Moves - Battle and Exchanging Harm

[Quincunx]

Exchanging Harm


Harm = weapon - armor. You inflict harm as your weapon minus your target's armor, and suffer harm as your assailant's weapon minus your armor.


Battle Moves


Most battles will be handled quickly and decisively by the moves Seize by Force. Battles are meant to be fast and simple; this is why the amount of harm you can take is pretty small, and why there isn't a huge variety of moves and conditions you can apply to combatants.


The basic moves still apply in battle situations - you can still read charged situations, manipulate, etc. when it seems called for.


Seize by Force


To seize something by force, exchange harm, but first roll+hard. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7–9, choose 2. On a miss, choose 1:

• You inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
  
• You suffer little harm (-1harm).
  
• You take definite and undeniable control of it.
  
• You impress, dismay, or frighten your enemy.
  

Variations include:

• To assault a secure position, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control of it, you can choose to force your way into your enemy’s position.
  
• To keep hold of something you have, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to keep definite control of it.
  
• To fight your way free, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to win free and get away.
  
• To defend someone else from attack, roll to seize by force, but instead of choosing to take definite control, you can choose to protect them from harm.
  

PC vs PC


When two players’ characters seize the same thing by force, as enemies — maybe both are going for the same can of peaches, maybe one is assaulting the position the other holds — both roll, both make their choices, and their choices apply to a single exchange of harm.


When you make this move, roll and PM Mollisol the result and your choice, and she'll instruct you from there. The two players involved are supposed to be able to decide independently, committing to their choices before they're revealed.


Single Combat


When you do single combat with someone, no quarters, exchange harm, but first roll+hard. On a 10+, both. On a 7–9, choose 1. On a miss, your opponent chooses 1 against you:

• You inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
  
• You suffer little harm (-1harm).
  

Only the PC rolls. The NPC does not.


After you exchange harm, do you prefer to end the fight now, or  fight on? If both of you prefer to end the fight now, it ends. If both
of you prefer to fight on, it continues, and you must make the move again. If one of you prefers to end the fight, though, and the other prefers to fight on, then the former must choose: flee, submit to the latter‘s mercy, or fight on after all.


Single combat is different from Seize by Force in that two forces are colliding head-on on neutral ground, with no purpose but to harm one another, with no acceptable outcomes but the other party's injury or death. If either enemy has any other objective, or advantage of terrain, use Seize by Force.


[SIZE= 18px]Tactical and Support Moves[/SIZE]


[SIZE= 1.3rem]These moves allow for characters to support each other in battle. Use them when the Gunlugger is laying down covering fire while the Savvyhead's getting the car started, or when the Battlebabe's looking out for snipers while the Brainer and Maestro D' make a run for it, or when the Skinner is telling the Driver what's coming and where to go.[/SIZE]


Lay Down Fire


When you lay down fire, roll+hard. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7–9, choose 2. On a miss, choose 1:

• You provide covering fire, allowing another character to move or act freely.
  
• You provide supporting fire, giving another PC +1choice to their own battle move.
  
• You provide suppressing fire, denying another character to move or act freely. (If a PC, they may still act under fire.)
  
• You take an opportune shot, inflicting harm (but -1harm) on an enemy within your reach.
  

Stand Overwatch


When you stand overwatch for an ally, roll+cool. On a hit, if anyone attacks or interferes with your ally, you attack them and
inflict harm as established, as well as warning your ally. On a 10+, choose 1:

• ...And you inflict your harm before they can carry out their attack or interference.
  
• ...And you inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
  

On a miss, you are able to warn your ally but not attack your enemy.


Keep an Eye Out


When you keep an eye out for what’s coming, roll+sharp. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7–9, hold 2. On a miss, hold 1. During the battle, spend your hold, 1 for 1, to ask the MC what’s coming and choose 1:

• Direct a PC ally’s attention to an enemy. If they make a battle move against that enemy, they get +1choice to their move.
  
• Give a PC ally an order, instruction, or suggestion. If they do it, they get +1 to any rolls they make in the effort.
  
• Direct any ally’s attention to an enemy. If they attack that enemy, they inflict +1harm.
  
• Direct any ally’s attention to a danger. They take -1harm from that danger.
  

[SIZE= 18px]Subterfuge Moves[/SIZE]


[SIZE= 1.3rem]These moves allow the players' characters to get into or out of a battle on their own terms. Use them when, for instance, the Driver is pretending that her car won’t start in order to draw the raiders into range for the Chopper’s ambush, or when the Gunlugger’s going from door to door in a ruined skyscraper to catch Dremmer’s lieutenant, or when the PCs are trying to dodge raiders in the rag waste. They’re for ambushes, hunts, and hide-and-seek.[/SIZE]


Bait a Trap


When you’re the bait, roll+cool. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7–9, choose 1:

• You draw your prey all the way into the trap. Otherwise, they only approach.
  
• Your prey doesn’t suspect you. Otherwise, they’re wary and alert.
  
• You don’t expose yourself to extra risk. Otherwise, any harm your prey inflicts is +1.
  

On a miss, the MC chooses 1 for you.


Hunt Prey


When you’re the cat, roll+cool. On a hit, you catch your prey out. On a 10+, you’ve driven them first to a place of your choosing; say
where. On a 7–9, you’ve had to follow them where they wanted to go; they say where. On a miss, your prey escapes you.


Escape Being Hunted


When you’re the mouse, roll+cool. On a 10+, you escape clean and leave your hunter hunting. On a 7–9, your hunter catches you out, but only after you’ve led them to a place of your choosing; say where. On a miss, your hunter catches you out and the MC says where.


Turn the Tables


When it’s not certain whether you’re the cat or the mouse, roll+sharp. On a hit, you decide which you are. On a 10+, you take
+1 to your rolls in the chase as well. On a miss, you’re the mouse. Go on to hunt prey or escape a hunter accordingly.


When Life Becomes Untenable


When your character's Harm is reduced below 1, their life becomes untenable, and it's up to you to decide what you want to happen to your character. Barring the interference of an Angel, your character has four options:

• Die. You make a new character, or leave the game.
  
• Come back with a new playbook.
  
• Come back with +1 to weird (to a maximum of weird+3)
  
• Come back with -1 to hard (to a minimum of hard-3)
  

 

[Quincunx]

Road War Moves


Other than boarding a moving vehicle, the rest of the road war moves are for the person behind the wheel. They all call upon a vehicle’s stats, either directly or indirectly, so vehicles will be statted up before the road war begins.


Board a Moving Vehicle


To board a moving vehicle, roll+cool, minus its speed. To board one moving vehicle from another, roll+cool, minus the difference
between their speeds. On a 10+, you’re on and you made it look easy. Take +1 to your next roll. On a 7–9, you’re on, but Jesus. On a miss, the MC chooses: you’re hanging on for dear life, or you’re down and good luck to you.


Outdistance Another Vehicle


When you try to outdistance another vehicle, roll+cool, modified by the difference between your vehicle's speed minus the other one's. On a 10+, you outdistance them and break away. On a 7–9, choose 1:

• You outdistance them and break away, but your vehicle suffers 1-harm ap from the strain.
  
• You don’t escape them, but you can go to ground in a place you choose.
  
• They overtake you, but their vehicle suffers 1-harm ap from the strain.
  

On a miss, your counterpart chooses 1 against you.


Overtake Another Vehicle


When you try to overtake another vehicle, roll+cool, modified by the difference between your vehicle's speed minus the other one's. On a 10+, you overtake them and draw alongside. On a 7–9, choose 1:

• You overtake them, but your vehicle suffers 1-harm ap from the strain.
  
• You don’t overtake them, but you can drive them into a place you choose.
  
• They outdistance you, but their vehicle suffers 1-harm ap from the strain.
  

On a miss, your counterpart chooses 1 against you.


Deal with Bad Terrain


When you have to deal with bad terrain, roll+cool, plus your vehicle’s handling. On a 10+, you fly through untouched. On a 7–9, choose 1:

• You slow down and pick your way forward.
  
• You push too hard and your vehicle suffers harm as established.
  
• You ditch out and go back or try to find another way.
  

On a miss, the MC chooses 1 for you; the others are impossible.


Shoulder Another Vehicle


To shoulder another vehicle, roll+cool. On a hit, you shoulder it aside, inflicting v-harm (see below) as established. On a 10+, you inflict v-harm+1. On a miss, it shoulders you instead, inflicting v-harm as established.


V-harm


When vehicles clash with one another, they can inflict regular harm, but they can also inflict v-harm. V-harm as established is the attacking car’s
massive minus the defending car’s handling. When you suffer v-harm, roll+v-harm suffered. On a 10+, you lose control, and your attacker chooses 1:

• You crash.
  
• You spin out.
  
• Choose 2 from the 7–9 list below.
  

On a 7–9, you’re forced to swerve. Your attacker chooses 1:

• You give ground.
  
• You’re driven off course, or forced onto a new course.
  
• Your car takes 1-harm ap, right in the transmission.
  

On a miss, you swerve but recover without disadvantage. When an NPC’s car takes v-harm, the MC can ask you to roll it, or can choose to roll it herself.