Combat Guide for Players
Fast. Tactical. Deadly.
☠️ Combat in this system is lethal. Use cover. Track ammo. Know when to run.
Combat Basics
The Turn Structure (~3 seconds per turn)
Combat uses a three-phase system where everyone acts simultaneously:
1
INTENT
Everyone declares what they're doing
2
ROLL
Everyone rolls all dice simultaneously
3
RESOLUTION
Highest Speed goes first, resolve in order
What You Can Do Each Turn
Major Actions (one per turn):
- Attack — fire a weapon, swing a melee weapon
- Reload — reload your weapon
- Use Item — apply first aid, throw grenade, etc.
- Sprint — double your movement speed for this turn (consumes your major action)
Movement: Speed × 5 feet
Free Actions (unlimited, within reason):
- Talking, shouting warnings
- Dropping items
- Drawing or holstering weapons/items
The Three Phases
Phase 1: Intent (Declare Your Action)
Be specific about what you're doing. You commit before knowing results — this creates tension!
"I'm shooting the guard by the door"
"I attack" (too vague)
"I'm running to cover behind the car"
"I do something" (commit!)
Phase 2: Roll (Roll Everything At Once)
Roll all your dice simultaneously:
- d100 Combat skill — Will you hit?
- 1d6 Speed die — When do you act?
- +Difficulty If GM assigns — Added to your roll
Example Roll
- Combat: d100 = 24 (target 29, success!)
- Damage: 5 + 1d8 = 11
- Speed: 1d6 = 4
- Difficulty: +1d4 = 2
- Final: Combat 26 (24+2, still hits), Damage 11, Speed 4
Keep your dice visible until your turn resolves! Don't scoop them up early.
Phase 3: Resolution (Act in Speed Order)
Turn Order:
- Highest Speed die goes first
- Continue in descending order
- Ties: Compare Reflex skill (Guts + Nerve tens)
On Your Turn:
- Check if your Combat roll succeeded
- If hit, roll damage and apply the dice result to the target's Tolerance
- Mark off ammo used
- Update injuries, Fortune
Attacking & Damage
Making an Attack
1
Roll Combat (d100)
Roll ≤ skill value = Hit • Roll > skill value = Miss
Roll ≤ skill value = Hit • Roll > skill value = Miss
2
Roll Damage (if you hit)
Weapon damage = Base + Die • Example: 9mm = 5 + 1d8 (6-13 damage)
Weapon damage = Base + Die • Example: 9mm = 5 + 1d8 (6-13 damage)
3
GM Determines Hit Location
Rolls 1d10 on hit location table • Or you choose (if Critical Success)
Rolls 1d10 on hit location table • Or you choose (if Critical Success)
4
Compare to Target's Tolerance
Damage < Tolerance = No injury • Damage ≥ Tolerance = Injury!
Damage < Tolerance = No injury • Damage ≥ Tolerance = Injury!
Injury Severity
| Damage vs Tolerance | Level | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Equals Tolerance | Level 1 | +5 to rolls |
| Exceeds by 1-4 | Level 1 | +5 to rolls |
| Exceeds by 5-8 | Level 2 | +10 to rolls |
| Exceeds by 9-12 | Level 3 | +15 to rolls, incapacitated |
| Exceeds by 13+ | Level 4 | ☠️ DEATH |
Critical Success
How to get it:
- Roll natural 1, OR
- 5+ degrees of success
Benefits:
- Automatic max damage (base + max die)
- Called shot (choose hit location)
- Can bypass armor
- Special effects (if you have traits)
Defense & Survival
Static Defense (Default)
Defenders don't roll — your Combat roll determines hit/miss.
Active Defense (With Traits)
Common defensive traits: Dodge Roll, Combat Parry, Uncanny Dodge
1
Enemy hits you
2
Before damage: Declare defensive trait
3
Roll defensive skill (Gymnastics/Combat/Reflex)
4
Success = Attack negated • Failure = Take damage
Limit: Once per turn (twice with Lightning Reflexes). Save it for deadly attacks!
Cover & Concealment
🧱 Partial Cover
(corner, car door, low wall)
- Attacker gets +1d6 difficulty
- Reduces damage 25% from explosions
🏰 Full Cover
(wall, inside vehicle)
- Cannot be targeted
- Reduces damage 50% from explosions
⚠️ Always use cover. Standing in the open = DEATH.
Ammunition & Reloading
Track Every Shot
Mark off each bullet/shell fired. Running dry at the wrong moment gets you killed.
Reloading (One Action)
Magazine-Fed
Full reload instantly
Revolver
Roll 1d6 for rounds loaded
Shotgun (tube)
Roll 1d6 for shells loaded
Breach-Fed
Loads full capacity (1-2)
Reload Example
- Revolver (6 capacity, empty)
- Reload action, roll 1d6 = 4
- Now has 4 rounds (need another action for full reload)
Weapon Jamming
3+ Degrees of Failure: GM may declare jam
- Uses 3 degrees (not Dread)
- Mechanics roll to clear (one action)
Natural 100 (Critical Failure): Weapon breaks
- Unusable until repaired
Automatic Weapons
Aimed Shot
| Fire Mode | Ammo Used | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Auto | 10 rounds | One damage roll, can move normally |
| Burst | 3 rounds | One damage roll, can move normally |
Suppressive Fire
| Fire Mode | Ammo Used | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Auto | 30 rounds | 20-foot area |
| Burst | 6 rounds | 15-foot area |
Effects:
- Forces enemies to take cover
- Move at half Speed while firing
Enemies in suppressive fire:
- Already in cover: Safe, but +1d6 to actions
- Not in cover: Must make Reflex roll
- Success = Reach cover safely
- Failure = Take damage, then reach cover
Tactical use: Pin enemies, cover retreats, deny areas
Special Situations
Grenades
Throwing:
- Athletics roll to place accurately
- Detonates after 1 turn
- Everyone in radius takes same damage
Cover reduces damage:
- Full cover: 50% reduction
- Partial cover: 25% reduction
| Grenade | Effect |
|---|---|
| Frag | 6 + 2d8 damage, 15-foot radius |
| Flashbang | Blind/deafen (Reflex resist) |
| Smoke | 20-foot concealment |
Melee Combat
Within 5 feet = melee range
| Weapon | Damage |
|---|---|
| Unarmed | 0 + 1d4 |
| Knife | 3 + 1d6 |
| Bat | 2 + 1d6 |
Grappling: Opposed Athletics rolls — winner controls (pin, disarm, throw)
Multiple Injuries
Penalties stack from different locations:
- Broken arm (+10) + Concussion (+5) = +15 total to all skill checks
Important: By default, injury penalties apply to all skill check (d100) rolls. Under special circumstances, the GM may allow a player to ignore the penalty for one or more injuries if reasonable, articulate justification is presented.
Death from multiple injuries:
- Any Level 4 = Death
- 3+ Level 3 = Death
- 5+ Level 2 = Survival roll or die
Fortune in Combat
When to Spend Fortune
Good uses:
- Turning fatal injury into survivable wound
- Critical hit on boss enemy
- Dodging suppressive fire
- Crucial skill check under fire
Don't waste on:
- Minor failures
- Attacks that already succeeded
- Low-stakes situations
Gaining Fortune
Leftover degrees of success add to Fortune pool:
Success by 23 = 2 degrees = +2 Fortune
Medical Treatment
Field Medicine (During Combat)
One action to stabilize ally:
- Medicine roll
- Success = Reduce injury 1 level or stop bleeding
- Requires first aid kit
Limitations:
- Can't fully cure injuries
- Level 3+ needs professional care
- Full healing requires rest
Unconscious Allies
Medicine roll to stabilize/awaken:
- Can be dragged (carrier is Over-Encumbered)
- Continue to worsen if untreated
Hit Locations
| d10 | Location | Common Effects |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Head | Concussion, vision problems |
| 2 | Neck | Arterial bleeding, suffocation |
| 3 | Chest | Broken ribs, difficulty breathing |
| 4 | Abdomen | Internal bleeding, organ damage |
| 5 | Back | Spinal injury, paralysis |
| 6 | Left Arm | Can't use arm, drops items |
| 7 | Right Arm | Can't use weapon |
| 8 | Left Leg | Movement reduced |
| 9 | Right Leg | Movement reduced |
| 10 | Hands/Feet | Can't grasp/run |
Quick Reference
⚡ Combat Cheat Sheet
Turn Timing
~3 seconds per turn
Movement
Speed × 5 feet
Actions
One action + movement
Reloading
= One action
Active Defense
Once per turn
Cover
ALWAYS use it
Attack Sequence
- Roll Combat (d100)
- Roll damage if hit
- Compare to Tolerance
- Apply injury penalties
Injury Penalties Quick Reference
- Level 1: +5 to rolls
- Level 2: +10 to rolls
- Level 3: +15 to rolls, incapacitated
- Level 4: ☠️ Death
Tactical Checklist
Before Combat
- Know your weapon's effective range
- Identify cover locations
- Check ammo count
- Coordinate with team
During Combat
- Use cover religiously
- Track your ammo
- Focus fire (kill one enemy > wound three)
- Retreat when necessary
Common Mistakes
| ❌ Mistake | ✅ Fix |
|---|---|
| Standing in open | Move to cover |
| Wasting active defense | Save for big hits |
| Ignoring injuries | Get treatment ASAP |
| Shooting beyond range | Close distance first |
| Not tracking ammo | Reload during lulls |
Survival Priorities
- 1 Don't get hit — Use cover!
- 2 Hit them first — Initiative matters
- 3 Know when to run — Live to fight another day
- 4 Work as a team — Coordinate fire
- 5 Track resources — Ammo, Fortune, injuries
🎯 "Meets it beats it" • 🔫 Track every shot • 🍀 Fortune for critical moments
☠️ Dead heroes tell no tales.
☠️ Dead heroes tell no tales.