SM COMSYS Running the Clock

The Order of Battle
Some gamers know it as "Initiative," but the concept is the same: determine who performs what action in what order. Speculation, as a simulation, places less emphasis on a rote order as it does creating a timeline on which the action unfolds.

Ultimately, who goes in what order – and what happens at each step – is up to the players roleplaying the tactical decisions of the characters.

The COMSYS timeline runs on 100ths of seconds, about the same as the average stopwatch. This translates pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Here are some ratings expressed in terms of normal folk: With practice, the timeline compresses and extends depending on what people are doing.
 * ~50 Penalty: about half a second delay...
 * 100 Time: it takes a second.
 * Time of 1500: about 15 seconds to do that thing.
 * Seconds tick by while characters dash...
 * Tenths of seconds as characters aim...
 * Hundredths of seconds tick by bullets fly past...

When to Start the CLOCK
Starting the clock is an inexact science.

Technically, we recommend starting the clock when a character does something that affects another character. We're thinking of something direct and physical, but the interaction could be as subtle as simply moving position to gain a flanking tactical advantage.

In a context where there may be some extended non-violent interaction prior to action, there may be a chance for characters to make an assessment (a size-up) and possibly engage in psychological combat (trash talk/monologuing, etc). It's possible that enlightenment in the prelude could preclude any violence at all.
 * For details, check "A Prelude to Combat."

First Contact
When characters are in an environment where there are potential adversaries, they should likely have their guard up. Their situational awareness, and their response posture, should be appropriate to the context. So... All things being equal, the character with the higer CP (conglomerate Perception trait) earns Awareness first. Their advantage of initiative in the timeline is the difference between the higher and lower scores, each point of difference counting for one-half a second.
 * Who sees who first?

There are, of course, mods. Various internal and external distractions may otherwise blind a highly perceptive to something glaringly obvious – something you've likely experienced when searching for your car keys in a blind panic. Alternately, somebody that is in tactical mode is highly aware and may add their appropriate tactical skill to their CP. If they are not trained for the environment, they add half an alternate tactical skill.

Subsequent rounds of the same contact will result in subtracting only the NR from the time. If the fight is broken off (somebody flees), and then is resumed (they're found), all three factors come back into play.

Even when both parties are alert, environment may simply work against their awareness. Barring no noticable action from the first, if the second is in a state of combat awareness ("head on a swivel"), they'll notice the first (on average) using the following cumumlative values (given in hundredths of a second).

Surprise Party

 * It is quite possible that a character (or NPC) may not even realize that they are about to face an opponent because they do not know the opponent. In this case, the reacting party may not have an option until they realize that there is some action called for – which means playing catchup when the other guy may already have his gun out and taking shots.

Action and Reaction
Once characters have an awareness of the adversaries, the clock is ticking. The next question to the players is: what do they do?

Players should describe their response to the situation in action terms. They should lay out a basic strategy, a one-sentence description of what they plan to do, but then they need to specify the first action they physically commit to. Whatever the action happens to be, it can be classified into one of three categories: The Ref asks for actions from the players and sets up those actions on the timeline. If there are three players and they're about to fight one NPC, the Ref decides what the NPC will do. With four total participants, each with their own action, there should be four points on the timeline. The Ref will go through the points in sequential order, and resolve the results of the action before moving on to the next character.
 * Communicate
 * Move
 * Technical Action
 * Targeting is a sub-section of Technical Actions

It is possible that one character could perform multiple actions before another character performs any, depending on what that character has committed to. Actions may include turning around and walking the other way, drawing their weapon, using their cell phone to call in support – basically anything. Speculation gives Refs guidelines for commonly performed actions.

COMMUNICATION
Conflict often opens with communication, sometimes between adversaries, sometimes to allies.

Communicating is an act that requires a commitment, but can be done simultaneously with other actions, such as movement or certain technical tasks. Part of the commitment comes from the potential for alerting the adversary (if they don't already know), plus the possibility of sharing tactical intention to team mates ("Flank him!") or defusing the situation and avoiding combat altogether ("Police! You're under arrest!").

Verbal Communication
Average a second per short, shouted sentence. "Oh, it's you again. Welcome to my lair!" might clock in at a little over two seconds (Time: 215). Maybe even longer if they've got a flair for performance.

Device-assisted Communication
Communication through a device, including a radio or mobile phone, requires a technical action first: readying the device.

MOVEMENT
Combatants may move before, during or after targeting. There are various approaches to this and tactical consequences for every decision. Combatants may be looking to avoid or escape a confrontation, looking for a superior or flanking angle, looking to close distance for a better shot, to bring melee weapons to bear, or to physically apprehend a suspect.

Movement Rate
A player will share their initial strategy, and if it includes movement, that specific commitment. The commitment goes in discrete minimum blocs, with the minimum dependent on the movement type. The player can specify a conditional response, such as: only committing for as long as the perp is looking in the other direction. This also helps avoid getting bogged down in minutiae.

Multitasking
It is possible to walk and chew gum, though not always advisable. Agent Scully (above), could pull her cell phone as she's walking and attempt to hit the speed dial to the local Field Office for backup. She could also draw a firearm, pull handcuffs or a telescoping baton, or sip a mocha frappuccino (partially obscuring her face and helping her maintain cover).
 * See: Multitasking (under Technical Actions)
 * See: Targeting while moving -and- targeting moving targets

Aborting Movement
A combatant has the option to abort at a rate determined by the commitment level of the movement action. The more energy it takes to do, the harder it is to stop. Why is this important? It's a heckuva lot harder to target while moving.

TECHNICAL ACTIONS
Any non-targeting action during an active combat timeline is marked in the timeline by how long it takes. Combatants will not typically engage in DoD-level tasks during a firefight in which they are exposed.

Actions in the clear
Here are average times for common actions under minimal stress. Time is in hundredths of a second. These are basic actions (not DoD-worthy tasks), nor do they typically require any check for successful completion. There are exceptions of course (trying to kick down a reinforced door, for instance), but it's best to avoid DoD checks during combat unless the players are experienced.

Actions under fire
Any action that can be done in the clear can also be done under fire. Normally, this throws a wrench into the equation, taking longer to do a given task as the character's flinch response interferes with the task. As a guideline, under fire – double the time it takes to accomplish a given task.

Tactics Skill Note

 * Characters with any tactics skill may deduct their skill level from the time penalty of performing under fire. If the tactics is appropriate to environment, they may even go below what the original time duration was – it's a manifestation of practice under fire.

Multitasking
Multitasking is the imperfect art of walking and chewing gum. Or walking while reloading a weapon. It gets complicated but there are guidelines to help the ref.

NOTE: these refer to non-targeting actions only.

Drawing a Weapon
Removing a weapon from a holster is the last step prior to targeting. This vastly increases threat level, both to the potential target and any bystanders. Civilian bystanders, upon seeing a drawn or brandished weapon, are likely to react instinctively and surprisingly unintuitively, including running into the field of fire.

Targeting
In a ranged-combat scenario, a Ref will bounce between the timeline and the targeting tables for the D/DoD. A shot happens at a given point in the sequence, and that may change the possible actions of the target.

The Targeting itself also carries a time factor. More careful targeting takes more time. Again, determine who is doing what this round and use the appropriate targeting category based on rolepay: This chart assumes the weapon is already drawn; the default target is the chest/back of a reasonably humanoid shape. While the center mass may be what's targeted, that may not necessarily be what's hit.
 * Panic
 * Area
 * Directional
 * Accuracy
 * If somebody is a hotshot, they can utilize the optional specific targeting.

The charts below are the same charts on the targeting page. Here, the time is highlighted, there the PPY is highlighted.

Movement, Aggressor
As soon as a combatant targets, targeting is its own action and is considered that it takes 100% concentration. However, a combatant can move while she is targeting. This performs two actions simultaneously, but will adversely affect both of them. Add the time factor on top of the regular targeting factor, and add the PPY to the targeting PPY – before multiplying by the distance. The ranges indicate untrained versus trained attempts.

On the vehicle movement, the guidelines are:
 * Time Penalty: +1/mph difference between shooter and target.
 * PPY Penalty: +1/10 mph difference.
 * NOTE: off-road environs, evasive driving, potholes and dense urban cover will increase both factors significantly.

Targeting On The Move

 * Targeting while moving is an advanced technique. While anybody can pull a trigger while aiming and walking, it takes a scientific level of practice to train the body to compensate.
 * Most often, this falls in the realm of advanced professional shooters, such as SWAT and military Special Operations personnel.
 * More recently, civilians have found their way into the arcane art of moving tactics with groups such as the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) – which incorporates the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) – or the back-to-basics International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA).

Movement, Target
It's always harder to hit a moving target...

Automatic Fire and "Walking the Shots"

 * Defaulting toward faster gameplay, subsequent rounds on rapid semi-auto fire will be given the benefit of the doubt (both for and against players), giving all the rounds from one burst the same D/DoD.
 * To utilize Walking the Shots, check the COMSYS Targeting rules.

Concentration

 * A character may concentrate on making their shot. At the cost of spent time and sacrificed awareness, the player gains a bonus, lowering the PPY.
 * This option is only available when using accuracy or specific targeting.
 * Concentrating goes in blocs of 20 time points, up to a maximum of 200 time (2 seconds), after which a shooter under stress experiences the law of diminishing returns. The sacrifice returns 0.1 PPY per bloc (1.0 PPY total if 2 seconds are taken), after all other mods.
 * NOTE: In addition to losing time, concentration also sacrifices awareness. This results in a level of tunnel vision, a loss of environmental tracking.

Miscellaneous Other
Here's where all the other common murphys come to play. Add the PPY to the base targeting number (and any other applicable penalties or bonus).