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.