GURPS 4e - Combat Examples

Armor: Cloth Armor* (DR 1 torso, groin, 6 lbs.), Cloth Pants* (DR 1 legs, 2 lbs.), Shoes* (DR 1 feet, 2 lbs.) [* flexible]
Longbow: 1d+1 imp; Acc: 3; Range: 150/200; RoF: 1; Shots: 1(2); ST: 11; Bulk: -8 (4 lbs. [including 10 arrows])

Skills: Bow - 18 (DX+4)

Ads/Disads:

Zach Red

ST:	14	HP:	14	Size Modifier: 0
DX:	12	Will:	10	Encumbrance: 0 (14 lbs.)
IQ:	10	Per:	10	Basic Speed: 5.75
HT:	11	FP:	11	Basic Move: 5

Thrust: 1d

Swing: 2d

Dodge: 8

Parry: 9

Block: -

Armor: Cloth Armor* (DR 1 torso, groin, 6 lbs.), Cloth Pants* (DR 1 legs, 2 lbs.), Shoes* (DR 1 feet, 2 lbs.) [* flexible]
Spear: 1d+3 imp; Acc: 2; Range: 14/21; RoF: 1; Shots: T(1); ST: 9; Bulk: -6 (4 lbs.)

Skills: Thrown Weapon (Spear) - 16 (DX+4)

Ads/Disads:

This is a basic example of ranged combat using two common muscle-powered weapons: a bow, and a spear. The combatants start the battle 20 yards apart on a plain with no cover.

Arthur has the higher Basic Speed, so he goes first.

TURN ONE

Arthur Green HP: 11
Maneuver: Ready (longbow)

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: Ready (spear)

TURN TWO

Arthur Green HP: 11
Maneuver: Ready (arrow from quiver)

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: Aim (Arthur)

TURN THREE

Arthur Green HP: 11
Maneuver: Ready (drawing bow string)

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: All-Out Attack (Determined) (Arthur)

Rolls 3d6 against his effective Thrown Weapon (Spear) skill of 13 (+1 for All-Out Attack (Determined), +2 for Accuracy, -6 for 20 yard range) and gets 12 - a possible hit.

Arthur Green HP: 11
Rolls 3d6 against his Dodge of 8 and gets 15 - he fails to Dodge.

Zach Red HP: 14
Since he didn't specify a Hit Location, the attack defaults to the Torso (B369). Zach rolls 1d+3 for damage and gets a total of 9 - because the attack range was beyond the 1/2D range, the damage is halved to 4.5, rounded to 4.

Arthur Green HP: 5, Shock: -4
4 points of impaling basic damage to the Torso - 1 DR leaves 3 points of penetrating damage. 3 points x the 2 wounding modifier for impaling damage = 6. Arthur's HP are reduced to 5 and he has a shock penalty of -4.

As this is a Major Wound (more than 1/2 HP injury from a single blow), Arthur must check for Knockdown and Stunning (B420). He rolls 3d6 against his HT of 12 and gets 9 - he suffers no penalty beyond ordinary shock.

TURN FOUR

Arthur Green HP: 5, Shock: -4
Maneuver: Attack (Zach)

Rolls 3d6 against his effective Bow skill of 8 (-4 for Shock, -6 for 20 yard range) and gets 11 - a miss.

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: Move

Spends 5 Movement Points (MP) to move forward 5 hexes (towards Arthur) - they are now 15 yards apart.

TURN FIVE

Arthur Green HP: 5
Maneuver: Ready (arrow from quiver)

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: Move

Spends 6 Movement Points (sprint bonus of +20%, B354) to move forward (towards Arthur) 6 hexes - they are now 9 yards apart.

TURN SIX

Arthur Green HP: 5
Maneuver: Ready (drawing bow string)

Zach Red HP: 14
Maneuver: Move

Spends 6 Movement Points (sprint bonus of +20%) to move forward 6 hexes (towards Arthur) - they are now 3 yards apart.

TURN SEVEN

Arthur Green HP: 5
Maneuver: Attack, Hit Location: Vitals (Zach)

Rolls 3d6 against his effective Bow skill of 14 (-1 for 3 yard range, -3 for Hit Location) and gets 11 - a possible hit.

Zach Red HP: 14
Rolls 3d6 against his Dodge of 8 and gets 12 - he fails to Dodge.

Arthur Green HP: 5
Rolls 1d+1 for damage and gets a total of 6.

Zach Red HP: -1, Shock: -4
6 points of impaling basic damage to the Vitals - 1 DR leaves 5 points of penetrating damage. 5 points x the 3 wounding modifier for Hit Location: Vitals = 15. Zach's HP are reduced to -1 and he has a shock penalty of -4.

As this is a Major Wound (more than 1/2 HP injury from a single blow), Zach must check for Knockdown and Stunning. He rolls 3d6 against his effective HT of 6 (-5 for Major Wound to the Vitals, B420) and gets 10 - he falls down prone and suffers Stun.

He also has less than 1/3 his HP, so his Move and Dodge are halved.

Zach Red HP: -1, Shock: -4
Maneuver: n/a

As he is below 0 HP, Zach rolls 3d6 against his HT of 11 to avoid falling unconscious and fails with a 12 - he immediately collapses into unconsciousness.

At this point 'combat time' has ended, as Zach is unable to defend himself - he can roll against his HT in one hour to see if he awakens (B423). Since the combat did not last longer than 10 seconds, Arthur does not lose any Fatigue Points (B426).

Assuming no one administers First Aid, Arthur may continue bleeding from his wounds (optional, B420). After 1 minute, he rolls 3d6 against his effective HT of 10 (-1 per 5 HP lost) and gets 12 - he loses an additional 1 HP, bringing his current HP to 4.

Over the next three minutes he succeeds on three consecutive bleeding rolls against his effective HT of 10 (-1 per 5 HP lost), so his bleeding stops.

Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war that we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living.
-- Gen Omar N. Bradley

Longbow/Cloth Armor VS. Spear/Cloth Armor

Longbow/Cloth Armor VS.
Spear/Cloth Armor