Special Ranged Combat Rules

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The following rules add extra detail in ranged combat situations.

Malfunctions

This optional rule applies only to firearms, grenades, and incendiaries. A "malfunction" is a mechanical failure of the weapon; e.g., a misfire or a jam. Unlike a critical failure, a malfunction does not normally endanger the user.

For the purpose of this rule, firearms, grenades, and incendiaries have a "malfunction number," or "Malf.," a function of TL.

TL	Malf.
3	12
4	14
5	16
6 or higher	17

A fine or very fine firearm gets +1 to Malf.; a cheap weapon gets -1. Specific types of weapons might have a higher or lower Malf., as indicated in their descriptions. The GM is free to lower a weapon's Malf. for mistreatment, lack of maintenance, or damage.

Regardless of the attacker's skill, a weapon will malfunction instead of firing on any unmodified attack roll equal to or greater than its Malf. The exact effects depend on the weapon.

Firearm Malfunction Table

When a weapon malfunctions, roll 3d on the following table:

3-4 – Mechanical or electrical problem.

5-8 – Misfire.

9-11 – Stoppage.

12-14 – Misfire.

15-18 – Mechanical or electrical problem, and possible explosion.

Mechanical or Electrical Problem

The weapon fails to fire. A successful Armoury or IQ-based weapon skill roll (takes a Ready maneuver) can diagnose the problem. Once the problem is known, make an Armoury skill roll to correct it. Each repair attempt takes one hour, and any critical failure destroys the weapon.

Grenades: This represents a fusing problem: the weapon detonates 1d seconds late.

Misfire

The weapon fails to fire. A successful Armory+2 or IQ-based weapon skill roll (takes a Ready maneuver) can identify the problem. If the weapon is a revolver, the next shot will fire normally. Otherwise, each attempt to fix the problem requires three Ready maneuvers, two hands free, and a successful Armoury+2 or IQ-based weapon skill roll. Critical failure causes a mechanical or electrical problem.

Grenades: The grenade is a dud, and will never explode.

Stoppage

The weapon fires one shot, then jams or otherwise stops working. (Treat the fired shot as a normal attack.) Each attempt to clear the stoppage requires three Ready maneuvers, two hands free, and a successful Armoury roll, or IQ-based weapon skill roll at -4. A success fixes the weapon. Failure means it isn't fixed yet, but you can try again. Critical failure causes a mechanical or electrical problem.

Beam weapons: Treat as a mechanical or electrical problem.

Grenades and other single-use weapons: The weapon is a dud; it will never fire or explode.

Explosion

Any TL3 firearm or TL4 grenade, breechloader, or repeating firearm may blow up in the gunner's face, inflicting 1d+2 cr ex [2d]. If the weapon uses an explosive warhead, use the warhead's damage instead. TL5+ weapons do not explode – treat as a mechanical or electrical problem.

Firing Upward and Downward

Firing downward increases the distance you can throw or fire a projectile; firing upward decreases it. This effect is unlikely to matter at short distances, but can be important at long range. Ignore it entirely for beam weapons like lasers!

Firing Downward: For every two yards of elevation you have over your target, subtract one yard from the effective distance, to a minimum of half the real ground distance. (Example: You are 40 yards away from your target, and 10 yards higher. Subtract 5 yards from effective range. You fire as though you were only 35 yards away.)

Firing Upward: For every yard of elevation your target has over you, add one yard to the effective distance. (Example: You are 40 yards away from your target, and 10 yards lower. Add 10 yards to effective range. You fire as though you were 50 yards away.)

Cover

To take cover behind an obstacle, simply move so that it is between you and your attacker. You might also have to kneel or lie prone, depending on the obstacle's height. Cover protects one or more hit locations, making you harder to hit with ranged weapons.

You must normally expose your skull, eyes, face, and neck to see a target. You must expose your weapon arm and hand to fire a one-handed weapon. You must normally expose both arms and hands to fire a two-handed weapon, plus half of your torso and vitals, unless you are firing through a narrow slit. Your groin, legs, and feet can remain hidden if the cover is sufficient to protect them. You might have to expose more of your body if the cover is partial, or if you are unable to kneel, sit, or lie prone behind low cover.

If your foe is partially behind cover, you have three options:

• Target a location that is not behind cover. Your attack takes the usual hit location penalty. If the location is only half exposed, you have an extra -2 to hit.
• Roll randomly for hit location. Your attack takes no hit location penalty, but shots that hit a covered location strike the cover instead. For shots that hit a location that is only half exposed, roll 1d: on a roll of 4-6, the shot strikes cover, not the target.
• Ignore the cover and try to shoot right through it! This is only likely to be effective if you have a powerful weapon or your target is behind light cover. You have an extra -2 to hit.

(Exception: If your foe is completely concealed by cover, you suffer the usual penalty for shooting blind, typically -10.) The cover adds its "cover DR" against the attack. For structures, this is typically the barrier's DR + (HP/4); see the Structural Damage Table and Cover DR Table for more information. For the cover DR of living things, see Overpenetration, below.

Cover is normally only effective against ranged weapons, but certain obstacles might interfere with melee attacks as well. You can fight across a low obstacle if your attacks have sufficient reach to strike past it. Thus, two fencers could duel across an intervening table, but could not strike each other's legs or feet.

Overpenetration

When you inflict piercing, impaling, or tight-beam burning damage with a ranged attack, there is a chance that damage might pass through your target and harm something on the far side; e.g., an innocent bystander. Similarly, a powerful attack might go right through cover (see Cover, above) or a shield (see Damage to Shields) – or even penetrate a building or vehicle, damaging it and its occupants.

The GM decides who is likely to be hit due to overpenetration. A hit is automatic if the second target is immediately behind the first; e.g., someone taking cover or blocking with a shield. Otherwise, see Hitting the Wrong Target and Occupant Hit Table to determine who is hit.

An attack only overpenetrates if its basic damage exceeds the target's "cover DR." To find this value, add together the target or cover's DR – on both sides, for a person in armor – and HP (for flesh), 1/2 HP (for a machine, vehicle, or other Unliving target), or 1/4 HP (for a Homogenous object). Use the object's DR alone if it's a thin slab, like a wall or a door. Finally, apply any armor divisor.

If the attack does enough damage to penetrate cover DR, determine if anyone on the other side is hit. If so, they get the cover DR plus their own DR against the damage.

Example: Special Agent Ira Gray spots an assassin with a rifle, and throws himself in front of the VIP he's protecting just as the gunman fires. The armor-piercing rifle bullet – a 7d(2) pi- attack – hits him in the chest! The bullet's basic damage is 20 points. Gray’s DR 8 ballistic vest stops only 4 points due to the armor divisor of (2). Gray takes 16 points of penetrating damage. Halved for small piercing, this inflicts an 8 HP wound. What about the VIP? Gray's vest gives DR 16, since both sides count, and Gray has 12 HP. The total cover DR is 28, halved for the armor divisor of (2) to give DR 14. Since the bullet's basic damage was 20, it overpenetrated. The VIP wasn't wearing armor, so he takes 6 points of damage, halved for small piercing, and suffers a 3 HP injury. He's wounded, but not badly – Special Agent Gray saved his life.

Special Rules for Rapid Fire

The following additional rules are for use in conjunction with Rapid Fire. They only apply when making a ranged attack at RoF 2+.

Automatic Weapons and Full-Auto Only

Automatic weapons – firearms with RoF 4+ – use the Rapid Fire rules. Most can fire both controlled bursts and "full auto" (that is, for as long as the trigger is held down).

Some automatic weapons (e.g., machine guns) can only fire full auto; they lack a semi-automatic or limited-burst setting ("selective fire"). A weapon that is "full-auto only" has a "!" after its RoF statistic. The only way to fire a short burst with such a weapon is to hold down the trigger for a fraction of a second. Minimum RoF is one-quarter full RoF (round up) or shots remaining, whichever is less.

Rapid Fire vs. Close Stationary Targets

Rapid fire generally results in only a fraction of the shots fired hitting the target. This is realistic...except when the target is up close and unable to move. This situation arises when shooting your way through a wall, door, or parked car with a shotgun or assault rifle – or when performing an execution.

If your target is totally immobile (for instance, an inanimate object, or someone who is completely restrained or unconscious) and has a Size Modifier high enough to completely counteract the range penalty, a successful attack roll means that half the shots fired (round up) hit. If the attack succeeds by the weapon's Recoil or more, all of the shots hit.

Example: When shooting at a door with SM +2, this rule would apply at any range up to 5 yards (range modifier -2). If the target were a man (SM 0), this would only apply at a range of up to 2 yards (range modifier 0) – and only if he were tied up or unconscious.

Shotguns and Multiple Projectiles

A weapon with a RoF followed by a multiplier (e.g., RoF 3×9) fires shots that release multiple, smaller projectiles. The most common example is a shotgun. The first number is the number of shots the weapon can actually fire; this is how much ammunition is used up. When resolving the attack, however, multiply shots fired by the second number to get the effective RoF.

Example: Father O'Leary's shotgun has RoF 3×9. He chooses to fire three times at a demon lapping toward him. For the purpose of the Rapid Fire rules, he his three shots are an attack at RoF 3 × 9 = 27, because each shell releases multiple buckshot pellets. At extremely close range, multiple projectiles don't have time to spread. This increases lethality! At ranges less than 10% of 1/2D, don’t apply the RoF multiplier to RoF. Instead, multiply both basic damage dice and the target's DR by half that value (round down).

Example: Father O'Leary's shotgun has 1/2D 50, so once that demon flies to within 5 yards, it is close enough that the pellets won’t disperse much. If O'Leary fires three times, his RoF is 3, not 27. But since the attack is a ×9 multiple-projectile round, a ×4 multiplier applies to both basic damage and the demon's DR. The shotgun's basic damage is 1d+1, so O'Leary rolls 4d+4 for each hit (up to three, depending on how well he rolls). However, the demon's DR 3 becomes DR 12 against the damage.

Spraying Fire

A weapon fired at RoF 5+ can attack multiple targets. All the targets must be in the same general direction (within a 30° angle), and you must engage them in succession – from right to left or from left to right, your choice.

Announce how many shots you will fire at each target before you roll to hit. You may split up your RoF however you wish. If the targets are more than one yard apart, traversing between them wastes some shots. For RoF 16 or less, you lose one shot for each yard between targets. For RoF 16+, you lose two shots per yard. These "wasted" shots may hit unintended targets (see Hitting the Wrong Target).

Make a separate attack roll against each target. Your effective RoF for each attack is just the number of shots you fired at that target. Since a weapon is harder to control when you swing it to engage multiple targets, add +1 to effective Recoil for your attack on the second target, +2 to Recoil when you engage the third target, and so on.

Example: Sgt. Kelly, Special Air Service, kicks open the door and sees three armed terrorists. With no hostages in sight, Kelly opens fire! His weapon is a 4.6mm PDW. He sprays fire at all three terrorists, using his weapon's full RoF of 15. The first two terrorists are standing 2 yards apart; the third is 4 yards from either. Kelly fires 5 shots at the first, wastes 1 shot traversing to the second, fires 4 shots at him, wastes 3 shots traversing to the third, and fires his last 2 shots. He resolves this as three separate rapid-fire attacks: one at RoF 5 with the PDW's normal Recoil of 2, one at RoF 4 and Recoil 3, and one at RoF 2 and Recoil 4.

Suppression Fire

If you have a weapon with RoF 5+, you can lay down "suppression fire." This involves holding down the trigger and “hosing down” an area with fire. This will affect anyone who enters the area before the start of your next turn. There needn't be a target in the area when you start!

To use suppression fire, select a target zone two yards across at some point within your weapon's range, take the All-Out Attack (Suppression Fire) maneuver, and start shooting. This maneuver takes an entire second; you can do nothing else that turn. Specify how many shots you are firing, up to your weapon's full RoF. If your weapon has RoF 10+, you can suppress multiple two-yard zones, as long as they are adjacent and you fire at least five shots into each zone. Your effective RoF in each zone is the number of shots you fired into that zone, not your total shots.

Once you start suppression fire, you must attack anyone – friend or foe – who enters the zone or a swath that extends one yard to either side of a line drawn from you to the center of the zone. With the exception of penalties for target visibility, all normal attack modifiers apply – including the rapid-fire bonus for your effective RoF and any bonus for aiming prior to suppressing. Your final effective skill cannot exceed 6 + your rapid-fire bonus for most weapons, or 8 + your rapid-fire bonus for vehicle- or tripod-mounted ones.

If you hit, use Random Hit Location – you cannot target a particular hit location with suppression fire. This may result in some shots hitting cover (see Cover). If all your shots somehow manage to strike targets, you can score no further hits that turn.

Special Ranged Weapons

Certain ranged weapons are "special cases," and require additional notes.

Bolas

The bolas is a thrown entangling weapon. The target can dodge or block, but if he tries to parry, the bolas hits his parrying arm, with effects as described below. (Exception: A successful parry with a cutting weapon cuts the cords, ruining the bolas!)

You may aim a bolas at any body part. If it hits, it does its damage and wraps around its target. To escape, the victim requires a free hand, and must make three successful DX rolls. Each attempt counts as a Ready maneuver, during which time the victim may take no other actions. Animals roll to escape at -3 for paws or at -6 for hooves.

If you hit a weapon, or an arm or hand that is holding something, roll a Quick Contest: your Bolas skill vs. the target's ST. If you win, the target drops what he's carrying (this does not affect a shield strapped to the arm). If you hit a leg or foot, you entangle two legs; a running target must make a DX roll or fall, taking 1d-2 damage. If you hit the neck, the bolas cuts off the target's breathing (see Suffocation) until he escapes.

Crossbows

When you buy a crossbow, you must specify its ST. It takes two seconds to cock any crossbow of your ST or less.

A stronger bow does more damage but takes longer to cock. A crossbow with ST 1 or 2 greater than your own takes six seconds to cock. A crossbow with ST 3 or 4 greater than yours requires a "goat's foot" device to cock (takes 20 seconds). You cannot cock a stronger crossbow, except using slow mechanical devices. You can still fire it!

Remember that in addition to cocking time, it takes one turn to ready a bolt – unless you have Fast-Draw (Arrow) – and one turn to load the bolt into the crossbow.

Flaming Arrows

A flaming arrow is made by wrapping oil- or fat-soaked cloth, grass, etc. around the shaft just behind the arrowhead; it takes 10 seconds to prepare, and must be used within three seconds of preparation. It is clumsy in flight, giving -2 to hit. If it hits, treat it as an arrow that does one point of burning damage as a linked effect (see Linked Effects). The chance of the flame spreading depends on what the arrow strikes.

Hand Grenades

It takes a Ready maneuver to grab a hand grenade from your belt, web gear, etc. To use it, you must arm it ("pull the pin"); this requires a second Ready maneuver. After that, you can throw it normally.

Most grenades have a fixed delay (typically under 5 seconds), but some detonate on impact. If the grenade has a delay, you can take one or two seconds to Aim (and hope no one shoots you!) before you throw it. Otherwise, it is just barely possible for the enemy to pick up a grenade that lands next to him and throw it back! It takes him one second to kneel down, one to ready the grenade, one to throw...

Harpoons

Most harpoons are barbed. Use the rules under Picks, except that the tether lets you attempt the ST roll to free the weapon at a distance. A harpooned victim can move, but no farther than the tether's length; to go further, he must win a Quick Contest of ST to pull the tether out of your hands. He might have to beat ST 50 (or even higher!) to escape if the tether is made of thick rope and tied securely to something solid (e.g., a ship).

Lariats

Like a harpoon, treat a lariat as a thrown weapon, despite the fact that you hold onto one end. You may aim a lariat at any body part. Your target may dodge or parry – and if he successfully parries with a cutting weapon, he damages the lariat as if he had tried to cut it (see below). But if he tries to parry and fails, you automatically ensnare his parrying arm! If you hit the target's arm or torso, you ensnare it. On subsequent turns, you must take a Ready maneuver to keep the victim snared. Roll a Quick Contest of ST on your turn. If you win, you immobilize your opponent; if you lose, he pulls the lariat from your grasp.

If you lasso the neck, use the same rules, but your victim is at -5 in the Contest. If you win, the lariat cuts off the victim's breathing – see Suffocation.

If you rope the foot, the target must make a DX roll to remain standing (this is instead of the Contest above). He rolls at -4 if he was running. If he falls, he takes 1d-4 damage – or 1d-2 if he was running. On subsequent turns, use the rules above to keep him entangled.

You must keep the lariat taut at all times to immobilize or suffocate your victim. This requires a Ready maneuver each turn. If your horse is trained to do this for you, substitute its ST for yours in the Quick Contest.

To escape from a taut lariat, cut the rope (DR 1, 2 HP). To escape from a limp lariat (including one pulled from the attacker’s grasp), use the rules given under Bolas (p. 410). A lariat takes 1 turn per 5 yards to ready after a miss. A typical lariat is 10 yards long.

Molotov Cocktails and Oil Flasks

A "Molotov cocktail" (TL6) is a bottle filled with gasoline and fitted with a burning "fuse" – often just a rag. Once you have it in hand, it takes a Ready maneuver to light its fuse (if you have a torch or lighter) and an Attack maneuver to throw.

In theory, the bottle bursts upon hitting a hard surface (anything with DR 3+), spilling the gasoline, which immediately catches fire. In reality, Molotov cocktails are notoriously unreliable. They have a Malf. of 12, regardless of tech level (see {{Malfunctions]]): on any attack roll of 12+, the fuse separates from the bottle in flight, the bottle fails to break, or the fuel doesn't ignite. If your target is a person, he may dodge or block, but not parry. If he dodges, the bottle shatters on the ground at his feet. The same thing happens if he fails to defend but does not have DR 3+ (the bottle bounces off without breaking). If he blocks, it breaks on his shield.

If your target is the ground, or if you targeted a person but hit the ground instead, the Molotov cocktail sets fire to a one-yard radius; see Area-Effect Attacks. On a battle map, the target hex is filled with flame.

If the Molotov cocktail bursts on the target, it inflicts 3d burning damage, and then 1d burning damage per second. Most DR protects at only 1/5 value; sealed armor protects completely. If you hit the target's shield, it takes this damage instead, and the wielder may continue to use his shield until it is destroyed (the fire is on the outside). Use the Damage to Shields rule, or just assume that he must discard his shield after the battle. If you hit the ground, the flame does 1d-1 burning damage per second in a one-yard radius. In all cases, the flame burns for 10d seconds.

"Greek fire" (TL3) consists of naphtha – a light petroleum product distilled from crude oil, roughly similar to gasoline – mixed with fat or tar and saltpeter to make it sticky and burn hotter. It should be very expensive! Treat earthenware flasks filled with Greek fire as Molotov cocktails. This is the classic fantasy "oil flask."

Below TL3, flammable, hot-burning liquids are unavailable in realistic game worlds.

Note that these weapons are fragile. Roll 1d for each bottle if you fall; it breaks on a roll of 1-4. A foe may strike at a bottle on your belt (-5 to hit); it breaks automatically if hit. Either result soaks you in flammable liquid: any burning damage will set you on fire!

Nets

A net is a thrown entangling weapon. The target may dodge or parry it. If he successfully parries with a cutting weapon, he damages the net; treat a net of any size as a diffuse object with DR 1 and normal HP for its weight. If the target fails to defend, he is entangled, and cannot move or attack until freed.

To escape, the victim requires at least one free hand, and must make three successful DX-4 rolls. Each attempt counts as a Ready maneuver, during which time the victim may take no other actions. Animals roll at an extra -2, as do humans with only one hand available; rolls to escape from a small net are at +3. If the victim fails three consecutive rolls, he becomes so entangled that he must be cut free.

It is also possible to escape a net by damaging it. The victim can only use attacks with reach "C," but they hit automatically. Use the Breaking a Weapon rules – but treat a net as diffuse (see Injury to Unliving, Homogenous, and Diffuse Targets).

You may also use a small net as a melee weapon. It has a reach of 1 or 2 yards. Handle the attack as per Lariats (above) and the victim's attempt to break free as per Bolas.

Firearm Accessories

These rules cover the effects of the firearm accessories mentioned in Chapter 8. (((TODO link correct stuff...)))

TODO, pages 412+ missing yet.