334 Cepheus — Part 4: Personal Combat

Design Philosophy

Combat in 334 Cepheus is fast, brutal, and decisive. A trained marine with a rifle will drop an unarmored target in one burst. Armor is the difference between a bad day and a funeral. The goal is not tactical grid warfare—it is narrative tension with mechanical teeth. Every roll matters. Every bullet has a name.

Time & Scale

Combat is divided into rounds of approximately 6 seconds each.

Ranges are abstracted:

Movement: A character can move one range band as a Minor Action. Moving two bands requires a Significant Action (sprinting).

Initiative

At the start of each round, every combatant rolls 2D6 + DEX DM.

Ties are broken by:

• Melee: Longer weapon wins. If equal, higher DEX wins.
• Ranged: Higher DEX wins. If equal, simultaneous.
• Mixed: Ranged acts before melee if at Short+ range; melee acts first at Personal/Close.

Hold Action: You may delay your turn to any later point in the round. You may act as an interrupt when a declared trigger occurs (e.g., "when they step into the doorway"). If the trigger never occurs, you act last in the round.

Actions

On your turn, you may perform one Significant Action and any number of Minor Actions.

Significant Actions

• Attack (melee or ranged)
• Aim (+1 DM on next attack against same target before end of next turn)
• Use Skill (complex task: hack a door, perform field surgery, hotwire a vehicle)
• Sprint (move two range bands)
• First Aid (stabilize or treat wounds)
• Suppressive Fire (pin targets)
• Ready (prepare a weapon or item for use)

Minor Actions

• Move (one range band)
• Draw/Holster a weapon
• Drop Prone or Stand Up
• Reload (some weapons)
• Speak (a few words)
• Quick Look (assess situation, spot obvious threats)

Attack Resolution

• Declare target and weapon.
• Referee sets Difficulty (usually Standard, TN 8).
• Apply range modifier:
  • Close/Personal: +0
  • Short: +0
  • Medium: −1
  • Long: −2
  • Very Long: −4
• Apply cover modifier:
  • Light cover (brush, furniture): −1 to be hit
  • Medium cover (tree, wall): −2 to be hit
  • Heavy cover (bunker, battle dress): −4 to be hit
• Apply situational DMs (prone, darkness, superior position, etc.).
• Roll 2D6 + DEX DM + Skill + Situational DMs.
• Compare to TN. Calculate Effect.

Damage on Hit

Roll the weapon's damage dice, then apply armor as damage reduction plus Soak:

1. Subtract Armor Rating (AR), the damage reduction.
2. If the remainder is 0 or less, the armor stopped the hit. No Stamina and no Lifeblood.
3. If the remainder is greater than 0 but no greater than Soak, the hit is a bruise. Apply 1 Stamina only.
4. If the remainder is greater than Soak, apply that full remainder to Stamina, then overflow to Lifeblood.

Stamina & Lifeblood

334 Cepheus replaces characteristic damage with a dedicated health track.

Stamina

Stamina = END characteristic + Athletics skill level

Stamina represents fatigue, bruising, minor cuts, and shock. It is depleted first in combat.

• When Stamina reaches 0, further damage goes to Lifeblood.
• Stamina recovers quickly (see Healing).

Lifeblood

Lifeblood = END characteristic + STR DM

Lifeblood represents serious injury, blood loss, and structural damage.

• When Lifeblood reaches 0, the character is unconscious and dying.
• When Lifeblood reaches negative END, the character is dead.
• Lifeblood does not recover without medical intervention.

Example: Kael has END 9, Athletics-1, STR 7 (DM +0). His Stamina is 10. His Lifeblood is 9. He is shot by a rifle for 8 damage. He loses 8 Stamina (now 2). He is winded and battered but still fighting. A second hit for 9 damage depletes his remaining 2 Stamina and does 7 Lifeblood. He is unconscious and will die in END rounds (9 rounds) without First Aid.

Armor

Armor has two numbers. Armor Rating (AR) is damage reduction. Soak is the bruise threshold: remainder at or under Soak is 1 Stamina, not a real wound. Full prices are in Part 5.

Armor Degradation: When an attack rolls natural 12 on damage dice (before armor), the armor's AR is permanently reduced by 1. Ablative plates can be replaced for 10% of armor cost.

Vacuum & Environment: Combat Armor and Battle Dress are sealed against vacuum and toxic atmospheres. Other armor requires a Vacc Suit worn underneath.

Weapons

Weapon Notes

Burst Fire: Expend 3 rounds. Gain +1 DM to hit. If you hit, add +1D6 damage.

Autofire (Suppression): See Suppressive Fire below.

Stun Setting: Energy weapons and some slug weapons can be set to stun. Damage is applied only to Stamina (never Lifeblood). Target falls unconscious if Stamina reaches 0.

Special Combat Actions

Aim

Spend a Significant Action to line up a shot. Gain +1 DM on your next attack against the same target, provided you take it before the end of your next turn. If you take damage or are moved before firing, you lose the bonus.

Autofire / Burst

Expend 3 rounds from a capable weapon. Gain +1 DM to hit and +1D6 damage on a hit.

Suppressive Fire / Pin Down

As a Significant Action, spray an area or target with autofire. Do not roll to hit. All targets in the affected area (one range band wide) must make an END 8+ check or lose their next action—they are pinned, prone, or seeking cover.

Targets in the open with no cover who fail by 6 or more (Effect −6+) take 1D6 damage from ricochets, shrapnel, or sheer bad luck.

Grenades

Thrown weapons use Athletics (Throwing) or DEX 8+. Grenades affect all targets in a Short radius. Targets may dive for cover (DEX 8+) to reduce damage by half.

Grappling

To initiate a grapple, make a Melee Combat (Unarmed) attack. If you hit, both you and the target are grappled. On subsequent turns, make opposed Melee Combat (Unarmed) or STR 8+ rolls.

Winner chooses one:

• Immobilize: Target cannot act except to attempt to break free.
• Drag: Move the target one range band.
• Damage: Inflict 1D6 + STR DM damage (Stamina only, unless armed).

To break free, the target must win an opposed roll and choose to escape.

Fighting from Prone

• Ranged attacks against you: −1 DM (harder to hit).
• Melee attacks against you: +1 DM (easier to hit).
• Your ranged attacks: −1 DM (awkward positioning).
• Your melee attacks: −2 DM.

Damage Effects

Wound Conditions

Death & Dying

A character at Lifeblood 0 is unconscious and loses 1 Lifeblood per round until stabilized.

Stabilization: A character with Medicine-1+ can attempt First Aid (Significant Action, Medicine 8+). On success, the patient stops losing Lifeblood. On Exceptional Success (6+), restore 1D6 Stamina.

Surgery: Requires Medicine-2+, proper facilities, and 1D6 hours. Restores 1D6 Lifeblood. One attempt per set of injuries. Failure means no restoration; Exceptional Failure means 1D6 additional Lifeblood lost.

Healing & Recovery

First Aid

• Time: 10 minutes
• Skill: Medicine 8+
• Effect: Restores 1D6 Stamina if applied within 1 hour of injury. Stabilizes dying characters.
• Limit: Once per injury.

Recovery Checks

After 8 hours of rest, roll END 8+:

• Success: Recover 1D6 Stamina.
• Exceptional Success: Recover 2D6 Stamina.
• Medical Care (+1 DM): If resting under supervision or in a medical facility.

Surgery

• Requirement: Medicine-2+, medical bay or hospital.
• Time: 1D6 hours on the table, then 1D6 days of bed rest.
• Effect: Restore 1D6 Lifeblood at the end of that rest.
• Limit: One attempt per distinct injury event.
• Bed rest: Combat or other strenuous activity before the rest ends reopens the work. The Lifeblood is not restored.

Natural Healing

Without surgery, Lifeblood recovers at 1 point per week of rest under medical supervision. Without supervision, recover 1 point per two weeks.

Medical Technology

Morale

NPCs and hirelings are not suicidal. When a group of NPCs suffers first blood (first member down) or loses 50% of their number, they must make a Morale check.

Morale Check: Roll 2D6 against the leader's Leadership skill or INT DM + SOC DM, whichever is higher.

Player characters never make morale checks. Their courage or cowardice is entirely their choice.

Example Combat

The Ambush Kael (Agent, DEX +2, Gun Combat (Slug Pistol)-2, Stamina 9, Lifeblood 8, Mesh armor AR 5) and Mira (Merchant, DEX +1, Gun Combat (Energy Pistol)-1, Stamina 7, Lifeblood 7, Cloth armor AR 3) are walking through a cargo bay when two thugs open fire from behind crates at Medium range. Round 1 Initiative: Kael rolls 2D6+2 = 10. Mira rolls 2D6+1 = 8. Thug A rolls 7. Thug B rolls 5. Kael's turn: He drops prone behind a support pillar (Minor) and draws his revolver (Minor). He aims at Thug A (Significant). +1 DM waiting. Mira's turn: She sprints to Short range (Significant), drawing her laser pistol (Minor), seeking the cover of a cargo container. Thug A's turn: Fires a revolver at Kael. Range Medium (−1), Kael is prone (−1 to be hit), behind light cover (−1). Total DM to hit: DEX +0, skill +1, −3 situation = −2. He needs 10+. Rolls 2D6 = 7. Total 5. Miss. The round sparks off the pillar. Thug B's turn: Fires at Mira. Range Short (+0), Mira in medium cover (−2). DM: +0 DEX, +1 skill, −2 cover = −1. Needs 9+. Rolls 2D6 = 9. Total 8. Miss by 1. The shot tears through the crate inches from Mira's head. Round 2 Kael's turn: He fires at Thug A with his aim bonus. Range Medium (−1), cover (−1), aim (+1). DM: +2 DEX, +2 skill, +1 aim, −2 cover = +3. Rolls 2D6 = 7. Total 10. Effect +2. Success. Revolver damage: 3D6 = 12. Thug A has Cloth armor (AR 3). 9 damage. Thug A's Stamina is 6. He takes 6 Stamina and 3 Lifeblood. Seriously Wounded. Thug A drops his gun and slumps. Mira's turn: She fires her laser pistol at Thug B. Range Short (+0), cover (−1). DM: +1 DEX, +1 skill, −1 cover = +1. Rolls 2D6 = 10. Total 11. Effect +3. Success. Laser pistol: 4D6 = 14. Thug B has no armor (AR 0). 14 damage to Stamina. Thug B has Stamina 7. He loses 7 Stamina and 7 Lifeblood. Unconscious and dying. Thug A's turn: Seriously Wounded, he makes a Morale check. His leader is down. He rolls 2D6 = 5 vs INT DM +0. Failure. He raises his hands. "Don't shoot!" Combat ends. Kael and Mira advance, weapons ready. Two down, one surrendering. Kael's Stamina is full; Mira's is full. No Lifeblood lost. A good day.