The Crossing of Cratered Ground

# Preview

* Maps are divided into hexagonal *Zones* which are 25 yards wide
* Going from one *Zone* to another is accomplished by taking a *Maneuver Action*
* Characters can have one of three *Speeds*: Fast, Normal, or Slow
* There are five types of *Maneuvers*: *Dash*, *Jog*, *Run*, *Prowl*, and *Sprint*
* *Dash*, *Jog*, *Run*, and *Prowl* allow a character to travel a set amount of *Zones* depending on *Speed*
* *Sprint* lets a character make an *Athletics Test* to attempt to travel further than a *Run* or with other benefits
* Reaching the limits of *Encumbrance* can reduce Speed
* *Zones* with difficult *Terrain* counts as more than one Zone, slowing movement through them
* *Sprinting* through challenging *Terrain* or suffering a Disaster on an *Athletics Test* requires a *Tripping Test*

# Zones

The battlefield is divided up into a hex grid, with each hexagon referred to as a Zone. The Zone that a character is located within is referred to as his “current Zone.” A Zone that is located immediately next to his current Zone is referred to as an "adjacent Zone."

Each Zone has a width (i.e. the minimal diameter from the center of one side to the opposite) of 25 yards. Another way to describe this is to say that moving from the center of one Zone to the center of an adjacent Zone covers 25 yards. Multiple characters can fit within a single Zone without issue.

Movement is done one Zone at a time, going from the character’s current Zone to an adjacent Zone. Even if a movement allows going more than one Zone, it must take into account all Zones being traveled through, outside of the rare instance of flying characters.

### Half Zones

Two Move distances of ½ across two successive Turns can combine together to travel 1 full Zone. Keep track of partial movement by moving the character's token toward the edge of the Zone being moved into. The destination cannot be altered between Turns, though the movement can be canceled halfway through, returning the character to the center of the starting Zone as if no movement had been attempted.

# Speed

Characters are divided into three separate Speeds: Fast, Normal, or Slow. Speed determines the default number of **Zones** a character can cover with **Maneuvers**.

There are several things that can lower Speed by one category each:

* Being Down
* Certain injuries (those with the Ambulatory Complication)
* Being **overloaded** with too much weight
* Moving through **Treacherous Terrain**

Suffering enough penalties to lower Speed below Slow results in the character becoming Immobilized and unable to move without assistance.

### Normal Speed

Most characters move at Normal Speed by default.

### Fast Speed

Fast characters can move at twice the speed of Normal characters.

Some Races, forms, or modes of transportation can cover more distance than others, and as such are grouped together as Fast characters. These include:

* Night Ravens in flight
* Dragon Daughters
* Half-Horses
* Wolfen in Wolf Form
* Burrowers using Stone Walk

### Slow Speed

Slow characters can only cover half the distance of Normal characters within the same amount of time.

The only Race that moves at Slow Speed by default is the Burrowers, whose small size renders their movements slower when not using their magical abilities to travel faster through rock.

# Maneuvers

There are five Maneuvers which allow a character to go from one Zone to another:

## Charge

A character rushing toward a foe to strike has increased momentum with which to successfully deliver the blow. Both Dash and Jog let the character to Charge for an immediate follow-up Close Attack with a Melee Weapon.

When the character is Charging, he may add the Fierce Advantage as a free Advantage to the Attack.

## Sprint

If a character wishes to move further, faster than a regular Move Maneuver allows, he can spend all 3 Actions on a Dash Maneuver. This represents sprinting, galloping, or otherwise rushing to cover more distance. Taking a Dash Maneuver requires making an Athletics Skill Test, and usually requires spending a point of Breath to do so.

### Athletics Test

As with all Standard Tests, the initial Difficulty for the Athletics Test when taking a Dash Maneuver is 4.

**Double all Zones** traveled for **Fast** characters. **Halve all Zones** traveled for **Slow** characters.

**Fitness (Athletics) Test results:**

* **Victory**: Travel 4 Zones at the cost of 1 Breath, modified by spending Victory Points:
	+ ✠ (1 VP, repeatable): Travel 1 additional Zone
	+ ✠ (1 VP): Avoid expending any Breath
	+ ✠ (1 VP): Go Down at the end of the Dash Maneuver
	+ ✠✠ (2 VPs): Dash evasively, upgrading the usual +2 Difficulty Penalty for attacking a Dashing target to a +4 Difficulty Penalty against enemies attempting to attack during the Dash (in case of Ambush Attacks)
	+ ✠✠ (2 VPs): Take a free Cover or Conceal Action at the end of the Dash Maneuver
	+ ✠✠✠ (3 VPs): Gain 1 free Action after finishing the Dash Maneuver
* **Success**: Travel 4 Zones at the cost of 1 Breath
* **Dilemma**: Choose one:
	1. Travel 4 Zones at the cost of 2 Breath
	2. Travel 3 Zones at the cost of 1 Breath

* **Failure**: Choose one:
	1. Travel 3 Zones at the cost of 2 Breath
	2. Travel 2 Zones at the cost of 1 Breath
* **Disaster**: Travel 0 Zones and make a **Tripping Test** to attempt to avoid injury

The basic results are presented in the following table for quick access:

# Impediments

There are several circumstances which can slow a character down: Wounds, Encumbrance, and difficult Terrain.

## Injury

Wounds that inflict the Ambulatory Complication can reduce a character's speed by one step if severe enough.

## Encumbrance

If a character is carrying too much weight compared to his strength, he will be impeded by the load he bears. There are four levels of movement Penalties applied by Encumbrance:

1. **Burdened**: Character is within 40-60% of Carrying Capacity.
	* Suffer a +2 Difficulty Penalty on all Fitness (Athletics) Tests and Coordination (Gymnastics and Reflexes) Tests.
2. **Overburdened**: Character is within 60-80% of Carrying Capacity.
	* Lower the character's speed by one step, and suffer a +2 Difficulty Penalty on all Fitness (Athletics) Tests and Coordination (Gymnastics and Reflexes) Tests.
3. **Crushed**: Character is carrying between 80%-100% of Carrying Capacity.
	* Lower the character's Speed by two steps, and suffer a +4 Difficulty Penalty on all Fitness (Athletics) Tests and Coordination (Gymnastics and Reflexes) Tests.
4. **Immobilized**: Character is trying to carry more than his Carrying Capacity, and he cannot.
	* He is unable to move until he lightens his load.

## Terrain

Unless the method of travel avoids difficult ground (such as flying over or tunneling under), unfavorable terrain can make traveling difficult. Rough and Challenging Terrain both halve the movement speed of any character passing through them, while Treacherous Terrain reduces speed to a third. This is accomplished by counting each Zone with these levels of Terrain as if they were two Zones (three Zones for Treacherous) for the purposes of determining how many Actions are required to get through them.

If a Zone does not have some level of difficult Terrain, it is an Easy Terrain Zone and acts as normal.

Keep in mind that characters can split movement up across multiple Rounds if they are unable to complete a move in one Round.

1. **Rough**: muddy ground, shallow (less than one foot deep) water, thick brush or tight trees, rocky/broken ground.
	* Moving **into** a Zone with Rough Terrain counts as traveling 2 Zones.
2. **Challenging**: going uphill, flying upward to gain altitude, restrictive features (including barbed wire), barriers (such as hurdles or fences), deep (between one and three feet deep) water, two or more Rough Terrain features combined.
	* Moving **into and/or out of** a Zone with Challenging Terrain counts as traveling 2 Zones.
	* Characters attempting to take a Sprint Maneuver **into and/or out of** an area of Challenging Terrain must make **Tripping Test** **before** the **Athletics Test**
3. **Treacherous**: cliffsides, full (three or more feet deep) water, one Rough and one Challenging Terrain feature combined, or two Challenging Terrain features combined.
	* Moving **into and/or out of** a Zone with Challenging Terrain counts as traveling 2 Zones **and** Speed is lowered by one category.
	* Characters attempting to take a Sprint Maneuver **into and/or out of** an area of Treacherous Terrain must make a **Tripping Test** with a Moderate Penalty (+2 Difficulty) before the **Athletics Test**

# Tripping Test

Any time a character rolls a Disaster on an Athletics Test or attempts to Dash through Challenging or Treacherous Terrain, that character must make a Tripping Test to avoid a fall and potential injury. Rolling a Disaster on an Athletics Test through Challenging/Treacherous Terrain **does** require two separate Tripping Tests due to the increased chances of harm.

### Gymnastics Test

As with all Standard Tests, the initial Difficulty for the Gymnastics Test when making a Tripping Test is 4. Dashing through Treacherous Terrain adds a Moderate Penalty (+2 Difficulty) to this Test.

Coordination (Gymnastics) Test results:

* **Victory**: Successfully avoid tripping
	+ ✠✠ (2 VPs, repeatable): Gain a Minor Bonus (-1 Difficulty) on the immediate next Athletics Test
	+ ✠ (1 VP, repeatable): Gain a Minor Bonus (-1 Difficulty) on the immediate next Tripping Test
* **Success**: Successfully avoid tripping
* **Dilemma**: Choose one:
	1. Successfully avoid tripping but expend 1 Breath doing so
	2. Suffer a Tripping Injury of Lethality 3

* **Failure**: Suffer a Tripping Injury of Lethality 4
* **Disaster**: Suffer a Tripping Injury of Lethality 6

### Tripping Injury

A Tripping Injury is treated as a normal successful Attack and has the following stats:

* Hit Location: Roll 2d20 and take the lowest result
* Lethality: Determined by the result of the Tripping Test. Treacherous Terrain adds +1 Lethality
* Damage Type: determined by the Gamemaster (most often Impact, but thorny brush might be slashing and sharp rocks might be Puncture)
* Power: 0
* Piercing: 0

# Movement Examples

Two characters, Alfred and Charlotte, are attempting to make it into a dense forest with thick underbrush. Alfred is moving toward point B and Charlotte is going toward point D.

The dark green Zones are dense foliage, which is Rough Terrain and as such counts as 2 Zones to travel through.

When it comes to Encumbrance, Alfred is not carrying a heavy load, but Charlotte is Overburdened.

## Move Maneuvers

### Alfred

Traveling through an Easy Terrain Zone and then a Rough Terrain Zone counts as 3 Zones total, so Alfred can travel the distance with 3 Move Maneuvers. He can spend a full Turn to get into cover without needing to Dash.

### Charlotte

Charlotte is Overburdened, which lowers her Speed by one step, from Normal to Slow. Since one Easy Terrain Zone and one Rough Terrain Zone count as 3 total Zones that need to be moved through, Charlotte would require two full Turns to make it into the brush.

1. The first Turn, she would spend all 3 Actions on Move Maneuvers and travel forward 1.5 Zones. This means she can use the 1 Zone traveled to get to the grassy Zone in front of her, and put aside the leftover 0.5 Zones of movement for her next Turn.
2. The second Turn, she could spend another 3 Actions and add an additional 1.5 to the leftover 0.5 for a total of 2 Zones traveled, exactly what she needs to make it into the Rough Terrain of the forest.

## Dash Maneuvers

### Alfred

Alfred can attempt to travel the distance with some benefits if he does well on a Dash Maneuver. Since Alfred isn't suffering from Encumbrance, he doesn't have any Penalties on his Athletics Test.

Alfred makes his Athletics Test without any Penalties. If he gets a few Victory Points, he could make his running more defensive and thus be harder to hit by any snipers who might have a bead on him, or he could decide to dive to cover within the woods once he gets there. If he does spectacularly well and receives 3 Victory Points, he might even complete the Dash with 1 free Action to spare.

### Charlotte

Charlotte can possibly make it to the trees in a single Round if she succeeds on a Dash Maneuver into the woods.

Since she is Overburdened, she suffers a +2 Difficulty Penalty on Athletics Tests. In order to earn enough Victory Points to travel the 3 total Zones that an Easy Terrain Zone and a Rough Terrain Zone count as, Charlotte would need to score 2 Victory Points. This means she needs 10 Advances on her Athletics Test! The 2 Victory Points would let her add 0.5 to her Zones traveled, twice, resulting in 3 Zones traveled in one Turn.