Tactical Combat

Violence is fast, dangerous, and final.

Combat in Beyond uses the same core roll as the rest of the game, but adds positioning and a simple Wound Track.

Combat should be decisive. A few solid hits can end a fight.

Tactical Scale

Personal combat may be played on a hex or square map. The exact shape of the grid does not matter.

A character may normally move 3 spaces on their turn. Running allows movement up to 6 spaces, but limits other actions.

Initiative

At the start of combat, roll:

2d6 + Initiative

Characters act from highest result to lowest.

Actions

On your turn, you may move and take one meaningful action.

Common actions include attacking, aiming, assisting, taking cover, interacting with the environment, or moving carefully.

Attacking

To attack, roll:

2d6 + Attribute + Career + Combat Ability

Melee attacks use Melee. Ranged attacks use Ranged.

The attacker must meet or exceed the target’s Defense.

Defense

A target’s Defense is based on their Defense Combat Ability and the situation. A Defense is a modifier to the attacker's roll to hit.

Cover, movement, surprise, and position may add Bonus or Penalty Dice.

Ranged Combat

Personal combat uses actual positioning on the map rather than abstract range bands.

For ranged attacks:

Point Blank: 1 Signal
Short Range: no modifier
Medium Range: 1 Noise
Long Range: 2 Noise

Aiming may grant a Signal and can offset range penalties.

Signal And Noise Dice

A Signal Die means roll 3d6 and keep the best two dice.

A Noise Die means roll 3d6 and keep the worst two dice.

Use dice shifts instead of long lists of modifiers.

Wound Track

Characters do not track hit points. They use a simple Wound Track.

Healthy No penalty.

Stunned Minor injury, shock, or disorientation. Take a Noise Die on your next action.

Wounded Serious injury. Take a Noise Die on all actions.

Down Unable to continue fighting. The character may be unconscious, incapacitated, dying, or helpless.

Damage

Most successful attacks move the target one step down the Wound Track.

Severe attacks, strong successes, heavy weapons, or dramatic circumstances may move the target more than one step.

Recovery

Shaken clears quickly after a moment to recover.

Wounded requires time, treatment, or safety.

Down requires immediate help or the character may die.

Cover

Cover makes a character harder to hit. Good cover imposes a Noise Die on attacks against the protected character.

Zero-G Combat

Characters without Spacer, Boarding Specialist, or other relevant experience may suffer a Noise Die in zero-g combat.

Combat Principle

If a fight is unnecessary, avoid it. If it begins, end it quickly.

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