Chaos Fantasy: Source

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Chapter 9: Combat
[ | Combat Statistics | The Tick System | Personal Combat Rules | Vehicle/Mount Combat Rules | Example Moves | ]

Vehicle Combat

Occupant Combat
Whether it's cars, boats, or planes, they all follow the same basic rules as follows:

Combat between occupants of the car carry on as normal. If the vehicle is jerking around a lot, they will suffer Disorient penalties. If they are trying to fire out of a window or do anything else in a cramped or strange position, they will suffer Awkward penalties. All shots between occupants of two different vehicles must be necessary called shots if the vehicle offers any cover. Being onboard a moving vehicle and firing at moving targets is also -4. If both vehicles are traveling in different directions or at drastically different or erratic speeds, this may be another -4.

In other words, trying to shoot someone who is in another vehicle is near impossible unless you truly have skill. Fighting with someone while upon a vehicle is the same as on the ground unless there is a lot of wind to push the combatants around or just general shaking and jerking. The GM should use Disorient and Awkward penalties when they apply to the current situation.

Shooting the vehicle itself is a lot easier to accomplish. Damage to the vehicle (severe dents, broken wing, flat tire, hole in a boat) can lead to serious driving penalties. Shooting a tire or a gas tank means a called shot, but it must also be done by an expert (high Perception or related weapons skill). Vehicles are considered armour with multiple parts (as described in the Equipment section). Shooting a gas tank does not cause a vehicle to explode, however they will be unable to continue running the vehicle for very long.

Flat Tire: For each flat tire, the driver has -2 level to any driving skill roll.
Broken Wing: If both wings are broken, the plane is screwed. If only one is broken, it is possible to fly but at -4 levels and will continue losing altitude.
General Damage: Broken windshield, naked brakes, dragging the bumper; any sort of damage of this type is usually -1 level and can get much higher.
Lost Control: If the driver loses control of the vehicle, anyone may attempt to retake control at -3 levels.
Occupants of a vehicle that has lost control may only attack eachother.

Driving Combat

What can the drivers of the vehicles do while combat rages on? Well, if the driver can make a free hand they can also fight. When the driver is engaged in combat (and driving at the same time), he will be -4 levels to his driving and have Awkward and Offhand penalties. He must use his offhand for fighting and his main hand for driving. If the driver takes damage, he will have to roll Resist Concentration Loss or lose control of the car.

While driving, the driver may use a Turn in order to pull a stunt. This could be turning a sudden corner, driving through incoming traffic, launching a boat over a dock, or whatever the case may be. This will require another skill roll. If the pursuing vehicles cannot make their skill rolls, they lose control of their cars. Once they regain control, they may continue the pursuit. Regaining control can be done on a Turn or by spending a Free Action.

If left over open terrain for too long, the faster vehicle will either catch up or get away.

Driving well over the posted speed limit means -2 levels to any driving rolls.
Pulling a sharp turn is -3 levels.
Doing many turns without slowing down is -4 levels.
Pulling a 180 turn is -5 levels.
Driving through traffic or a crowded area or flying too low is -5 levels.
Pulling a loop with a plane, jumping with a boat or car is -6 levels (unless specifically designed for such maneuvers).
The GM may attach whatever difficulties feel necessary. They should be based on the kind of vehicle (sports cars would handle curves more easily than offroad driving, whereas a jeep would be the opposite) and the kind of stunt being pulled. Some vehicles may list how well they handle certain types of terrain.

Vehicle Attacks

Sometimes a driver may ram or fishtail or otherwise collide their vehicle with the opponent. Both combatants will roll strike and dodge as normal, but this time using their vehicles as weapons. If there is a hit, both drivers must make another driving roll, with the victim at -2 levels. Vehicles do ramming damage to eachother (as described in the damage section).

If the vehicle is being directly attacked, the driver can make an appropriate defense roll as an action to dodge with the entire vehicle. This is only an option if the driver has enough room to move his vehicle. If the vehicle is too heavy or too slow, dodging will have severe penalties.

Using your vehicle as a weapon or defending with the entire vehicle means you do not get to add your combat bonus to the roll. Instead, your current driving skill Quality will dictate the bonus you get when rolling combat with the vehicle itself.

Mounted Combat

If a person is mounted atop a suitable animal, he automatically gives himself some advantages and disadvantages.

Anyone making a melee attack has Awkward penalties trying to hit the rider.
Anyone making a long range attack must make a necessary called shot to hit the rider.
Long melee weapons (spears and such) do +2 damage, +2 penetration atop a mount.
The mounted person may get ramming damage by charging with his beast.
The rider may move 3 metres per tick instead of just 1; this only works if moving long distances.
The mount can trample as an attack that does 4 damage + the damage bonus from the strength of the beast. Some mounts have other attacks available (GM's discretion).

If the rider fails Resist Balance Loss or the beast is knocked over, he is dismounted (probably painfully).
The rider is a much easier target to see for those at long range (still requires a called shot, but the mount calls attention).
The rider has Awkward penalties to dodge attacks and if the mount is attacked directly, it's the GM's call (or roll) if it gets hit.