Opposed Rolling Combat Playtest
Opposed Rolling Combat Playtest
This is the set of combat rules in playtest (PDF here
It represents the least changes required to implement the opposed rolling combat system.
The Concept
Similarly to how we now play magic (cast chance and magic resistance), the system use an active defence, ie both the attacker and target roll dice. It also introduces additional "qualities of defence", so that the roll for defence is not just a binary succeed/fail and can reduce the damage even if not eliminating it entirely. The Attacker rolls D100 against their Strike Chance and the Defender rolls D100 against their Defence, determining their qualities of success. A strike succeeds if the Attacker has a better quality of success than the Defender.
Intent
- Defence is rolled rather than being subtracted from Strike Chance.
- Why?
- Eliminates the need for subtraction
- Eliminates the need for the attacker to know the defender's defence
- The chances of a special quality result are largely able to be predetermined as the Strike Chance does not vary based on the defenders Defence
- It is possible for an Attacker to miss even if their Strike Chance is 100 more than the Defender's Defence (and not just by rolling a natural 00 on D100).
- Conversely, it is now possible for an Attacker to hit an opponent whose Defence is greater than their Strike Chance (and not just by rolling a natural 01 on their D100).
- An additional quality of result is added between those we already have.
ie currently Failure, Fatigue Hit, Endurance Hit, Possible Spec Grev becomes Failure, Fatigue Hit, Enhanced Fatigue Hit, Endurance Hit, Possible Spec Grev
- Why?
- So that low strike chance attackers have a chance of hitting higher defence defenders
- So to reduce the number of blocked (1-1=0) results.
- Additional qualities of result are added for Strike chances above 100 and 200.
- Why?
- To reduce the number of misses. Without this high strike chance attackers are blocked too often by low defence defenders
- To increase the likelyhood of EN and Possible Spec Grev results.
- Percentage required for special qualities is changed. Changes from 5 and 15% to 10, 20 and 40%
- Why?
- So that the numbers are easier to calculate on the fly, ie Success Quality 4 is percentage chance/10, 3 is twice that and 2 is twice that again.
- Assassin and Aiming are addressed because they change the EN and SG chances. Evading is addressed as the current miss by 30% is no longer meaningful.
 
Core Mechanics
Anything not specified is as per the current rules
All percentage calculations round up. (eg 10% of 21 = 2.1 = 3, so with a chance of 21% a roll of 3 or better is required for a Quality of 4)
Natural 01 (ie 01 roll on the die) is always quality 4 or better. Natural 00 is always quality 0)
Steps
- Attacker rolls against their Strike Chance for Attack Quality (Table 1 or main Success Quality table)
- Defender rolls against their Defence for Defence Quality (Table 1 or main Success Quality table)
- Result Quality = Attack Quality - Defence Quality
- Look up Defence Quality on Table 2 and apply damage to defender
Table 1
Attack & Defence Quality | |||
Name | Letter | Level | Calculation (round up) |
Poor | P | 0 | > Success Chance (= a fail) |
Average | A | 1 | = Success Chance |
Better | B | 2 | 40% of Success Chance |
Crucial | C | 3 | 20% of Success Chance |
Decisive | D | 4 | 10% of Success Chance |
Excellent | E | 5 | 10% of (Success Chance - 100) |
Fantastic | F | 6 | 10% of (Success Chance - 200) |
Table 2
Result Quality | ||||
Name | Letter | Level | Description | Armour Applying |
Poor | P | 0 | Blocked | N/A |
Average | A | 1 | Fatigue | FT |
Better | B | 2 | Maximum Fatigue | FT |
Crucial | C | 3 | Endurance | EN |
Decisive | D | 4 | Endurance & Possible Spec Grievous | EN |
Excellent | E | 5 | Maximum Endurance & Possible Spec Grievous | None |
Fantastic | F | 6 | Maximum Endurance + 10 & Possible Spec Grievous | None |
Armour Definition:
FT is normal armour subtracted from FT damage.
EN is endurance armour subtracted from EN damage.
DR or Damage Reduction, as available in items such as rings of protection and some magic such as Armour of Earth, which stacks with both FT and EN, applies vs all Result Qualities. None of FT, EN or DR comes off the extra damage from Spec Grevs.
Strike Chance Calculation:
As current.
Defence Calculation
As current ie
Front hexes: AG + Shield bonus + Magical Defence + modifiers.
Rear and flank hexes: AG + Magical Defence + modifiers. (Shield is NOT applied.)
Stunned: Magical Defence + modifiers.
Evading
If an Evading figure who is being melee attacked achieves a Defence Quality two or more better than the attacker, they may attempt a parry, as per the current evading rules ie possible disarm or riposte.
Ranged
Aiming: +20% SC as usual but -5 dice roll modifier instead of 5% extra EN & SG chance.
Assassin
The bonus that an assassin gets to their chance of causing a grevious injury (ie -2/rank from surprise, -1/rank from behind and -1/3 ranks from in front) is applied as a dice modifier (ie subtracted from the dice roll).
57 Combat Tables
57.1 Strike Chance Modifiers Summary
The strike chance modifiers from the current rules have been divided into strike chance and defence modifiers. Combatants should only need to know their own status (eg stunned, cover etc).
Close Combat Modifiers | |
+1 | each point attacker's PS |
-20 | attacker has no Fatigue |
Melee Combat Modifiers | |
-10 | attacker has no Fatigue |
-20 | attack is an offensive withdrawal |
+20 | charging with pole weapon or shield |
-15 | charging with non-pole weapon |
+10 | attacking a flank hex |
+30 | attacking a rear hex |
+20 | attacking a kneeling or prone defender |
Ranged Combat Modifiers | |
+10 | attacking a flank hex |
+20 | attacking a rear hex |
+10 | attacker is kneeling |
+20 | aim (and -5 off the dice roll) |
-15 | snapshoot |
-3 | every hex through which a thrown weapon travels |
-3 | each 5 hexes (or fraction) after the first 5 through which a missile travels |
Visibility Condition Modifiers | |
-10 | starry night or shadowy interior |
-20 | cloudy night |
-30 | cave or unlit interior |
-40 | pitch blackness |
-50 | attacker cannot see defender |
Miscellaneous Modifiers | |
-20 | striking weapon held in attacker's secondary hand |
-10 | multiple strike |
-20 | multi-hex strike with B class two-handed weapon |
-10 | attacker is airborne |
All modifications except visibility are cumulative.
57.2 Defence Modifiers Summary
Close Combat Modifiers | |
+1 | each point defender's PS |
-20 | defender has no Fatigue |
-20 | defender is stunned |
Melee Combat Modifiers | |
-10 | defender has no Fatigue |
-15 | defender is stunned |
+20 | defensive withdrawal |
+10 | defender is evading |
+4 | each Rank the defender has with prepared weapon if evading |
Ranged Combat Modifiers | |
-10 | defender is stunned |
+5 | defender is currently moving |
+10 | defender is kneeling or prone |
+20 | defender is evading |
+20 | defender occupies a sheltered hex |
Miscellaneous Modifiers | |
+20 | defender is airborne |
All modifications are cumulative.
57.3 Combat Equation Summary
Engaged Initiative | PC + modified AG + weapon Rank + warrior Rank. |
Unengaged Initiative | D10 + (PC + 2 x Military Scientist). |
Strike Chance with ranked weapon | Weapon Base Chance + attacker's modified Manual Dexterity + (4 x Rank with weapon) + Magic + Modifiers ([§57.1]). |
Shield Rush | Normal SC and damage. 3 x AG to avoid. |
Disarm | -20 to strike chance. MD + Rank to avoid (2 x MD + Rank if two handed). |
Trip | Weapon BC reduced to 40%, and Damage to D10. 3 x AG to avoid. |
Knockout | Must get a Result Quality of 3 or better. |
Entangle | Normal SC. 3 x AG to avoid. |
Restrain | 3 x ((PS+AG of attacker) - (PS+AG of defender)). |
Trample (by multihex figure) | Automatic knockdown. BC 40. Damage [D+(size in hexes)]. |
Fumble | Reduce Initiative by 10. Roll under Initiative on D100 or roll on the Fumble Table ([§52.4]). |
Defence: Front | Modified AG + PC+ Shield defence + Modifiers ([§57.2]) + Magic. |
Defence: Rear or Flank | Modified AG + Modifiers ([§57.2]) + Magic. |
Defence: Stunned | Modifiers ([§57.2]) + Magic. |
Withdraw from close combat | (D10 + total friendly Physical Strength - total hostile Physical Strength) ≥ 10. |
Repulse a charge attack | D10 ≥ prepared weapon Rank. |
Stay conscious | If EN ≤ 3, roll under (EN*WP). |
Stun recovery | (2 x WP) + current Fatigue. |
Parry result | D10 + evader's Rank - attacker's Rank.
3 or less: Successful parry; evader must pass next action. 4-7: Disarm, 1 EN damage. 8 or greater: Disarm plus a riposte; evader may melee attack, 1 EN damage. |
 
57.4 Success Quality Table
Find your roll on the roll column. Look across to your success chance (SC or Def) and that column is your Attack Quality or Defence Quality.
Average | Better | Crucial | Decisive | Excellent | Fantastic | Average | Better | Crucial | ||
Roll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Roll | 1 | 2 | 3 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 3-4 | 5-100 | 101-200 | 201+ | 51 | 51-125 | 126-250 | 251-500 |
2 | 2 | 3-5 | 6-10 | 11-110 | 111-210 | 211+ | 52 | 52-127 | 128-255 | 256-510 |
3 | 3-5 | 6-10 | 11-20 | 21-120 | 121-220 | 221+ | 53 | 53-130 | 131-260 | 261-520 |
4 | 4-7 | 8-15 | 16-30 | 31-130 | 131-230 | 231+ | 54 | 54-132 | 133-265 | 266-530 |
5 | 5-10 | 11-20 | 21-40 | 41-140 | 141-240 | 241+ | 55 | 55-135 | 136-270 | 271-540 |
6 | 6-12 | 13-25 | 26-50 | 51-150 | 151-250 | 251+ | 56 | 56-137 | 138-275 | 276-550 |
7 | 7-15 | 16-30 | 31-60 | 61-160 | 161-260 | 261+ | 57 | 57-140 | 141-280 | 281-560 |
8 | 8-17 | 18-35 | 36-70 | 71-170 | 171-270 | 271+ | 58 | 58-142 | 143-285 | 286-570 |
9 | 9-20 | 21-40 | 41-80 | 81-180 | 181-280 | 281+ | 59 | 59-145 | 146-290 | 291-580 |
10 | 10-22 | 23-45 | 46-90 | 91-190 | 191-290 | 291+ | 60 | 60-147 | 148-295 | 296-590 |
11 | 11-25 | 26-50 | 51-100 | 101-200 | 201-300 | - | 61 | 61-150 | 151-300 | - |
12 | 12-27 | 28-55 | 56-110 | 111-210 | 211-310 | - | 62 | 62-152 | 153-305 | - |
13 | 13-30 | 31-60 | 61-120 | 121-220 | 221-320 | - | 63 | 63-155 | 156-310 | - |
14 | 14-32 | 33-65 | 66-130 | 131-230 | 231-330 | - | 64 | 64-157 | 158-315 | - |
15 | 15-35 | 36-70 | 71-140 | 141-240 | 241-340 | - | 65 | 65-160 | 161-320 | - |
16 | 16-37 | 38-75 | 76-150 | 151-250 | 251-350 | - | 66 | 66-162 | 163-325 | - |
17 | 17-40 | 41-80 | 81-160 | 161-260 | 261-360 | - | 67 | 67-165 | 166-330 | - |
18 | 18-42 | 43-85 | 86-170 | 171-270 | 271-370 | - | 68 | 68-167 | 168-335 | - |
19 | 19-45 | 46-90 | 91-180 | 181-280 | 281-380 | - | 69 | 69-170 | 171-340 | - |
20 | 20-47 | 48-95 | 96-190 | 191-290 | 291-390 | - | 70 | 70-172 | 173-345 | - |
21 | 21-50 | 51-100 | 101-200 | 201-300 | - | - | 71 | 71-175 | 176-350 | - |
22 | 22-52 | 53-105 | 106-210 | 211-310 | - | - | 72 | 72-177 | 178-355 | - |
23 | 23-55 | 56-110 | 111-220 | 221-320 | - | - | 73 | 73-180 | 181-360 | - |
24 | 24-57 | 58-115 | 116-230 | 231-330 | - | - | 74 | 74-182 | 183-365 | - |
25 | 25-60 | 61-120 | 121-240 | 241-340 | - | - | 75 | 75-185 | 186-370 | - |
26 | 26-62 | 63-125 | 126-250 | 251-350 | - | - | 76 | 76-187 | 188-375 | - |
27 | 27-65 | 66-130 | 131-260 | 261-360 | - | - | 77 | 77-190 | 191-380 | - |
28 | 28-67 | 68-135 | 136-270 | 271-370 | - | - | 78 | 78-192 | 193-385 | - |
29 | 29-70 | 71-140 | 141-280 | 281-380 | - | - | 79 | 79-195 | 196-390 | - |
30 | 30-72 | 73-145 | 146-290 | 291-390 | - | - | 80 | 80-197 | 198-395 | - |
31 | 31-75 | 76-150 | 151-300 | - | - | - | 81 | 81-200 | 201-400 | - |
32 | 32-77 | 78-155 | 156-310 | - | - | - | 82 | 82-202 | 203-405 | - |
33 | 33-80 | 81-160 | 161-320 | - | - | - | 83 | 83-205 | 206-410 | - |
34 | 34-82 | 83-165 | 166-330 | - | - | - | 84 | 84-207 | 208-415 | - |
35 | 35-85 | 86-170 | 171-340 | - | - | - | 85 | 85-210 | 211-420 | - |
36 | 36-87 | 88-175 | 176-350 | - | - | - | 86 | 86-212 | 213-425 | - |
37 | 37-90 | 91-180 | 181-360 | - | - | - | 87 | 87-215 | 216-430 | - |
38 | 38-92 | 93-185 | 186-370 | - | - | - | 88 | 88-217 | 218-435 | - |
39 | 39-95 | 96-190 | 191-380 | - | - | - | 89 | 89-220 | 221-440 | - |
40 | 40-97 | 98-195 | 196-390 | - | - | - | 90 | 90-222 | 223-445 | - |
41 | 41-100 | 101-200 | 201-400 | - | - | - | 91 | 91-225 | 226-450 | - |
42 | 42-102 | 103-205 | 206-410 | - | - | - | 92 | 92-227 | 228-455 | - |
43 | 43-105 | 106-210 | 211-420 | - | - | - | 93 | 93-230 | 231-460 | - |
44 | 44-107 | 108-215 | 216-430 | - | - | - | 94 | 94-232 | 233-465 | - |
45 | 45-110 | 111-220 | 221-440 | - | - | - | 95 | 95-235 | 236-470 | - |
46 | 46-112 | 113-225 | 226-450 | - | - | - | 96 | 96-237 | 238-475 | - |
47 | 47-115 | 116-230 | 231-460 | - | - | - | 97 | 97-240 | 241-480 | - |
48 | 48-117 | 118-235 | 236-470 | - | - | - | 98 | 98-242 | 243-485 | - |
49 | 49-120 | 121-240 | 241-480 | - | - | - | 99 | 99-245 | 246-490 | - |
50 | 50-122 | 123-245 | 246-490 | - | - | - | 100 | - | - | - |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | '3' |