's martial arts and melee
weapons skills. Any character who has no skill levels in melee weapons or
martial arts uses the 0 column on the Resolution Table and suffers a -1 Result
Shift. No matter how may positive column or result shifts apply to the
situation, his strike column never shifts to the right past column /0 and his
result area can never be higher than blue. The strike column can, however, shift
left all the way to the -X column.
Two skills specifically apply to melee: Weapons: Martial Arts and Weapons:
Melee Weapons.
Ability: While skill is the dominating factor in melee, physical
ability also comes into play. The player can use his character's Dexterity
Modifier (and must use it, if it is negative) to modify his strike column. If
the character's Strenght score is higher than his Dexterity score, the player
can use a Strength modifier instead. The Strength modifier is determined in
exactly the same way as the Dexterity Modifier.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Battle Rage: Yazirians have a special ability to work themselves into
a fighting frenzy, gaining a +2 Column Shift on their chance to strike in melee.
A Yazirian must roll a number less than or equal to his battle rage score on
1d100 to become enraged. Yazirians can try to become enraged once per combat
situation.
Charge Spring: Humma can spring great distances. This gives them a
form of charge bonus in combat. Unlike the other races, which must be within two
meters to engage in melee, a Humma can spring up to 25 meters horizontally and,
if it lands within two meters of an opponent, make a free melee attack against
the opponent.
WEAPON MODIFIERS
After each melee weapon on the Weapons table is a column shift number. A
character using that type of weapon modifies his strike column accordingly.
NUMBER OF ATTACKS
A character gets one bare-hand attack for every arm-leg pair he has. Humans,
Vrusk, Yazirians, Ifshnit, Osakar, and Sathar always get to make two attacks.
Because of their weakened forearms, Humma make only one attack, unless charging.
A Dralasite can attack twice if it has four or five limbs, three times if it has
six or seven, etc. Mechanons may have varying types and numbers of attacks
depending on their structure and programming. Any character using a weapon in
melee makes only one attack per turn.
DAMAGE
Punching: The amount of damage a character inflicts with his bare
hands (or claws or pseudopods) depends on the character's Strength score. Simply
take one-tenth of the character's Strength, rounded down, and that gives you the
damage he does when punching. This damage is constant unless the character's
Strength improves.
Stunned: A stunned character cannot attack, move, or defend himself
for as long as he is stunned.
Melee Weapons: The maximum damage column on the Weapons table shows
how much damage each weapon can do. Add to this the character's punching damage
from above. Characters using shock gloves, sonic knives, sonic swords, or
stunsticks do not add their punching score. It is this entire, adjusted maximum
damage that is considered when the colored result area isfound on the Resolution
Table.
For example, a haracter with a Strength score of 72 uses a medium sword to
strike an opponent wearing a skeinsuit. The final result is in the Blue result
area. The maximum damage of a medium sword by itself is 20. Added to this is the
attacker's punching score of 7 (one-tenth of 72, rounded down) for an adjusted
sccore of 27. A Blue result means that the target received three-quarters of the
adjusted maximum damage or 20 points. The target is wearing a skeisuit which
absorbs another one-fourth of the damage or 5 points. Thus the defender suffers
15 points of damage from the attack.
SPECIAL ACTIONS
Wrestling: The base column for wrestling is the character's Martial
Arts skill level or, if unskilled, Level 0.
A character attempting to wrestle can try to grab an opponent and pin him
down by twisting his are, getting a headlock, etc. Wrestling is resolved after
movement but before other attacks. The attacker can use no weapon while
wrestling. If the attack succeeds, the character rolls on the +X column every
turn afterward to maintain the hold (a 98-00 means the hold slipped). The color
result area determines how much of the atacker's punching score damage is
inflicted each turn. A character can release a hold whenever he wants.
A character who is pinned can do nothing except try to break out of the hold.
To do this, he must wrestle his opponent; a successful roll means the character
has twisted free, but he has not grabbed or pinned his opponent.
A character or creature can only wrestle his opponents that are the same size
or smaller than itself. Only one wrestling attempt can be made per turn.
Disarming: A character who tries to force his opponent to drop a
weapon must make a strike roll with his Martial Arts level or, if unskilled,
Level 0, with a -2 Column Shift modifier. If the attack succeeds, the opponent
drops the weapon but does not receive any damage. Either character can try to
pick up the weapon. Doing so requires a 1d100 roll that is equal to or less than
the character's Dexterity score.
Number of Attackers: A character can be atacked by up to three
opponents at once, if the opponents are the same size as the character. If the
attackers are larger or smaller than their opponents, the referee must decide
how many can attack at once.
Weapons: A character who is involved in melee can shoot a pistol at an
opponent that is in melee with him, but cannot shoot at anyone who is not
involved in the melee. Long pistols or short rifles may be fired in melee, but
there is a -2 Column Shift to strike; normal rifles receive a -3 Column Shift to
strike. The referee should check to see if any misses hit someone else (see
Shooting in Crowds).
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
The amount of damage caused by melee weapons is shown on the Structural
Damage table.