Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Rule Book

Range Bands

E

DGE OF THE EMPIRE relies on broad terms used to

describe ranges and distances. Rather than have a

player's attention focused on a grid, counting squares,

EDCE OF THE EMPIRE uses more abstract means to rep-

resent position, distances, and ranges, thus allowing

the players to focus on the action and the adventure.

The distance between two points—people, objects,

or adversaries—is defined by general range catego-

ries. These range categories are used to determine

how far a ranged attack can reach, how far apart

two people are from each other, how much effort is

needed to move between two places, and so on. The

most common ranges are short, medium, long, and

extreme range. Another relative position exists—en-

gaged—to represent characters that are in extremely

close proximity to each other.

THE FIVE RANGE BANDS

For ease of play, distance in EDGE OF THE EMPIRE is

divided up into five different bands, from engaged to

extreme. As always, the GM has final say in determin-

ing the range between the attacker and the target.

With the engaged status and the range bands, the

GM is free to describe things dynamically and set

scenes without having to worry about exact distances.

Exact distances in meters do not matter. The details

and adventure come first, creating a vivid picture for

the players, while allowing the GM to quickly provide

the mechanical information players need to use their

actions and build strategies.

CONFLICT AND COMBAT

EDCE OF THE EMPIRE

ENGAGED

To reflect two or more targets close enough to inter-

act directly with each other, there is a special range

status called engaged. Two characters engaged with

each other are in very close proximity. A soldier needs

to be engaged with a target to hit him with his vibro-

sword. Two or more characters engaged with each

other is called an engagement.

Engaged is also used to indicate that a person is close

enough to an item to use it. A slicer needs to be en-

gaged with a security terminal to attempt to hack it. A

pilot needs to be engaged with his starship to board it.

A bounty hunter needs to be engaged with a tree if he

wants to hide behind it for cover while stalking his prey.

The engaged status simply indicates that two things are

close enough to each other to directly interact.

The best way to consider engaged is as a sub-

category of short range. Obviously, someone can be

slightly further away if they're at short range, rather

than if they're engaged with someone. However, the

distance is relatively minor. Thus, spending a maneu-

ver to move to engage someone or something is as

much a matter of moving into combat (or out of com-

bat) cautiously enough to avoid a return blow—or flip-

ping open and focusing one's attention on a device—

as much as it is moving a physical distance.

SHORT RANGE

Short range indicates up to several meters between

targets. Many thrown weapons and small firearms

are most accurate at short range. Two people in short