Here are the commands you need to know as a player of the system. Note that the first word is generally "!combat" in order to get the Combat System's attention. The second word is the command. And the third word will always be the combat number. Beyond that are the parameters for the command.
Space Combat
Joining Your Character to an Existing Combat
First, in any combat you will need to join one of your characters.
!combat join <combat number> <join type> <Character Name> <Vehicle>
Combat Number - this will be an integer given to you by the GM of that combat
Join Type
- join type 0 just joins your character to the combat
- join type 1 joins the character as a pilot of either to a persistent vehicle or a generic instance of a ship type
- join type 2 joins the character as a gunner to a ship already present in combat
Note: join type 2 can take the pilot's name as the vehicle parameter.
Character Name - To have a permanent and approved character join a combat, they must be in the database and you must use their identifying name. This will always be the callsign or nick for a character. These characters are place in Team 1 by default for pilots and Team 3 by default for gunners.
Vehicle - this parameter depends on the join type
- join type 0 - this parameter is ignored and can be left blank
- join type 1 - this is the name of either a permanent/persistent vehicle or the class name for a ship (or capship)
- join type 2 - the Vehicle field will have the unique name for the ship you are joining; use !combat status <combat number> to get the list of ship names
Setting Your Character's Action
When you join, your character will have a do nothing default action set with a Normal Combat Stance and no target or weapons selected.
You will need to set your character's action for the round before the GM turns the Round over and the system determines the result.
!combat action <combat number> <performer> <action> <target>
- Performer - This is the Character's combatant name, this will be the callsign for the character * whether persistent or generic.
- Action - This is the action you wish the character to perform. You can choose to perform a general attack or a called=<quadrant> to try and hit a specific region. (Quadrants are Front, Aft, Left, and Right). You can also treat a character, repair your vehicle, or pass the round.
- Target - The target can either be the pilot or character name or it can be the ship's name (persistent or generated name for generic ships). [targets are also used for treat and repair actions]
!combat weapon <combat number> <performer> <weapon tag>
This commands lets you select your current weapon - assuming you have the ammo.
Weapon Tag - This is a two to five character tag to ID the weapon.
- Guns are generally the first letter(s) of the weapon followed by a dash and the number of guns you have of that type. Full guns has a tag of FG-XX where XX is a two letter code for the ship.
- Examples: Rapier: N-2, L-2 (N-2 is for two Neutron Guns, L-2 is for two Laser Cannons)
- Stiletto: MD-2 (MD-2 is for two Mass Drivers)
- Rapier Full Guns = FG-RP
- Raptor Full Guns = FG-RT
- Sabre Full Guns = FG-SB
- Missiles are the common two letter code for almost all of the missiles
- DF for Dumbfire
- HS for Heat Seeker
- IR for Image Recognition
- FF for Friend or Foe Missile
- TP for Torpedo
Combat Stance
!combat stance <combat number> <Stance> <Character>
All characters upon joining combat start out with the Normal stance. During combat you can change your stance to gain advantages, but there are consequences as described below.
Note: Pilots for Capital Ships, Gunners and Crew do not gain ToHit or Defensive benefits or penalties, and thus do not have a Stance.
For GMs: Additional <Characters> can be added to the end of the command to change multiple character's combat stance to the one designated.
- Fierce is a reckless offensive stance that gives you a bonus to attack but opens you up to counterattack. (+5 to your attacks and attacks made against you)
- Evasive means you're dodging and weaving, making it very difficult to hit you but also for you to hit back. (-5 to your attacks and attacks made against you)
- Cautious means taking it slow. You're harder to hit because you're more wary, but you also suffer a penalty to attack. (-2 to your attacks and attacks made against you)
- Aggressive means you are flying less carefully, but you continue to try to avoid getting hit while focusing hard on your target. (+2 to your attacks and attacks made against you)
- Normal results in no penalties to your ability to hit a target but gives you no bonuses to avoiding attacks either.
Combat Status and Changing Actions
If you make a mistake or change your mind, you can change your action anytime before the round is called. Once the round is called, the GM has turned the round and the results are being determined. Your skills and attributes as well as the properties of your ship and weapons define who goes first and the result of an action. These results will be presented sequentially for everyone on the channel.
You should wait until the GM provides the scene pose to get both a general summary of the action as well as particular interpretations of certain events. The GM may also change combat conditions (add/remove combatants or restore a combatant from death). The scene pose will generally tell you of scene changes and may give a hit as to combat actions of enemies and NPCs.
You can always check the current conditions of a combat with the following command:
!combat status <combat number> <display>
This run-down provides details of target and weapon, but provides only a vague idea of ship/character health.
Display can be value of 0, 1, 2 or 3. By default, it is 0 and does not need to be included in the command message. A value of 0 results in the Combat System privately messaging you to the combat status. A 1 will result in everyone on the present channel seeing the status. 2 and 3 show images of the combat. The purpose of the parameter to allow for a GM to display it to everyone, but generally you will only want to see if via PM to avoid cluttering up any channels.
You can also display the current status of a particular ship using either that ship's unique name or the callsign of the pilot flying that ship with the following command:
!combat damage <combat number> <pilot callsign/craft name> <display>
Death and Ejection
Your character can be taken out of a fight due to attacks received and the more damage you take, the more likely you are to be KO'd. There are several ways that you and by extension your targets can be taken out of a fight.
Ship Death - A fighter can be destroyed in a fight by total ship destruction or the destruction of its power core. Destruction in this manner results in the pilot's death or ejection.
Cockpit Kill - If the cockpit is destroyed, the fighter is intact, but the pilot is either dead or was forced to eject.
Generally, NPCs die when their fighter is taken out by one of the three above methods. Player characters; however, automatically spend a luck point to eject and avoid death.
Note: You only lose one point to auto-eject. Even if your fighter is destroyed in a round by all three of the above.
In addition, your fighter can also suffer hull failure due to too much damage. When a fighter fails below 70% hull strength, it rolls a survival check. This check starts at a 5% chance of failure, but the more damage and more severe the critical components become, the higher the chance of destruction.
If your ship explodes to a failed survival roll, your pilot (and generally all Confed NPCs) automatically eject without losing a luck point.
Note: Luck Points can be used to unKO your ship. See Luck Points.
Leaving Combat
!combat leave <combat number> <character> <remove craft>
Your character can leave a combat before it has ended, though you should only do so if allowed by the combat's GM.
The remove craft parameter is either 0 or 1. If 0, only your character will leave the combat leaving the ship still active. Generally, this should be used if you character is not part of a ship or there are other characters on your vehicle that should remain in combat. If you specify the parameter as 1, you and all of the gunners and crew on the ship will be removed as well.
If a combat is designated as real, persistent characters and vehicles will retain damage saved to their respective databases. Damage to characters and ship parts and systems will require in-universe to be healed and repaired. Normally, doctors and techs (NPCs if no PC characters are available) will mend this damage before the next combat.
Luck Points
Luck points are a way for your character to go beyond what a normal pilot can do - becoming something of a hero.
You gain luck points by participating in events (1 point), combats (1 point / 0.5 point for mock combats), and social scenes with other players (0.2).
Outside of combat, luck points let your retry a skill roll or attempt a skill roll with advantage (roll d20 twice). In combat, luck points can be applied offensively or defensively. They can also be used to undo certain KO states if you have been knocked out of a fight.
!combat hero <combat number> <character> <offense, defense, KO>
Offense - When used offensively, luck gives you advantage (roll twice and pick highest) on your piloting and accuracy rolls. If you are firing a guided missile; however, the spoof-chance of your missile is re-rolled instead of accuracy. The lower the spoof number on a missile attack, the less impact the defender receives from their ECM skill. Note: The Luck Point is Expended only when you attack; so if you are KO'd in a fight before your action comes, you do not lose a luck point.
Defense - When used defensively, luck gives you advantage on your piloting rolls for every attack made against you in a round. In addition, luck lets you take the higher of two spoof rolls; increasing your ECM skill's impact in avoiding a hit.
KO - When you character has been KO'd in a fight, you're are out of the fight. You can be KO'd when your cockpit is destroyed, your power core is destroyed, or your ship's body is destroyed. If taken out in this manner, you lose a luck point in order to eject and survive (potentially going into the negatives).
You can also be KO'd when your ship takes too much damage and fails a survival roll. The more damaged your ship is, the more difficult the roll. By using luck, you can un-KO yourself and get back in the battle.
Note: When your ship is completely destroyed, you cannot un-KO. If your cockpit and/or power plant are destroyed, un-KO restores these components to 0.5 cm-equivalent health, which is crippling, but at least you can attempt to escape and land with your fighter.
Additionally, if you un-KO your ship that has lost its cockpit or power core, it does not cost you another luck point.
Possessing a Character
Most of the time when you play, you are controlling a single character in combat. You can remove the input load by Inhabiting a specific character that is already joined in a specific combat. To do so, use the set command:
!c set <combat number> <character>
Now, whenever you can use the following set of commands to directly adjust your character:
!c action <action> <target>
!c weapon <tag>
!c stance <stance>
!c damage <display>
!c show
!c status
Show is a special command that lets you get a representation of what your character sees within the cockpit.
Skill checks
On occasion the GM will ask you to do a skill check. The syntax on that is:
!database skill <character> <skill> <attribute> <difficulty>
The character is the one to perform the check.
The skill such as _alertness_ is the skill to check against.
The attribute such as _technical_ is the secondary factor to check against
The DC is the difficulty rating.
- trivial 10
- easy 12
- normal 15
- hard 20
- exceptionally difficult 25+
In the case of a luck check (i.e. one that does not require skill) the GM can ask for a roll 20.
!system roll 20
This is a free-form version of the skill check.
Melee Combat
There are two forms of Melee in the game engine: vs another player e.g. the GM, and vs an AI.
Only one combat can happen at a time, and a maximum of two participants can assist.
The combat starts with the command
!melee start <player1> <player2>
then the player can set their stance
!melee set <strike|grapple|counter> player
The combat round is then stated
!melee go
Certain skills and attributes will determine combat prowess.
Attacking | Defending | Result |
---|---|---|
strike | strike | double-hit at 50% damage |
strike | grapple | strike is successful |
strike | counter | counter is successful |
grapple | strike | strike is successful |
grapple | grapple | the player with more HP wins |
grapple | counter | grapple is successful |
counter | strike | counter is successful |
counter | grapple | grapple is successful |
counter | counter | both players stare each other down |
any | not ready | sucker punch, 1.5x damage |
not ready | not ready | nothing |
Players are encouraged to roleplay during the fight.