Combat
Ranged combat
A shot is REF + weapon skill + d10 against the range DV. Beat the DV — you hit. A target with REF 8+ can dodge instead.
How to hit
REF + weapon skill + d10 against the DV
The GM doesn't eyeball the DV for shooting — it's in the range table and depends on the weapon and the distance to the target. Roll higher than the DV — you hit. A tie is a miss: the defender always wins ties.
Hit — roll the weapon's damage, and then armor comes into play.
The skill depends on the weapon:
| Weapon | Skill |
|---|---|
| Pistols of all sizes, SMGs and heavy SMGs | Handgun |
| Shotgun, assault rifle and sniper rifle | Shoulder Arms |
| Bow and crossbow | Archery |
| Grenade launcher and rocket launcher | Heavy Weapons |
| Autofire from SMGs and assault rifles | Autofire |
Range table
Find the weapon's row and the distance column — the DV is where they cross. "—" means the weapon doesn't reach that far.
| Weapon | 0–6 m | 7–12 m | 13–25 m | 26–50 m | 51–100 m | 101–200 m | 201–400 m | 401–800 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 13 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 30 | — | — |
| SMG | 15 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | — |
| Shotgun (slug) | 13 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | — | — |
| Assault rifle | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
| Sniper rifle | 30 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 20 |
| Bow and crossbow | 15 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 22 | — | — |
| Grenade launcher | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 25 | — |
| Rocket launcher | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
The table is honest about where a weapon is good: a sniper rifle at point-blank is nearly useless, and a pistol at a hundred meters is a lottery.
Dodging bullets
Normally you can't dodge bullets — the range table applies. But if the target has REF 8 or higher, they can roll Evasion instead of the table:
DEX + Evasion + d10
Then the shooter has to beat this roll, not the DV from the table. You can dodge every attack you can see, and it costs neither an Action nor a turn — the defender decides before the shooter rolls.
You can't dodge while unconscious. And someone who blocks with a shield doesn't dodge either: the shield takes the hit — cover.
Rate of fire
Rate of fire (ROF) is how many times a weapon attacks with one Attack Action.
- ROF 2 — medium and heavy pistols, nearly all melee weapons and fists. Two shots per Action, and you can move between them.
- ROF 1 — everything else. One attack for the whole Action, but you can move before and after it.
Each shot is a separate attack roll and damage roll.
Aimed shot
Once per turn, spending the whole Action, you can aim at a specific spot with a −8 penalty to the roll. On a hit, the damage gets an extra effect:
| Where you aim | What happens |
|---|---|
| Head | Damage that gets through the head armor is doubled |
| Held item | If even 1 damage got through the armor, the target drops the item you chose |
| Leg | If even 1 damage got through the armor, the target suffers the Broken Leg Critical Injury |
You can't make aimed shots with shotgun shells or Autofire. The head is protected by its own armor (helmet, armored face), and without aiming bullets always hit the body.
Reload and ammo
Reloading is an Action: the magazine is filled completely. Ammo in a magazine is one type: you can't mix armor-piercing and basic rounds. Bows and crossbows don't need reloading; nocking an arrow is part of the shot.
How many rounds a magazine holds is listed on the weapon: 12 for a medium pistol, 25 for an assault rifle, 4 for a shotgun.
Throwing
Throwing a knife, a grenade or a bottle is also a ranged attack, as an Action:
DEX + Athletics + d10, DV as for a grenade launcher, up to 25 meters
A thrown melee weapon does its own damage, but no longer halves armor. A grenade does the same damage as from a grenade launcher. A bottle, a chair and the like — whatever the GM says. A target with REF 8+ can dodge a thrown object like a bullet.
Related: Autofire, shotgun shells and explosives, Armor and damage, Evasion, DV (Difficulty Value)