Combat
in Welcome to the City is much more a 'theater of the mind' style
than any sort of mapped out set up. A simple hand drawn map just so
players and the GM know where things are in relationship to each
other. There are no movement squares, no rigid rules on facing, it is
meant to be simple, fast and loose.
At
the beginning of a round of combat each player announces what they
intend for their characters to do. Then all actions take place at the
same time unless one of two things happen. First a player can chose
to 'opt out' and take not offensive action at all, then they may roll
to defend themselves against an attack or to move out of the way.
Second is they may lose a die out of their Traits die pool for the
remainder of combat to take their action before everyone else this
one round. Earning a bonus die during combat is done the same way as
earning them while performing normal abilities.
Please note
that the NPCs perform their actions at the same time as the
players.
Combat order will be along the lines of: Describe
your action - Roll to perform that action - Roll for any damage done.
Keep it quick and fast paced if you can. While combat is an
entertaining, and often important, part of the session it shouldn't
take up a huge section of the game time.
Damage
Each
character has six ranks of damage. The first rank being minor scrapes
and bruising with the sixth and final rank being death or near death
depending on how you want your games to run.
When
rolling for damage the weapon or hand to hand damage chart will tell
you what rank of damage was caused. On your sheet you tick that rank
and all ranks below it. However ranks are not cumulative you only go
up another rank when you take another hit equal to or higher than the
highest damage tick. If it's equal to you go up one tick, if it's
more than you go up to that new rank and tick those below it.
Example:
If you are getting beat down in a fist fight and are at Rank Two and
three guys hit you, each doing Rank One damage then you don't record
anymore damage. Now when characters do get hit with attacks that
don't raise their damage still roleplay it out a bit, get descriptive
but it doesn't add up in numbers.
Example:
You have taken a Rank Two of damage so far and get hit for another
Rank Two then you raise your damage track up to Rank Three.
Example:
You have taken Rank Two of damage and a then one of the thugs shoots
you for Rank Four damage then you go to Rank Four immediately.
Armor
Body
armor has two stats Absorption and Coverage. When a character is hit
their player rolls a single D12 and tries to roll under, or equal to,
the Coverage rating. If it fails the character takes the full amount
of damage. If successful the Absorption amount reduces the amount of
damage by that many ranks.
Stacking
armor. A character my wear up to two sets of body armor. However when
they do so they much choose taking the highest Absorption and the
lowest Coverage to form their Armor stats. Or the lowest Absorption
and the highest Coverage.
