Thoughts on Moving as a Combat Action

[SableWyvern]

It's probably a bit late in the day for this, but I thought I'd mention it anyway:

Currently, to move as a combat action, you make an Athletics check and move a number of metres equal to Effect x 3. Personally, I find this a very awkward rule, with two significant issues:

First, the wide discrepancy in results makes for bizarre situations. On a flat, unobstructed 100m track, your pace should not be varying so widely. While some variance may be ok, running becomes a huge gamble, with players having little idea how far they are going to move.

Second, it's impossible to run, and keep running (unless you keep getting 6s for effect, which means you're probably moving pretty slowly). If you want to make it 30 metres to cover, you know you'll probably only make it 12-16m each time you move, and will then stand around for a 2-4 seconds between hops. Ouch.

My fix:

It does not require an Athletics check to run, unless you are crossing difficult terrain. Under normal circumstances, you can move a number of 1.5m hexes/squares equal to 10 + Athletics. Once running, you have an effective initiative of 1, but can continue to run in each action phase, until you wish to stop. Running characters are at -1DM to target. A character must still have initiative 6 and use a combat action to begin running.

 

[Sturn]

I agree this is a problem, but had never come up with a fix. I agree with Sable once again that one is needed.

Only thing I don't like about your fix is.....

Once running, you have an effective initiative of 1, but can continue to run in each action phase, until you wish to stop.

I understand the reason for it, just was hoping there was a simpler method to allow a person to keep running each round (without the stopping problem) without an obtuse rule change such as this. Of course my mind has not come up with anything better!

 

[Deniable]

Some of this comes back to the need for 'continuing actions' in the rules. Things like driving a vehicle or suppressing an area with automatic fire are others.

I'd probably let the character continue an action if possible and set a default one (or re-roll) when they wanted to do something else, including dodging or ducking. I'm trying for a benefit to distracting the opposition.

 

[SableWyvern]

Hmm ... driving.

I'd probably allow a character who was driving to move normally every action phase, with no requirement to expend ticks or make rolls.

Evasive or difficult manouevres would cost ticks, with a penalty to any necessary checks if you aren't able (or willing) to spend the required ticks.

Negotiating a lot of obstacles while moving at high speeds will mean you quickly run out of ticks, and suffer serious penalties.

Frex:

Driver in landrover has initiative five.

Takes evasive action for two ticks, drops to I3

Crests a low berm for 1 tick, I2

Negotiates dragon's teeth for 2 ticks, which drops initiative below 1 and gives a penalty to the check.

[Edit: If the driver was required to make yet another check (say, for two ticks), although his actual initiative would not drop below 1, he would accrue penalties on this last check as if he was 3 ticks overspent -- so the penalties for driving like a mad-man can quickly add up.]

Next turn, in the increment initiative phase, his Initiative goes back up to 3. With a tank trap up ahead, and realising he is going to have to take some sharp turns to avoid a series of shell craters and make the bridge that has been laid further along, he slows down to give himself time to get his initiative value back up.

 

[Deniable]

Allow players to spend ticks to get closer / further away in a chase (knowing they may need ticks for hazards) and we've got an interesting system.

 

[SableWyvern]

I'm a bit iffy about the specifics of that -- since everyone is accruing 2 initiative per turn, and probably needing to negotiate the same obstacles, I'm not sure how well it will work.

However, a straight Drive/Flyer check to extend or close the distance, as a combat action, could work You're still potentially paying in ticks when you choose your Timing result. The Effect die would obviously determine how much ground you make.

If the extend/close distance roll was made first up, before any other manouevres, then getting good Timing results will be critical. Possibly, on a successful check, you could allow Timing ticks to be added to Effect ticks (for a reduced final Initiative), indicating really pushing the vehicle, and your own limits.

 

[Sturn]

Some of this comes back to the need for 'continuing actions' in the rules. Things like driving a vehicle or suppressing an area with automatic fire are others.

I think this is the core of the problem. Many rules systems have such a mechanic. What are some ideas for a universal mechanic for this new T/E for continuing actions (a.i. driving a vehicle continuously, running continuously, shooting a weapon continuously at the same place.....anything completely repetitive with no breaks whatsoever).

 

[Deniable]

I'm wondering if aiming should also be moved into this category. The aiming rules have the kind of distraction mechanic I was looking for. I'm just thinking in terms of aiming the weapon by watching the tracers.

I'd rather a general mechanic than specifics for each variation, but it's not always possible.

Going back to the movement rules:

• Sprinting is the Athletics check / Effect x 3 already mentioned. This uses an action, drops your timing, and an effect one means you might as well have walked.
• Free movement is 1.5 meters per round or 45 meters per minute. This allows you to make actions along the way.
• Spending ticks (up to 3 per turn) allows you to move faster. Assuming you spend the two ticks accumulated per turn on movement (plus free) you can move 3*1.5 = 4.5 meters per turn or 135 meters per minute without stopping.

Going back to SableWyverns original suggestion, the speeds (Assuming Athletics 0) are:

• 15 m/turn.
• 13.33 s for a 100m. Not quite Olympic level. You need athletics 4 to break 10s.
• 450 m/minute.

10 is a nice number to work with, but assuming loaded characters, you may want to dial back the movement rate for a sprint. Some sort of fatigue rule may also be needed else you'll have PCs sprinting a marathon in full combat gear. Otherwise, your sprint rule is a lot less flaky than the book version.

 

[SableWyvern]

What are some ideas for a universal mechanic for this new T/E for continuing actions (a.i. driving a vehicle continuously, running continuously, shooting a weapon continuously at the same place.....anything completely repetitive with no breaks whatsoever).

Personally, I don't think it's necessarily the best idea to try and fit all continuous actions into a single universal mechanic.

However, if you wished to, I'd suggest you start with something like this:

Once you begin a continuous action, you continue to perform it in every action phase until disturbed or you choose to cease the action.

On completing the action you either default to initiative 1, or make some kind of roll to determine new initiative.

 

[Sturn]

.......if you continuously do the same thing from round to round, you get to keep rerolling the Effect die only, taking the best of the new or old result, eventually resulting in an excellent result if you keep performing the same task over and over without stopping.

Just a thought, not sure how this could be used for continuous movement exactly, except that you would eventually reach your top speed after a few rounds (when your Effect die became a 6).