Rules: Skills and their description

Skill types:

Skills are divided into following groups: Base, Active, Passive and Lore.

Type:	Description:	Example:
Base	Base Skill is basis for most untrained ability to perform specific actions. There are only 5 Base skills: Weapons Skills Base,  Tech Skill Base,  Survival Skill Base, Communication Skill Base, Psy Skill Base.  As a rule test using Base skill are rolled using one d12.	In case of two character's start a conversation without knowledge of each others language, they will both use Communication skill Base to see if conversation has been successful.
Active	Active skills are combination of specific knowledge, training and ability to use it effectively. Active skill use their own number and levels for tests.	Assault Rifles: 5, level [T] – practical use of this types of weapons, shooting, maintenance. Level indicates that for tests involving shooting user will be rolling 2 d10.
Passive	Passive Skill adds its level to roll on Base skill or Characteristics test.	Brawl: 4 - when character is involved in fistfight he would roll d12, then add +4 to his result and consult table to see result. Note that Critical Fail is not improved by passive skill.
Lore	Lore skills requires greater degree of knowledge, understanding theory and practice than Active. Lore is used to describe ability for very complex subjects and their use with help of others. Lore works same way as Active skill, but effects of this skill usually benefit others.	Lore: Medieval Siege [E] – practical understanding of weak and strong points of castle defense, supply situation, most effective weapons and psychology of defenders and attackers. [E] indicates Expert level, with 3 d10 rolled for purpose of tests.

Skill levels:

Active skills have different levels: Basic, Trained, Expert, Master, and Legendary. Each level of skill gives amount of dice rolled to see if test is successful. Number on a skill is used when determining successful result against magic 13 or opponents skill. Passive skills use Character's Characteristics number and/or Base skill (like Weapons skill base, Survival skill base) number to see if test is successful. Critical successes of smaller dice are canceled by normal and Critical successes of larger dice. For example roll of “8” on d8 will be beaten and negated by roll of 8 on d10.

Skill level	Description	Dice pool
[B]:Basic	Basic ability of creatures to perform certain actions with minimal training.	2 d8. Can be upgraded with +1 d8.
[T]:Trained	Ability to act more efficiently thanks to rigorous training and endless repetition.	2 d10. Can be upgraded with +2 d10.
[E]:Expert	Skill is multiplied by understanding, theory and effective training.	3 d10. Can be upgraded with +1 d12.
[M]:Master	Life long learning, professional experience and training.	4 d12. Can be upgraded with +1 d20.
[L]:Legendary	Only God know this better than you. Upon reaching Legendary level any Opposed test against this skill becomes Challenging. Subtract opponents skill number from yours, result is required level on Challenging test table.	4 d12. Any dice can be upgraded to d20.

If its not a Legendary, but at least Master skill.in bike handling.

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. 

Traits

Traits are planes special abilities due to their design features. Number after trait indicates number of dice rolled to use this ability (if any).

Accuracy: armament concentrated around centre of the plane allows pilot to re-roll failed hits.
Bulky: lumbering and heavy aircraft, may ignore effects of light arm and rough landing strips.
Bullet dodger: small and nimble plane allows to re-roll evasive action
Critical: high calibre weapon automatically changes normal hit into critical hit.
Robust: built to withstand heavy punishment, it may re-roll effect of critical or normal hit.
Long range: armament allows pilot to fire beyond range 3.
Glider: superb flight characteristics allows plane to glide and remain under control after engine is disabled and no hull points left.
 Zero-in: ability to control plane in dive allows to re-roll accuracy of ground attack

Flight card

Flight card is used to explain planes capabilities and mark planned action in air combat.

Move: maximum speed of movement

Roll: roll to the side or "barrel roll" manoeuvre possible for aircraft

Manoeuvres: turns, hard turns, ahead moves possible for aircraft. Red marked manoeuvres are Stressful. 

 Maximum movement achieved in dive.
Loop: vertical climb, loop or immelman manoeuvre possible for aircraft. Loop and Immelman allow pilot to change facing of aircraft at the end of manoeuvre.

Altitude: echelons possible for aircraft 

Combat stats: 

Firepower: number of dice rolled when attacking with ranged weapon of plane

Hull: number of hits plane may take before being destroyed  

Evasion: number of dice rolled normally for evasive action in combat 

Traits: special rules for aircraft, representing their technical peculiarities. 

Altitude explained

As you may or may not know, flight model of Kings Angels is based on X-wing system, with its planning the move, revealing and executing combat order. However, for in depth feel of dogfight change of altitude is an essential thing. So after some consideration I've created a module witch expands original x-wing rules. 

To represent altitude echelons in game terms I took following model: 

Deck – close to ground to 1000 meters
Hill – up to 3000 meters
Mountain – up to 9000 meters
Top – up to 16000 meters
Ceiling – up to 24000 meters
Edge – up to 30000 meters, or edge of atmosphere.

All measurements are approximate, as table top game will not be able to represent all details of air movement and combat. (Then again, does it have to?) Aircraft flight card has its top altitude present on the card. If it's presented with red or grey box, then flying on this altitude requires additional test from pilot and/or aircraft. Demand explanation from GM :)  

Altitude and combat.
Aircraft on same altitude may attack each other if target is in range. If target is on different altitude then it can be spotted but no shots can be made. (Unless GM have a different idea or situation allow that to happen.).

Changing altitude.
In order to change its altitude pilot must make a note on his flight card, usually with arrow pointing from his current altitude to what echelon his going, and make a move of 6. This move could be any allowed to aircraft, even stressful. Move may be split between rounds of combat, for example in one round aircraft goes ahead 4, and in following hard turn 2. For as long as pilot keep noting that he is going up or down, plane will change its altitude. Obviously aircraft cannot climb higher than its flight card allows. 

Note that Tempest can climb to Top, but will require additional test to perform without problems.