Combat Skills
S
kills that are tightly focused on use during physical
confrontations are considered Combat skills. Appli-
cation of these abilities is almost always violent, but
need not be deadly. Full details on using Combat skills
during conflicts are described in Chapter VI: Conflict
and Combat. Chapter 6 also contains information
concerning how a character may make use of extra
as well as O and ($) generated during a Combat skill
check, as well as how the CM may spend © and ^
symbols in such circumstances.BRAWL (BRAWN)
During some physical confrontations, a character
seeks to incapacitate his foe without seriously injuring
him. At other times, a melee erupts with little prep-
aration, and a character may not have any weapon
at hand. Some individuals are thoroughly trained in
unarmed combat, or have natural weapons that they
prefer to use during physical altercations. In any of
these situations, Brawl is the skill used to determine
success or failure in the combat.
Most characters who grew up in a hostile environ-
ment have some knack for Brawl. All wildlife—partic-
ularly those with natural weapons—use Brawl when
forced into a confrontation. Anyone who participates
in military or law enforcement training learns some I
basic martial arts, which fall under the Brawl skill.
Even more advanced or esoteric martial arts fall
under the auspice of this skill. However, im-
provised weapons—such as a bottle or
table leg—are used with the Melee skill.In some conflicts, characters may bGy
bound by the legal or social restrictions ' A
into fighting without weapons. Drawing-a
weapon could quickly escalate matters fe"
a lethal fight and might have other reper- ">N
cussions, forcing the characters to depend^ s*;
upon their Brawl skill.Brawl is used in unarmed combat,
see page 211 for more details about
this. The difficulty of Brawl checks is
Average (the difficulty of all melee
attacks) unless the opponent is incapa^
ble of resisting (in which case it might of?
easier at the GM's discretion). See page
204 for more details.GUNNERY (AGILITY)
Many weapons are simply too large for a person to
carry. In order to bring such a weapon to bear against
an opponent, it may be mounted aboard a vehicle,
hastily assembled where needed, or even built into a
substantial defensive emplacement. Weapons of this
sort might require a team to transport, assemble, and
ultimately operate.Characters seldom gain experience with weap-
ons of this magnitude outside of military training.
Weapons of this caliber are also difficult to acquire
for anything but government entities. Only the most
dangerous worlds have natural predators that require
a weapon of this power as a proportionate response.
Gunnery applies to laser cannons and proton torpe-
does mounted on starships. Larger mounted weapon
systems like heavy laser tur-
rets and ion cannons are also
fired using this skill.SKILLS
EDCE OF THE EMPIRE