Rules for Close Combat

There will be occasions when you will have to fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL and ENDURANCE level will both be given in the text. Your aim in close combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his ENDURANCE points to zero while losing as few of your own ENDURANCE points as possible.

At the start of a close combat, enter both your own and your enemy's ENDURANCE points in the appropriate boxes on the Close Combat Record section of your Action Chart. The sequence for close combat is as follows:

1. Add any extra points gained through the use of close combat weapons to your current CLOSE COMBAT SKILL total.
2. Subtract the CLOSE COMBAT SKILL of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the Action Chart.
   Example
   Cal Phoenix (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 17) is attacked by a Renegade Clansman (CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 18). He is not given the opportunity to evade close combat, but must stand and fight his adversary. Cal Phoenix is armed with a Hunting Knife, so he adds 2 points to his CLOSE COMBAT SKILL, giving a total CLOSE COMBAT SKILL of 19.
   He subtracts the Renegade Clansman's CLOSE COMBAT SKILL from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of +1 (19 - 18 = +1). He notes this +1 on his Action Chart as the Combat Ratio.
3. After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the Random Number Table.
4. Turn to the Close Combat Results Table. Along the top of the chart are the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the number that you have picked (the random numbers appear down the side of the chart). You now have the ENDURANCE points lost by both Cal Phoenix and his enemy in this round of close combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; CP represents points lost by Cal Phoenix.)
   Example
   The Combat Ratio between Cal Phoenix and the Renegade Clansman has been established as +1. If the number picked from the Random Number Table is a 4, then the result of the first round of close combat is:

   • Cal Phoenix loses 3 ENDURANCE points.
   • Renegade Clansman loses 4 ENDURANCE points.
5. On the Action Chart, mark the changes in ENDURANCE points to the participants in the close combat.
6. Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, start the next round of close combat.
7. Repeat the sequence from stage 3.

This procedure continues until the ENDURANCEpoints of either the enemy or Cal Phoenix are reduced to zero or below, at which point the one whose score is zero is declared dead. If Cal Phoenix is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Cal Phoenix proceeds but possibly with a reduced ENDURANCE point score.

It is not necessarily true that Cal Phoenix will lose any ENDURANCE in combat. He may go unscathed.

A summary of the Close Combat Rules appears on the page after the Random Number Table.

Evasion of Combat

During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade close combat. If you have already engaged in a round of close combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All ENDURANCE points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored; only Cal Phoenix may lose ENDURANCE points during that round, but that is the risk of running away! You may evade combat only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.

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