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The Energion Role-Playing Game System

Combat System

Encounter Sequence

Any time characters encounter something unusual, or which may require combat or other time sensitive action, the gamemaster must begin to keep very accurate account of the time. The Energion combat system uses seconds as the basic unit of time during an encounter. The encounter sequence describes combat, but may be used for other timed events.

1. Check perceptions, taking environmental skill and covert actions into account. When the first member of any party to an encounter spots one of another the counting of seconds begins. (See Chapter 3.)
2. Check reaction times. Any time a character has not prepared a set reaction, so that he or she must decide and then react, reaction time is required. Reaction time begins AFTER perception! (See Chapter 3.)
3. Take Battle Initiative times. This is the time taken in preparing for an action. It may be reduced or increased by circumstances, such as a sword already drawn, or perhaps one which is not in its accepted place. Battle Initiative is a minimum of 0 seconds, no matter what the results of modifications to the roll are.
4. Attack. Assuming the characters have decided to fight rather than talk, combat begins. Do not consider the speed gap before the first attack.
   1. Roll hit
   2. Roll parries or dodges
   3. Check hit success by comparing your roil to your chance to hit minus your opponent armor value.
   4. Figure damage. This is based on the quality of hit and the potential damage of the weapon
   5. Take weapon speed, a minimum of one (unless character is a martial artist) as a delay before the next attack.
5. Continue to repeat 4a-e until an interruption occurs in combat which might require change of actions.

Speed and Initiative Calculation (Step 3)

Weapon speed is taken from the chart and indicates how fast a weapon may he wielded or used. Characteristics such as agility, coordination and strength affect this value. One handed speed adjustment is used for weapons wielded with one hand, or any for which strength is not a major consideration in speed. Two handed speed adjustment is used for those wielded with two hands, or where strength is the key consideration. Two handed weapons include crosshows cocked with a winch/pulley arrangement and most artillery.

Speed Adjustment Formulas

1H speed adj=AGbonus/10+CObonus/30
2H speed adj=STbonus/10+CObonus

Your initiative adjustment is half that figure. Initiative is tne time in seconds it takes a person with 100 stats to prepare the weapon for first action. Speed is the time in seconds between uses of the weapon. Both figures are designed to show how effective the weapon is in use by a character with 100 stats (average human).

A weapon may he defined as 1) in hand, 2) at hand or 3) unready. A weapon which is in hand may be used immediately and with normal speed penalties for following attacks. A weapon which is at hand (not in holster, etc) may be used after its modified speed. Any unready weapon requires its full initiative prior to use.

Changing weapons in combat may be accomplished in two ways: 1) drop current weapon and grab another, which simply requires one second plus the initiative of the new weapon; or 2) put previous weapon away safely, which requires the initiative period of each weapon. Intermediate steps may take various amounts of time in accordance with the care taken with each weapon.

Hit Chance Calculation (Step 4a)

Your base cnance to hit is the Skill% calculated under your combat skill. Your base chance to hit with a general category of weapons will differ. Melee weapons are those weapons which you wield directly with your hand, while missile weapons are those fired mechanically. Hurled weapons, thrown by hand, and thus automatically counting your strength, also use the same bonuses as melee weapons.

Bonus for Melee/hurled:

MeleeBonus=STbonus/2+CObonus/4

Bonus for mechanical:

MechBonus=COBonus/2+STbonus/4

Shields:

Shields are rated in four sizes, each varying in speed and protection. There is no particular benefit to hardening a shield in terms of the basic parry, hut that improvement will be very significant in keeping the shield from breakage or damage.

The following figures apply to all shields. The plus to parry also applies to the character's basic armor class:

Buckler	+10% parry	Speed 2
Small	+20% parry	Speed 4
Medium	+30% parry	Speed 6
Large	+40% parry	Speed 8

A shield without significant weight, such as a forcefield used as such would a remain at speed 2. These speeds are modified in the same manner as for weapons. A shield may he used for a parry only as often as it could be used for attacks if it were a weapon. Figure Speed for shields in the same way as for weapons.

Calculation:

Hit determination is fairly simple. Subtract the target's armor value versus the weapon used from the character's chance to hit, then subtract the value rolled from the result. If the number is positive, a hit has been scored, go on to figure damage.

The formula for determining hit success is:

HitQuality=WeaponHit%-TargetArmorValue-HitRoll

Calculating Damage (Step 4d)

Damage Bonus for Strength

DB=STBonus/20

DB is Damage Bonus.

When you roll a hit, you subtract your roll and your opponent's armor value, plus any bonuses for cover or evasion from your chance to hit, in order to produce a multiplier for your damage (See Step 4c).

Damage Calculation Formula:

DMG=TRUNC((HitQuality+1O)/1O)/1O*D

D=BaseWeaponDamage+DB+WpnDmgBonus+SkillDmgBonus
Roll=amount of percentage roll
DMG=damage done. This results in a sequence of multipliers from .1 to about 3 times the base damage given.

In addition, hit chances and damage vary with range. Base values, as described above, are for short range. For each range other than short there is a factor for damage and hit cnances. These are: PointBlank=1.1; Short=1.0; Medium=.9; Long=.8; and Extreme=.7

The Formula is:

RangeWeaponHit%=WeaponHit%*RangeFactor

Armor Chart

Weapons

Weapon descriptions consist of the following information:

1. Initiative - the time to draw the weapon from normal carry
2. Speed - the time required to recover from one attack before engaging in another.
3. Hands required whether the weapon is one or two handed
4. Type - the type of weapon for armor resistances (see Armor)
5. Mechanical/Melee - is the weapon primarily driven by the strength of the wielder or -is it mecnanical?
6. Ranges - divided into five: Point Blank, Short, Medium, Long, and Extreme. Note that Point Blank is not usea technically, out simpiy means a "can't miss" range. All Melee weapons are used at point blank obviously
7. Base damage - the damage which the weapon will do when unenhanced and wielded by a person with 100 ST.

On the following page are descriptions of a number of weapons usable -in a fantasy campaign.

Weapon Chart