COMBAT ACTIONS

[Xeno Khan]

Free Actions
Call a Shot
Change Linked Device Mode
Drop Object
Drop Prone
Eject Smartgun Clip
Gesture
Intercept
Speak/Text Phrase
Run

Simple Actions
Change Gun Mode
Fire Weapon (SS, SA, BF)
Insert Clip
Observe in Detail
Pick Up/Put Down Object
Quick Draw
Ready Weapon
Remove Clip
Sprint
Stand Up
Take Aim
Th row Weapon
Use Simple Object

Complex Actions
Fire Automatic Weapon
Fire Mounted/Vehicle Weapon
Full Defense
Melee/Unarmed Attack
Reload Firearm
Use Complex Object
Use Skill

[Xeno Khan]

Free Actions are relatively simple, nearly automatic actions that require little or no effort to accomplish. Examples are saying a word, dropping an object, dropping prone, or walking.

A character may take a Free Action during his own Action Phase or at some later point in the Initiative Pass. A character may not take a Free Action prior to his first Action Phase in the Initiative Pass.

Free Actions generally require no Success Test, though special circumstances may warrant one.

Call a Shot
A character may “call a shot” (aim for a vulnerable portion of a target) with this Free Action. See Called Shots, p. 149. This action must be immediately followed by a Take Aim, Fire Weapon, Throw Weapon, or Melee Unarmed Attack.

Change Linked Device Mode
A character may use a Free Action to activate, deactivate, or switch the mode on any device that he is linked to either by a direct neural interface or by wireless link. This includes activating
cyberware, changing a smartgun’s firing mode, deactivating thermographic vision, switching a commlink to hidden mode, turning a device’s wireless functionality off , and so on. Note that some devices may require longer to interact act with, as noted in individual gear descriptions.

Drop Object
A character may drop a held object as a Free Action. If he is holding objects in both hands, he may drop both objects as a single Free Action.

Drop Prone
A character may kneel or drop prone at any time, as long as he is not surprised (see Surprise, p. 155). A character who is surprised may not drop prone.

Eject Smartgun Clip
A character linked to and holding a ready smartgun may use a simple cybernetic command to eject the weapon’s clip. It still takes a Simple Action to insert a new, fresh clip. See Smartgun System, p. 311.

Gesture
A character may execute one gesture as a Free Action. (However ludicrous this may sound, it pertains primarily to the use of gestures as silent communication in combat situations.)

Intercept
A character may spend an available Free Action to intercept an opponent who attempts to move past him or break out of melee combat (see Interception, p. 151).

Run
Running uses a Free Action and inflicts Running movement modifiers. Running is considered to be any movement over the character’s Walking Rate (see Movement, p. 138).

Speak/Text Phrase
Speaking one phrase or sentence of verbal communication is a Free Action. If the character wants to speak more, each additional phrase/sentence requires a Free Action. The gamemaster should be careful to control excessive, unrealistic conversations within the span of a Combat Turn (about 3 seconds.) Some gamemasters and players may, however, prefer
elaborate communication.

Characters who are equipped to send text messages through a neural connection with their commlink may also send short messages as a Free Action.

[Xeno Khan]

A Simple Action is one step more complicated than a Free Action and requires a bit more concentration to attempt. Only a few Simple Actions, however, require a Success Test to accomplish. Simple Actions can only be taken on a character’s Action Phase.

During his Action Phase, a character may take up to two Simple Actions or one Complex Action. An extra Free Action may be taken in place of a Simple Action (so the character would get two Free Actions and one Simple Action, or three Free Actions, instead of one Free and two Simple Actions).

Change Gun Mode
A character holding a ready firearm can change its firing mode via a Simple Action. If the weapon is a properly linked smartgun, it takes only a Free Action to change the mode. See Firearms, p. 142, and Smartgun Systems, p. 311. This includes changing a shotgun’s choke if the gun does not have a smartgun link. See Shotguns, P. 144.

Fire Weapon
A character may fire a ready firearm in single-shot, semi-automatic, or burst-fire mode via a Simple Action. (See Firearms, p. 142.) If a character has one weapon in each hand, he may fire once with each weapon by expending one Simple Action (see Attacker Using a Second Firearm, p. 141). Note that single-shot weapons may be fired only once per Action Phase. Likewise, only one long burst may be fired in each Action Phase.

Insert Clip
A character may insert a fresh clip into a ready firearm by taking a Simple Action, but only if he has first removed the previous clip. See the Simple Action of Remove Clip, below, and also Reloading Firearms, p. 312.

Observe in Detail
A character may make a detailed observation by taking a Simple Action. This allows a Perception Test (see Using Perception, p. 117).

Note that characters should always be able to observe what is immediately obvious (gamemaster’s discretion, keeping in mind any perception enhancements the character may have) without having to spend a Simple Action and make a Perception Test. For example, a character might automatically be aware that someone is running toward him with a gun in hand; however, the gamemaster may decide that the character cannot tell if it is a friend or foe without taking an Observe in Detail action.

Pick Up/Put Down Object
A character may pick up an object within reach or put down one that he was holding by expending a Simple Action (note that just dropping an object is a Free Action).

Quick Draw
A character may attempt to quick-draw a pistol or pistol-sized weapon and immediately
fi re it by expending a Quick Draw action. For the character to successfully draw the weapon,
the player must make a Pistols + Reaction (3) Test. If the pistol is held in a quick-draw holster (see p. 311), reduce the threshold to 2. If the test is successful, the character draws the pistol and fi res as a single Quick Draw Simple Action. If the test fails, he clears the gun but cannot fire with the same Simple Action. If he glitches, the gun is stuck in the holster or dropped. On a critical glitch, it is flung across the room or misfired while still in the holster.

Only weapons that can be fired with a Simple Action can be quick-drawn. Two weapons may be quick-drawn and fired simultaneously, but this raises the threshold on the Pistols + Reaction Test to 4 (see Attacker Using a Second Firearm, p. 141). A separate Pistols + Reaction (4) Test is required for each pistol (threshold 3 if they are held in quick-draw holsters).

Ready Weapon
A character may ready a weapon by spending a Simple Action. The weapon may be a firearm, melee weapon, throwing weapon, ranged weapon, or mounted or vehicular weapon. Readying entails drawing a firearm from a holster, drawing a throwing or melee weapon from a sheath, picking up any kind of weapon, nocking an arrow in a bow, or generally preparing any kind of weapon for use. A weapon must be ready before it can be used.

A character can ready a number of small throwing weapons, such as throwing knives or shuriken, equal to one-half his Agility (round down) per Ready Weapon action.

Remove Clip
A character may remove a clip from a ready firearm by taking a Simple Action. See Insert Clip, p. 136, and also Reloading Weapons, p. 312. It takes another Simple Action to grab a fresh clip and slam it into the weapon.

The wielder of a linked smartgun may eject the gun’s clip by spending a Free Action to make a simple cybernetic command. See Smartgun System, p. 311.

Sprint
Sprinting allows a character to increase his Running rate by using a Simple Action and making a Running Test (see Movement, p. 138).

Stand Up
Using a Simple Action, a character who is lying down or prone may stand up. If the character is wounded and attempting to stand up, he needs to succeed in a Body + Willpower (2) Test to do so (wound modifiers apply to this test).

Take Aim
A character may take aim with a ready ranged weapon (firearm, bow, or throwing weapon) as a Simple Action. Take Aim actions are cumulative, but the benefits are lost if the character takes any other kind of action—including a Free Action—at any time. Take Aim actions may be extended over multiple Action Phases and Initiative Passes, even from Combat Turn to Combat Turn. The maximum number of sequential Take Aim actions a character may take is equal to ½ the character’s skill with that weapon, rounded down.

Each Take Aim action applies a +1 dice pool modifier to the Attack Test.

Take Aim may also be used to line up a shot using an image magnification system (see p. 141); in this case the +1 Take Aim bonus does not apply (but range modifiers are neutralized).

Throw Weapon
A character may throw a ready throwing weapon (see Ready Weapon, at left ) by taking a Simple Action.

Use Simple Object
A character may use a simple object by taking a Simple Action. In this case, “simple” is defined as a device or mechanism that can be operated via a simple activity such as pushing a button, turning a knob (doors must be unlocked to be opened with a Simple Action), pulling a lever, and so on. The gamemaster must decide on a case-by-case basis if a device or mechanism is simple or complex. A character can also use objects such as pills, skillsofts, or slap patches by taking a Simple Action.

[Xeno Khan]

A Complex Action requires concentration and/or finesse. Only one Complex Action is possible per Action Phase. A character who wishes to take a Complex Action may also take a Free Action that Action Phase, but no Simple Actions are possible.

Fire Automatic Weapon
A character may fire a ready firearm in full autofire mode by taking a Complex Action. See Firearms, p. 142.

Fire Mounted or Vehicle Weapon
A character may fire a ready mounted or vehicle weapon by taking a Complex Action. See Vehicle Combat, p. 158.

Full Defense
A character may choose to dedicate his attention to avoiding incoming attacks as a Complex Action (see Full Defense, p. 151). Note that full defense actions may be taken at any time, even before the character’s Action Phase, as long as the character is not surprised—but it uses up the character’s next available action. Characters may go on full defense even if they don’t have an action that pass, sacrificing their first action of the next Combat Turn instead.

Melee/Unarmed Attack
A character may make a melee or unarmed attack by taking a Complex Action (see Melee Combat, p. 146). A character may also attack multiple targets within melee range with a single Complex Action (see Multiple Targets, p. 148).

Reload Firearm
Weapons that do not use clips must be reloaded using a Complex Action (see Reloading Firearms, p. 312).

Use Complex Object
A character may operate a complex object, such as a computer, vehicle, mechanical tool, and so on by taking a Complex Action. “Use” entails activating a program, issuing detailed instructions, conducting an internal operation (such as copying files), driving the vehicle, and so on.

Use Skill
A character may use an appropriate skill by taking a Complex Action (see Using Skills, p. 106).