PKA suits using only panzerfaust run out of ammunition very quickly, whilst many other units will also run out of ammunition eventually or burn out their lasers. When this happens, the unit is effectively reduced to spotting or becoming a target.
This rule allows a unit with no weapons left to try and engage an enemy unit in physical combat. If it survives of course. Note that a unit may engage in physical combat even if it does has weapons left. This is brutal combat, where the two units are clubbing each other, kicking, charging and trying to inflict damage by any means possible. To be applicable for physical combat, two units have to be in the same hex (thus overrun combat may have already occurred - possibly the reason for the close combat?), and if this is the case, then afterall shooting combat has occurred, physical combat may happen. This means that the unit may not survive the turn to be able to conduct physical combat. A unit may engage in physical combat even if it has conducted shooting combat in the turn. To conduct close combat, both units roll 1D6 and add the following modifiers.
Then with this modified number, consult the Armour Resistance Chart and cross index the number with your units armour letter. The result is the damage that your unit sustains in combat. It is possible for both units to destroy each other or inflict no damage. Sometimes a unit doesn't want to engage in close combat, and instead may try and evade it. This can only be done if the unit isn't currently immobilised. In this case, the unit evading gets a +2 to it's roll, and the opponent does not have to make a roll at all, meaning that it cannot be damaged in the physical combat. The various units pages lists all the relevant physical modifiers for the units in the game, but as a rule, a normal armoured suit will have a -0 modifier, a walker with limited physical potential (like an HAFS Jerry) will have a -1 modifier, and a unit that cannot engage at all (like an armoured vehicle, such as the Nutrocker) will have a -2. Any fliers and Neuspotters (or variants) may not be engaged in physical combat at all.
Some examples: A PKA suit and an AFS engage each other in ranged combat, and both survive the attack to see through to physical combat. The PKA rolls a 6 and adds 2 for it's defence. This is an 8, which is a no effect on the chart (because it only goes up to 6!). The AFS rolls a 2, and adds 2 for it's defence. Consulting the armour chart, under B for the suits armour class, a result of 4 is an M, thus the AFS is now immobilised.
An AFS decides to attack a Nutrocker in physical combat.
A Kröte decides to attack a Sand Stalker. The Sand Stalker however has other plans, and decides to evade the Kröte, thus not attacking it. |