Combat Quick Reference Guide

Infinite Frontiers: Quickstart Guide

Welcome to Infinite Frontiers! This guide introduces you to the core mechanics of combat, covering how to roll for initiative, take actions, and proceed through each round. With clear steps and examples, you’ll be able to jump into battle quickly and strategically.

1. Initiative Phase

In Infinite Frontiers, initiative determines both the order in which units activate during the round and the Action Points (AP) they receive to perform actions. Units with higher initiative act first and have more AP to spend.

1.1 Rolling for Initiative

At the start of each round, players determine their units’ initiative and AP by rolling one six-sided die (D6) for each unit.

Roll for Each Unit:
- Each player rolls one D6 for every unit they control on the battlefield.
- The result of the roll determines both the Action Points (AP) the unit will have for the round and its position in the turn order.
- For example, if a unit rolls a 6, it will have 6 AP to spend and will act first in the turn order.

Assign Rolls: Players assign their rolls to specific units. This is important because some units may benefit from going earlier in the turn order, while others may perform better with more AP.

Squads and Initiative:
- A squad is a group of units that act together. All units in a squad use the AP of their Leader and act together during the same activation.
- A squad’s activation order is determined by the Leader’s initiative roll. All units in the squad activate when their Leader does, even if their individual rolls were lower.

2. Squad Formation and Movement

A squad consists of a Leader and their supporting units. To maintain squad formation and activate together, the units must stay within specific ranges.

2.1 Squad Formation Requirements

Leader Talent: A squad Leader must have 1 point in the Leader Talent for each unit in the squad.

Proximity:
- Squad members must remain within 3 inches of the Leader and 1 inch of another squad member.
- If a unit falls outside these ranges, it loses its squad status and must act independently in the next round.

2.2 Squad Movement

When a squad activates, all members of the squad move at the same time as their Leader at no AP cost, as long as they maintain squad formation (staying within 3 inches of the Leader and 1 inch of each other). This allows squads to stay cohesive and act as a unit without spending individual AP for movement.

3. Turn Order and Activation

The turn order is based on the Action Points (AP) rolled during the initiative phase. Units or squads with the most AP activate first, followed by those with fewer AP.

3.1 Turn Order Process

Highest AP Acts First:
- The unit or squad with the highest AP (based on their initiative roll) activates first. If there is a tie, the player with the most units activates first. If the tie persists, roll a D6 to break the tie.

Activating Squads:
- When a squad activates, the Leader goes first, followed by the remaining units in any order. All units in the squad act during the Leader's activation phase, regardless of their individual AP rolls.

Lower AP Units in Squads:
- Units in a squad with lower AP than the Leader will activate with the squad based on the Leader’s AP. They will follow the Leader’s actions even if they rolled lower initiative.

3.2 Activating Units and AP Use

Each unit can perform actions such as Move, Attack, Cover, Overwatch, or Interact during its activation. Each action costs AP, and units may only perform each action once per turn unless otherwise noted. Once a unit or squad finishes its activation, it cannot act again that round, except through reactions (discussed later).

4. The Losing Player Assessment

At the end of every player’s turn, the Losing Player is assessed. This is a dynamic way to keep the game balanced, as it gives the player with fewer units or fewer victory points a chance to gain extra AP.

4.1 Losing Player Determination

Fewer Units on the Field:
- The player with the fewest remaining units on the battlefield is considered the Losing Player.
- If both players have the same number of units, the player with the fewest victory points is considered the Losing Player.
- If there is still a tie, this phase is skipped.

AP Bonus:
- The Losing Player may assign +1 AP to any unit or squad of their choice. This allows them to replenish units that rolled poorly for initiative or shore up units that may need additional AP to perform reactions or defenses.

4.2 Impact on Turn Order

If a unit or squad gains AP through the Losing Player bonus, it may activate during the phase corresponding to its new AP level.

Example: A squad with 1 AP gains +1 AP from the Losing Player bonus, bringing it to 2 AP. That squad can now activate in the 2 AP phase, even if it had not yet activated in the 1 AP phase.

5. Actions and AP Costs

During their activation, units or squads can perform a variety of actions. Each action costs AP, and players must carefully manage their AP to maximize effectiveness.

5.1 Core Actions

Move:
A unit moves up to 4 inches plus its Body Attribute in inches.
For an additional 2 AP, a unit can add its Athletics Talent to its movement distance.
Attack:
A unit attacks a target within its weapon’s range. The attacker’s Dice Pool is determined by their Attribute + Talent + Specialization for the weapon type.
Cover:
A unit in base contact with a terrain feature can Take Cover to increase its defense by +2 to hit.
Overwatch:
A unit enters a stance that allows it to react to enemy movements or actions within its Line of Sight (LOS) during the opponent’s turn.
Interact:
Perform interactions like picking up an item, switching weapons, or activating a device.

6. Reactions and Double AP Costs

Reactions are special actions units can take in response to enemy movements or attacks. Reactions allow for dynamic gameplay and make units more adaptable during the round.

6.1 How Reactions Work

Reaction Eligibility: Only units that have the necessary AP during the round can perform reactions.

Reaction AP Costs: Reactions cost twice the normal AP cost of the action. For example, if moving normally costs 1 AP, a reaction move costs 2 AP.

Timing of Reactions: Reactions are resolved after the current action is completed. For instance, if a unit moves from one cover to another and is briefly exposed in between, any reactions to that movement happen after the unit completes its move.

7. End of Round

At the end of the round, several checks are made to prepare for the next round of combat.

7.1 Squad Cohesion Check

Check Squad Ranges:
- If any squad member moved or was pushed out of the required ranges during the round (due to reactions or movement), the squad is reassessed.
- If a unit is no longer within 3 inches of the Leader and 1 inch of another squad member, it is no longer considered part of the squad for the next round.

7.2 Reset AP and Roll Initiative

Reset AP: All units regain their full AP based on their next initiative roll.

Roll Initiative for Next Round: Begin the initiative process again by rolling for each unit and determining the new turn order.

With this Quickstart Guide, you now have the essential rules needed to engage in combat within Infinite Frontiers. These mechanics offer the flexibility to create strategic plans while maintaining fast-paced, action-packed gameplay. Use them to guide your battle strategy and keep your units cohesive, adaptable, and ready to respond to changing conditions on the battlefield!

Attack Resolution in Infinite Frontiers

Combat is a central part of Infinite Frontiers, and understanding how to resolve attacks effectively is crucial for success on the battlefield. This section outlines the step-by-step process for resolving attacks, from choosing a target to calculating damage and applying it to the defending unit.

1. Choosing a Target

Before making an attack, the attacking unit must select a valid target. The following rules apply:

Line of Sight (LOS): The attacker must be able to see the target unless using a weapon or ability that doesn't require LOS.
Range: The target must be within the weapon's effective range, which is defined by the weapon's stats (e.g., Melee, Close, Medium, Long range).
Cover: Identify any cover the target may be using, as this will affect the difficulty of the attack.

2. Anatomy of an Attack

Each weapon has specific attributes that determine how it operates in combat. These are the key factors in resolving an attack:

Damage: The flat value of damage dealt if the attack is successful.
Shots: The number of dice added to the attack as a bonus. Additionally, the maximum number of targets that successes may be assigned to.
Range: The effective distance over which the weapon operates.
- Melee: Base contact with the target.
- Close Range: Up to 6 inches.
- Medium Range: Between 6 and 12 inches.
- Long Range: Between 12 and 24 inches.
Traits: Special rules that modify the attack, such as Armor Piercing (reduces the target’s armor) or others detailed in the weapon’s description.
Attacker’s Skill: The relevant Attribute + Talent + Specialization for the weapon used.

3. Calculating the Dice Pool

To perform an attack, the attacker assembles a Dice Pool based on their skill with the weapon:

Attribute: Use the relevant Attribute for the attack (usually Body for physical weapons).
Talent: Add the number of dice equal to the attacker’s Talent in the relevant skill (e.g., Ranged Combat, Melee Combat).
Specialization: Add dice based on any applicable Specialization related to the specific weapon type (e.g., Rifles, Blades).

Example: An attacker with Body 5, Ranged Combat 3, and a Specialization in Rifles 2 would roll a total of 10 dice (5 + 3 + 2).

4. Determine Difficulty

The difficulty to hit the target is influenced by various factors, such as range, cover, and environmental conditions. Start with a base difficulty of 2, and apply modifiers as follows:

4.1 Range Modifiers

Melee Range: No modifier (must be in base contact).
Close Range (up to 6 inches): -1 to difficulty (easier to hit).
Medium Range (6-12 inches): No modifier.
Long Range (12-24 inches): +1 to difficulty (harder to hit).

4.2 Cover Modifiers

Light Cover: +1 to difficulty.
Heavy Cover: +2 to difficulty.
Taking Cover Action: If the defender has taken the Cover action, add +2 to the difficulty.

4.3 Other Modifiers

Verticality: Every 4 inches of vertical difference reduces the difficulty by 1 for the higher unit.
Environmental Modifiers: Adjust based on the current conditions (e.g., darkness, fog) as defined by the GM or mission rules.

Example: If an attacker is firing from medium range at a target in light cover, the difficulty would be 2 (base) + 1 (light cover) = 3.

5. Roll the Dice Pool

Once the difficulty is determined, the attacker rolls their Dice Pool. Each 5 or 6 rolled is considered a success.

Compare the number of successes to the difficulty.
- If the number of successes equals or exceeds the difficulty, the attack hits the target.
- If the number of successes is lower than the difficulty, the attack misses.

6. Resolve Damage

If the attack is successful, the next step is to apply damage to the target.

6.1 Armor and Armor Piercing

Armor (AR): The defending unit's armor reduces the damage dealt.
- Subtract the armor value from the total damage of the attack.
Armor Piercing (APen): Some weapons have Armor Piercing values, which reduce the effectiveness of the target's armor.
- Apply the APen value to reduce the target’s Armor Rating (AR) before subtracting damage.

Example: The attack deals 6 damage, and the target has 3 Armor. The attacker’s weapon has APen 1, so the target’s effective Armor is reduced to 2. Final damage = 6 (attack damage) - 2 (adjusted Armor) = 4 damage.

6.2 Attribute Damage

After calculating the final damage, the defending player distributes the damage across their unit's Mind, Body, and Spirit attributes.

Example: If a unit takes 4 damage, the player may allocate 2 points to Body and 2 points to Spirit, depending on the narrative or tactical needs.

7. Morale Check

If a unit loses 50% or more of its total hit points in a single turn, it must take a Morale Check to avoid suffering negative effects.

7.1 Morale Check Process

Determine Difficulty:
- Base difficulty of +1 for losing 50% of health.
- +1 difficulty for each friendly unit within 12 inches and Line of Sight (LOS) that was defeated that round.

Roll Dice Pool:
- Dice Pool = Spirit + Willpower + any relevant Specialization.

Resolve the Morale Check:
- Success: The unit remains unaffected.
- Critical Success: The unit gains the Resolve trait (+1 to all checks and +1 difficulty to hit until the end of their next turn).
- Failure: The unit gains the Shaken trait (-1 to all checks and +1 difficulty to hit until the end of their next turn).
- Critical Failure: The unit becomes Broken, cannot perform attacks, and must retreat towards the nearest edge of the battlefield on their next activation.

8. End of Attack Sequence

Once the attack is resolved, and damage is applied, the next steps depend on whether the attacking unit has any remaining AP to continue its turn or whether it passes the turn to the opponent.

By following these steps, players will have a clear understanding of how to perform attacks in Infinite Frontiers. From choosing a target and calculating difficulty, to applying damage and making morale checks, this process provides a structured and dynamic way to resolve combat encounters.

Rulebook