Task Resolution
WHAT DOES A UTP LOOK LIKE?
The Universal Task Profile always follows the same format. For example:
To locate the source of the strange hum:
Routine, Engineering, Int, 1 min (hazardous, unskilled OK).
The UTP is always separated from the surrounding text by a blank line both above and below.
HOW HARD IS THE TASK?
When setting the difficulty, select from four difficulty levels:
- Simple: Success is highly likely. Roll 3+ on 2D to succeed.
- Routine: Success is likely. Roll 7+ on 2D to succeed.
- Difficult: Success is unlikely. Roll 11+ on 2D to succeed.
- Formidable: Success is rare. Roll 15+ on 2D to succeed; success is possible only with DMs.
Note that the 2D roll for each level is easy to remember because it is 4 more than the prior level. If a 2 is rolled, a fumble occurs and the task attempt fails no matter what.
WHAT IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS?
When crucial skills and characteristics are chosen as task modifiers (DMs), a task uses related skills (like Pilot and Ship’s Boat) or one skill and one characteristic.
A skill level must be added directly as a DM on the task roll. Characteristics are always divided by 5, dropping fractions, when used in tasks. Never add characteristics directly.
HOW LONG DOES THIS TASK TAKE?
The time increment on a task profile is 10 percent of the typical task duration. A roll of 3 dice (whose average result is 10) determines how many increments the task takes. The increment is always one-tenth of the typical task duration.
If the duration of the task doesn’t matter, the task is Instant and that’s that. No time roll is made.
If the duration always takes the same time, the task is Absolute. No time roll is made.
The duration of an attempt equals the increment times 3D (after any DMs are applied). The minimum is 3 increments.
HASTY OR CAUTIOUS TASKS
The standard task attempt assumes the character is taking a reasonable amount of care while performing the indicated task. The player can change this amount of care.
Hasty: When a player is in a hurry, he can specify that he would prefer a hasty task. The time required is shorter but the task becomes harder. The task DMs are doubled before subtracting them from the time roll; the task difficulty is increased one level.
Cautious: When it is more important to reduce danger than to finish quickly, a player can specify a cautious task.
A determination roll is required first. If successful, the task is cautious. If unsuccessful, the task is increased in difficulty one level.
In a cautious task, the time roll is doubled before subtracted DMs; the task difficulty decreases one level.
Confrontation
If two sides are working to counter the success of each other in some way (such as in a debate, or in hand-to-hand combat), the task is a single confrontation task.
One side is designated as the offender and the other is the defender. The offender applies his expertise in the task’s listed skills and characteristics as + DMs, while the defender applies his as - DMs on the task. The offender is trying to make the task succeed, but the defender is trying to make the task fail. Many confrontation tasks lists the particular DMs for the offender and defender, as shown in this task example:
To get NPC’s to go along with a counter-intuitive attack plan:
Difficult, Off = Leader, Persuasion, Def = Tactics, Recon.
If the task does not differentiate attacker and defender DMs, they apply equally to both. If the offender succeeds, the defender fails. If the offender achieves success, the defender must roll 2D on the Mishap Table.
MISHAPS
If a mishap occurs, roll 2D on the Mishap Table. If the task is hazardous and a fumble mishap occurs, roll 3D on the Table.
On any failed fateful task, roll 2D on the Mishap Table. If the task is fateful and hazardous then roll 3D on the Mishap Table.
Mishap Table
Dice / Result2 / Reroll
3-6 / Superficial (1D)
7-10 / Minor (2D)
11-14 / Major (3D)
15+ / Destroyed (4D)
Note this table has the same 3-7-11-15 roll sequence as the Task difficulty. This makes the Mishap Table easy to remember.
Explanation of Mishap Table Results
Superficial (1D): Impose superficial damage on some device/vehicle involved in the task and/or 1D wounds to the character.
Minor (2D): As above, except impose minor damage and/or 2D wounds.
Major (3D): As above, except impose major damage and/or 3D wounds.
Destroyed (4D): As above, except impose destroyed damage and or 4D wounds.
Combat Resolution
Before a combat session begins, total the Tactics skill levels from among the participants on each side. This total is the tactical points pool.
An individual must specify the number of tactical points he intends to use as a modifier before he proceeds with making the roll.
At the beginning of the encounter, the party to make the first hostile move determines if it has surprise. To determine if an attacking party has surprise: Difficult, Leader, Recon (confrontation).
The surprised party continues with the action that they were performing before the combat occurred and cannot attack in return.
If surprise is not lost, each member of the party may make another surprise attack (this continues until surprise is lost).
If the alarm is not raised, an unattacked unit in the defending party may see the attack and give the alarm.
To raise the alarm in a surprise attack:
Difficult, Leader, Recon.
In each combat round, the side with the largest tactical point pool has the initiative and selects which side goes first.
Once initiative or surprise has been decided one unit from each side alternately makes a move and or an attack. Attacks take immediate effect. Turns alternate until every unit in both sides have taken their actions.
A unit from the opposing side (which has not yet taken a turn) can choose to try and interrupt another unit's turn and take its turn in the middle of that unit's turn.
To interrupt another unit's turn:Routine, Movement speed (safe).
A failed interrupt roll doesn't count as a spent turn. Ignore mishaps.
The interrupted unit gets to complete its turn after its interrupter has finished (if it is able).
- Only one active interrupt is permitted per side.
- A unit currently engaged in hand-to-hand combat may not interrupt anyone other than his attacker.
- Only one interrupt is permitted per enemy attack or per square of enemy movement.
- A unit may interrupt the turn of another on his own side.
If used, units must specify one movement speed to be used for each turn. A character may not run if he has just been involved in hand-to-hand combat that turn.
Movement speed is an advantageous modifier in the defense if a unit is a target at short range. When a moving unit is attacking, he must also apply his movement speed as a disadvantageous modifier.
Modifiers are cumulative.
A unit may state evade as a movement qualifier (speed 1 evade, for example) in an attempt to make himself a more difficult target. An evading unit may not use any weapons to parry or block in hand-to-hand combat. An evading unit must pay double the normal movement cost to enter a square. An evading unit applies double its movement speed as a movement DM.
A unit may shoot once, using fire combat, at another unit during a combat round.
To hit a target with direct fire:
(Difficulty), Weapon, Dex, Movement DM, 1 combat round (absolute).
The difficulty level of this task varies, depending on the type of weapon used and the range to the target. Note that when weapon enhancements are added to a weapon, substitute the Weapon Enhancement difficulty profiles for those in the Direct Fire Difficulty table. Fire Controlled weapons (those that are crew-served or vehicle mounted) use the Fire Controlled Difficulty table.
Direct Fire Difficulty Profiles
Type / Close / Short / Med / Long / V Long / DistHandgun / Sim / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / --
Rifle / Rou / Rou / Dif / Dif / For / Imp
Thrown / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / -- / --
Thrown weapons include any crude hand-thrown projectiles, such as blades or spears.
A character who remains stationary for the combat round and can effectivey brace against something may use the Gyrostable difficulty profile when firing his weapon.
Weapon Enhancement Difficulty Profiles
Type / Close / Short / Med / Long / V Long / Dist / V DistScope / -- / -- / -- / Dif / Dif / Imp / --
Gyrostable / -- / -- / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / --
Scope + Gyro / -- / -- / Rou / Dif / Dif / For / Imp
Scope may be either optical or electronic sights.
Fire Controlled (crew-served or vehicle mounted)
TL / Close / Short / Med / Long / V Long / Dist / V Dist / Reg / Cont5 / -- / Rou / Rou / Dif / Dif / For / Imp / -- / --
6 / -- / Rou / Rou / Dif / Dif / For / Imp / -- / --
7 / -- / Rou / Rou / Rou / Dif / Dif / Imp / -- / --
8 / -- / Rou / Rou / Rou / Rou / Dif / Imp / -- / --
9 / -- / Rou / Rou / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / --
10 / -- / Sim / Rou / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / --
11 / -- / Sim / Sim / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / Imp / --
12 / -- / Sim / Sim / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / For / Imp
13 / -- / Sim / Sim / Rou / Rou / Dif / Dif / For / Imp
14 / -- / Sim / Sim / Sim / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / Imp
15 / -- / Sim / Sim / Sim / Rou / Rou / Dif / For / Imp
16 / -- / Sim / Sim / Sim / Sim / Rou / Dif / For / Imp
Each square passed through by the line of sight before and after passing through the target until the line of sight encounters an obstruction is the line of fire of the weapon.
All enemy targets along the weapon's line of fire and in the same range band as the primary target are attacked by the fire (at full penetration for the range band).
Certain weapons can be set on full automatic, if desired. Switching between full automatic (fire multiple rounds per pull of the trigger) and semiautomatic (fire one round per trigger pull) is done at the end of a combat turn. The unit may move or evade while changing the setting.
Rapid Fire
A character may specify that he wishes to conduct "rapid fire" with his weapon. If this is the case, use a modifier to -4 on the "to hit" roll but allow the character to designate three separate primary targets near each other. The targets don't need to be adjacent but they all must fall within the same 45-degree arc.
Recoil
Certain weapons with more recoil than normal are marked as high-recoil weapons on the Weapons table. Such weapons require that the attacking character be stationary and well braced in order to fire.
HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT
A unit at close range may (but does not have to) attack using hand-to-hand combat. If the unit conducted a fire attack in the current combat round, it may defend against hand-to-hand attacks but it may not initiate them.
To hit another unit with a hand-to-hand attack:
Routine, Off=Wpn skill, Str; Def=Wpn skill, Wpn Def (confrontation).
If the attacker is unskilled, increase the difficulty of this task by one level; if the defender is unskilled, decrease the difficulty of this task by one level.
PENETRATION AND DAMAGE
Each weapon's penetration rating includes a penetration and an attenuation.
The listed penetration is for short range. The attenuation indicates how many range bands to count (starting with short range) before the penetration drops by half. The weapon's penetration continues to drop by half every so many range bands until either the weapon's maximum range is reached or the penetration reaches zero.
To determine the actual damage suffered by a target, compare the weapon's penetration at that range to the target's armor.
Personal Armor Table
Type / ValueJack / (1)
Mesh / 2
Flak Jacket / 3
Cloth / 5
Ablat / 1 [6]
Reflec / [10]
Vacc Suit-8 / 5
Vacc Suit-12 / 6
Vacc Suit-14 / 7
Body Pressure Suit / 1
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit-8 / 6
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit-9 / 7
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit-12 / 8
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit-13 / 9
Hostile Environment Vacc Suit-14 / 10
Combat Environment Suit-6 / 6
Combat Armor-11 / 8
Combat Armor-12 / 10
Combat Armor-14 / 18
Battle Dress-13 / 10
Battle Dress-14 / 18
Notes: Values in parentheses only apply in hand-to-hand combat. Values in brackets only apply against laser fire.
Damage Effects: Armor
Type / Condition / Damage ModifierHigh Penetration / Wpn penetration ≥ 2x armor value / none
Low Penetration / Wpn penetration ≥ armor value / x 0.5
Zero Penetration / Wpn penetration < armor value / x 0.1
Determine Success
Damage Effects: To-Hit Roll
Condition / Damage Modifier / Damage Modifierroll ≥ required roll + 8 / x 8 (minimum 4) +3 / Exceptional
roll ≥ required roll + 4 / x 4 (minimum 2) +2 / Exceptional
roll ≥ required roll + 2 / x 2 (minimum 1) +1 / Exceptional
roll ≥ required roll + 1 / x 1 / Success
roll = required roll / x 0.5 / Marginal Success
Location & Damage
Roll d100 for location. Determine general hit area. For each
exceptional success the shooter can elect to nudge the x multiplier up by 1. Determine a specific or different hit area if appropriate. Head shots always have a base multipler of x2, apart from ear shots.
ASSESSING DAMAGE
For each damage point, roll a dice and apply all modifiers.
For each roll including its modifiers apply to one of the characteristic Damage Pools.
Wounds
Damage Level / Observed Values of Damage PoolsSuperficial / None reduced to zero (flesh wound)
Minor / One reduced to zero (moderate wound) / Shock Roll if bleeding, 1D3 turns after wound
Major / Two reduced to zero (serious wound) / Shock Roll -2
Destroyed / All reduced to zero (death)
The effects of shock are to increase Difficulty level of all tasks and resolutions by one.
Shock at Minor Wounding level lasts 2D rounds. Shock at Major Wounding level will last 3D rounds.
Treatment
Treatment in the field (first aid) is one level more difficult than in hospital facilities. Treatment without a medical kit is one level more difficult. All difficulty increases are cumulative.
To treat an injury:
Difficulty, Medical, Int, 10 min.
Difficulty depends on the damage sustained.
Superficial damage- Simple task
Minor damage- Routine task
Major damage- Difficult task
Destroyed damage- Formidable task
Major or destroyed injuries require a surgeon (Dexterity 8+) for treatment, or increase the task difficulty by one level.
The character must be diagnosed and must receive at least a field treatment sometime within the next 2D hours. If the character has not received at least a field treatment in the required time, roll 2D on the Mishap table and apply the indicated amount of additional damage to the character (from infection, catastrophic trauma, or whatever).
Healing Rate: +1 per day for each characteristic that is injured.
Cost: Roll 3D for the cost in credits of miscellaneous medical items.
Treating Minor Damage
The character with a minor wound must be diagnosed and must receive at least a field treatment sometime in the next 1D x 10 minutes (the character will remain unconscious for 3D minutes). If the wounded character does not receive treatment in the required time, roll 2D on the Mishap table and apply the indicated amount of additional damage to the wounded character (the additional damage results from blood loss, catastrophic trauma, or whatever). Reroll every hour until treatment is received, or until the character dies.
Minor surgery is required for all gunshot, fragment, blade and puncture wounds, but is not needed for laser and energy weapon burns.
The injured or sick character must spend 2D days of total inactivity. The character may be moved by others but must remain in bed. During the injured or sick character's inactive period, all characteristics will be halfway between their wounded level and the original. At the end of the period, final healing will take place.
Healing Rate: +1 per day for 1 characteristic of the player’s choice.
Cost: Non-surgical costs are Cr10 x 2D. Surgical costs are Cr500 x 1D. If the period of inactivity is spent in a hospital, the cost is Cr500 per day for the first 1D days and Cr100 per day thereafter. Field care is Cr50 per day.
Treating Major Damage
The character with a major wound must be diagnosed and must receive at least a field treatment sometime in the next 2D minutes (the character will remain unconscious for 1D hours). If successful treatment is not received in the required time, roll 3D on the Mishap table and apply the indicated amount of additional damage to the character (from blood loss, catastrophic trauma, or whatever). Reroll every hour until treatment is received, or until the character dies.
Surgery is required for all major wounds.
The injured or sick character must spend 1D x 10 days of total inactivity. The character may not be moved by others and must remain in bed. During the inactive period, all characteristics will be halfway between their wounded level and the original. At the end of the period final healing will take place.