Thinking about Intiative

[swaghauler]

I had the opportunity to try out a newer "hybrid system" of my initiative and the original Initiative system using "Actions" instead of "Time" (the system pioneered by TW2K13) to determine who acts when. To use this system, you first roll for the beginning Initiative Step just like you would in the system I outlined in my post Initiative & Time(post #24) above. This determines the starting Initiative Step ONLY, and EACH PLAYER'S individual Initiative Roll is listed on the Initiative Step corresponding to their modified roll. At this point, the player must determine the number of ACTIONS his character will have for that round.

The players must "modify" their BASE Initiative score (the 1 thru 6 characteristic score they initially generated in character creation) again by the modifiers below to get the number of ACTIONS that they can perform in the combat round. Those modifiers are:

ACTION MODIFIERS:

-1 Seriously Wounded/Fatigued (level 3 Fatigue in the basic rules).
-2 Critically Wounded/Fatigued (level 4 Fatigue in the basic rules).
-1 For Exceeding Coolness Under Fire (I use the TW2K13 CUF rules).
-1 For EACH POINT over Coolness Under Fire X 2 (again using TW2K13).
-1 Surprised.

Each of these modifiers reduces the character's Initiative Score and all are cumulative. If the character's Initiative score is reduced to ZERO, that character CANNOT ACT during the combat round.

Once the number of Actions a character has is determined, the player is given a number of "chips" equal to those Actions (I use Poker Chips). Once an Initiative Step that the character can act in is reached (having been determined by my original system above), the player must decide to Act or Wait. If he or she decides to act, ONE chip is given back to the GM and the player acts in THAT INITIATIVE STEP (only). Any other players who are ALSO acting in that Step are also allowed to act (and MUST also surrender a chip). After everyone is done acting, the GM continues on to the next lower Initiative Step and allows all players who have rolled an Initiative EQUAL TO OR HIGHER THAN THIS Initiative Step to either Act or Wait. Once again, anyone acting MUST surrender an "Action Chip." This continues until the player's either run out of "Action Chips" or the last Initiative Step (Step #1) is reached.

Determining Who Acts First In An Initiative Step:

Character's act according to their Action Speed. Action Speed is determined by adding a character's AGL + INITIATIVE + WEAPON SKILL LEVEL (if any) and subtracting any weapon's "Weapon Speed" while it is used.

A weapon's speed is its Bulk Rating ROUNDING UP for Rifles, Machineguns, and Heavy Weapons and ROUNDING DOWN for Pistols, Submachineguns, and Shotguns. BULK RATING is determined by dividing the length of a weapon by 15 Centimeters.

The "Weapon Speeds" of hand to hand combat attacks is:
Punch 1
Head Butt 2
Kick 3
Throw or Grapple 4

Players act in a given Initiative Step from Highest Speed to Lowest Speed. If a player is MORE THAN 10 POINTS FASTER THAN HIS OPPONENT, HIS ATTACK WILL AFFECT THE OTHER PERSON BEFORE THAT PERSON CAN ACT.

Movement In An Initiative Step:

A person may move a short distance in an Initiative Step and still act as well. Walking reduces the chance of success of any task by one Difficulty Level. Trotting may be performed but any weapons fire is TWO DIFFICULTY LEVELS HARDER. The Movement Rates for Each Initiative Step Are:

Sprinting: 7m
Running: 5m
Trotting: 3m
Walking: 2m
Crawling: 1m
Climbing: 1m
Swimming: 1m or 2m (high speed)

A player must Walk before they can Trot, Run or Sprint UNLESS they make an Acrobatics Skill roll. It takes 1 Initiative Step to Kneel or Go Prone. It takes 1 Initiative Step to Kneel from Prone and 2 Initiative Steps to Stand up from Prone UNLESS you make an Acrobatics Skill Check.
Players conducting Repetitive Actions move using the older full turn movement rates but cannot conduct differing actions individually by Initiative Step (they can conduct a continuous action).

Weapon Fire Rates per Initiative Step:

I just use the fire rates I listed above. Those rates are for a SINGLE INITIATIVE STEP. Recoil is only applied for that Initiative Step as well.

This system is a bit faster than counting time, and the Action System allows the players to be a bit more flexible in their use of Actions to affect a battle's outcome. For example, a character with an Initiative of 1 who rolls a 6 on his 1D6 roll can end up acting in the same Initiative Step as a character with an Initiative of 6 who rolls a 1 on his 1D6 roll. Both players will act on Initiative Step 7. The difference is that the character with an Initiative of 1 will have a SINGLE ACTION and the character with the Initiative of 6 will still have FIVE MORE ACTIONS TO USE during that combat round. This is a bit fairer than the original initiative system while allowing "high initiative" characters to still stand out in combat.

As always, use what you will and ignore the rest.

Swag.