GURPS Combat Notes 1: Basics of Maneuvers, Attack, Defense, Injury, and Grappling

Disclaimer. This is a rather simple flow chart. Can you imagine if I added the critical hit, miss, and defense critical success operators?! Ok this should be kinda enough for newbies and a bit more. You can simplify it a bit more. I will make it available in my gurps teaching folder but note I'm a libreoffice guy.

Step 1 Choose a Maneuver

B324 (Characters), B363 (Campaigns)

1. Do Nothing
2. "Mental Maneuvers"
1. Concentrate
2. Aim
3. Evaluate
4. Wait
3. Movement Maneuvers
1. Move
2. Change Posture
3. Ready
4. All out Defense
5. Attack Maneuvers
1. Feint
2. Attack
3. Committed Attack (MA
4. Defensive Attack (MA
5. Move-and-Attack
6. All-out-Attack

Step 3: Choose an Attack Options

B369

Typically techniques improve a character's ability to execute an attack option. While there may not be a technique for every attack option, every technique is an attack option.

1. Hit Location (aka Called Shot; B369)
2. Target Chinks in the Armor (B400)
3. Strike at Weapons (B400)
4. Deceptive Attack (B369)
5. Dual Weapon Attack (B417)***
6. Disarming (B400)
7. Rapid Strike (B369)
8. Slam (B371)
9. Shove (B372)
10. Unarmed Attack Options (B370; B400)
11. Feint** (B365)
12. Horse Archery (B396)

**it becomes a combat option in Martial Arts, but its already a combat option in Basic Set under Feint and Attack, which can be broken down to Double Attack: Feint and Attack.

Roll and Shout - Feint as a Combat Option

***make it -5 instead of -4 and only against one target only if you dont have GURPS martial arts.

STEP 3.1 If Unarmed Choose the following Options.

1. Striking (B370)
1. Punch
2. Kick
2. Grab (B370)
3. Grapple (B370)

STEP 3.2 Grappling Attack Options

1. Takedown - (B370) force opponent to the ground (B371)
2. Pin - (B370) while on the ground, force an opponent to a weaker position.
3. Choke/Strangle - (B371) deal crushing damage
4. Choke Hold (B404)
5. Arm Lock (B403)
6. Neck Snap (B404)
7. Wrench Limb (B404)
8. Strike with other Limb (B371, Actions After being Grappled)
9. Non Attack Options:
1. Release Grip
2. Throw away Ready Weapon

STEP 3.3 Grappled Character's Option

1. Attack or All-out-Attack
2. Ready
3. Break Free

Melee Attacks

• B369
• Target Size Modifier (B19)
• Attacker’s Reach B402
• Scaling Weapons LTC2 p.21
• Footing (B387, B547)
• Combat at Different Levels - penalty to defenses for inferior position, bonus to defenses for suprior position, modifiers for hit location making some harder while others easier (B402)
• DR B46, B282
• Cover B407

Ranged Attacks

• B372
• DR B46, B282
• Speed and Range Penalties B550
• Aim and Weapon Accuracy
• Target Size Modifier B19
• Cover B407

Critical Hits and Misses

B381

Critical Hit - B556 (30% improvement in damage or effect)

Critical Defense -

Critical Misses - B556 ()

Unarmed Critical Miss - B557

STEP 4. Active Defense

1. Block (B374-375)
2. Dodge (B375-376)
3. Parry (B376-377)
4. Physical Resistance Rolls (B)

STEP 5 Defense Action Options

1. Retreat (for melee only) (B377)
2. Dodge and Drop (B378)
3. Cross Parry (MA121)

STEP 6 Injury

1. Check Hit Location (roll random hit location B552)
2. Roll Knockdown/Stunning B420
1. If taking damage > HP/2
2. if taking damage that can cause Shock on Head, Vitals or Groin.
3. Check effects of Hit Location
1. Hit location B398
2. Effects of Crippling B421
4. Shock penalty to DX and IQ B419
5. Check General Injury B419
1. < 1/3 HP remaining, 1/2 move and dodge
2. 0 HP, roll HT vs Unconsciousness
3. -1xHP Roll and every HP worth of damage, HT vs Unconsciousness and roll HT vs Death
6. Other Effects
1. Affliction (B428) ex. Moderate, Severe and Terrible Pain
2. Poisons (B437)
7. Optional Rules
1. Bleeding B420

STEP 7 Mark Off Fatigue

B426

STEP 8 Fright Checks

B360

• After the combat - if there is a grisly death (ex critical hits to the head or the character lost a limb) of close or strong relations, and there is a grisly death, or the loss of a limb roll Fright Check to see if there is Trauma and Mental Scarring (see fright check modifiers; fitting for gritty campaigns).
• Characters with Post Combat Shakes immediately make a roll after any lethal combat.

+Steve Hartline made this audio flowchart with Quizelet.