Coolness Under Fire in T2K 2.2

[TyCaine]

Has anyone retrofitted Coolness Under Fire (CUF) rules in T2K v2.2?

It seems like a good rule to have, but I'm a little light on understanding how it could be fit into the system.

Does anyone have such a thing documented in 2.2, and how it can affect the PCs?

Thanks in advance!

~Ty

[swaghauler]

I have added the Willpower Attribute to my game so I integrate that into the CUF rules below. Willpower was a SKILL in Dark Conspiracy but I needed a measure of mental strength (for magic and psionics) so I made it an Attribute. The following rules are a very light retrofit of TW2K13's CUF rules and all credit goes to Games Studio 93 for them.

ROLLING UP THE CUF TRAIT:

I roll a 1D10 and add all of the modifiers for Initiative in V2/V2.2 to that roll (ie Special Forces, Airborne, etc...). I then AVERAGE this roll with the Willpower Attribute to get CUF. This allows a character to still be stubborn or willful while being a coward (when their CUF roll is low).

HOW CUF WORKS DURING PLAY:

When you are exposed to danger or intimidation you receive a THREAT CONDITION (hereafter called a TC). Each Tc which applies is added to the PC/NPC's total for the round and we apply those TCs at the end of the round in which they are accumulated. We denote TCs using Poker chips since they fluctuate so much.

When the number of TCs you receive exceeds your CUF score, you must roll a FEAR check of AVERAGE:[CUF + WILL]. Failure of this roll results in a "suppression" or "freeze" action for your next round. IF you succeed, you still suffer a "+1" (added to the dice roll) penalty to all Skill rolls (including attack and defense rolls) until your TCs drop to your CUF score.

IF your CUF score is exceeded by 2 times (ie 9 TCs against a CUF of 4), the PC/NPC must roll a FRIGHT check of AVERAGE:[CUF + WILL] or suffer from a 1 round suppression per point of TCs that exceed their [CUF x 2] (ie 10 Tcs would equal 2 rounds on a CUF of 4) and then a "BANE" (this is the D&D 5e ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE SYSTEM used by MONGOOSE Publishing)... where they MUST roll 2D20 for every skill test and take the higher die rolled. IF they succeed in their CUF roll, they still suffer a penalty of 1 added to all their Skill rolls.

IF your CUF is exceeded by 3 times (ie 13 TCs against a CUF of 4), you must make a FIGHT OR FLIGHT check of AVERAGE:[CUF + WILL] or either flee or surrender based on the situation. Even IF the check is successful, you are Suppressed for a number of rounds equal to the number of TCs that have exceeded your [CUF X 3], and will suffer a "BANE" as described above.

THINGS THAT GENERATE THREAT CONDITIONS:

The following things can generate one or more TCs...

- Surprised or startled = 1TC
- A successful Intimidation check = 1TC (2TCs for Outstanding Success)
- Being attacked = 1TC
- Being threatened or attacked with a weapon (club, chain, etc...) = 1TC
- Being threatened or attacked with a lethal weapon (knife or a gun) = 2TC (including the 1TC for above).
- Being attacked with automatic fire = 3TC (includes lethal weapons above)
- Being attacked with explosives or poison gas = 4TC (includes above TCs)
- You are outnumbered = 1TC
- You are outnumbered 5 to 1 = 2TC
- You are outnumbered 10 to 1 = 3TC
- Environmental disadvantage (expl: you cannot see clearly but they can) = 1TC up to 4TC based on the condition's limits on the PC/NPC.
- You see an ally wounded = 1TC
- You see an ally incapacitated = 2TC (includes above)
- You see an Ally killed = 4TC
- You are wounded = 1TC
- You are Seriously wounded = 2TC
- You are Critically wounded = 3TC
- You suffer a Deadly wound but are still awake = 4TC
- You encounter a supernatural monster or magic (Dark Conspiracy) = the TC varies by the monster. I have begun to give real-world animals TCs too. These would be things like Sharks, Lions, Bears, and poisonous Snakes.

If the PC/NPC makes their roll for FEAR, they still suffer a -1 to Initiative rolls until their TCs are reduced to their CUF score.

IF the PC/NPC makes their FRIGHT/BANE check, they will still suffer a -2 to Initiative until their TCs are reduced to 2 x CUF.

IF the PC/NPC makes their FIGHT OR FLIGHT check, they still suffer a -3 to Initiative rolls until their TCs drop below CUF x 3 (in addition to an automatic BANE).

REDUCING THREAT CONDITIONS:

What God giveth, he can taketh away. The following things can REDUCE your Threat Condition totals and keep you in the fight!

- For each ally who arrives = -1TC per ally
- Opponents outnumbered = -1TC per surplus ally (stacks with above)
- Tango Down! = -1TC per enemy taken down (dead or wounded)
- Tango Skips = -1TC per enemy who flees
- You have superior firepower over the enemy (ie. AKs versus pistols) = -1TC
- You completely outgun the enemy (heavy weapons, automatic weapons) -2TC (includes above)
- You have good cover or positional advantage = -1TC
- You receive treatment for your wounds = -1TC
- Inspirational LEADERSHIP! Your side makes an AVERAGE:[LEADERSHIP+ CHA] or a DIFFICULT:[PERSUASION+CHA] test. = -1TC or -2TC (outstanding success)
- "sweet, sweet Morphine!" You are given a painkiller for your injuries = -1TC
- You have an environmental advantage over the opponents (ie Night Vision, or gas masks in a CS environment) = -1TC to -4TC depending on the advantage

These TC reductions are subtracted from the TC total at the end of each round and the new TC total is then enacted the next round.

These are the basics of the TW2K13 CUF rules adapted to Twilight V2.2. Use what you want and ignore the rest!

Swag.

[TyCaine]

Perfect, that looks like what I want.

I saw T2K13 rules but haven't had any experience with them to try and convert to 2.2

Thank you! I'll try them out and see how they feel!

[swaghauler]

Perfect, that looks like what I want.

I saw T2K13 rules but haven't had any experience with them to try and convert to 2.2

Thank you! I'll try them out and see how they feel!

These have been THOROUGHLY beta tested as well. I do pull another trick from other RPGs... The "Presence Attack" or "Mental Combat" rules.

Using CUF, you can make INTIMIDATION attacks to force someone to back down from a conflict or even end it. I have the PC/NPC make either a Persuasion, Leadership (a qualification of Persuasion), Intimidation (a qualification of Persuasion), or Interrogation check involving [Applied Skill + WILL+CHA/2]. A success scores a roll of 1D10 (adding CHA to the roll) TC. Outstanding success scores 2D10 (adding CHA to the roll) TC. If CUF is exceeded, the target must make a FEAR check or back down. I add modifiers for things like combat skill, reputation, or history of violence. It is a fast and dirty way to get those deserters in that bar in Krakow to scurry off without having to pay for broken furniture.

I do use a similar system with sirens and seduction. Instead of CUF, you use your WILL to defend against her PERSUASION + [WILL + CHA/2]. If she reduces your WILL to 0, you do as she asks.

[TyCaine]

Awesome, thank you!

[TyCaine]

Quick question, swaghauler, what do you do for NPCs?

Same roll, and assume a value for WILL (based on attributes)? Or do you do set values tiered at the level of experience of the NPCs?

I mean, I can see doing the full value for detailed NPCs, but do you do an abbreviated number for generic NPCs? And for generics, would it be appropriate at that point to just do a general value by unit rather than individual?

Just updating my character sheets for adding CUF, and wondered what to do with NPCs....

Otherwise really looking forward to using this system.
Thanks in advance!

[swaghauler]

Quick question, swaghauler, what do you do for NPCs?

Same roll, and assume a value for WILL (based on attributes)? Or do you do set values tiered at the level of experience of the NPCs?

I mean, I can see doing the full value for detailed NPCs, but do you do an abbreviated number for generic NPCs? And for generics, would it be appropriate at that point to just do a general value by unit rather than individual?

Just updating my character sheets for adding CUF, and wondered what to do with NPCs....

Otherwise really looking forward to using this system.
Thanks in advance!

BOTH. For important NPCs I do a shortened character sheet. For "mooks," I use a scaling system of 3, 5, 7, & 9. I will vary this by a point or two for the sake of variety.

I also use a shortened damage count for "mooks." My wounds count looks like this:

Lightly Wounded: CON
Moderately Wounded: CON X 2
Seriously Wounded: CON X 3
Critically Wounded: CON X 4
Dead: CON X 5

I use the actual CON score. I double head hits and halve limb hits and I use the number of DAMAGE DICE the weapon does as the ACTUAL hits. IF the PCs roll over half of a weapon's Damage roll, I'll add a point of damage. IF they roll really low, I'll subtract a point. I use this for large groups of "cannon fodder." For example: Ivan gets hit in the arm by an M16. He suffers 2 hits (1.5 rounding up). If he were hit in the head, he'd take 6 hits and a torso hit would be 3 hits. IF Ivan has an average CON of 5, both the torso and arm hits produce a light wound. The head wound would produce a Medium wound.

[swaghauler]

IF you don't want to add WILL to the game, you can always use CHA.

[TyCaine]

Thanks for all this!

It makes sense, I think the CUF mechanic has been sorely missing from v2.2 which although it can still be managed by the GM, having an actual mechanic just makes it more manageable overall.

~Ty

[swaghauler]

Thanks for all this!

It makes sense, I think the CUF mechanic has been sorely missing from v2.2 which although it can still be managed by the GM, having an actual mechanic just makes it more manageable overall.

~Ty

I'm happy to help. Just remember to only apply the conditions at the end of a combat round. Trying to do it DURING the fight will DRIVE YOU CRAZY! I use poker chips but you can use anything to mark TCs. A good substitute would be the checker's pieces from a checker's game. I would denote BLACK checkers as THREAT CONDITIONS (where you are being "used and abused").
I would denote RED checkers as positive events that REMOVE TCs (where you are "embracing the suck").

Each time something occurs that generates either a TC or would reduce it, you toss the affected PCs the appropriate color of checker piece. At the end of the round, they subtract the RED checkers from the BLACK checkers and give those subtracted checkers back to you [to reuse next round]. The remaining checkers are either TCs or it is possible to have a "negative TC count" which is a positive morale total that must be reduced by new TCs to negatively affect the PC (think of surplus red chips kind of like armor points).

For example: PC Joe was exposed to 6 TCs during this round but also got 3 reductions. The GM hands Joe 6 BLACK and 3 RED checkers. At the end of the round, joe subtracts the 3 Red Checkers from the six Black ones for a score of 3 TCs. His CUF is 5 so he suffers no adverse effects. In the next round, he gets hit for 2 more TCs but amasses 6 reductions. He subtracts his 6 Red checkers from the 5 Black ones and comes up with a -1. He keeps 1 Red checker to counteract any TCs on the next round.

So this is like accruing MOMENTUM and DOOM in Modephius Games CONAN 2D20 rpg.

Also, note that Mooks DO NOT have Hit Points per location. I give them one set of HP equal to their CON and every hit just comes off of that one score for mooks.