From: rorice@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu (rosalyn rice)

Combat Rules 11 - Surprise and Initiative

SUPRISE
     When the players suprise a group of adversaries, or vice-versa, 
the party that is suprised may not be able to react immediately. In this 
case, the attackers should get one or more "free turns" of unopposed 
attacks. The GM is responsible for determining when the attackers have 
achieved suprise. Total suprise occurs when the suprised party had no 
reason to expect trouble whatsoever, or were totally unprepared for 
combat. Partial suprise occurs when a party that is more or less 
expecting trouble is ambushed in some way. 
     A series of successful Tactics, Camoflague and/or Stealth rolls 
will be required to get into a position for a suprise attack. 
     Combat Reflexes: A character with Combat Reflexes is rarely 
suprised. He will never "freeze". His side gets +1 on initiative (+2 if 
he is the leader, but not cumulative for more than one character). He 
also get a +6 to his IQ roll to recover from suprise. Most wild animals 
automatically have combat reflexes.
     Total Suprise: When the defenders are totally taken by suprise, 
they will "freeze" or run away. The GM rolls one die. This is the number 
of seconds that pass before the defenders can react at all, unless they 
have Combat Reflexes. If the characters can make an IQ or Tactics check, 
they can run away, rather than standing there. 
     Adventurers, guards and the like will rarely be taken totally by 
surprise while "on duty" unless they are asleep or completely unprepared 
for some other reason.  Non-combatants in non-combat situations are 
likely to be taken by total suprise.
     After the initial "freeze" or "panic" ends, each defender may 
roll against his basic IQ or Tactics skill at the beginning of each turn 
until he recovers. A successful roll means that the character is still 
mentally "stunned" and stands there or keeps running. A really stupid 
character, taken totally by suprise, could miss the whole combat.
     Partial Suprise: This may occur when the defenders were expecting 
trouble - or when each party suprised the other. The GM should require 
each side to roll for initiative, with bonuses to the suprising party. To 
determine who, if anyone gets partial surprise, the leader of each side 
rolls one die.
     A leader with Combat Reflexes gets +2, or +1 if another party 
member has Combat Reflexes (not cumulative). The smarter leader gets +1. 
The leader who wins the Contest of Tactics skills also gets +1 (+2 if he 
won with a critical success). A totally leaderless party has -2 to 
initiative. This does not apply to animals, and other creatures who act 
instinctively.
     The side that gets partial surprise can move and act normally. 
Each character on the other side is mentally stunned and must roll vs. IQ 
or Tactics skill each turn, as described above to snap out of it. 
However, with partial surprise, each character gets a +1 bonus to IQ on 
the second turn, a +2 on the third turn, and so on - so even the most 
stupid character will catch on after a few seconds.
     If the surprise roll was a tie, nobody was surprised. 
     
     INITIATIVE 
     Once both sides are free to act, there are two ways to determine 
who goes first: the easy way and the realistic way. 
     The Simple Way: Each player rolls a die. The high die roller goes 
first. After that, the players take their turns in order, moving 
clockwise around the table. If a player controls several characters, they 
may act in any order - and it does not always have to be the same order.
     This system has the advantage of simplicity. However there is a 
slight advantage in going first every turn. Realistically this advantage 
would go to the fastest characters. 
     The Quick Way: Before combat begins, compare the Move scores of 
all the characters. The highest move goes first, the second highest move 
goes next and so on. In the case of ties the highest Basic Speed goes 
first; here is where a 5.5 is better than a 5.25. If anyone is still 
tied, the fighter with the longer weapon or the higher weapon skill goes 
first. If they are still tied roll a die to see who goes first. 
     
     CLOSING TO STRIKING RANGE
     When two fighters are closing to attack range, the longer weapon 
will generally strike first. 
     Each turn, roll a quick contest of skills. The fighter with the 
longer weapon gets a plus to his skills for this contest equal double 
difference in reaches between the two weapons. The faster fighter gets a 
bonus equal to the difference between the two fighters Move scores, 
rounded up. The winner of the contest goes first.
     Over a few turns of combat the advantages and disadvantages of 
various sequencing methods tend to average out. Ue the method you are 
most comfortable with. The easier way is faster with large groups of 
fighters though. 
     Characters act one at a time, until they have all taken a turn; 
then they start over. Your turn starts when you choose maneuver, and ends 
when you choose your next maneuver - after all the other characters have 
acted once. Some characters might get more than one maneuver per turn. 
Each turn usually represents about one second of real time, though in 
some cases it can represent a "critical moment" of attack and defense in 
a slower moving fight.