Run & Gun

Run & Gun is a game of fast paced combat, meant to simulate the wonderful and violent world of video games. Free of the digital realm and set loose on the table top, players and GMs are able to have a unique play experience while maintaining the fast paced feel.

The first setting for Run & Gun is the Metal Slug Setting. The core mechanic was inspired by Squash Monster's Metal Slug System.

Character Creation and Basics

Characters have the following traits:

• Gunner die (Gd): This die is added to the attack die when using a gun of any sort. For simplicity sake, any non-melee weapon. This includes thrown weapons. The Gd is also used when providing cover fire.
• Beater die (Bd): This die is added to the attack die when using any melee weapon.
• Dodge: This number is subtracted from the attack roll of any enemy trying to attack you, for ranged or melee. Also used when taking a hit for an ally.
• Drive: This number is subtracted from the attack roll of any enemy trying to attack you while you are controlling a moving vehicle, ranged or melee. Also used when taking a hit for an ally.
• Hit Points (HP): Represents your ability to take damage, handle fatigue and even luck. Decreases as you are successfully attacked, and you are dying upon reaching 0.
• Battle Points (BP): You are a step above the average person, the gods of the battlefield favor you. Using a BP can allow you to reroll attack or payload on an attack, or let you roll on a Fate table.
• Friend Points (FP): You value your comrades in arms, and aid them with your actions, words and attitude. You can add FP to any roll you make to take a hit or provide cover fire for an ally (but only allies, not protected targets). You may spend a FP to give an ally a +1 to any roll. You may also use it to inspire a friend on in the face of death, represented by healing 1d10x10 of your ally’s hit points. You may only aid an ally with an FP once per turn, but you may aid as many allies each turn as you have FP.
• Talent points: Talents add various bonuses and represent training and experience. Each cost talent points. Talent points are gained after a completed mission, and your number of talent points spent on talents represents your rank.
• Rank: Equal to the number of talent points you have spent on talents. Every 15 talent points spent increases your level, which gives you more HP, BP, FP and allows you to select higher level talents.
• Level: Represent how skilled you've become at the art of war and surviving. Labeled fodder, rookie, soldier, veteran, super soldier and legend, these normally act as a quick way to judge the powerscale of your game. Some games will start the PCs as rookies, others higher. Fodder should be reserved for rank and file no name troops, or noncombatants.

Characters start with the following stats:

Gd: d4
Bd: d4
Dodge: 0
Drive: 0
HP: 1 (fodder), 20 (rookie), 40 (soldier), 60 (veteran), 80 (super soldier), 100 (legend)
BP: 0 (fodder), 1 (rookie), 2 (soldier), 4 (veteran), 7 (super soldier), 13 (legend)
FP: 0 (fodder), 1 (rookie), 2 (soldier), 4 (veteran), 7 (super soldier), 13 (legend)
Talent points: 1 (fodder), 15 (rookie), 30 (soldier), 45 (veteran), 60 (super soldier), 75 (legend)
Rank: Equal to talent points spent.

Most settings will assign a few starting talents and equipment.

Talents

While most talents are general, some settings will add specific talents or restrict or remove others. Check your setting or GM before choosing your talents. Unless noted, a talent cost 1 talent point.

• Accurate strike: Ignore 3 points of armor on your target, per rank.
• Ammo fiend: One rank gains you +25% ammo to any gun or ammo you find. A second rank gives you +50%
• Beater Die upgrade: Each time taken moves Bd up on type: d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20
• Bodyguard: Remove 1 payload die per rank from the payload die total you divert from your target when you take the hit.
• Close fighter: You keep your full Dodge score when avoiding a melee attack.
• Combo Killer: Each target you kill this round gives you a bonus +1 payload die next round, max +5 with first rank, max +10 for second rank.
• Dodge upgrade: Add +1 to your dodge score.
• Drive upgrade: Add +1 to your drive score.
• Fated: When you roll on a Fate table, you may modify the result by 1 for each rank.
• Fearless Charger: You no longer half your dodge score when closing in at rank 1. At rank 2, you can close in 2 increments.
• Gatherer: When you roll on a Pick Up table, you may modify the result by 1 for each rank.
• Great Dodger: Add a dodge die to you Dodge score. Each rank moves the die type up: d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12.
• Great Driver: Add a dodge die to you drive score. Each rank moves the die type up: d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12. Only usable in vehicles that have the Super Mobile or Ultra Mobile traits.
• Gunner Die upgrade: Each time taken moves Gd up on type: d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20
• Hardy: Natural toughness and unyielding nature that acts as armor. Each rank gives you +5 armor.
• Immortal: You have survived too many battles, and the story of your valor has made you a legend. If you meet a violent end, no matter how graphic and assured, you may return at some point allowed by your GM (at least by next session). You don’t have to return immediately, or at all, but it’s an option. Your character can not die permanently unless you want them to.
• More Hitpoints: Each rank gives +20 HP to your total.
• Spray Master: Each rank allows you to hit one more target with your attack when using a weapon that has the Rapid (R) quality.
• Tactical Mover: Enemies don’t get free attacks at you when you are retreating. At rank 2, you can share this ability with one ally or protected target, if you are both retreating.
• True friend: Adds +1 to your FP total, max +5. This is in addition to the FP you gain at the named ranks.
• Vehicle Lover: Add +2 armor per rank to any vehicle you drive.
• Vehicle Maintainer: Add +20 total hp per rank to any vehicle you drive.
• Vicious Striker: In melee or close range, you ignore 1 point of armor per rank.
• Weapon Lover (specific weapon type): Add a +1 to attack roll with any weapon in the type you chose.

The Rules

Determine Battlefield: When combat starts, range, terrain and configuration must be determined for all sides. Foes will be grouped into Combat Groups by the GM. PCs may form battle groups, be set apart, or a combination of both. Distance for most standard encounters is medium, or determined by the GM. Terrain is either determined by the GM or a random terrain table, with each Combat Group rolling for a random result.

Determine Dodge: If you have a dodge die, roll it now, and add it to your dodge score. This is your dodge until the start of the next round, when you will roll again.

Turn order: Foes at closer ranges handle combat first. That is, all intimate combat is handled, than close, than medium, and finally long. Enemies in the same range act in order of highest rank. Ties happen simultaneously.

Actions:In you turn you may make one move, one attack and use free actions.

Movement: You may close in or retreat to alter the encounter distance with one combat group per turn.

• Close In: If you close in, you half your dodge or drive score (rounding down), which ever is appropriate, until the end of your next turn.
• Retreating: When you retreat, one random member of the enemy combat group can take a free attack at you, at the range you started your turn at.

When dealing with two or more encounter groups, you can only be at intimate or close range with one group, and medium or long range with any number. If you charge into close or intimate range with one combat group, while in intimate or close range with a different group, you count as retreating from the second group. Alternatively, you may use a battlefield chart.

Attacking: When you attack, you roll your Gd or Bd (whichever is appropriate) and add it to your attack die for your weapon. You then subtract your target’s dodge result (their score + dodge die, if they have one). This is how many hits you get in, and you roll that many payload dice to determine damage. You subtract the target’s armor from this, and that much damage is dealt to your target’s hp.

Special Actions

• Taking Cover: By taking no other action (no attacking and no movement) for the turn, you may dive for cover as per the normal Metal Slug System rules. Cover is default a +2 bonus to your dodge result until the start of your next turn, when you may chose to stay in cover or act normally. The GM may allow for a higher cover bonus for fortified cover (like from behind a window or other sturdy structure) up to a +5 bonus to your dodge result. The GM also has the right to lower it for soft cover (such as some bushes) or declare there is no cover in an open area (like the middle of a football field or on a desert plain).
  Talents may add to your cover bonus. A shield always allows you to use it for cover, and its cover bonus is listed in the shield’s stats. Range effects cover’s effectiveness. At medium and long range, cover gives it’s full bonus. At close range, it gives half its bonus. Cover is worthless at intimate range, and offers no bonus.
• Take the hit: Used to take some of the fire directed at an ally other target you intend to protect. Roll your dodge normally, and take that many payload dice meant for your intended target.
• Cover fire: Forgo your attack, add your Gd to an ally’s dodge against all foes til start of your next turn.
• Concentrated fire: Allies can concentrate their fire on one target. All attack dice are rolled normally, as well as all payload dice save the final. Both final payload rolls are made at the same time, and all damage added together to act as a single attack.

Pick ups Rolling on a pick up table represents finding weapons or other gear in the heat of battle or after. By not moving, you may pick up any gear near you. Gear can appear in the following ways:

• Defeating a Combat Group: When you defeat a combat group, you can roll on a Pick Up table, determined by your GM.
• Search: By forgoing your attack for the round, you may roll on a Pick Up table allowed by your GM.
• Spend a BP: Using a battle point allows you to stumble on a bit of gear from a randomly determined table.

Alternately your GM may hand out pick ups they chose before hand. This works best in games where the weapons and equipment used by foes is just as desirable as the ones normally given to the PCs.

Weapons

Type: All weapons fall under Melee (small, medium and large), Handgun (small), Long arm (medium), Heavy (large), Thrown (small, medium and large) or Crazy (very specific weapons. Small, medium and large). Certain talents must have a weapon type specified, and bonuses from that talent only apply to weapons in that category (except Crazy weapons, where the specific weapon must be specified).

Size: All weapons have a size, which effects how easy they are to wield in combat. All small weapons and medium melee weapons are very easy to use, no penalties. Medium, non-melee, weapons and large melee weapons are slightly awkward to bring to bear against close foes, suffering a -2 to the attack result at intimate range. Large, non-melee, weapons are very difficult to attempt to use against close foes, suffering a -5 to the attack result in intimate range. Also, large weapons suffer a further -2 to the attack result if used in the same turn that you took a move action.

Range: Represents how deep in the action you have to be to use the weapon. Ranges are Intimate (melee), Close (1-2 meters, just outside of Intimate), Medium (less than 50 meters), and Long (Sniper distance). For gaming purposes this is all left very abstract.

Ammo: Ammo is expressed not by shells, charges or rounds, but by how many rounds you can use the weapon at normal efficiency. After this many rounds of use, the weapon is empty, unless more ammo is found.

Attack Qualities
Weapons have different qualities that can effect how they attack. These are listed next to the attack die for the weapon.

• Indirect (I): Cover only adds half (rounded down) it’s normal bonus to the target’s dodge. (2 pts)
• Homing (H): Must be at close, medium or long range to gain the benefits of the quality. Target’s Dodge counts as half against this attack. (10 pts)
• Melee (M): Must be in Intimate range to gain the benefits of this quality. Target’s Dodge counts as half against this attack. (5 pts)
• Rapid (R): You can attack 2 targets in the same combat group. You roll one attack, and each target dodges and takes damage based on that result. If targets have the same dodge result, it is acceptable to roll damage once for them. If they have different dodge results, it is normally best to simply roll damage for each target. (5 pts)
• Surprise(!): Enemy does not get their dodge die, if any, against this attack when first used in a fight. After that use, they still suffer a -1 to the result of their dodge against this weapon. (5 pts)

Payload
Weapons have different qualities that can effect how they deal damage. These are listed next to the payload die for the weapon.

• Armor piercing (A): Armor counts as half against this attack. (2 pts)
• Large Blast (L): A large blast hits up to 5 targets in up to two combat groups in intimate range with each other. You may pick which 5, if there are more targets in the combat groups targeted. (8 pts)
• Delay (D): In round the attack is made, do not roll final payload. Instead set aside those dice. Anytime during the next round, you can roll those dice to deal the damage. This can be used in concentrated fire. (8 pts)
• Fire (F): At the start of the round after this attack does damage, roll half the number of damage dice (rounding down) against the target again. Roll half that number the next round, for as many rounds as it takes to reach 0 dice. A target set on fire in this way may forgo their actions for this turn to put out the fire. An ally may also forgo their attack to put out the fire, if they are in the same combat group. (4 pts)
• Tight Blast (T): A focused blast hits up to 3 targets in the same combat group. You may pick which 3, if there are more targets in the combat group. (4 pts)

Weapon Creation

All the basic tables needed for weapon creation.

The formula for creating weapons is as follows:

[(attack die size) x 5] + [(payload die size) x 2] + size cost + range cost + ammo cost + weapon quality cost = total weapon cost

Range cost

• Intimate = 0 pts
• Close = 2 pts
• Medium = 4 pts
• Long = 8 pts

Ammo cost

• 1 = 0 pts
• 4 = 1 pt
• 8 = 2 pts
• 12 = 3 pts
• Infinite = 5 pts (the current table is a typo)

Size cost
Note here that Crazy weapons have a different cost than other weapons of the same size.

• L. Crazy = 0
• Large = 1
• M. Crazy = 1
• Medium = 2
• S. Crazy = 2
• Small = 4

Vehicles

Mobility
Shows how well you can get a vehicle through fire without it just plain taking hits.

• None: It’s stationary. Someone shots at it, they just get the maximum result on their attack die each time.
• Crappy: It’s like your first car. It goes from A to B, on a good day. It is also for large or unwieldy vehicles that kinda move, but also are built to take a lot of hits. The driver can only add half their drive skill, except when using the vehicle to take a hit.
• Mobile: Normal combat ready vehicle. Driver uses full drive skill.
• Very Mobile: It handles like your dream car. Use your full drive skill.
• Super Mobile: Slug class vehicles, able to react with amazing speed to threats. Driver gains +1 to drive.
• Ultra Mobile: Next to human level of movement. While beyond the tech level of Earth, anything is possible in the future or from advanced alien races. Driver gains +2 to drive.

Bulk
Represents the size and an unwieldiness of the vehicle.

• Form fitting: It's the next best thing to a second skin. You add your dodge score and dodge die instead of your drive score and drive die. These normally share many attributes with their user.
• Tiny: A small vehicle, like a bike or go-kart. You may substitute your dodge die for your drive die, if you prefer.
• Compact: Like a tiny car.
• Medium: From basic sedan to minivan
• Large: Standard modern-day tank or large bus. -2 to drive result.
• Massive: Like a small house. -5 to drive result.
• Super Massive: Like several houses taped together. Super massive vehicles MUST have different sections that count as separate targets and combat groups. If structure has actual appendages, then those can range in size. All sections will be statted as different vehicles, though they remain a part of the whole. A central structure may exist that will result in total vehicle failure if destroyed, while others will have to have several or all sections destroyed before it finally fails.

Survivability
While the vehicle's survivability is determined by it's hit points, any passenger's or crew's ability to escape it's wreckage is determined by one of the following listings.

• Deathtrap: Why did you even get in this thing? Nothing short of using a BP or an ally using a FP AND the user of said point forgoing their next attack will allow you to escape from a horrible death with in this thing.
• Stable: Any damage dealt beyond the vehicle's are dealt to the crew, no dodge allowed. After that, they may spend their next move crawling from the wreckage, but until they make another move to be fully free, they have no dodge score (though the GM may allow them to use the wreckage as cover).
• Quick Escape: Getting in and out is easy as pie. Vehicle hits 0 hp, declare you are leaving it, and you leave it. That was simple.

Flying

When flying characters or vehicles attack targets on the ground, they have 2 options. The first is attacking the target from “safe” distance, usually long range, from high in the air. This puts the attacker in less harm, but it must have long range weapons to effectively do this. The second option is entering medium range to deliver a strafe or even a ram. This tends to be more effective (at least for most things you are likely to encounter in Run & Gun) and satisfying. Some vehicles also only have medium range weapons, and are forced to put themselves in harms way to be effective. For flying targets fighting other flying targets, combat runs basically as it does on land, though all terrain is considered open (though it may be obscured by clouds or darkness).

Strafing To do a strafe allows the flyer to dive into Intimate, close or medium range with its target and deliver an attack. Each flyer has a minimum amount of time it must spend in this range to deliver a strafe, referred to as it’s Strafe Length. The flyer must spend the entire number of rounds in medium or closer range to it target to attack. Listed next are Strike rounds, the round(s) during the Strafe that the attack happens. The flyer must be within weapon range on it’s Strike rounds to attack. Flyers can close 2 increments, and may automatically retreat to long range after the last turn of it’s Strafe Length.

For example, a winged demon with Strafe Length 3 and Strike round 2 wants to slice it’s target with it’s claws. It enters medium range in the first of it’s Strafe rounds, enters intimate range and attacks in it’s second, and spends a round retreating to medium range before it can retreat to the sky.

Hovering Some flyers have Hover Length instead of Strafe Length. This is the minimum number of turn’s strafe lasts. The first Strike round is then listed and followed by a descriptor of how often after another attack can be made. “Every” means after the initial attack, the flyer may attack every round. “Every Other” means that after the initial attack, the flyer may attack two rounds after, two rounds after that, etc.

Dropping Parachutes and drop pods are made for one purpose: dropping soldiers and equipment from the sky to the ground. Every means of doing this has a Drop Speed. Drop Speed shows how many rounds something that is dropped sits in medium range above the battle before hitting the ground. A parachute may have a Drop Speed of 2, meaning for 2 rounds it's user is at medium range to all in the combat area, and on the 3rd round they are on the ground, at intimate, close or medium range to any CGs in the area. A drop pod fall directly to the earth with no slowing, having a Drop Speed of 0. Thus, it immediately descends from long range to the ground, no time spent hanging above at medium range.

Links

• Metal Slug System: The system that inspired the creation of R&G
• Metal Slug Setting: The first setting made for R&G

[[Category:Homebrew Rules]