Overview

Overview of combat flow

“Round of limelights”
Until each PC
has had 1
limelight

Determine
Possible Limelight Re-sync at end of
Start Limelight End
surprise check per PC set of limelights
Sequence

Until end

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 Surprise
Overview Detail

In some scenarios, the GM may require a Surprise check. If not, skip

this stage

Check Reflex against TN 7, with challenge level…

1. Target is on high alert – waiting for an attack.
2. Target is uneasy or suspicious, attack comes from unexpected source,
or player hesitated.
3. Target caught completely off-guard
4. Target completely off- guard plus attacked from rear or side,
sleeping.

Effects of a PC being surprised could include one or more of…

1. Affecting limelight order, e.g. being at the end
2. Not having weapon prepared
3. Having to adopt a neutral stance (no time to adopt a positive
aggressive or defensive stance)
4. Automatically being the defender (as opposed to aggressor) at the
start of the PC’s limelight
5. Not being able to act!
• e.g. missing a limelight, or
• Not being able to act in a combat round
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Overview Detail

Determine limelight sequence

Sometimes, the narrative dictates the sequence.
• E.g. one PC out of group is under surprise attack
• Or one PC has initiated combat by charging ahead of the others.

If not, default sequence is..

• Lowest CG first. If tied…
• Lowest Reflex first. If tied…
• Lowest Melee proficiency

During the first Round of Limelights in a scene, a PC may opt to

Steal the Limelight, and place themselves (permanently) at that
position in the limelight sequence. They may only do this…
• Before the very first limelight
• Between one limelight ending and the next starting, as long as they
have not yet had their limelight

From then on, the limelight sequence is fixed for all Rounds of
Limelights in the scene.
• But a PC may spend a Drama point to Steal the Limelight, exactly as
above (i.e. if they have not already been in that round of limelights)
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Overview

Limelight Overview of limelight

End of limelight indicated by ‘suitably
dramatic’ moment determined by GM
e.g. major wound, cliff-hanger,
break/pause caused by Full Evade etc.

Until suitably
dramatic event

Need to engage or re- End of Limelight

engage N Combat Round housekeeping
Start End
at start of fight or after xn (Blood-loss,
pause/break fatigue)
Y

Opponents choose Determine initial

stances aggressor/defender

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Overview

Limelight Detail Opponents choose stances

Before deciding on manoeuvres, foes each choose either an

aggressive, defensive or neutral ‘stance’ (posture, approach).

Aggressive…
• e.g. charging
• Or holding body/weapon in a way that maximises attacking options
• If first manoeuvre is an attack, get +2 to MP
• If first manoeuver is a defence, AC is increased by 2

Defensive…
• e.g. bracing against a charge
• Or holding body/weapon in a way that maximises defensive options
• If first manoeuvre is a defence, get +2 to MP
• If first manoeuver is an attack, AC is increased by 2

Neutral…
• Default option, favoured by many because it leaves options open
• No effect on MP or activation costs

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Overview

Limelight Detail Determine initial aggressor/defender

Having established and announced stances, opponents then decide
and announce their intention to attack or defend.
(this is often apparent from the narrative as well as the stance)

One Attack, One Defence…

• The easiest case
• The one choosing the attack is the aggressor for the first exchange of
the first round, and the one choosing the defence is the defender

Two Defences…
• Opponents circle round each other for a round.
• Go back to choosing stances…

Two Attacks…
• Nearly simultaneous attacks
• Need to determine which blow lands first.
• Normally results in a very short combat, one way or another

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Overview

Limelight Detail Two attackers – first blow

Decide and announce manoeuvres and allocated dice
• Higher reflex chooses whether to announce 1st or 2nd.
• Ties broken by CG, then if still tied by proficiency

Which lands first is determined by an Opposed Reflex check

• Using relevant ATN for TN
• Reach of +1 die/step for longer and -1 die/step for shorter
• Unless starting at range of shorter weapon, in which case reverse
• In a tie, both blow lands at the same time

The slower person may then Steal Initiative

• (in a tie, either may, first option going to higher reflex, broken by
Stealing higher CG then higher proficiency) Stealing
Initiative is
only possible
• To Steal Initiative.. Initiative can
• AC = half opponent’s SY (round up) also be used if
before the first
you declared
blows of a bout • Opposed Check, stealer’s CG vs. others DG
‘defend’ (and
(or after a • Reach of +1 die/step for longer and fixed -1 die for shorter so your foe has
break/pause) – • Unless starting at range of shorter weapon, in which case reverse the initiative)
it is mainly • Stealer (only) may increase dice at +1 per dice spent from MP but now wish
applied when
to perform an
both parties
attack
declare ‘attack’ If Stealing is successful, the other may then in turn attempt to Steal
Initiative back, using the same procedure.
• And so on, until option not taken or MP runs out..
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Overview

Limelight Combat Round

To move the D6 location roll
Combat
round
costs 1die for 1, 3 die for 2 and 6
die for 3.
Terrain checks are used for
movement/positioning. Most
significantly here, they are used for
avoiding multiple foes or gaining Zero successes = botch - lose die
Terrain positional advantage equal to number rolled. If 5+, a
Complication is required
Check?

Exchange A Exchange B

Attacker Defender Roll Attacker Defender Roll

announces announces allocated announces announces allocated
Start End
manoeuvre manoeuvre dice and manoeuvre manoeuvre dice and
and dice and dice resolve and dice and dice resolve

Normally Attacker status only

changes if defender wins exchange.
Refresh Pools End of Any exceptions to this are explained End of
Check Shock, Pain, Bloodloss limelight? in detailed manoeuvre descriptions limelight?
status , positional modifiers etc Check for Check for
(we normally inherit aggressor/defe aggressor/defe
aggressor/defender from nder status nder status
previous rounds/stages) End of limelight indicated by ‘suitably
If there is a pause/break (usually due to a Full dramatic’ moment determined by GM
Evade) this is often deemed the end of a e..g major wound, cliff-hanger,
limelight. Either way, must re-establish stance, break/pause caused by Full Evade etc.
aggressor etc. as normal
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Overview

Limelight The defender attacking

Combat
Detail
round

It is possible for the ‘defender’ to take a big risk and attack anyway.
This normally exposes them to the risk of hoping to survive an
undefended blow before attacking (if still possible)

The first case is at the start of the first round/exchange. This is

achieved by attempting to ‘Steal Initiative’. (see ‘Two attackers –
first blow’)

The second cases is during the regular ebb and flow of combat. In
this case, if the defender wants to brazenly attack..
• there is an AC of half opponent’s DG for a defender to attack.
• And then any other ACs
• Opponent’s attack resolved first, then defender’s if still able.
• If defender inflicts a higher wound level than opponent, he gains
initiative. Otherwise, initiative stays with opponent.

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 Overview

Limelight Terrain Checks

Combat
round
Detail Examples of where a terrain check is used..
• To avoid multiple foes
Generally,
• To move to a new location in the scene for
• To fire/throw a missile at a charging foe unopposed
• To ‘hold a static position/location (e.g. over fallen comrade, top of rolls,
difficulty is
stairs etc) assessed by
• To manoeuvre enemy into disadvantageous position, poor terrain etc GM
(inc pushing over an edge)
• Navigating were footing is poor
To avoid multiple foes Against
‘significant
• Pay AC (= encumbrance) foes’
• Assign dice from MP opposed

Against 3 foes, if • Against 2 opponents, with one or more successes you need face only rolls are
used. If the
at very start of one opponent this round first is
battle, QoS is one • Against 3 (or more) successful,
less, until any foe
is engaged in • With 2 successes you need face only two foes this round the next gets
QoS as a
combat. • With 3 successes you need face only one foe this round bonus

Terrain checks are used in Ranged combat to obtain better line of

sight, move to closer range etc. They are also used to shoot a
charging foe etc
For more detail see Melee - Terrain Checks ~P143
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Overview

Limelight Positional Considerations

Combat
Detail
round

 If all on very poor footing, all lose 2 from MP.

 If only one, they must get 1 success on a terrain check
 Opposed Terrain Check is used to move foe to poor ground or
disadvantageous position (initiator needs QoS 1 if aggressor, 2
if defender)
 If poor position is inherently hazardous (e.g. off edge of cliff,
lava torrent etc) initiator needs QoS 3, option only available as
aggressor)
 If defender already on poor ground, can simply ‘move back’
(QoS 1 on terrain check) forcing aggressor to enter join them
on poor terrain if they wish to attack.

 Advantageous positions grant +2 to MP

 E.g. higher (top of stairs, sat on horse, up bank etc)
 To remain in one spot (e.g. advantageous position, guarding
fallen comrade), need 1 success (or QoS 0+ if opposed) on
Terrain Check
 (Height or other locational considerations can affect zone
targeting – use common sense.
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Overview

Limelight Wound, fatigue etc. effects

Combat
Detail
round
 Shock Affects MP in the next exchange, then no more
 Cumulative as long as a different zone
 If get shocked in a previously wounded zone, apply shock from
highest-shock wound for that zone
 So there is a benefit in weak attacks on a badly wounded zone

 Pain affects MP at start of round after Shock was applied, and

every round thereafter
 Pain effect reduced by TY (but record full Pain for long term healing
 Pain is cumulative in a similar way to Shock (i.e. for different zones)

 Bloodloss is checked at the end of the limelight it occurred in

and every subsequent one.
 Make BN check, needing successes >= BL level. If not, 2 penalty to
all pools, and 0..25 of total BL penalty (round down) on
skill/attribute rolls (except subsequent BL rolls)

 Fatigue works in a very similar way to Blood Loss

 First 3 limelights no effect. At start of 4th, all make fatigue check
 Make BN check, needing successes greater than ENC (e.g. ENC 0
needs 1 success) or else fatigue penalty just like with Bloodloss.
 All Fatigue wiped out by a single Limelight resting. (e.g. slow walk)
 Light activity for one limelight wipes out 2 (e.g. slow jog)
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Overview

Limelight Knockdown
Combat
round
Detail  Wound effects can indicate the need for a Knockdown check
 Use the appropriate ‘combined attribute’ for the Check, requiring
the success level indicated by the Wound Tables.
 Knockdown consequences – you fall prone…
 Lose half full Pool (round down)
 E.g. if pool is 13, you lose 6
 Do this after wound effects have been applied
 This could mean you go negative – handle as normal
 If fail another KD Check, loose half MP again
 To get back up, must ‘win’ an exchange in a way that would allow
you to become aggressor. Then you have the choice of
 Get to feet but remain defender
 Stay prone but become aggressor

 Also need a KD check for

 A hit to Knee or Below that fails to generate a wound, or any hit
to Elbow or Below. Success level required is…
 1 for a thrust or 1-handed swing attack
 2 for a 2-handed swing or 1-handed swing with a mass weapon
 3 for a 2-handed swing with a mass weapon or polearm
 Never more than the attack’s QoS
 Whenever a wound causes MP to go to zero or less, requiring 1
success, or 2 successes if MP goes to -5 or worse
 If wound itself requires a KD check, only make the harder check, but
increase difficulty by one
 Failure implies going prone, or dropping weapon as appropriate
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Overview

Limelight Knockout
Combat
Detail
round

 Wound effects can indicate the need for a Knockout check

 Use the appropriate ‘combined attribute’ for the Check, requiring
the success level indicated by the Wound Tables.

 Knockout consequences – you are knocked unconscious

 Also need a KO check for

 A hit to Head that fails to generate a wound…
 Except for strike from a thrust piercing or thrust cleaving attack
 Successes needed…
 1 success for a swung piercing attack
 2 for a swung cleaving attack or a thrust blunt attack
 3 for a swung blunt attack
 But never higher than half the attack’s QoS

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