Rules: Close combat

Designers note: For King's Angels campaign I'm using a hybrid system, with strong influences from wargame and skirmish table-top games with depth of classic RPG. In a way campaign is huge test bed for system which incorporates classic small-scale combat of RPG, vehicle based combat which includes aircraft and tanks. Ambitious, i know. But how dares - wins. 

Close combat on modern battlefield is rare, but not uncommon. There are plenty of situation when fistfights or melee occur. In the game terms close combat is comprised of following parts:

1. Determine order of combat by passing Combat Initiative test, if not available take Active Agility test.
2. Plan your action and distribute your Action Points between available combat options on CQC card
3. Reveal your actions.
4. Determine who wins the round by passing Opposed Skill test
5. Combat resolution: establish how round of combat was resolved: successful attacks, defence, evades, their effects and damage.
6. Resolve damage, and determine next step.

Lets see in more detail into how it works. 

1. Order of Combat. 

Skill Combat Initiative describes characters ability to understand and react on changing battle field situation. As a rules of thumb: the fastest goes first, strikes first and shoots first. For more complex situations which include vehicles, ranged combat and melee GM determines initiative in order from fastest to slowest, starting with high speed vehicles, like aircraft, then goes to ground ranged combat, finishing with close combat. Note that certain skills may modify this order. 

2. Plan you round.

Each player is issued with CQC card, where he/she distributes AP of character between actions: Attack, Defence, Feint, Disarm, Evade and Control. Each action has three types: Basic -1 AP, Deliberate 3 AP or Special - all AP. If character has not spent all of his AP they are lost.  Types of actions describe how much effort character is putting into his actions. 

2.1. Negating order for types of actions.

• Special action beats all other actions against opponent(s) if you win the round of combat. Some skills may modify this statement. 
• Deliberate action cancels opponent's three Basic or one Deliberate actions if you win round of combat.
• Basic action cancels one Basic opponent's actions if you win round. There basic actions are required to cancel one Deliberate action, if you win round of combat. 

2.2 Actions in detail

Attack: Jabs, thrusts, punches, slashes, hits, bites, stabs with fist, legs or knife and other similar activity including use of firearms. Each successful attack reduces opponent's AP by Strength of the attacker. Successful attacks with weapons like knifes and guns will require opponent to take Resistance or Armour save.

Defence: Blocks, dives and other defencive actions to protect your weak spots. Each Defencive action cancels an Attack (see types for detail) if you win round of combat. Each Basic Defencive action retains 1 AP from your pool of action points for next round if you lose current round of combat. Deliberate retains 2 AP. Special: 3 AP. 

Feint: Faking or deceiving moves to confuse your opponent and understand his combat style. If you win or lose round of combat add bonus to your Close Combat Skill for duration of the fight with this opponent. Each uncancelled Basic Feint adds +1 to your Close Combat Skill. Deliberate: +2 your Close Combat Skill. Special: +3 your Close Combat Skill. Feint may be negated only by opponent's Feint.     

Disarm: Attempting to grab knife or firearm from opponent's hands to use it for greater good of humanity. If you win the fight you choose to take any one the weapon from opponent's quick slots. Disarm may be negated by Evade only. 

Evade: Instead of taking hits and grabs you avoid it. If you win round of combat then you may negate opponent's Attacks, Disarm or Control, as they hit the air. See negating by types for detail. Alternatively you may disengage from combat by having at least one uncancelled Evade action and winning the round.

 

Control: Instead of damaging opponent and reducing his AP you try to gain control over him. If you win round, during next round opponent will come under your control, and will do your bidding. However you remain locked in combat, and in the next round enemy will try win to get out of you choke by trying to win the round. Controlled enemy does not lose any AP, but you may change his or her movement and position. To retain control over enemy, you must win the round and have at least one uncancelled Control action.    

3. Reveal your actions:

After you mark your action of combat sheet, you reveal it to GM or opponent in order of combat starting from highest to lowest.

4. Determine who wins the round by passing Opposed Skill test.

Consult Opposed test table for the number required to succeed and roll your d12 and/or other dice.

• If all combatants successfully pass Opposed test, then round is won by highest number of successes. In case of draw highest Close Combat skill wins. In case of another draw highest Agility wins. In case of another annoying draw – roll off d12. Highest result wins.
• If Opposed test is failed, no Attacks reach target and no Evade has been made. Defencive actions still block opponent's Attacks. Feint is unaffected.
• Don't roll "1" or Critical Fail means opponent(s) automatically wins the round and all his actions are unopposed. No Attacks, Defence, Evade or Feints actions is made. If dice pool has more than one dice, Critical Fail may be negated by players Critical Success on other dice.
• Do roll "12" or Critical Success automatically wins round. In case of Critical Successes on both sides highest number of successes wins. in case of a draw - highest skill wins. In case of another annoying draw – roll off d12. Highest result wins. (subject to modification)

5. Combat resolution: 

Establish how round of combat was resolved: successful attacks, defence, evades, their effects and damage.

6. Resolve damage, and determine next step.

Take Resistance test or Armour test if applicable, reduce AP or K-points and determine if combat ends or continues.