Typical Long Actions

See the table above for the dura-
tion of typical long actions. You must
take a Ready maneuver each second.
The times required for long actions
are realistic, but they can also sideline
a player – for instance, if his character
rummages through his backpack. If
the GM deems it dramatically appropri-
ate, he may let PCs shave off a few
seconds by making a successful DX or
IQ roll, at the cost of failure having
other problems (e.g., dropping the
backpack and spilling its contents).
This completes the combat system.
Get out there and fight!
When you are comfortable with
these rules, you can proceed to
Chapter 12, Tactical Combat, if you
wish to use a hex grid for more precise
resolution of battles. GMs may also
consult Chapter 13 for advanced rules
concerning factors that might not
come into play in every battle: hit loca-
tions, mounted opponents, surprise
attacks, and various exotic weapons.
See also pp. 462-470 for rules for vehi-
cles, pp. 455-461 for rules for animals,
and p. 547-559 for the collected com-
bat tables.
You need not use figures! Any counter will do, as long
as it has a “front” to indicate facing and some way to
show when the fighter it represents is prone.
These rules let you resolve combat using counters or figures on a hexago-
nal grid. They assume you have already mastered the combat system in
Chapter 11, and cover only the exceptions and special cases that arise when
using that system on a map.