0133 - Off We Go Again - Part VI

 Since the initial ambush, as poorly as it went, is over, we need to draw initative normally.

Initiative
 The initiative draws for the combat are:

Order Name
1 Griffin
4 Macron
5 Klasha
6 NPCs (Not Particulary Cooperatives)
9 Harris

Initiative Step 1 - Griffin

Griff put one on the ground last round. Time to do it again. He will aim (fast action) at Soldier #2-3 and squeeze off a few rounds in his direction. The range is 5 (Short) and he will add one Ammo die to the shot.

• Task: Engage Soldier #2-3
• Ability Die: Agility A (D12)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat B (D10)
• Modifiers: +1 Sniper Specialty, -2 Target is prone = -1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [- 1 Step]
• Ammo Die: 1
• Roll: 5,2,2 (2 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

Unfortunately, Griff misses and now has two rounds left in his weapon.

Initiative Step 2 - Macron

Seeing that Soldier #2-4 somehow got forgotten and remained standing (we will chalk it up to being overwhelmed by the ambush), Macron draws a bead and intends to put him down. The range is short and he will add two ammo die to the roll.

• Task: Fire at Soldier #2-4
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: +1 Rifleman specialty = +1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [+1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 2
• Roll: 2,3,6,2 (8 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

The shot misses but the six on the ammo dice means we get to check for suppression. The enemy CUF is again C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, 3-1 and 3-2 are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 7,3 (1 succession), preventing his suppression. This guy is tough as nails and the team really needs to hire him.

Initiative Step 5 - Klasha

Klasha probably has the last opprotunity to put Soldier #2-4 down. The range is 4 (Short) short and she will also add two ammo die to the roll.

• Task: Fire at Soldier #2-4
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 2
• Roll: 1,8,4,5 (9 rounds expended)
• Result: One success

The round hits the soldier in the head and he is automatically knocked proned and suppressed.

Note: This is where the treatment of NPCs falls apart in the new v4. First of all, love the reduction of hit capacity. Finally, weapons in the hands of NPC become really dangerous. What does not work is the rules for NPCs in combat. Let's take the current situation. Klasha is firing an AK-74. The damage is 2 and the critical threshold is 3. To incapacitate the NPC without the use of the hit capacity, Klasha needs three or more points of damage. This means, she needs at least two successes on her Ability and Skill die rolls. The ammo roll successes here do not count, as they would be considered seperate hits and do not increase the damage for the initial hit.

If one round hits and causes damage, as in this case, the NPC is automatically suppressed, like he was. In the next round, Klasha will have to engage the target again but it is then prone, resulting in a -2 modifier, reducing both her die to D6s meaning he would have to roll double sixes to incapacitate the target. A long shot gets longer. In addition, she had a head shot but there are no quick kill rules currently in the v4, so theoretically, Klasha can keep pumping rounds into the NPC without him dying, if he keeps making his CUF rolls, as he seems intent on doing.

If the NPC had a hit capacity, things would look a bit different. Assuming 4-5 points of hit capacity, Klasha would need 2-3 hits to incapacitate the NPC, assuming she had no criticals. This seems reasonable and brings NPC to the level of the PCs, as each has hit capacities and can be worn down by sucsessive hits.

On the topic of head shots or quick kills, one could rule that the succes on an ammo die (assuming a succcessful hit) could be used for a quick kill if the hit location of the first shot is the head or torso and assuming the shot was not affected by armor. A clean, simple system for quick kills.

End rant.

Initiative Step 6 - NPCs
Now the bad guys get their chance at revenge.

Officer #1-1 will continue his flanking manuever on the right flank.

Soldier #1-2 will follow his commanding officer.

Soldier #1-3 is incapacitated and will lose his turn.

Officer #2-1 needs to try to recover from his suppression. The enemy CUF is again C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, 3-1 and 3-2 are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 2,1 (failure) and he remains suppressed.

Engineer #2-2 needs to try to recover from his suppression. The enemy CUF is again C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, 3-1 and 3-2 are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 6,6 (Two successes). He recovers from his suppression but loses his fast action. He can take a quick shot at Harris before Harris lobs another grenade in his direction. The range is 6 (Medium) and he will add three ammo dice to the pool. Harris is prone and behind cover.

• Task: Engage Harris with M16A1
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Range Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: -1 Medium Range, -2 Target is prone = -3
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility D (D6) [- 1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 6,--,4,1,4 (9 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 success

Harris is behind cover with his head and arms exposed. The hit location is 4 (torso) but the round is stopped by the cover (Armor Rating 2).

Soldier #2-3 needs to try to recover from his suppression. The enemy CUF is again C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, 3-1 and 3-2 are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 1,8 (1 success) and he recovers from being suppressed.

As his weapon is inoperative, he needs to move and find one that works. He will stand (Fast Action) and run toward the position where Soldier #1-3 fell. With one move he will not get close enough, so he needs to risk the mobility check with only the Attribute die of B (D10). The result is 10 (2 successes) and he reaches the fallen troop before dropping prone again.

Soldier #2-4 was suppressed this turn and loses his turn.

Officer #3-1 will aim his AKR (Fast Action) and fire at Macron (slow action). The range is 5 (Medium) and Macron is prone and behind cover. He will add three ammo die to the pool.

• Task: Fire at Macron
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat (D8)
• Modifiers: -1 Medium Range, -2 Target is prone = -3
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [- 1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 6,--,2,5,6 (13 rounds expended)
• Result: 2 successes (two seperate hits)

Macron is behind cover with his head and arms exposed. Both rounds hit the cover (Armor rating 2) and stopped. Since there was a 6 on the ammo die, Macron needs to make a CUF roll. His CUF is C (D8) and the Unit Morale is B (D10), as none of the rest of the team is suppressed. The results are 6,6, resulting in Macron passing the test.

Soldier #3-2 will aim (Fast Action) and fire his AK-74 at Macron (Slow Action). The range is 5 (Short) and Macron has not changed his stance. He will also add three ammo dice to his pool.

• Task: Fire at Macron
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat (D8)
• Modifiers: -2 Target is prone = -2
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 1,--,1,4,4 (9 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Mishap

The mishap means that the NPCs weapon is empty and he needs to reload.

Note: Another rant. Not tracking the ammo and making every mishap for an NPC mean that the NPC needs to reload has the effect that only means that only PCs weapons can jam. An NPC can simply fire at his maximum rate of fire and simply reload every time they have a mishap. I believe that is is worth the effort to implement Mishaps for NPCs and the fact that they can run out of ammo as PCs would.

Soldier #3-3 continue his advance (Fast Action) and drop Prone (Free Action).

Soldier #3-4 runs forward with this battle buddy (Fast Action) and also drops prone (Fast Action).

Initiative Step 9 - Harris
Harris pops open his 203 and loads another HE round (Slow Action).