Combat Circumstances And Status Effects

Combat Circumstances

Circumstance	Details
Actions
Running	Whenever a character uses the Running action, until the start of the character's next turn, BS attacks against the character take a -20 penalty, whilst WS attacks take a +20 bonus. This stacks with the Hard Target talent, which makes it -40 for BS and flat for WS.
Cover
Cover	Cover offers characters protection in battle. Characters using cover may designate body parts which are considered to be shielded (they must have their arms and head exposed in order to make valid ranged attacks). Attacks against those body parts hit cover instead. The attack resolves against the cover first (attack damage vs. Cover AP). If the attack deals damage in excess of Cover's reduction, then any excess damage is applied to the character and the Cover's AP value is depleted.
Depleting Cover (Ranged)	Whenever a ranged attack deals damage in excess of the reduction provided by Cover, its cover value depletes by an amount equal to the weapon's Penetration, Blast value and Cracking value combined. So a weapon with Pen 3, Cracking 2 and Blast 1 will deplete Cover by 6.
Depleting Cover (Melee)	Whenever a melee attack deals damage in excess of the reduction provided by Cover, its cover value depletes by an amount equal to the weapon's Penetration added to the attacker's Strength Bonus, plus 1 per 2 DoS on a Charge and the weapon's Cracking Value. So a Pen 3 weapon wielded by an SB 4 character with a charge of 2 DoS will deplete Cover by 8.
Environmental
Difficult Terrain	Terrain noted as 'Difficult Terrain' applies a penalty to WS and Agility tests equal to the value. Attempts to run or charge through Difficult Terrain requires an Acrobatics or Agility test; on a failure you stop in the Difficult Terrain and fall prone.
Higher Ground	Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill tests made whilst positioned on a higher terrain than your opponent take a +10 bonus. This includes parry tests.
Fog/Smoke/Mist	Ballistic skill tests against targets in fog, smoke, mist or deep shadow take a -20 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -20 penalty. Concealment tests within fog/smoke/shadow take a +10 bonus.
Low Light	Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill tests against enemies in Low Light take a -10 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -10 penalty. Concealment tests within Low Light take a +10 bonus.
Darkness	Weapon Skill tests take a -20 penalty; Ballistic Skill tests take a -30 penalty. Perception tests using sight also take a -30 penalty. Concealment tests within Darkness take a +20 bonus.
Weather	WS and BS tests made during strong weather events- rain, storms, blizzards, etc- take a penalty depending on the severity of the event. Penalties range from -10 to -30.
Melee
Engaged in Melee	A character who ends their turn next to their enemy may declare themselves to be engaged in melee with them. This is also the case if one attacks the other.
Flanking	If a group of characters in a melee outnumber their opponents by 2 to 1, they gain a +10 bonus to WS tests. If they outnumber their opponents by 3 to 1 or more, they gain +20 instead.
Guns in Melee	Only pistols can be used in melee, and they do not gain any bonuses due to range.
Shooting into Melee	Ballistic Skill tests against targets in melee take a -20 penalty. If the target or their only opponent is stunned, helpless or Unaware, this penalty is ignored.
Misfires
Scattering	If an attack with a Blast weapon or a thrown weapon misses, then roll a 1d10 on the Scatter Diagram; the attack moves in that direction away from the target spot by 1d5 metres. Non-thrown blast weapons instead move 1d5 metres, plus another metre per degree of failure.
Weapon Jams	If a ranged attack rolls a 96 or higher, it jams; apart from being an automatic miss, the weapon may not be fired until it is cleared as a Full Action, which requires a Ballistic Skill+20 test, +10 for having the Specialised or Mastery talents for that weapon (cumulative). If you do not possess any proficiency with the weapon, the test is -20 instead. If the test is passed, the jam is cleared, but any ammo within is lost and the weapon must be reloaded. Burst fire also increases the chance of a jam; see their entry for details.
Missile and Grenade Jams	In the case of a jam with a grenade, roll a 1d10; on a 1-9, the weapon is simply a dud and is expended without anything happening. On a 10, however, it instantly explodes in the user's hands, causing an effect centered on them. If the weapon was loaded into a launcher, then the launcher is also destroyed.
Ranged Attack Distance
Point Blank	Ranged attacks at a distance of 3 metres take a bonus +30 bonus to hit.
Short Distance	Ranged attacks at a distance of half or less (rounding up) of the weapon's Range value take a +10 bonus to hit. (Quick Reference: this is 5m for Assault Weapons, 15 metres for Close Weapons, 30 metres for Medium Weapons, 50 metres for Long and 75 metres for Very Long)
Long Distance	Ranged attacks at a distance exceeding the weapon's Range take a -10 penalty to hit.
Extreme Distance	Ranged attacks at a distance of 1.5 (rounding up) the weapon's Range take a -30 penalty to hit. (Quick Reference: This is 15 metres for Assault Weapons, 45 metres for Close Weapons, 90 metres for Medium, 150 metres for Long and 235 metres for Very Long).
Maximum Distance	The maximum range of a ranged weapon is triple its Range value. (Quick Reference: this is 30 metres for Assault Weapons, 90 metres for Close Weapons, 180 metres for Medium, 300 metres for Long and 450 metres for Very Long)
Pinning
Pinning	A Pinned character only gains a single Half Action on their turn, although they may use Reactions and Free Actions as normal. They suffer a -20 penalty to Ballistic Skill tests, and they must move toward cover relative to the pinner. If they are already in cover, then they may move only in order to retreat, so long as they remain in cover. If no cover is available then they must move away from the pinner as far as possible. A character may make a Willpower test at the end of their turn as a free action to recover from Pinning. If they have not been shot at since their last turn, or are under cover, then this becomes a Willpower+30 test. Characters engaged in melee may not be pinned and are freed from Pinning; however, they may not initiate melee combat in an attempt to escape from pinning.
Other Circumstances
Prone	Weapon Skill tests to hit a prone target take a +10 bonus; grapple tests gain a total of +20. Ballistic Skill tests instead take a -10 penalty unless the target is at point blank range. Furthermore, prone characters take a -10 penalty to Weapon Skill tests (including Parry) and a -20 penalty to agility tests.
Size	Characters with a size category other than 4 are easier or harder to hit. For every category below 4, attacks to hit them take a -10 penalty; for every category above 4, attacks to hit them take a +10 bonus.
Unaware	If a character has no idea they are about to be attacked, then they count as Unaware. Attacks against an Unaware target take a +30 bonus to hit, and the character is unable to attempt to take any evasive action, such as dodge or parry. They may deflect, but only if their Spread Pattern permits automatic deflection against an attack.

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Ailments

Note: Duration here is only to be followed if there are no other instructions given; ie if a target 'suffers 'Stun', then they suffer Stun for one Turn but if they 'suffer Stun for 3 turns' then they suffer it for that long instead.

Name	Effect	Duration
Physical Effects
Burning	You take 1d5 damage at the end of each round, which ignores TB and AP. You take a -20 penalty to Willpower tests. You may pass an Agility-20 test to put the fire out. Characters adjacent to you must pass an Agility test at the end of your turn or become Burning themselves. Immunity to Fire also confers immunity to Burning (unless the source is Holy damage).	Until put out, or hit with water
Blinded	You are unable to see. This incurs a -30 penalty to WS and Agility tests, and any tests that rely on sight- including BS tests- automatically fail.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Dazed	You may only take Half Actions, and take a -10 penalty to all tests.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Deafened	You are unable to hear. Any tests that rely on hearing automatically fail.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Frozen	You may make no actions. You may make a Strength, Toughness, Athletics or Endurance test at the end of each turn to break free. Immunity to Ice also confers immunity to Frozen. Physical attacks gain Special Damage against you.	Until passes test or takes damage
Immobilised	You may make no Actions with the Move keyword.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Shocked	You may make no actions. Any enemies who attack you in melee combat must make an Agility test or also be Shocked. Immunity to Electricity also confers immunity to Shocked.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Stunned	You may make no actions, and enemies take a +20 bonus to hit you.	Wears off after 1 Turn
Unconscious	Attacks take a +30 bonus to hit you, and you may make no actions. All attacks gain Special Damage against you.	Until character takes damage/Wakes
Wet	Electric attacks gain Special Damage against you.	Hit with heat/fire/elec.
Mental Effects
Sealed	You may not use Spells, and any actions spent on activating the Spells are wasted.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Brainwashed	You are under the control of another. At the start of your turn, that character may induce you to heal or cast an Augment on someone of their choice (if you have a Spell or item that can do so), perform a normal attack on a target of their choice, or to simply do nothing. You cannot dodge attacks by your controller or their allies. If you are ordered to do something suicidal or extremely against your values, you may instantly make a free Willpower+20 test to resist the command; on a success, you throw off the Ailment.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Confused	You see all enemies as allies and vice versa. You are unable to attack your enemies, and at the start of each turn must make a Willpower test or attack the nearest ally.	Wears off after 3 Turns
Cursed	The GM may, once per round, reroll a single test you make and take the preferred result. They may not reroll tests that you expended a Fate Point on.	Until end of battle
Enraged	You take a +10 bonus to WS attacks and gain the Unnatural Strength (2) trait. However, you cannot evade attacks. On your turns, you may do nothing except attack enemies in melee with whatever weapon you have- if there are no enemies in range you will move toward them as quickly as possible, charging if necessary.	Until end of battle
Panicked	You must pass a Willpower test at the start of each turn in order to act properly; if you fail, you may not take any actions with the Concentration keyword. If you fail by 3 DoF or more, you begin fleeing directly away from the source of the Panic. You may make a Willpower test at the end of each turn in order to shake Panic off.	Until test passed

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Special Damage

Falling Damage

Falling Damage occurs whenever a character falls off something and lands unsafely.

• On falling a dangerous height (which is usually considered to be a height more than their TB in metres), they take a single hit that does 1d10+1 damage. For every 10m fallen, you take another hit doing 1d10 damage, plus you add +1 damage to each hit.This damage ignores AP, and hits a random body part.
• For each hit that rolls a 10 on the 1d10 you incur a rank of fatigue.
• Example: John, with TB4, falls 5m. He takes 1d10+1 damage to a random location; he rolls a 6 (7) and so takes 2 damage.
• Example: John, with TB4, falls 15m. He takes 2 1d10+2 hits to two random locations; he rolls a 4 (for a total of 6) and a 10 (for a total of 12), and so takes 2 and 8 wounds for a total of 10. Because he rolled a 10 on his second hit means he incurs a rank of fatigue.
• Vehicles suffer the same, but the impact always hits the Hull.

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Fatigue

Fatigue represents a character's physical exhaustion. Characters take fatigue from a number of sources: unarmed attacks, Injuries, intense exertion and some qualities.

• Fatigue is measured in levels. If these levels exceed the character's Fatigue Threshold, then they suffer -20 to all tests until their Fatigue drops.
• A character's Fatigue Threshold is equal to their TB, and can be modified with Talents.
• If the amount of Fatigue a character takes is equal or higher than double Fatigue Threshold, they collapse for 10-TB minutes, +10 minutes per every point of Fatigue above the Fatigue Threshold.

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Suffocation

Characters who are unable to access air are considered to be suffocating. This could be due to drowning, smoke inhalation or a certain toxin.

• Characters who are suffocating but are able to focus entirely on conserving air may hold their breath for a number of minutes equal to their Toughness Bonus.
• Characters who are suffocating but are engaged in strenuous activity such as combat, swimming or so forth, then they may hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to twice their Toughness Bonus.
• Whilst suffocating, a character must make a single Toughness test per minute (if focused on conserving oxygen) or per round (if engaged in strenuous activity). If they fail, they suffer a level of fatigue.
• If a character has failed to access a new source of air by the end of their alloted time, then they instantly fall unconscious.
• If a character is both unconscious and has no access to a source of air, then they die after a number of rounds equal to their Toughness Bonus.

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