House Combat Rulez

[Gwitel 98]

My players have found the combat system too simplistic for their tastes. I have come up with an alternate. I'm just interested in your opinions (I know "If you love it, then it's great!")

Anyway, here goes:

Wounds are cumulative (Snafus are not)

The first Wound gives you a -4 on all actions plus the Snafu effect. The second wound has no cumulative effect with the first (except for another snafu result). A third wound and you are downed (see "Downed").

Maimed results are as before. A third maimed also will make you "Downed".

Downed counts as having two wounds in addition to being incapacitated. A "Wound" or greater hit on a Downed character results in Death.


Now for Armor.

Before armor is applied to a hit, all the Boosts will be subtracted from its protection. So if you rolled six over the number needed on a weapon that has a "2" in the Boost column, you subtract "3" from the Armor before applying the armor's protection (the rules may have already indicated this, but I didn't see it).

Finally Initiative.

All players and opponents roll a d20 to determine initiative rank (I wanted a d10, but my players were alienated by switching dice). I also wanted team initiative rather than individual, but this doesn't take into account players who want to "accidentally" shoot another in the back.

Optionally, initiative can be modified by the weapon being used.

Unarmed: +3
Pistol or one handed weapon: +2
Two handed weapon: +1
Heavy Weapon (cone rifle, etc.): +0

That's about it. Anyone want to add anything or point out how dumb I am?

 

[Erase-B-HED]

These suggestions are as satisfying as a bowl of hot fun on a cold night cycle. I, for one, was tired of shooting traitors in the back multiple times and seeing them not being terminated by my efforts. Especially traitors with good armor. I think these rules will help me help the computer much more efficiently.

Sincerely.

Erase-B-HED

 

[Allen Varney]

These rules look perfectly functional. They make combat much more lethal, and in particular they give a strong advantage to shooting first. This may have the salutary effect of increasing paranoia, though it would also tend to reduce the free-for-all firefights that are a PARANOIA hallmark.

You could, perhaps, achieve much the same effect a bit more smoothly by saying each Wound the target has already suffered automatically adds 1 Boost increment to the attacker's die roll. Also, you might decide to treat all armor as ablative: Each time you get injured, your armor's value decreases by 1. Then firefights are over pretty darn quick.

Expect a visit soon by trained HPD&MC Semantic Analysis officials who will diligently instruct you in proper spelling of the term "rules."

 

[Ryack-O]

Or you could arbitrarily boost attack roles depending on how wounded or maimed a target is. Unless your just as maimed and wounded.