Initiative/Action Cards
Per the cheat sheets and core rules, each turn Players draw a card for initiative and make a Quickness roll (TN 5) to add extra actions. A Bust is 0 actions, failure gives is 1 action, success gives 2, each raise (+5) is an additional action up to a maximum of 5.
All initiative cards are posted at the start of the turn.
THE MARSHALL WILL USUALLY POST ENEMY/NPC/NON-POSSE ACTIONS FIRST. Players can post actions after (although nothing is stopping them from posting before non-posse characters). After actions are posted they are resolved in order of initiative.
This posting after seeing what others do allows the players to better gauge their own actions. It can therefore be a small advantage, assuming the bad guys don't also have better initiative!
Held Cards (aka "Hole Cards", "Cheat Cards", "Sleeved Cards"): You can hold a single unspent action for as long as you like, until the end of combat. (The terminology is a little confusing because "Card" is a holdover term from the original rules, whereas in this case it's a held action.) Held actions ("Hole Cards") can be used as follows:
- Dodge/Dive for Cover/Vamoosing.
- Adds an additional action to a future initiative Card.
- Improve a future turn's action card to any card (requires Quickness roll to beat an opponents card).
- Opportunity fire or attack at a target that just appeared. Required an opposed Quickness Test.
Movement: Walking doesn't take an action and can happen any point in your initiative Card and doesn't take an action in and of itself. While running, all actions receive the -6 penalty . You can gain a little extra speed (1d4) by spending a card to "Pick up the Pace", which also costs 1 Wind. Do not forget to make it clear you're running.
Wait: You can always choose to go later in the turn, this doesn't cost any actions, but you still need to declare what card you're taking your actions on. Example: Rowan moves on Jack wants to wait for Barb to blind someone on Ten before attacking, she declares she's waiting to act on Ten (after Barb).
Leadership:
Coordinate: as a Speed 0 Action a the start of a turn, a Leadership check vs TN3 (Foolproof) allows everyone to go on the Action of the leader.
Rally: As a Speed 1 Action, a Leader may try to assist someone who's failed a Guts check. Each Raise adds an additional +1. The Leader doesn't have to have been previously exposed to whatever caused the Guts check. This bonus lasts until the next time the player makes a Fear check, and is cumulative with other Rally actions.
".Tac Bloc"
This is a play on ".sig bloc", and is something that needs to be included in each combat. It tells me important information for your combat turn, and it should be some different colour (usually Orange). Include your Initiative card/# of Actions, and if you are holding a card (includes a card held from previous turns)
King Club 4 Actions (1 Held Card)
Moving or Running (if applicable)
Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:
Action 4:
Dodge: Dodging usually requires a held action (hole/sleeve card) or sacrificing an upcoming Action. Once a PC Dodges is remains in effect until their next Initiative Card. You can also make a Dodge as a normal action. For example, if you have 1 Action you can combine it with moving during your turn.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:30, Thu 03 Dec 2020.