So, since Firefight seems mostly centered around small unit tactics and ranged fights from what I have heard…
How do the BE combat mechanisms handle melee and brawling situations? Are there similar options like in Burning Empire or is this type of combat glossed over, since it’s relatively rare in a HighTech-setting?
-Silver
It’s either a Firefight - same deal - or you use the sweet I Corner Him and Stab Him in the Face! rules.
In layman’s terms, you either use it as an action in a greater Firefight or you use the close combat rules to resolve conflicts in a single roll outside of Firefight.
Honestly, there is no “melee combat” in this game. There’s no “sword on sword” swirling duels. It just plays out differently.
In the last session I ran, I was losing this Firefight to capture the enemy commander. I used the Close Combat action as a desperation ploy. It cost me the fight, but I got a shot at the enemy commander. He was a Kerrn, complete with Kerrn Sword. I was in iron and I just chucked a SCArE grenade at him. He won the versus test and took a chunk out of me – my grenade ripped apart the bulkhead behind him, but did not real damage.
He escaped, but because of my ploy, I captured his second in command.
That was one action in the larger Firefight. It was two rolls for me: Close Combat Unit Action plus the Grenade Individual Action. Three rolls for Rich: Unit Action, Individual Action and the Die of Fate to knock my block off.
-Luke
Close Combat is an action taken during Firefight. You get to script a free bonus round and then people die in droves.