COMBAT RULES

Because my games seem to involve copious amounts of violence, combat rules come into play in almost all of my missions. I have found that there are many ways in which this field can be improved to add realism and fun to gameplay. With the start of the SPECATS campaign, my games became even more combat-oriented, and I had to expand this section farther. As a result, there's probably a lot more information here than you're going to want to use, so simply skip anything that's going to end up confusing you. RPGs should be fast-paced, so know the rules you're using, or don't bother using them at all - make sure you understand the system well enough to avoid getting bogged down with books and papers.
There is also an example at the bottom of the page illustrating most of the rules below.

  1. Damage

The rulebook states that ConX combat was designed to be short and deadly, being realistic to the fact that most characters who take damage will go down. This is a welcome break to RPGs where characters can "shrug off " bullets, but I think the folks at NME overdid themselves a bit when setting up the damage table. For example, 80% of all handgun victims survive the wounds and recover, yet in ConX, that number drops considerably. This is because of how Splatter damage is set up. Once a character has taken Sp3 or higher damage, they are going to die, unless they have been gunned down on a hospital bed or are Size 4 or 5. The stabilization test occurs the next round, and with a +2Df, a Sp3 wound becomes Df5 to stabilize. Of course, an autopistol only deals Wn3, but a Size 3 character has a fairly good chance of having the damage upgraded on them. When dealing damage with Wn4 weapons, an upgrade becomes extremely probable, and with Wn5, virtually any character is assured a quick death. Changing the damage levels for weapons like the Light and Heavy Machine Guns helps, but it's not enough.

The main problems with the ConX damage system have to do with the damage table itself. One of its major flaws is its inability to treat gunshot incapacitation as a primarily psychological concept. Short of hitting the brain or upper spinal column, no wound is guaranteed to stop a human being. Even when shot through the heart, the brain possess 10-15 seconds of oxygen for rational thought and action. While rifle calibers will cause a lot more damage than a pistol, anything short of instantly lethal can still provide the victim with an opportunity for action. Psychological factors are probably the most important relative to achieving rapid incapacitation from a gunshot wound to the torso. Awareness of the injury (often delayed by the suppression of pain); fear of injury, death, blood, or pain; intimidation by the weapon or the act of being shot; preconceived notions of what people do when they are shot; or the simple desire to quit can all lead to rapid incapacitation even from minor wounds. However, psychological factors are also the primary cause of incapacitation failures. People on strong drugs have had more than a dozen rounds fired into them before going down. Cops know that unless they are accurate with their shots, an entire clip might not be enough to stop a PCP user armed with a knife and a taste for blood. And for an idea of how far sheer willpower can carry an individual, read this report of how a bank robber managed to kill 2 and wound 5 FBI agents despite having been shot an unbelievable number of times. This is not to say that shot placement and penetration are unimportant, as they do have a great deal to do with incapacitation, its just that these factors are represented in the success or failure of the ConX damage test, and the effects of being shot can be suppressed by strong-minded individuals. I've made all lethal damage KO & Stun tests apply against a character's Willpower, modified by Size. This assumes the character is being shot or receiving some other form of severe trauma, but if you feel the damage effects would mostly be resisted by a character's Size, you may test it against that. Non-lethal damage still works as before, with the exception that a Wil 5 character should receive a -1DL on KO and Stun tests. If a player successfully passes the Stun and KO tests against Splatter damage, they will be able to function for a few rounds at +1Df. Just keep in mind how and what areas of their body were damaged, and make them unusable. Also remember to provide characters on drugs like Heroin, Cocaine, and PCP with varied bonuses depending on drug and dosage. As for the actual damage roll, players should not roll their character's Size to downgrade lethal damage. An extra hundred pounds won't help you shrug off a rifle. To resist the effects of bullets and such, a human character should roll to downgrade as if their Size was 3, regardless of its value. However, a Size 4 will still provide a +1t bonus, Size 5 a +2t, Size 2 a -1t, and Size 1 a -2t.

The following is my modified version of the ConX damage chart. It includes changes in the role of Willpower, and also makes it easier to stabilize some wounds.

Wound Level

Usage Penalty

Stun Avoid

KO Avoid

KO Time

Stabilization Time

Healing Time

Stabilization & Healing/DF mod

Flesh (Fw)

-2t

normal Wil (Size)

DL-2 (Size)

1D rounds

1 hour

1 hr

-2df

Wound (Wn)

+1Df

DL+1 (Size)

DL (Size)

1D min

1 min

1 day

-

Splatter (Sp)

+2Df

DL+1 (Size)

DL+1(Size)

1D hours

1 round

3 days

-

Bruise (Br)

-2t

DL -2 (Wil)

DL-3 (Wil)

1D rounds

-

1 min

-

Thwack (Tw)

+1Df

DL (Wil)

DL-1 (Wil)

1D min

-

1/2 hour

-

Break (Bk)

+2Df

DL+2 (Wil)

DL+1 (Wil)

1D hours

-

1 day

-

Another way of making lethality more realistic is to create an "in-between" DL like Wn4 +1t. This is treated like Wn4 but provides a +1t bonus for upgrading damage, and a -1t penalty for stabilizing and stopping the round with armor. This allows differences between calibers to be represented, where increasing the damage by an entire DL would be too powerful, (such as the difference between a 9mm and a 10mm). For more info on bullet types, ballistics, and ConX damage per round, click here, (and click here to view my weapons index). All non-magnum pistol cartridges will still act as Wn3 to penetrate armor, regardless of a +1t.
Some weapons on this website may also be listed with an optional -1t to damage (Wn4 -1t). This works opposite to the way above, acting as a step down instead of a step up: the shooter gets a penalty to upgrade, and the victim gets a bonus to stabilize. This type of damage is usually applied to calibers which have been made slightly weaker, by firing through a short barrel or with sub-sonic ammunition for example.

ConX also fails to have a system for hit placement, assuming all shots hit the torso unless otherwise specified. I usually go along with this, unless the attack is more or less random, or there is some specific reason for being hit in a limb. In this case I basically only apply damage penalties to the affected area. I have no concrete system for this, but generally, limb shots can incapacitate and stun, (with a bonus for the victim) but won't kill instantly, while head shots deal a +1DL. Use a system like 1- Head, 2-3 Torso, 4 Arms, 5-6 Legs, on a 1D6 to determine random hits.

2. Combos

By eliminating pre-determined combos you can increase the flexibility of combat and speed up character creation. Also, who really takes the time to write out combos for NPCs? These problems are overcome by allowing characters to string together combos at will. The number of moves they can attempt is decided by their skill, with an additional move possible at +1Df. So a character with a Martial Arts of 3 can create and execute 3-move combos without penalty.

3. Explosives

The rules for using explosives in ConX create blasts on the scale of something in a Chuck Norris movie as opposed to real life, so here is my attempt to simplify them and make them more realistic. In the ConX rulebook, explosive damage is equivalent to the blast rating, lowered by one every five meters for tamped charges, and one every 10 meters for untamped. This creates a few problems, for example: A fragmentation grenade (Bl3, untamped) causes damage within 30 meters, period. Even a downgrade in damage at 30 meters will still result in a flesh wound which will cause a usage penalty. While a wound at 30 meters is possible, it is certainly not assured. Modern hand grenades are designed to kill within 5 meters, and cause casualties out to 15 meters. Different explosives will have different characteristics, plain and simple. Rockets are designed for penetration, C4 for sheer destructive power. Explosives still deal Sp damage when in contact with a character, but will only deal normal damage against objects in contact, (unless they are one of those listed as otherwise). Below is description of each type of commonly available explosive. Consider all launched explosives tamped for the purposes of equipment damage. All damage beyond the first radius has a 50% chance of affecting a target, so a person 10 meters away from a fragmentation grenade would have to roll 1-3 on 1D to take Wn3, while all people within 5 meters would take Wn4 automatically.

Fragmentation Grenade- 5 meters(Wn4), 10 meters(Wn3), 15 meters(Wn2)

40mm HE- 3 meters(Wn4, treat as Armor Piercing on contact), 7 meters(Wn3)

M72- 3 meters(Wn4, treat as Wn5 Armor Piercing on contact), 10 meters(Wn3)

M136- 5 meters(Wn4, treat as Wn6 on contact), 10 meters(Wn3)

RPG-7- 5 meters(Wn4, treat as Wn5 Armor Piercing on contact), 10 meters(Wn3)

Incendiary Grenade- These weapons are designed purely for destroying equipment and starting fires, and do not create a 20-meter radius of flame. While they do get extremely hot, Incendiaries are not effective combat weapons and will only cover a fairly small area.

C4 and Dynamite- This is where it gets compicated. The damage for these weapons should be determined by the GM - after all, they will probably be used against something on the scale of a building. I see little use in calculating precise rules per unit of explosive because if they are used to take out an individual it is usually easy to fit enough explosives for at least a Wn6 blast in a device. When used against something like a large vehicle or structure, placement of the explosives will usually have a greater affect than the amount of explosives used.

More information on the exlosives listed above can be found in the Weapons section.

Keep in mind that shrapnel from explosives can still be lethal outside the ranges given here, possibly dispersing hundreds of meters. Make luck tests if you have to for this sort of thing.

4. Reflexes, Evasion, and Sequence of Actions

The following system may seem a little complicated, but it really isn't, especially if you play other RPGs. In the rulebook, initiative is determined by players with higher Reflexes, and an evasion is played out by rolling your reflexes vs. the opponent's, and if successful, the player has managed to place himself out of danger in some way. While I have little problem with the way evasion is set up, I find combat becomes much more interesting when you have to roll for initiative, and I've applied the same system to evasion if you want to use it. Use evasion with discretion however, as it implies the character ducks behind cover from a rifle bullet or runs away from a knife-wielding fanatic, not dodges a shotgun blast at 10 meters in an open field, as this would only provide a penalty to hit. Also make sure to describe creative results for the evasion, or have the players think of something.

Note on initiative changes: I came up with this after everyone involved in every shootout I GM'd kept getting killed at the same time. According to Eden, two shooters with Reflexes 3 will hit each other at the same instant. Because most of the time an opponent's Reflexes will be equivalent to the player's, you can use a simple system employed by damn near every other RPG. All parties roll to determine who goes first, with lower rolls beating higher rolls. If 2 characters tie a roll, their characters act simultaneously. Use the following chart to determine the modifier applied to the roll:

Ref 5 = 6t bonus
Ref 4 = 3t bonus
Ref 3 = no modifier
Ref 2 = 3t penalty
Ref 1 = 6t penalty

If one character's Reflexes are 2 levels or more greater than his opponent, (Ref5 vs Ref3) you may grant automatic initiative to the higher Reflexes.
If there are more than 2 parties involved, you may have to record the results of each roll to keep track of the sequence - especially if new characters enter mid-combat and have to be factored in.
For example: 4 characters enter combat with Reflexes of 2,3,3 and 5. The first rolls and adds 3, the next two roll and do not modify it, and the last rolls and subtracts 6. Characters now act in order from lowest to highest roll. Using this system, evasion would work like this.

Black Book Agent and Aegis Agent, (BBA and AA) roll Reflexes when they bump into each other in a dark alley.

(BBA Reflexes = 4 while AA Reflexes = 3)

BBA Rolls a 9, and subtracts 3 to get a 6, while AA Rolls 7

BBA has rolled lowest, so he goes first.

BBA declares he will whip out a Javelin and toss it at the AA

AA, who has a phobia of Javelins decides not to stand his ground and chooses to Evade, the characters now make opposed Reflexes rolls for evasion.

BBA rolls a 7, subtracts 3 and gets a 4. AA rolls a 4

(If the rolls are a tie on evasion, just have them re-roll)

BBA re-rolls, subtracts 3, ends up with 6. AA re-rolls, gets 5

AA successfully evades behind a dumpster, and BBA has to throw anyways. AA is saved and believes he now has time to whip out his twin revolvers and make quick work of the alien-conspiring infidel (little does he know the Javelin is actually a nanotech-enhanced weapon which penetrates the dumpster and blows a hole in his gut)

As for Sequence of Actions, the idea of arranging all actions in the order of close combat/ranged combat/movement/other is both too complicated and redundant with the rules above. Characters roll Reflexes against each other with applicabale modifiers, no matter what the nature of their actions. Keep in mind modifiers such as - having a weapon pointed at the opponent, anticipating an action, being caught off guard etc. Modify however you feel is relevant and appropriate, but typically you should simply raise or lower a character's Reflexes when applicable. You may even want to factor a weapon's CQB modifier into Reflexes rolls.
As for multiple actions, as described in the Bursts & Multiple Actions section below, all characters complete their first action in order of initiative/Reflexes, then multiple actions follow. A possible exception of this would be when one character has a Reflexes 2 levels or higher above his opponent, in which case you may rule that multiple actions can be completed before the opponent can act.

5. Damage & Malfunction

(Note: These optional rules refer to the item damage and malfunction tables at the back of Exodus: The Saurian Sourcebook) While Exodus did create a distinction between Mechanical and Electrical damage, it also created some problems. First of all, Ar is now used to subtract from a damage and malfunction roll, instead of rolling directly against the DL. While this is appropriate for some types of damage, such as large physical impacts, it is entirely unsuitable for things like bullets and other types of weaponry. This is because weapons which would normally never pierce the armor still deal damage, while larger weapons which would normally punch right through the armor are severely affected. For example, a vehicle, (size 7, Ar5) is hit by a long burst from a submachine gun, (Wn3). The roll receives the following modifiers, -7 for size, -5 for Armor, +8 for bullets. Even though Wn3 would never penetrate Ar5, a roll is still made. The modifier for number of bullets is also unclear. Does this mean the number of bullets fired, or the number of bullets hitting the target? ConX does not give a good indication of the number of bullets per burst that actually strike their mark. Surely a short burst cannot mean 1 bullet, with a long burst representing something like 3 hits. I don't think there's an easy way to solve this, but I just take the number of rounds fired and cut it in half. ConX also fails to take into account weapon caliber. A dozen rounds from a .50 caliber machinegun would certainly do more than an equal amount of fire from a Glock 18. For each DL above Wn3, add a +1 modifier on the damage table. Thus, an M82 (Wn5) would receive a +2 modifier, and a short burst from an M60, (Wn4+1t) would receive only a +1 added to the number of bullets, (ignore the optional +1t to damage, taking into account only the Wn4). A similar problem occurs on the Electrical table concerning shielding. While Shielding provides a negative modifier, it can never eliminate the need for a malfunction roll. Therefore a Saurian computer, (-8) next to an operational field generator, (+4) still requires a roll at a -4 modifier. I find it hard to believe that Saurian equipment would be surging and short-circuiting other Saurian equipment in the area on a regular basis. Therefore, if the shielding modifier is greater than the positive modifier, no roll needs to be made. I also feel that since the Mechanical Damage Table is used so much on automobiles, a special car malfunction table should be made. Unfortunately, I have little experience in this area, but if someone does, send one in, (ltpeachy@hotmail.com) and I'll publish it here.

6. Bursts & Multiple Actions

A long burst is capable of hitting a number of targets equal to the shooter's Autofire with bonuses. This presents a number of problems, the first of which being that the amount of bullets fired in an average long burst, can be unloaded by many guns in under a second. Even a trained shooter would not be capable of knocking down 4 individuals within 10 meters of each other, with what would be little more than a jerk of the trigger. The second problem is that automatic fire is designed for fairly short ranges when fired from light weapons, (full-auto fire is only effective between 10-12 meters) and a spray of gunfire from an assault rifle has little chance of hitting a small target at a few hundred meters. Larger guns have Autofire bonuses to compensate for this, as they are much heavier and more controllable, and capable of unleashing greater firepower. The first problem can be solved by providing a -1 to a subject's Autofire for every target beyond the first, I find that this works quite well, and suggest you use it. The second problem, compensating for the effects of range with longe bursts, can be addressed by reducing a shooter's Autofire by one if the target is beyond close range, and providing a shooter with a +1 to Autofire within Point range. Also, increase the number of bullets fired per long burst to 4d6, (except where otherwise stated) for more realism, (besides, it's fun when they run out of bullets).
Example: Bruno comes home one night to find 3 armed men waiting in his room. Not pleased with the situation, he unholsters his Skorpion Machine Pistol, and proceeds to lay waste to the bunch. With an Autofire of 3, and Strength of 4, he gets 4 shots to hit with a long burst. Because he is firing at 3 targets however, he receives a -2. Luckily all of the goons are in close range, so he gets another +1, making him able to hit with 3 shots, so he kills them all. Suddenly a distant Book agent unleashes a torrent of bullets through his kitchen window with a GPMG Light Machine Gun. The shooter, (Autofire 3) receives a +1 to Autofire from the weapon, (I changed it from +2 to make gameplay more fair, besides machineguns don't usually have large rates of fire) increasing it to 4. No penalties are made due to range because machine guns are not light weapons.
Another common concern is the actual number of bursts one is capable of firing per round. While this would often depend on the fire rate of the weapon involved, a general standard must be set. Most weapons capable of only semi-automatic fire, (Autopistols) may fire 2 short bursts a round. Weapons capable of fully-automatic or burst fire, can fire a maximum of 3 short bursts a round. Most fully-automatic weapons can also fire up to two long bursts a round, but all multiple bursts receive multiple action penalties. In many combat situations, this type of combat may seem unrealistic, as a character with better reflexes would be capable of striking a number of targets before they would get a chance to react. One way to solve this is to allow all first actions to fall in order of reflexes, but resolve multiple actions after the first set of actions has been resolved, again in order of reflexes.
An example of play would go like this: Bruno arrives on a hilltop to do battle with the Book agent. We determine that the Book agent will act first. He fires two short bursts with his GPMG, while Bruno will whip out his Skorpion and Glock, fire a short burst from each, then throw a grenade. The Book agent fires his first burst and misses. His second burst is delayed until after Bruno's action. Bruno fires a burst from each of his weapons, and because he is firing both at the same time, neither burst is delayed and he is capable of hitting with both at the same time. However, all shots miss and the round continues with the character's multiple actions being resolved. The Book agent fires his second burst, misses wildly, then Bruno throws a grenade, screws up, and kills both parties.
Remember, if you're trying to be realistic, don't base automatic fire in gameplay on what you've seen in John Woo movies. Firing an unmounted weapon on full-auto is extremely difficult, making hitting a target at any decent range considerably harder than if the gun was on semi-auto. Automatic fire works best in short, controlled bursts, and the long burst in ConX is there just so our characters can imitate action movies, (which can be lots of fun to do as well). Also remember that no matter what bonuses are received, a shooter's Autofire cannot exceed 5.

7. Armor

The following rules are a revision of the body armor system found in the ConX main rulebook, and also provide characters with a large selection of armor to choose from. Armor levels do not range from 1 to 5, but may extend into the double digits when dealing with particularly resistant materials. When armor is struck by a weapon, the attacker rolls the damage level of the attack against the armor rating - but only rolls if the DL has a smaller value than the Ar!. So for example, an M16 dealing Wn4 damage, automatically penetrates an Ar4+1t PASGT vest, because the PASGT provides rifles with a +1t to penetrate, making the DL and Ar equal. However, a Desert Eagle .50 dealing Wn4, would have to roll against the Ar of the PASGT, since the Desert Eagle does not receive the rifle bonus. In this case, the shooter would make a standard test with a +1t penalty, making the difficulty 6. A success indicates the attack passes through, a failure indicates the attack has been stopped and downgraded to non-lethal damage. If the attack is an automatic downgrade, (when the Ar is more than one level above the DL) no non-lethal damage is taken. So for example, a Wn3+1t pistol deals no damage against Ar5 body armor. All body armor rolls are completed before damage modifiers such as called shots and short bursts are factored in. Multiple attacks to armor will degrade its effectiveness. Any vest or bulletproof glass can withstand a number of bullets, but once an effort is made to actually punch through, (emptying an entire clip, firing multiple shots in the same location) the armor will give way. Treat all energy attacks as armor piercing. Weapons which deal Wn3+1t do not receive a +1t against armor. All threat levels are given according to the National Institute of Justice standards.
Level II Vest- A soft, concealable vest designed to be worn comfortably and discreetly. Capable of stopping most pistol cartridges. These vests weigh around 5 lbs. Ar4, rifles get +1t to penetrate.
Level III-A Vest- A larger vest capable of greater protection, and used by thousands of law enforcement agencies for anything from patrol to tactical entry. The Level III-A vest is concealable under heavy clothing. This also includes the US Army PASGT anti-fragmentation, standard issue vest. It weighs around 8 lbs. Ar4+1t, rifles get +1t to penetrate.
Level III, or multi-layered armor- A large, non-concealable vest, or multiple layers of armor protection. This armor can be cumbersome, and weighs in at nearly 30 lbs. Because of this, GMs should apply Agility penalties for some actions. These vest are worn by a number of tactical teams. Ar5 (Avi available)
Insertable Plates- These are non-flexible plates which can be worn inside some armored vests. They weigh less than 10 lbs. each and provides Ar5, (can take 1 short burst from any rifle) as long as they are used in conjunction with kevlar. They cover only the vital areas of the torso, at the middle front and back. Agility penalties may be applied to some actions. Variations include Ranger Body Armor, which has one such plate at the front, and the ISAPO, which consists of a plate over the front and back of a kevlar vest. Ceramic plates are also available which provide Ar5+1t, but they fracture after the first hit.
Ballistics Shields- These come in many shapes and sizes, and may even be transparent. Often used by SWAT teams, they can be carried on one arm and generally provide protection for most of the body. Ar5
Helmet- A light helmet used by countless military and police forces. Designed to provide protection from light gunfire, shrapnel, and blunt objects. Ar4, All rifle rounds get an +1t bonus to penetrate.

8. Combat Accessories

Here are some more detailed descriptions of how these items function in the real world.
Silencers- Various types of silencers and silenced weapons are available, but I will try to go over the basics here. The actual term for a silencer is a suppressor, and versions have been made to fit a large variety of weapons. All suppressors have a limited service life, but there are, (expensive) models available that will not "burn-out" under rapid fire. Semi-automatic fire through a suppressor should not cause a burn-out and a well made model will be able to withstand periods of fully-automatic fire. Suppressors are designed for specific models of weapons, and are generally not interchangeable. Many weapons are not specifically designed to fit suppressors, and while they can be modified, this takes time and knowledge of the process involved. While a suppressor can do a great deal to reduce noise, subsonic ammo is needed to effectively make the weapon silent. This ammunition eliminates the crack of the bullet as it breaks the sound barrier, and is available in most popular cartridges. Keep in mind that unless the suppressed weapon is something like a .22, the shot will still be far from silent, (don't trust the movies to tell you how a silencer sounds either). Wound upgrade tests for subsonic RIFLE, (rifles must be specially modified to fire subsonic ammo) ammunition are made at a -1t penalty, and ranges will be reduced for all weapons. The DL of the weapon is also reduced by 1 for the purposes of penetrating armor or other hard substances. Rifles with subsonic ammunition have a maximum range of about 300 meters, while pistols will only be affected at extreme range. Suppressed weapons without subsonic ammo will not be quiet, but won't give away the shooter's exact position. Your players should know that suppressors are heavily restricted items and carry stiff penalties if found by the authorities.
Laser Sights- As cool as they may be in the movies, the effectiveness of laser sights has often been disputed. While they can be a useful tool, a weapon's standard sights are enough to get the job done without dealing with the negative aspects of lasers. The beam can be activated through pressure on the grip to enable it to be brought into action quickly. It provides a +1t to hit, and a +2t for aimed shots within 30 meters. (Here's an idea for an interesting scene: 2 players, both with laser sights burst into an apartment. A MIB is standing in the middle of the room with a hostage. One of the red dots is on the MIB, the other on the hostage. With no time to determine where the players are aiming, who will fire?)
AP bullets- Make these very difficult to get, (they're also often illegal). The Army uses rifle caliber AP rounds which are often legal to own. You've probably come across the term "teflon-coated bullet", often used in conjunction with "cop-killer". The teflon round was another attempt at misinformation prepetuated by TV shows and movies. Many years back a company named KTW marketed a special round capable of great penetration against vehicles for law enforcement. These bullets were only sold to police and are now nearly impossible to find. AP pistol cartridges only provide a +2t to penetrate armor and are a rare collector's item. Instead of reducing the DL by 1 for AP rounds, provide a +2t bonus for downgrading damage and stabilizing. In pistols, these rounds are extremely powerful, have heavy recoil, and can damage the shooter's weapon.
Tactical Rounds- While some bullets exist that are capable of greater damage than normal, they are rare and their performance is limited. The fact is, weapon designers have been trying to come up with more lethal bullets for years, it's what they do. The key to causing damage is a good combination of penetration and expansion, which has resulted in the development of today's jacketed ammunition with an expanding point. Rounds with greater expansion and fragmentation sacrifice penetration, lowering the chances of reaching the target's vitals. Glaser safety-slugs for example, are a special type of handgun ammunition designed to break-up in the target, causing large wounds and limiting penetration, (used by law enforcement on airplanes). These rounds don't function reliably in semi-automatics, and have such low penetration that they can be stopped by a winter jacket. Hollow-Points are not tactical rounds either, and I've decided not to bother distinguishing them from Full Metal Jacket, (although the difference can be substantial, so you may want to give HP ammo a +1t bonus to damage and -1t penalty against armor). HP ammo has an opening in the nose of the bullet which creates an expanding point, (evolved from the original "dum-dum" bullet) while FMJ is a bullet entirely jacketed for limited expansion. Under the laws of war, the military can only use FMJ ammunition, but counter-terrorist teams are seen as exempt from the rule. Rumors and false claims of deadlier ammunition are always circulating, as proven by the Black Talon hoax a few years ago, but these are nothing more than media myths which have been disproven through testing. Overall, tactical rounds are unrealistic and make the already too-lethal ConX combat system deadlier.
Night Vision- There are a number of ways of firing weapons at night. The simplest is a flashlight, usually mounted on the end of the weapon. This option gives away the shooter's position, but provides no penalties to hit and many flashlights are powerful enough to blind an adversary (+2Df penalty for them to hit). Another option is to wear night vision goggles. This allows a shooter to see a large field of view without giving themsleves away. The disadvantage is that NVGs cannot see with enough detail to be used with iron (standard) sights, and provide a +2Df to hit in these cases. Special NV sights can be fitted on a weapon, including "reflex" sights, or a laser/IR beam, which only provide a -1t penalty to hit. In these cases, range is usually limited to the range of the NVGs, which varies but is often as long as that of the weapon. The final option is using a night-vision scope mounted on the weapon itself. This provides no penalty to hit, is the only real choice for sniping, but only lets the shooter see a limited field of view, and is therefore impossible to use in a CQB environment. Some night-vision scopes can also be used during the day, but they are far bulkier than conventional telescopic sights.
"Non-lethal" Ammo- There is a variety of non-lethal ammunition available, (more accurately called "less-than-lethal"), but by far the most available and popular are special cartridges for 12 gauge shotguns. These fire a spray of "bean-bags" which inflict blunt trauma on a subject. Damage is Tw2, and becomes Bk3 if used against the head. The rounds are only effective within 10 meters, and the DL is +1 if they are used within 5 meters. The ammo is ineffective against armor, and the DL becomes -1 if used against heavy clothing.
Bipods- Weapons which use bipods tend be high accuracy rifles and machine guns, both of which receive no bonuses from these devices because they are necessary to achieve the listed ranges. Other weapons using bipods receive a +1t to hit.
Extended Clips- Many different types of extended magazines are available for weapons, but the exact size and availability depends on the gun. Pistols generally don't use large magazines because they don't produce large volumes of fire, but extensions of a couple of rounds or so are available for some, (particularly Glocks). Extended clips for rifles are out there, but for the most part, rare. 75 round drum mags for AK-47's are fairly common, and C-Mag's 100 round magazine for 5.56mm rifles is definitely handy, but hard to come by. Submachineguns don't use any mags other than those listed in the weapons section, but a 9mm C-Mag has recently become available for the MP5.
Other Accessories- When referring to a weapon's accuracy, it is most often listed as "out-of-the-box". This is because many gun owners heavily modify their weapons after purchasing them to increase performance. Such adjustments may include a better barrel, ghost-ring sights, and a softer trigger pull. Such extensive modifications are generally available only to very popular guns, which have been around for a while, like the 1911, AR-15, and Mini-14. The price of these modifications can be twice the cost of the gun, and provides the shooter with a +1t to hit.

8. Reloading

The time needed to reload weapons in the ConX sourcebook is incorrect. A trained shooter can reload a magazine in just over a second. The actual time depends on the number of actions that need to be performed, and how often the person trains speed reloading. A reloading test uses either the character's Agility or his Small Arms skill, (whichever is higher). With a Df4 test, the character can reload any magazine-fed weapon in one round and still be capable of completing other actions, (with multiple-action penalties). Revolvers can also be reloaded with this test if the character is using speedloaders. In order to complete a test at this speed, the ammunition needs to be located in a place where the character would have spent a great deal of time practicing reloading from, so the action becomes routine. A Df3 test will reload a speedloader in one full round. A Df2 test will reload a magazine-fed weapon in one full round. A failure result means that the character takes an extra round to complete the action. Other weapons are too specific to be given accurate reload times. Machine guns and SAWs are belt-fed and require more time, but depend on the model. SAWs and most machineguns can be reloaded in one round with a Df4 test, while something like a minigun can take a few rounds to get ready. Autopistols are generally the fastest loading weapons, while guns like submachineguns and assault rifles take slightly longer because of their size, the size of the magazine, and the longer action of chambering a round, but they can still often be reloaded relatively quickly. Shotguns depend on the number of shells being inserted, as each is reloaded seperately at a rate of two per round. One-shot weapons, (including greande launchers) depend on the weapon, but typically take a full round.

9. Luck

With rules covering so many aspects of combat, sometimes it's nice to throw some chance into the equation. Getting a good or bad luck result is a sure way to spice up any scene. Listed below are a number of examples of combat-specific good and bad luck results. They are just general possibilities, and you should also think of specific ones for your situation..

Good Luck:

-The excitement and danger of combat floods the character's body with adrenaline. Treat as a normal Adrenaline Rush, but Strength is only increased to 4.

-The character is in "the zone", and everything seems to be working out for the best. Grant a +2t bonus on all attack rolls.

-Something explosive is hidden in those barrels/boxes behind the bad guys. A stray bullet results in a spectacular fireball. (Note: this could also be a bad luck result)

Bad Luck:

-The character's gun jams. Don't use this result to often, as many modern guns jam only every few thousand rounds, but older weapons and those clogged with dirt and other substances can be prone to jamming. Roll 1D to determine the Df of the Small Arms test to clear the jam.

-The character is struck by a ricochet, (a deflected bullet). Ricochets are common in close quarters, and occur when a bullet strikes a hard surface such as concrete or metal. It is even possible for a character's own bullets to ricochet right back at him. Damage is Wn2, but can be increased for large-caliber weapons.

-In a battle with multiple combatants on either side, most of the enemies begin targeting the character with the bad luck result.

-There's a police car in the area. (Note: this could also be a good luck result)

-Things are just going badly for the character today. All attacks against the character receive a +1t bonus.

10. CQB Weapons

Big guns don't work well in tight spaces. This is why SWAT teams prefer compact weapons, and why light machine guns aren't often used to storm buildings. Pistols and other small weapons do not receive penalties in small spaces, medium-sized weapons get a -1t, and large weapons receive a -2t penalty. Which penalty applies to what weapons is shown in the range table.
Sniper rifles do not have a CQB modifier, as they use the standing, unsupported modifier.
Many weapons can have their stock collapsed to lower overall length, but this results in a +1Df penalty to hit.
Note that using a suppressor adds about 20cm to the weapon's length, increasing the penalty by -1t.

11. Ballistics

As bullets travel, they lose velocity and become less effective. All targets hit at Extended range receive an increase of 1 to their AR, (except against the P90) and all hits deal -1DL.

12. Firing One-Handed/Two-Weaponed

A character may be forced to fire a weapon one handed for a variety of reasons. The modifier for this depends on the weapon used. Firing a pistol one-handed incurs a -2t penalty. Bigger pistols will add +1Df, but this is noted in the weapon description. Machine pistols and SMGs receive a +1Df, (long bursts with them get +2Df) and anything bigger (assuming it can be fired one-handed) gets a +2Df. Characters do not receive the one-handed penalty if the weapon can be braced on an object, (such as a ledge) for support.
So, what does this mean for characters trying to fire two guns at once? The penalties add up, so much so that it has little use other than the "cool factor". However, if the shooter is quite skilled, firing with both hands can be useful in a fast-paced gunbattle. In addition to the -2t or +1Df penalty for firing one handed, a shooter may also receive a +1Df for firing with an off-hand, (unless they're ambidextrous) as well as a +1Df multiple-action penalty. However, using the reflexes rules above, the shooter can fire with two actions for every action of their opponent - meaning they can throw twice as many shots at them, or take out two opponents before they get a chance to react, (if initiative is won).
An example a someone shooting with two pistols follows:
A Black Book agent (Small Arms: Pistol 4) is firing short bursts with double Glock 18s. She gets -2t for firing one-handed, +1Df for multiple actions, an extra +1Df on the off-hand, and a +1t for the short burst. So one of the short bursts would be +1Df -1t while the other would be +2Df -1t. Both bursts are fired simultaneously. If the shot is Df2 originally, the agent hits automatically with one burst, and needs 6 or less to hit with the other.

13. Sniping

Due to the unique nature and appeal of sniping, a special section of rules is devoted to it. A sniper must know how a variety of factors will influence his or her aim, and it is through training that the sniper learns to deal with these challenges. The modifiers which will affect a sniper's shot are listed below, and you will see that they vary depending on the level of training of the sniper. All snipers are affected identically by their shooting position however. To receive no penalty, a sniper must fire from a prone position, (which provides greatest stability). If firing from a different position, (other than standing without support) all snipers receive -1t. If firing from a standing position with a sniper rifle unsupported, all receive a +1Df penalty, which is used instead of any CQB penalty. Some heavier rifles receive a +2Df penalty when used unsupported, and this is mentioned in the description of the weapon. Also remember that sniper rifles receive no bonus for using a scope or bipod, which are standard components.

Sniping Modifiers

No Training

Marksmanship

Sniper (Military)

Sniper (Advanced)

Firing in rain/snow

+1Df

+1Df

-2t

-2t

Firing in wind

+1Df

-1t

-

-

Firing at a moving target

See Movement Table in Conspiracy X Rulebook

Firing at a moving vehicle beyond 500 meters

+2Df

+1Df

+1Df

+1Df

Firing short bursts (with semi-automatic rifles)

+2Df

+2Df

+2Df

+1Df

Firing non-prone, supported

-1t

-1t

-1t

-1t

Firing standing, unsupported

+1Df

+1Df

+1Df

+1Df

Multiple-action penalty for firing bolt-action rifles more than once/round

+1Df

+1Df

+1Df

-2t

Firing at Extended range

+1Df

-1t

-

-

Firing from a relatively stable, moving platform, (hovering helicopter)

+2Df

+2Df

+2Df

+1Df

It may seem like so many modifiers are a challenge to manage. For example, how would a shooter with a Small Arms: Rifle of 4 making a Df2 shot, combine a +1Df, a -2t, and a -1t penalty? Well, you could say that it becomes Df3 with 3 subtracted from the roll, but is therefore still an automatic hit, but I prefer another system: Basically, each 3t adds up to 1Df, so in the case above the shot would become Df4, (Df2 + 1Df + 2t + 1t).

Example

To see how all of these rules come together in a combat scene, click here to read a full-length example.

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