NOWHERE LAND
PART 06 · PART VI: CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Combat

Combat in Nowhere Land is dangerous, tactical, and consequential. It uses a hex-grid system where positioning matters, and wounds are serious injuries that degrade your ability to fight. Violence is rarely the first option, but when it happens, it is decisive.

When Combat Starts

Combat begins when negotiation fails, an ambush is sprung, or the narrative demands structured time tracking.

Hex Grid Combat

Combat uses a hex grid where each hex represents ~5 feet (1.5 meters). Positioning is crucial.

Hex Grid Basics

  • Adjacent Tiles (Melee Range): Characters on hexes sharing a border can engage in melee combat.
  • Same Tile (Close Quarters): Multiple creatures can occupy the same hex (grappling, tight spaces). Ranged attacks suffer disadvantage. Leaving requires a Flee check.
  • Movement: Base 6 hexes/turn. Forma +2 = 8 hexes. Difficult terrain halves movement.

Optional: Theater of the Mind

If not using grids, use relative positioning: "Adjacent" (melee), "Same Space" (close), "Near" (1-2 moves), "Far" (3+ moves).

Initiative & Turn Order

Initiative represents awareness and tactical readiness, not just speed.

Rolling Initiative

Initiative = Forma + Anima

Roll d6s equal to Forma + Anima. Highest acts first. Ties go to highest Anima.

  • Surprised: Disadvantage on initiative (half dice). Cannot act in the first round.
  • Prepared: +2 dice to initiative if setting an ambush.

The Combat Round

Each round represents 6-10 seconds. On your turn, you can perform:

  • One Major Action: Attack, Cast Potential, Use Item, Dash, Help, Ready
  • Movement: Move up to your Speed
  • One Minor Action: Draw weapon, shout, open door
  • Reactions: Parry, Riposte, Dodge (once per round)
  • Free Actions: Drop item, speak briefly

Action on Movement

Special Reaction: When an enemy moves from non-adjacent to adjacent, you can interrupt and take your full turn immediately. Consumes your action for the round.

Making Attacks

Attacks always hit—the question is how many wounds you inflict. Roll Martial Prowess (armed) or Brawl (unarmed).

Attack Resolution

  • 1. Declare Target & Approach: Describe your attack.
  • 2. Determine TN: Base TN = 4 (modified by range/cover).
  • 3. Roll Attack: Roll Forma + Skill dice.
  • 4. Count Successes: Each die ≥ TN inflicts 1 Wound. Armor reduces total wounds.

Ranged Attacks

  • Close: 0-6 hexes (TN 4)
  • Medium: 7-12 hexes (TN 6)
  • Long: 13-24 hexes (TN 8)
  • Cover: +2 (partial) or +4 (total) to TN

Critical Hits

If you roll 3+ successes beyond what's needed, choose an effect: Max Damage, Armor Damage (1 Wear), Disarm, Knockdown, or Stun.

Weapon Mastery

Skill affects effectiveness:

  • Unskilled: -5 penalty to roll.
  • Normal: No modifier.
  • Mastery: +3 bonus to roll.

Damage & Wounds

Wounds represent injury and exhaustion. Wound Capacity = Forma + 5.

Wound Thresholds

  • 0 Wounds: Healthy
  • 1-2 Wounds: Hurt (no effect)
  • 3-4 Wounds: Battered (-1 die to Forma)
  • 5+ Wounds: Severely Injured (-2 dice to Forma)
  • At Capacity: Incapacitated

Armor & Protection

Armor reduces incoming Wounds. It absorbs damage rather than preventing hits.

TypeReductionPenalty
None-0None
Light-1None
Medium-2-1 Stealth
Heavy-3-1 all Forma (except attacks)

Fleeing Combat

Leaving a hex with enemies requires a Flee Check (Forma + Athletics).

TN: TN = 12 + (enemies on tile × 2)
Success: Move to adjacent hex. Can still act.
Failure: Stay in tile. Enemies get free attack.
Ally Bonus: Allies fleeing with you grant +1 die each.

Common Tactics

Flanking+2 dice when attacking from opposite sides.
Cover+4 (partial) or +8 (total) to TN to be hit.
Tactical RetreatForma check (TN = enemy Forma × 4) to disengage without free attack.
ShoveContested Forma to knock prone/push 10ft.
Aimed ShotSpend full round aiming for +3 dice on next attack.
Fighting Defensively-2 dice to attack, +4 TN to be hit.

Special Maneuvers

DisarmAttack vs Forma × 4 + 4. Target drops weapon.
Called ShotAttack at TN +8. Inflict narrative consequence (blind, cripple).
Improvised WeaponsTreat as Light weapon. Can break.

Advanced Maneuvers & Tactics

Grapple

Contested Brawl. Target cannot move, -2 dice to attacks.

Size Mechanics

Grappling is affected by the size difference between combatants:

  • Same Size or 1 category difference: Normal contested Brawl check.
  • 2+ categories smaller: Defender gains advantage (roll 2 extra dice).
  • 2+ categories larger: Attacker has disadvantage (roll 2 fewer dice).

Target may attempt to escape on their turn with a contested Brawl check.

Trample / Trip

Contested Brawl attack. On success, target is knocked prone.

Size Mechanics

  • Same Size: Normal contested Brawl check.
  • 1 category larger: Advantage on trample.
  • 2+ categories larger: Automatic success, target takes 1 Wound.
Hinder

Sacrifice your action to impose disadvantage on one creature within reach on their next roll.

Push, distract, or obstruct an opponent's path to make their task harder.

Rest in Combat

Spend an entire round without moving or acting to recover 1 Wound.

Represents catching breath, quickly bandaging, or refocusing.

Switch Weapon

Free minor action to draw or stow a weapon.

Allows quick adaptation to changing combat conditions.

Defensive Actions

Parry

Reaction to block an incoming attack. Reduce damage by your weapon's value.

Requires a melee weapon or shield. On successful parry against a missed attack, you may counter-attack.

If attacker misses by 4+, you may make an immediate attack as a free action.

Dodge

Reaction to completely cancel an attack. Use your movement to move up to half your Celerity.

Succeed on an Athletics check vs. the attack roll. Allows free disengage if successful.

On success, you may move away without provoking opportunity attacks.

Defend

Adopt a defensive stance. Reduce all incoming damage by 2 and increase all attackers' TN by 4.

Lasts until your next turn. You cannot attack while defending.

Opportunity Attacks

When a creature leaves your melee range, you may make a free attack.

You may also choose to make a grapple or trip attempt as an opportunity attack.

Group Combat

When 3+ combatants engage a single target:

  • Breach: Defenses become overwhelmed. Each attacker beyond 2 grants +2 dice.
  • Allied Strikes: When an ally hits, you gain +1 die to your next attack.
  • Combined Action: Two characters may combine their actions for an amplified effect (Coordination TN 8).

Flanking

When you and an ally are on opposite sides of an enemy, you both gain advantage.

Flanking advantage does not stack with other advantages—use the best source.

Advantage Stacking

Multiple sources of advantage or disadvantage may stack:

  • Single Advantage: Roll 2 extra dice, keep best.
  • Double Advantage: Roll 4 extra dice (max).
  • Single Disadvantage: Roll 2 fewer dice.
  • Double Disadvantage: Roll 4 fewer dice (max).

Advantage and disadvantage cancel out. 2 advantages + 1 disadvantage = 1 advantage.

Prone Effects

When a creature is prone:

  • Attacks: Disadvantage on all attacks.
  • Parry: Disadvantage to parry.
  • Dodge: Cannot dodge while prone.
  • Defend: Can still defend normally.
  • Sneak Attacks: Melee attacks against prone targets have advantage.

Grappling a prone target 1+ size category smaller grants advantage.

Standing Up

Costs half your movement to stand up.

You may crawl while prone at half speed.

Death & Recovery

At Wound Capacity, you are Dying. Roll 1d6 each turn: 6 (Stabilized), 2-5 (Continue), 1 (Dead).

Healing

  • Short Rest: Recover 1 Wound.
  • Long Rest: Recover Forma Wounds.
  • Medicine: Craft check (TN 8) heals 1+ Wounds.

See Also