Tracking: While normally used to follow a trail or track down should be re-rolled between those that tied to determine

determine who acts

a foe, it can be used to identify tracks and signs of activity in the first. Kevin Siembieda allows ties, figuring more than one charac-
area. And in this case, a successful Tracking roll reveals there are ter could move at the same time, with initiative and target selection
plenty of footprints and other signs indicating a small group of at automatically going to the characters whose intention it was to at-
least six people, maybe more, being in the area and leading toward tack. In this adventure scenario, that would be the bandits.
the site of the ambush. Moreover, the successful roll may reveal The round robin combat sequence: Kevin Siembieda finds it is
vehicle tracks, tread marks or the heavy imprint of power armor! best to use a round robin approach to combat. This is how Palla-
Additional signs that someone is in the area could be from a few dium combat is intended to work. Whoever has the highest initia-
cigarette butts, or piece of material or a bit of food or a wrapper tive moves first. He picks his target (could be the opponent closest,
from food, the smell of machine or gun oil, etc. All of it points to or biggest, or most dangerous looking, hated, etc.) and attacks him;
trouble and the likely ambush location! This is a great skill to use roll to strike. The character under attack can now, a) choose to
in this situation. No penalties either. stand his ground even if it means getting hit, b) parry the attack, if
Perception Check: Most characters have a Perception Roll bo- applicable, or c) dodge, moving out of the way to avoid damage. A
nus. If they don’t have a bonus, then it is a straight die roll. Percep- defender can only parry or dodge, not both.
tion is a skill that we all possess. It is how well we notice things After he stood his ground and took damage, or parried and
that may be out of place and how we perceive our environment. If took no damage (if applicable), it is now the defender’s turn to
no one makes their skill check roll, you might offer one or more strike back. He is most likely going to attack his opponent, i.e. the
chances to make a Perception Roll, as noted earlier. guy who just attacked him! But in a game of modern combat with
Perception is rolled using a D20. Add any Perception Roll bo- ranged weapons, he could choose to ignore his attacker and use
nus the character might have to the D20 roll and that is your result. his own strike attack on a different opponent. Most players attack
Determining the target number is up to the Game Master. The Rifts the guy attacking them, and that is usually the smart move. You
Ultimate Edition has some guidelines on rolling Perception. As a need to fight the most immediate threat to you, personally, and
default, go 50/50 with 1-10 a miss and a 11-20 a successful Percep- that’s the guy shooting or stabbing at you. The combat sequence
tion Roll to notice something suspicious. is repeated in that the character rolls to strike and his opponent
chooses to stand and take (potential) damage (if the attack hits),
The Battle Begins parry or dodge.
This is where the round robin approach comes into play.
Our first encounter doesn’t have to be big or epic. Right now Rather than having these two guys duke it out until all their respec-
we want to introduce new players to the rule system, particularly tive attacks are gone, the Game Master turns to the character with
the combat system, so this is going to be a relatively simple en- the next highest initiative, and asks what he or she is doing. In a
counter. The ambush is a chance for the player characters to use firefight, the answer is probably, “I fire my energy rifle at NPC
their fighting skills, weapons and physical attributes. Despite the opponent X.” However, the player may have his character take
results of the ambush, allow the player group the chance to have other action, such as take cover, run to protect a civilian, activate
initiative. On a surprise attack, which gives the ambushers the up- a device, run to his robot or combat vehicle, etc. If an NPC has the
per hand, in game rules they have the initiative and attack first. If initiative, it is the G.M. that announces what his NPC villain is
our characters spot the ambush they now they have the upper hand doing or who he is attacking. Let’s assume the bandit NPC picks
and can turn the table on the bandits. For our first battle we don’t a player character opponent and attacks. The bandit (played by the
want to demoralize the first time players, so even if they failed in G.M.) rolls a D20 to strike. The defender chooses to stand and take
their skill rolls, as Game Master, you can still give them initiative. damage, parry (if applicable) or dodge. The downside to dodging
The bandits simply fail to react fast enough or make a noise or is you forfeit your next attack.
stumble out of their blind, essentially spoiling their ambush. Since When these two are done, the G.M. turns to the next person in
both sides are going to be reacting at the same time, despite the line for their combat move.
clumsy ambush attempt, have the player characters and the bandits The round robin combat sequence works great, because a)
roll initiative. everyone is engaged in combat, and b) when one character has de-
feated his foe and still has attacks left, he can direct his attacks at
Rifts® Combat Terms another enemy, probably one that a teammate is fighting or having
trouble with. Or he may engage a new threat or take other strategic
The Melee Round: This is a measurement of time. Each melee
action (plant a bomb, grab the treasure, access an enemy computer,
is 15 seconds. Most skirmish battles only last 1-6 melee rounds.
seize control of communications, etc.).
Attacks: Each character has a different number of attacks. This
Two or more characters teaming up to battle one enemy is a
is the number of actions that the character can take within that 15
common strategy in RPGs, especially if that one foe is especially
second window. So if the character has four attacks, it means in
powerful. This means player characters can use tag-team tactics,
that 15 second melee round, he can do four actions. These actions
assist their teammates, and do other things in a very, real life com-
are further defined below.
bat simulation. When a buddy runs out of attacks that round, a
Initiative: To determine who acts first in combat, you roll ini-
teammate may be able to step in to battle his opponent and help
tiative.
him out. Of course, that may mean his own opponent has a chance
Each player rolls a D20 for initiative for their character and
to make good an escape or attack someone else, or pursue him and
adds any initiative bonuses. The highest roll acts first and then the
press the attack while he is distracted.
second highest, and then third, and so on, until everyone has done
The next melee round starts when all the characters – players
their first action. Then you start over again, at the top, until every-
and NPCs – have used up all their attacks. Rolling initiative this
one has used all of their actions in the melee round. Note: Carl
next round is NOT necessary, because it is a continuation of the
plays that any ties between player characters and enemy NPCs