Combat
Fancy words and soothing platitudes aren’t always going to work. Sometimes, foolish heroics and gunfire are the only solution to a problem.
Basic Picture of Combat
The general idea of combat in Red Suit is that during your Character's turn you take actions that represent a pivot in the scene instead of all characters taking discrete attacks and defenses. It's less about discrete tactical combat and more about a fast paced action sequence. A single Draw represents several things happening at once and depending on how it goes, a simple attack can turn into a counter attack against you, an airship capsize, or worse.
Turn Order and Acting on Your Turn
The Judge can pick arbitrarily, or the players can discuss amongst themselves who they would like to go first. Since it is largely immaterial and serves no real strategic benefit, Turn Order is not restricted with rules. Simply ask "Who's going first?"
On your turn, you may choose to take one Minor action and one Major action in any order.
- Minor Actions are quick and easy actions that don’t require a card draw.
- Movement within an area, diving into cover, flipping a few switches, reloading a gun, drawing a weapon, and sheathing a weapon are all examples of simple actions. They are actions that help you get to the exciting parts of the scene.
- Major Actions require full concentration and include a card draw.
- A single attack, A single Draw using your profession, applying First Aid, Piloting, Casting Sorcery, Intimidating an opponent, and negotiating a hostage situation are all examples of Major Actions.
- You may also downgrade your Major Action into a second Minor Action instead if you so desire.
When taking either a Major or Minor Action, the Player must describe the action and Draw if necessary.
- On a Red Suit, that action goes through. If it's an attack, it deals 1 Hit in damage to the target.
- On a Black Suit, something goes wrong, not just a failure, but CALAMITY. An enemy fires off a shot first, the airship turns sharply and you slip off the deck, stray gun fire hits an ally in melee, etc.
- The result of a black suit is rarely just "the intended action fails." It should almost always be more severe, either in the form of injury (taking 1 Hit) or gaining circumstances that complicated the predicament.
Not a Spectator Sport - If no major actions are made, the Judge may force a player to Draw to see if attention, and possible harm, befalls a player in the midst of violence.
- If a Black Suit is drawn, then they have attracted notice and potential harm. The Judge decides if the consequences are taking a Hit or something else.
Overwhelmed - Not always will it be a one on one altercation. For situations where multiple enemies are thwarting a single Character, that character gains a Penalty Draw for each enemy beyond the first.
- Alternatively, when Players outnumber an opponent during combat, they may gain a Bonus Draw for each Character making an attack beyond the first that round.