Age Of Dragons: Skirmish Combat

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Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Combat and Conflict-->Skirmish Combat

Overview of Skirmish Combat

Skirmish Combat is the default combat system for Age of Dragons and provides the core for the other conflict systems. Players and GMs should at least be familiar with the combat systems in Skirmish Combat, and likely with one or two small encounters or practice fights will master it very quickly!

Skirmish Combat is used for physical confrontation, between two or more combatants. Combatants can be flying or non-flying in skirmish combat, and will manoeuvre around each other to engage optimally before blasting with ranged attacks or tearing in with tooth and claw in melee range.

The Passage of Time: Phases and Rounds

While in ordinary roleplaying the passage of time is purely descriptive, convention usually dictates that combat itself is broken into rounds that represent fixed units of time. Age of Dragons uses combat rounds.

During each Round, each character will have a Turn. During that turn the character rolls dice, and then resolves actions and effects based on that roll.

Once every character has had a turn, the round is over, and a new round begins.

Initiative: Action Order

Each round, you need to determine the Initiative Order of the combatants to see who gets first turn. Simply put, the faster a combatant is, the faster they act.

Initiative order is determined by the situation and by the GM. In almost any combat, the fight will starts when one or more characters makes an attack. The attacking or active characters go first, then the other characters involved act. The initiative order determined in the first round will then be used for the rest of the combat.

In some unusual circumstances its not clear who should go first. For example, if in the midst of a hundred dragon sky battle, two enemies find their paths cross, both will seek to open with an attack, and in this case it becomes important to know who gets the jump on the other.

This is best resolved with a competed roll, with the roll depending on situation, but typically a Soma vs Soma roll with the most 4+ dice expended winning. For example, if fighting beneath the canopy of the Heart Forest, and flightpaths are about to cross, the test could be one of aerboatics to get the right position to attack first, and be based on Soma. A GM could call for a different sphere to be tested instead: For example, if a dragons emerge from a cloudbank to see his enemy in front of him, the test could be one of reaction speed, and be based on Sophis.

If the result of the competed test is drawn, the GM can either rule that the character that is the better fighter goes first, or ask for a reroll.

Regardless, rolls to determine initiative are not counted as actions, and the dice pools from them cannot be used to perform actions.


The Turn: Overview

During a character's turn he goes through the following steps:

1) Determine and Roll Dice Pool

2) Reroll Step

3) Spotting Step

4) Expend Step

note: It is worth familiarising yourself with the Basic Game Systems if you haven't already.

1) Determine and Roll Dice Pool

The character whose turn it is chooses which dice pool to roll. This will determine what sort of actions he can take that turn. For example, if he was seeking to perform physical actions that turn, he would choose his Soma pool.

As noted in the Basic Game Systems, he can choose to activate two pools in a single turn, but would roll only the lower pool.

So, for example, for a dragon who has Soma 9, Sophis 6, Pneuma 7...

  • Physical Actions only: Roll Soma, 9 dice.
  • Mental Actions only: Roll Sophis, 6 dice.
  • Arcane Actions only: Roll Pneuma, 7 dice.
  • Physical AND Arcane Actions: Roll lowest of Soma and Pneuma, 7 dice.
  • Physical AND Mental Actions: Roll lowest of Soma and Sophis, 6 dice.
  • Mental AND Arcane Actions: Roll lowest of Sophis and Pneuma, 6 dice.
  • Physical AND Mental AND Arcane Actions: Roll lowest of Sophis, Soma and Pneuma, 6 dice.

For the purposes of spotting and expending, the dice rolled count as of all types nominated.

So for example, if a power says Spot 5+ on a Soma Dice, then any dice from a pool that was nominated as including Physical actions would be applicable.

2) Reroll Step

The character can then activate any Reroll effects he has, as per the rules in the Basic Game Systems.

Conceptually, in skirmish combat, rerolls represent increased accuracy, competence and consistency.

3) Spotting Step

The character can then activate any Spotting effects he has, as per the rules in the Basic Game Systems.

In skirmish combat, spotting effects normally relate to tactical mobility. See the section below for more on tactical mobility.

4) Expend Step

The character can then activate any Expend effects or actions he has, as per the rules in the Basic Game Systems.

In skirmish combat, Expend effects or actions normally relate to actual effectiveness in combat. The most common expend effect is to simply deal damage. See the section on damage dealing below for more on this.


Tactical Positioning: Altitude and Distance

In battle, you need to know where the combatants are. Age of Dragons does not use miniatures or a battle-grid, so a descriptive system is used.

Stationary "Landmarks"

Landmarks are points of reference described by the GM in the set-up for the skirmish. An example landmark might be a mountain plateau, a cave entrance or the battlements of a castle. The GM should describe how far the Landmarks are from each other, using the descriptive Distance terms below. The rules denote any area not containing a Landmark as "Open Sky" or Open Ground.

Distance

Distance describes how far apart any combatant is, either from landmark or another combatant.

  • Zero Range indicates that the two objects have no space between them, for example when two dragons are locked in a deadly grapple.
  • Close quarters indicates that the dividing distance is small enough for melee combat can be engaged in. This can be anything from a yard to ten yards.
  • Middle distance indicates that you are close enough to trade insults and fling ranged attacks, but not close enough to engage in melee. A longbowman could cover this distance, but a man throwing knives could not. Firebreathing can engage at middle distance.
  • Long distance indicates that you can strike an enemy only with the longest ranged attacks, for example with war engines. It will still take some time to close with the enemy from this distance.
  • Disengaged indicates that you aren't really in combat with that target at all, and at best are an observer on the horizon. If combatants have all disengaged with each other, its time to put the Skirmish rules to one side and return to ordinary combat.

Altitude

During a battle, a dragon can be at various altitudes:

  • Grounded - A grounded dragon is one that is on the ground, usually because he has chosen to land. This is the default altitude for non-flying troops, of course.
  • Strafing low - This indicates that the dragon is sweeping low enough to swipe and bite at enemies on the ground, generally below the altitude of any trees or ground obstacles.
  • Normal altitude - This is the height at which dragons usually fly, high enough to be out of melee range from a target, but low enough that he can employ dragonsbreath and other ranged attacks. Conversely troops on the ground with decent missile weapons (such as longbows) can attack him as well.
  • Flying High - This indicates that the dragon is far above the ground, so much so that even the most talented archer cannot hit him and even his most potent dragonbreath will not strike those on the ground. Dragons will normally make long distance flights as this altitude.
  • Ceiling altitude - The dragon is flying as high as he can, where the air is thinner and he can even dive in and out of clouds. A dragon will normally use this height for a tactical advantage in aerial combat, as being higher gives him a better view of the aerial battlefield. This isn't a suitable height for long distance flying though, as the thin air makes flight more strenuous than at lower altitudes.

Another way of representing altitudes is numerically, with steps equivalent to 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3.

Ranged attacks can generally go no further than 1 point of altitude difference, up or down. Note that because "Grounded", "Strafing Low" and "Standard Altitude" are designated 0, 0.5 and 1 Altitude respectively, it is possible to make a ranged attack from standard altitude to grounded, and vice versa.

Manoeuvres

Tactical movement is slightly abstracted in the Age of Dragons skirmish system - as most combat is aerial, a skirmish will usually be a highly dynamic affair, with dragons circling around each other, pulling off aerobatic stunts and quick moves in order to try to gain a positional advantage or to set the range as they choose. Don't forget that by their nature dragons are many time more agile and quick thinking than humans, and a dragon in flight during combat can move with a speed and grace that a human onlooker would find hard to believe.

Instead of moving a fixed distance in skirmish combat, dragons instead must work within the situation, accounting for enemy attacks, windspeed, obstacles, their own vulnerable flanks and much more. When a dragon is particularly in command of a combat, they can fly circles around their enemies, but when the momentum of battle is against them, they can be hard pushed to even maintain their defences, let alone try to improve their position.

During the Spotting Step, a flying dragon can activate certain effects to change or better their position. This is termed "manoeuvring". The following manoeuvres are available to any flying combatant:

  • Manoeuvre effect (flying): Alter Tactical Range

To activate this Manoeuvre, the Dragon must spot 3+ on Soma dice. When activated, the dragon can move by one range step, for example from close quarters to middle distance or vice versa. This can be activated multiple times, for each spot you make.

An important exception on the Alter Tactical Range manoeuvre is that it may not be used to move from close quarters to zero range, or vice versa. For this, see grappling below.

  • Manoeuvre effect (flying): Lose Altitude

To activate this Manoeuvre, the Dragon must spot 4+ on Soma dice. When activated, the dragon gains one level of altitude, for example from flying high to normal altitude. This can be activated multiple times, for each spot you make. If this reduces him to zero altitude, then he is considered to be no longer flying.

  • Manoeuvre effect (flying): Gain Altitude

To activate this Manoeuvre, the Dragon must spot 5+ on Soma dice. When activated, the dragon gains one level of altitude, for example from normal altitude to flying high. This can be activated multiple times, for each spot you make.

The following manoeuvres are available to grounded combatants:

  • Manoeuvre effect (ground): Take Off

To activate this Manoeuvre, the Dragon must spot 5+ on Soma dice. When activated, the dragon gains one level of altitude, that is from grounded to strafing low.

  • Manoeuvre effect (ground): Alter Tactical Range

To activate this Manoeuvre, the Dragon must spot 6+ on Soma dice. When activated, the dragon can move by one range step, for example from close quarters to middle distance or vice versa. This can be activated multiple times, for each spot you make.

An important exception on the Alter Tactical Range manoeuvre is that it may not be used to move from close quarters to zero range, or vice versa. For this, see grappling below.

Strategies

In addition to tactical movement manoeuvres, it is possible to use the spotting step to achieve various strategies. Strategies are not dependent on whether you are flying or not:

  • Strategy effect: Evade

To activate this Strategy, the Dragon must spot 3+ on Soma dice. For each dice spotted in this way the dragon gains +1 Physical Defence until the start of his next turn.

  • Strategy effect: Aim

To activate this Strategy, the Dragon must spot 3+ on Soma dice. For each dice spotted in this way the dragon deducts -1 Physical Defence from one enemy. The target must be at close quarters and who are at the same altitude, and the penalty only applies until the end of the acting dragon's current turn. Also, this cannot reduce Physical Defence below 0.


Expend Step: Actions

During the expend step, the dragon can take actions by expending dice.

Tooth and Claw Attack

Tooth and Claw attacks can only be made against enemies at close quarters and who are at the same altitude.

Making a melee attack requires a dragon to expend 4+ dice on a Soma check.

For each dice expended in this way, deal 1 point of damage to the target's physical resilience.

Ranged Attacks

A Ranged Attack can be made from middle distance or closer, and from up to 1 altitude step of difference.

A ranged attack is made exactly as a melee attack is, except that different combat techniques will be applicable. Also, making a ranged attack requires the character to have a ranged weapon of some sort, or a ranged spell.

Making a ranged attack For each dice expended in this way, deal 1 point of damage to the target's physical resilience.

For each dice expended in this way, deal 1 point of damage to the target's physical resilience.

Special Attacks

Dragons can make Special Attacks when they are trying to attack in a way other than to just hit and damage the opponent.

Most special actions require expending of dice, often of 5+ or hgher.

Some examples of special melee attacks are given here:

Grappling

Grappling is a special melee attack.

A grappling attack can only be made against an enemy at close quarters and who are at the same altitude.

Making a melee attack requires a dragon to expend 4+ dice on a Soma check.

If you hit with a grapple attack, you deal no damage but the range between you and your target is instantly reduced to Zero Range. This takes place outside of the usual sequence for tactical movement. A grapple attack deals no damage.

Also, both the attacker and the target become locked.

A locked combatant is limited in his movement (see Tactical Movement above) and will likely be unable to fly properly and may crash (see Falling from the Sky below).

Locked dragons can still make melee attacks as normal, though only against combatants that they are grappling with. Dragons outside the grapple can attack locked dragons as normal. Any area effect attacks that attack a locked combatant automatically target both locked combatants.


Breaking out of a Grapple

Breaking Out of a Grapple is a special melee attack at +3 TN.

You can only attempt ot break out of a grapple when you have been locked by a grapple.

This is treated in the same way as a melee "attack" (Soma test vs. Physical Defence).

If you "hit" with this attack deal no damage, but increase the range between you and your target to Close Quarters. This takes place outside of the usual sequence for tactical movement. Breaking out of a grapple also means that you cease to be locked.

If multiple combatants are in the same grapple, then the "break out" attack is defended against by each and every enemy combatant in the grapple, and the test result compared to each defending grappler's Physical Defence separately. Only those that are "hit" by the break out attack are removed from the grapple, with the range for those combatants increased to close quarters from the grapple. If the active "breaking out" combatant doesn't beat all his grapplers, then he still remains locked himself.

This is important, as it means that if you are trying to break out of a grapple from multiple enemies, it is possible you will shake off some but not all of your grapplers.

Don't forget that a combatant may always opt to not defend against any attack, including breaking out of a grapple.


Called Shot

A Called Shot is a special melee attack at +3, +6 or +9 TN.

A Called Shot represents going for a particular injury on the target. Aiming for a a wing or the torso is at +3 TN. Aiming for limbs or the tail is at +6 TN. Aiming for the neck or head is at +9 TN.

The main advantage of making a Called Shot is to bypass armour or special defences by targeting an area of the body that doesn't have these defences. Additionally, a successful (damage dealing) called shot on certain locations has additional special effects.

Wing (+3 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the target's wing - the target can no longer fly. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip out the target's wing - not only can he not fly, but the damage cannot be healed naturally.

Torso (+3 TN) - No additional special effect.

Limb (+6 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the target forelimb or hindlimb - the target can no longer attack with this claw or with any weapon on this limb. If all limbs are injured in this way, the target can no longer make claw attacks at all. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's limb - in addition to suffering the above effect, the damage cannot be healed naturally and the targets ground mobility is diminished.

Tail (+6 TN) - If you hit, and roll at least one "six", you maul the tail - the target can no longer attack with his tail or with any weapon on his tail. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's tail - in addition to suffering the above effect, the damage cannot be healed naturally.

Neck (+9 TN) - A damaging attack against this location does +9 damage. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you rip off the target's head and kill him instantly. This is a favourite "finishing move" amongst duelling dragons.

Head (+9 TN) - A damaging attack against this location does +6 damage. If you hit, and roll one or more "sixes", the target is stunned and each round for the rest of the encounter the target has a 1 in 3 chance of not being able to act that round. If you hit, and roll two or more "sixes", you demolish the target's head and kill him instantly.


Non-Claw Attack

A Non-claw Attack is a special melee attack at +3 or -3 TN.

It is assumed that in melee battle a Dragon normally uses his forelimb and hindlimb claws. This represents the standard melee attack.

At +3 TN a Dragon can opt to bite instead. A bite attack adds +6 to damage if it hits.

At -3 TN a Dragon can opt to slash with his wings or his tail. A wing or tail attack deals -6 damage if it hits.

A Dragon can also use weapons. The effects of using weapons are described in the WEAPONS chapter.

Non-claw attacks can be combined with called shots. For example, a bite attack to the neck would be at +12 TN (but would deal +15 damage if it were to hit).


Non-attack Battle Actions

In addition to making the above actions, the Battle Phase can be used to take other actions, so long as they are not related to tactical movement.

What these actions are will depend on circumstance - for example, a dragon might spend a Battle Action trying to smash in a castle gate, or to try to intimidate the soldiers below into fleeing.

Many Lifepaths will offer additional actions that can be taken in battle, for example casting spells or employing draconic powers. These are generally activated as Non-attack Battle Actions.


Damage and Health states

A dragon who hits his target with a damaging attack (e.g. a claw-strike or a bite) directly deducts damage inflicted from the target's Physical Resilience.

If this reduces the targets Physical Resilience to 0 or less, the target is considered to be dying.

A dying character cannot act in combat, and cannot defend himself (his Physical Defence counts as 0). He cannot fly, and will fall from the sky (see below) if airborne.

Also, a dying character must make a Soma check at the start of each of his rounds. This is called a "Death Check" and has a TN equal to the number of points below 0 his Physical Resilience has been reduced to. For example, if his Physical Resilience has been reduced to -10, then the TN is 10.

If he passes the death check, then he survives this round. Dragons who pass their death checks also automatically heal 1 point of Physical Resilience.

If he fails the death check, then his injuries have overcome him - he is dead.


Phase Three: The End Phase



Once each combatant has acted for the round, the GM runs through end-of-round effects. These are mostly triggered by various special effects and resolved on an ad hoc basis, but might include the following:

Falling out of the Sky

After all combatants have taken their actions, aerial combatants that are unable to fly properly will start to "fall out of the sky". There are three circumstances when this will usually occur:

  • The combatant is locked.
  • The combatant is dying
  • The combatant has lost the ability to fly - e.g. from a wing injury.
  • The combatant chooses to fall.

The fourth option is avaialable to any and all aerial combatants, and can be a good way to change altitude without having to use tactical movement.

Falling dragons lose 1 level of altitude, for example moving from ceiling altitude to flying high.

A dragon who is reduced to grounded altitude in this way is deemed to have made a forced landing, and immediately receives XD6 damage to his Physical Resilience, where X is the number of rounds (including this one) that he has been falling. His Physical Defence does not apply against this damage. On particularly hard or dangerous ground a GM could deem that the injury is greater (for example, +1D6 for bare rock, +2D6 for jagged sharp rocks, and +3D6 for a sharpened steel spikes).


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