Chase

A chase involves the band fleeing from opponents, or trying to catch someone themselves. A chase may be an encounter, in which case tiles and regular turns and movement are used. More commonly as a modified complication is used instead. As a complication a chase will usually be across one or more exchanges, and each exchange is called a stage. Rather than accumulating success margin towards a target, you are accumulating speed, and the highest total (called the pole) has advantages within the chase. After each exchange the totals are compared to see if the chase has been resolved.

Exchanges

Reflex is dealt normally, and when you take your turn in a chase you roll a single effect die. If the result is green, you move and check normally. If the result is blue, your check suffers a penalty, or a specific effect of the stage is triggered. If the result is red you move and check normally, then you may attack an opponent, or help an ally, or gain an extra guard. If you help an ally you each roll an effect die on that person's turn, and the ally may choose which result to use. You may also cooperate with the ally's check. If you have momentum at the beginning of your turn the redouble applies to the effect die, allowing you to roll two and choose the result you prefer.

Checks and Totals

If you are chasing without a vehicle you check against your move score, and in a vehicle you check operate. On a success you add your speed to your total, plus any success margin. On a failure you add only half your speed, and you suffer a consequence equal to your failure margin (see Stages below). Interference will trigger any stage effects just as a blue effect die would. On a green result you may give up your movement to make an attack instead, but note that failure consequences will apply to this attack. On a blue you must attempt to move and suffer any consequences. If you do not have a ranged attack you may only attack targets with totals equal or less than your own. Otherwise helping or attacking someone with a greater total suffers a penalty.

Stages

Most chases will start with a simple stage, where failure consequences are grit and a blue result just confers a penalty on your check for the turn. However some chases may start in more dangerous circumstances, and as they continue they will certainly become deadlier. At the end of an exchange check totals. Anyone fleeing who has a total less than half of someone pursuing is caught and removed from the chase (along with one pursuer whose total is double or more). Anyone pursuing who has a total less than half of the slowest remaining pursued is likewise eliminated from the chase. The pole (character with the highest total) then selects the properties for the next stage, and everyone else has the choice to either continue or drop out. A pursuer who drops out is simply eliminated from the chase, a pursued who drops out is caught. Some example properties for stages include:

• Dangerous: The consequence for failure margin becomes hits.
• Treacherous: The consequence for failure margin subtracts from your total. A total less than 0 eliminates you from the chase.
• Flaming: The consequence for failure margin is burn.
• Obscured: You may dodge attacks using your Sneak score. You may drop out at the end of the exchange and are not caught if you win a contest between sneak and your pursuer's sense.
• Occupied: A blue result or interference adds another pursuer.
• Chasm: A blue result or interference makes you teeter, you gain no speed. If already teetering you out of the chase and you suffer a 15dE fall.
• Attacking: A blue result or interference deals +5dE (in addition to the regular consequence) and locks you unless you successfully dodge with a guard. (Falling objects, a giant monster, artillery strikes, whatever.)

Vehicles

A vehicle with multiple crew chooses a single reflex card from the available ones, and then all crew members roll their effect dice and resolve in any order desired. Only the vehicle's helm uses an action to move, while other positions may use green results for their usual actions, and red results to cooperate normally. Any blue results prevent that crew from using an action, and the penalty goes to the helm's check.

Special Chases

Some chases may have additional rules:

• Countdown. You aren't being chased by just individuals, but an inexorable disaster. There will be a stage or tile that you must reach before a set number of exchanges or you suffer some automatic horrible consequence. In an encounter this may also be represented by removing a line of tiles from the zone after each exchange.

Version 2.5.1
©2014 Frameworks Games

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