BBS Actions

# Focus, Actions, and Reactions

> *See **Combat Structure** to learn about Turns and Rounds*
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Everything a Fleet Maiden can do is either an **Action** (if proactive) or a **Reaction** (if in response to something else). In order to take an Action or Reaction, the Fleet Maiden must spend one or more of the 3 **Focus** she has per Round in combat.

## Focus

The ability of a Fleet Maiden to perform an Action or Reaction is referred to as **Focus**. Focus is a combination of the time required to physically carry out the activity as well as the necessary mental concentration to effectively perform the task.

As a general rule, Fleet Maidens have **3 Focus per Combat Round**. Most Actions and Reactions cost 1 Focus, but some require more or present the option to spend more Focus to increase their effects.

## Actions

Actions are taken on the character's side's Turn, in whatever order. As long as it is her Turn, a Fleet Maiden can spend her Focus to take any Actions she wishes, either alternating with her sisters or going all at once.

There are 8 Actions that a Fleet Maiden can take:

* **Maneuver**: Move to a new location
* **Attack**: Attempt to destroy an enemy
* **Prepare**: Anything needed to get back into fighting order
* **Observe**: Analyze the engagement area to assess the situation
* **Watch**: Keep an eye out for enemies to **Ambush**
* **Guard**: Look out for threats that require a **Defense**
* **Support**: Assist or protect a teammate
* **Undermine**: Impair or imperil an enemy

Each Action taken is resolved in the order it is declared, so if a player announces that his character is going to spend all 3 Focus on a **Maneuver** Action before anyone else has declared anything, they cannot retroactively announce that they are taking **Watch** Actions after the enemy starts taking **Ambush** Reactions against the moving player.

Work together, or die alone.

## Reactions

Reactions are taken in response to something an enemy does.

There are 2 Reactions:

* **Ambush**: Interrupting enemies with an Attack
* **Defense**: Protecting oneself from an enemy Attack

Reactions are responsive in nature, so they are always taken when an enemy declares an Action. There are three methods to take a Reaction:

#### 1. Taking a Guard or Watch Action to gain a Reaction

A character can gain a Defense or Ambush Reaction that can be used before the start of his next Turn by spending 1 Focus on a **Guard** or **Watch** Action, respectively.

Only one Reaction can be gained this way ahead of time, so **either** a single Guard **or** a single Watch Action can be taken during a character's Turn.

#### 2. Steal 1 Focus from next Round

If, during the enemy's Turn, a character needs to make a Reaction but he does not have one set aside through a Guard or Watch Action, he can steal 1 Focus from his next Turn to make an immediate Reaction.

This means he will have only 2 Focus on his next Turn. On any given Round, only one Focus can be stolen from the next Turn in this way.

#### 3. Abandoning an Action

If taking an Action invokes an enemy Ambush Reaction, the character can cancel his original Action in order to make an immediate Defense Reaction. Abandoning the Action in this way completely nullifies any effects of that original Action, including any associated costs such as Breath or Ammo.

This is the **only** way to gain a Defense if an Action triggers an enemy Ambush.

# Actions

The following are all Actions that can be taken on the character's Turn on his own initiative.

## Maneuver

Spend Focus to relocate to a different Zone. Only 1 Maneuver can be taken per Turn. See the Movement page for more information on Maneuvers.

## Attack

Spend 1 Focus to make an Attack, attempting to injure or kill an opponent. This Attack can be a basic Attack with no Priorities or Drawbacks, or you can add 1 Priority at the cost of 1 Drawback to specialize the Attack.

Spend 1 or 2 additional Focus on the Attack to add an equal number of Priorities to the Attack, as demonstrated in the table below:

 Deliberate Attack
 Concerted Attack

Note that Attacks are limited to 2 Priorities, so a Concerted Attack only has one option. See the **Attack** rules to learn more about how Attacks work.

## Prepare

Prepare covers a variety of tasks, basically any supplementary activity done during a fight. This includes resupplying, reloading weapons that require it, refueling from a backup fuel supply, emergency repairs on the battlefield, activating or deploying a device, and anything else not covered by another Action.

Weapons or devices that require Prepare Actions will explicitly say so and state how many Focus must be spent on it.

## Watch

Spend 1 Focus to gain 1 **Ambush Reaction** that can be used any time before the start of your next Turn. You only gain the Ambush after the Watch Action has been completed, meaning if going on Watch triggers an enemy Ambush, you cannot counter-Ambush immediately.

This Ambush can be triggered by any Action an enemy takes, not limited to just Maneuvers. The specifics depend upon the type of weapon being wielded:

* **Ranged Weapon**: Specify a direction (a 60° arc), in which you Ambush enemies.
* **Melee Weapon**: You can Ambush any enemy within or passing through your current Zone.
* **Both** (such as a saber and a pistol): You can both specify a direction as well as guard your current Zone, and make whichever type of Ambush you prefer.

Only one Guard or Watch Action can be taken per Turn.

## Guard

Spend 1 Focus to gain 1 **Defense Reaction** that can be used in response to any enemy Action at any point before the start of your next Turn.

Only one Guard or Watch Action can be taken per Turn.

## Support

Make a Skill Test to attempt to improve ally’s effectiveness. Grants Bolstered or Protected.

## Undermine

Make a Skill Test to attempt to reduce an enemy’s effectiveness. Inflicts Hindered or Vulnerable.'

# Reactions

Reactions are a response to an enemy Action, either defensive or offensive in nature. See the rules for how to take a Reaction above.

## Defense

Defense Reactions are Skill Tests made in response to an enemy Attack, to attempt to avoid the danger. The intent to defend **must** be declared before the enemy makes the Attack Test, and cannot be used against Weapons with the Instant tag (such as a single sniper shot or other weapons that do not give any warning time to defend against).

When a character attempts to protect himself via a Defense Reaction, the player should describe his method of self-preservation and choose the most relevant Skill to match. Below are some descriptions for ways Skills can be used to defend, as well as some unique benefits to be gained from each Skill:

* **Coordination (Dexterity)**: Grab a Thrown Weapon with the Delay tag and toss it away, applying the Defense Test results to others within the Zone as well.
	+ Victory: ✠ (1 VP): Make an immediate and free Thrown Weapon Attack to throw the weapon back at the Attacker, with the Wild Drawback (-2 Advances). This Attack loses the Delay tag.
* **Coordination (Gymnastics)**: Dodge, jump, or roll out of the way to avoid danger. Results in going Down at the end of the Defense Reaction.
	+ Victory: ✠ (1 VP): Avoid going Down at the end of the Defense Reaction.
* **Coordination (Reflexes)**: Sidestep an Attack or move erratically to avoid it. Suffers a +2 Difficulty plight on the Defense Test.
	+ Success: Gain Evasive until your next Action, if you did not already have it.
* **Fitness (Assault)**: Block an enemy Attack with a Melee Weapon.
	+ Victory: ✠ (1 VP): Inflict Vulnerable on the attacking enemy until his next Action.
* **Fitness (Athletics)**: Flee a dangerous spot to escape an Attack by Weapons with the Burst and Delay tags. Fast characters enjoy a -2 Difficulty boon, while Slow characters suffer a +2 Difficulty plight.
	+ Success: Expend 1 Breath to travel to any adjacent Zone. This **does** count as a Maneuver for the purposes of granting enemies an **Ambush**.
	+ Victory: ✠ (1 VP): Travel to any adjacent Zone without expending Breath. This does count as a Maneuver for the purposes of granting enemies an Ambush.
* **Intuition (Awareness)**: Notice the sensation of menace a moment before the Attack. Awareness is the only Skill that can be used on a Defense Reaction against an Attack from a Concealed enemy or one using a weapon with the Instant tag. Suffers a +2 Difficulty plight on the Defense Test.

### Defense Test Results

Upon selecting the most relevant Skill, the player makes the Skill Test against a standard starting Difficulty of 4, and gains the following effects, plus any additional Success effects and the ability to spend Victory Points on the specific Skill's options (if any) as listed above.

* **Victory**: ✠ (1 VP, repeatable): Increase enemy's Attack Test Difficulty by an additional +1
* **Success**: Increase enemy's Attack Test Difficulty by +2
* **Dilemma**: Choose one:
	1. Increase enemy's Attack Test Difficulty by +2 at the cost of 1 Breath
	2. Increase enemy's Attack Test Difficulty by +1
* **Failure**: No effect
* **Disaster**: Give the enemy 1 free Advance on the Attack Test

## Ambush

An Ambush is an Attack made in response to an enemy Action. Ambushes act exactly like a normal **Attack Action** with 1 Focus spent on it, following all the same rules and limitations.

By default, an Ambush can only trigger based on an enemy **Maneuver**, though taking a **Watch Action** ahead of time can allow them to be used in response to any Action.