Introduction

The following is an example of a simple gun fight, intended to help my players and me. It was originally posted on the Steve Jackson Games Forums, on this thread I'm using Catava as an example, because she's at the right point level (250 pts) and setting (2010 magical realism).

I've included page references everywhere, but I would appreciate any comments, corrections, or additional page references I could include. This isn't intended to illustrate every little rule in action (such as autofire), but to provide a mental framework into which additional rules can be fitted later.

For other examples of Gurps combat, see the Sample Combat page.

Characters

Catava

For this character's stats, go there: http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=14746&postcount=25

This character's stats can also be found here: Sample Char Catava Cortez

Catava's equipment (p.278, 280, 284):

TL 8/PDW 4.6mm (very fine), 3.9 lbs
two extra clips, 1 lb
TL 8/Ballistic Vest (torso, DR 8/2) 2 lbs
Fine First Aid Kit (+2 to skill) 2 lbs

Note that Catava's PDW is very fine, and so has Acc +5 instead of +3.

wt: 8.9 lbs (Encumbrance: None)

Madriguez "Mad Dog" Jamos

ST-[12], DX-[10], IQ-[10], HT-[12]

Speed 5.5, Move 5, Dodge 8

Guns! (14-) DX+4

Mad Dog's equipment (p.278-279):

TL 8/Autopistol .44M, 4.5 lbs
one extra clip, 0.6 lbs
TL 7/Assault Rifle 5.56mm, 9 lbs
one extra clip, 1 lb

GURPS 4e - A sample gunfight

Catava and a cop were on their way to Mad Dog's last known location, an abandoned warehouse, and at about 10 yards from the doors a bullet from a window caught the cop in the face, ending a mediocre career as a model. Catava dragged the cop to cover, and discovered that he was still alive.

Mad Dog Aims (p.364) for one round from the 2nd story (6 yards above target). Catava and the officer make Perception checks at a GM-ruled -3 penalty, both fail. At the end of his round of Aiming, Mad Dog All-Out Attacks (p.365), with the following modifiers (see p.548):

 All-Out Attack +1
 Aiming +5
 Braced +1
 Range -3 (10 yds, minus 1/2 vertical height advantage, = 7 yds, p.550)

That comes out to a roll of 18-, so Mad Dog targets the face at -5 (p.552). He rolls 9, and hits. Since the cop is unaware of the attack, he received no Active Defense.

Mad Dog rolls 5d damage for his 5.56 assault rifle (p. 279), with a result of 21 points of basic damage. The cop has no armor on his face (should've worn that riot helmet!), so penetrating damage is 21 as well. The wounding modifier for a piercing attack is 1x. Getting hit in the face doesn't change this (though it has some other effects; see following). The final result is a 21-point injury, the same as Mad Dog's original roll.

The cop has a HT 11 and HP 12, and suffers several things at once:

Shock (p.381, 419): he takes a -4 penalty (the maximum) on DX, IQ, and all DX- and IQ-based skill rolls (but not defenses); applies to his next one second turn only
Major wound (p.381, 420): damage in excess of HT/2 prompts a roll to check for knockdown.
Knockdown (p.420): the cop makes a HT roll (at -5 for a major wound to the face) and gets an 8, failing by 2; he drops his gun, falls prone and is stunned!
Stun (p.420): the cop can do nothing on his next turn. His defense rolls are at -4 and he can't retreat. At the end of his next turn, he rolls against straight HT to recover.
1/3 HP or less (p.419): halved move and dodge

At the start of his next turn:

0 HP or less (p.419): HT roll to stay conscious, cop rolls 12, falls unconscious

Turn Order: Catava goes first (speed 6) and Mad Dog goes second.

Catava drags the cop (150 lbs, halved for dragging over road (p.353), is Heavy Encumbrance (p.17)) 2 yards to some cover and checks him. He needs help bad, but she can't take the time to do that if it gives Mad Dog another shot.

Mad Dog just curses.

Still... She uses his radio to call for backup and an ambulance, then rushes the first aid (First Aid 14-, +2 for her first aid kit, rush -50% time gives a -5 penalty (p.346), she rolls an 11 and just barely succeeds) and bandages him (p.424), restoring 1 hp and preventing bleeding.

Thirty seconds doesn't seem very long, but it was an eternity. Mad Dog could be anywhere in the warehouse, now, and backup was more minutes away.

Overconfidence can be a bitch.

Catava ran for the warehouse doors, and a shot rang out. She was too focused on moving fast, dodging, she didn't see exactly where the bastard was. And the damned door was locked.

Mad Dog had moved, but not out of sight. He'd looked for a spot to get another shot at the pair, but hadn't found one, so he settled in and aimed at the general area Catava might come out of. Essentially a Wait maneuver (p.366) with the opportunity fire rules (p.390). He covered an area about 4 hexes across, for a -2 penalty to hit. His total modifiers were (p.548):

 All-Out Attack +1
 Range -3 (10 yds, minus 1/2 his vertical height advantage, is 7 yds, p.550)
 Opportunity fire -2 for 4 hexes.

Catava used the Move maneuver (p.364), reasoning that mobility was more important than dodging against a bullet to the face.

With his skill, that comes out to a roll of 10-, so Mad Dog just shoots (no hit location). He rolls an 11, and misses. If he'd hit, Catava is not sure where an attack would come from, so would not get an Active Defense. Her chances were 50/50!

Mad Dog retreated, looking for a hiding place for another shot at her. He switches to the pistol - the rifle is nice if you can aim first, but if you want to shoot on the run, a pistol is more likely to hit.

At the door, Catava aimed her pistol at the lock and shot a few rounds, praying.

The GM just decides to let this happen.

As she kicks the door, in, she calculates. Mad Dog could have moved a good, long ways after taking that shot (at an estimate, 5 to 10 yards). The warehouse itself is a good 40 yards across, and her mind conjures up images of him stalking the catwalks, or the ground floor stacks.

Glancing up and around, she crouches low and begins to move slowly through the stacks, hoping that their slight cover will give her a chance to shoot back. From behind her, Mad Dog aims and fires. He hits the shelf, but the bullet punches through the crappy metal to give Catava a love tap between the shoulders.

She turns and drops to one knee, pistol and eyes searching for the target.

The warehouse is dimly lit by the outdoors, and the GM assigns a -4 penalty to Vision-related actions. Catava rolls an 11 on her Perception roll, not enough to see Mad Dog on the catwalk above her.

Again, Initiative comes into play. Catava goes first:

She then crouches (p.551), reducing her Move to 2/3 normal, giving her an overall Size Modifier -1, and preventing her from sprinting, and moves 3 yards into the stacks. She now has some cover, but how much?

The GM decides that the stacks are mostly shelving, and that she's completely visible, but that she has light cover (50% of each hit location is covered) for a net -2 to hit (p.408). The shelves are 1/16th inch mild steel, so they provide cover DR 7 (p.408, 558-559).

Mad Dog takes a round to Aim. He doesn't want to miss her again, and that cover is a pain in the ass.

Catava moves 3 more yards into the stacks. He frowns, and Aims for another round, his pistol ready.

Catava continues forward. Mad Dog loses patience, and fires.

 Aim +3 (Acc of 2, +1 for an extra turn of aiming)
 Bracing +1
 All-Out Attack +1
 Range -3 (10 yds, minus 1/2his vertical height advantage, is 7 yds, p.550)
 Darkness -4
 Size modifier -1
 Cover -2
 A net of -5

His effective skill is a 9. He rolls a 10, close enough that only the cover was preventing him. He rolls 10 damage, and 3 points overpenetrate (p.408) to hit Catava! He rolls hit location (p.552), and hits her torso (roll of 10). She subtracts her DR 8, reducing the damage to 0. Her armour is vulnerable to blunt trauma, but not enough damage hit for that to matter (p.379).

Still, it's enough that Catava felt it. She takes the Aim maneuver and uses a Step (p.368) to turn around and drop to a kneeling position. She makes a quick Vision check (still at -4, and rolls a 14, failing miserably) and fails to see her quarry, so the Aim is wasted.

At that point, Mad Dog loses it. He fires another shot (missing) and runs perpendicular to her, moving towards the stairs down. Catava spots him (he's hard to miss now), and aims at him.

He fires again from the stairs and misses again, cusses, drops his gun and grabs his rifle, intending to unleash full auto on Catava. Catava shoots him.

Mad Dog declares an Attack & Move. He takes the gun's bulk penalty of -3 to hit, plus the usual modifiers:

 Range -3 (10 yds, minus 1/2 his vertical height advantage, is 7 yds, p.550)
 Darkness -4
 Size modifier -1
 Cover -2
 Bulk -3
 A net of -13

He rolls against a skill 1, and rolls a 7, failing. He then moves to the edge of the stairs.

Catava calmly Aims, and braces on the shelving.

Mad Dog does an Attack & Move again. He is now 13 yards from Catava diagonally, but still has the height advantage. His modifiers are:

 Range -4 (7 yds, minus 1/2 his vertical height advantage, is 7 yds, p.550)
 Darkness -4
 Size modifier -1
 Cover -2
 Bulk -3
 A net of -14

The GM doesn't bother rolling for him - he can't hit her at this point. Mad Dog moves down the stairs, and is about 2 yards from the floor, now, and 9 yards from Catava.

Catava Aims again.

Mad Dog drops his pistol (a free action) and Readies (p.366) his assault rifle. During the ready action, he sets the gun for full auto.

Catava fires. At this point, Mad Dog is 9 yards (+1 yard for height advantage) from Catava. Her modifiers are:

 All-Out attack +1
 Aim +6 (p.280, very fine gun)
 Braced +1
 Range -3 (9 yds, plus his vertical height advantage, is 10 yds, p.550)
 Darkness -4
 Size modifier +0
 A net of +1 for a 16- skill

Catava shoots. She rolls a 12, hitting. Mad Dog gets a Dodge (p.374). He rolls a 10, failing. Catava rolls 16 damage, and an 11 for hit location (groin).

Mad Dog suffers several things at once:

shock (p.381, 419): he takes a -4 on DX, IQ, and all DX- and IQ-based skill rolls (but not defenses) for his next full second turn
major wound (p.381, 420)
knockdown (p.420): he rolls HT-5 and gets a 13, failing by 6; he is unconscious!
1/3 HP or less (p.419): halved move and dodge
0 HP or less (p.419): Mad Dog is already unconscious

After he falls, Catava shoots him once more to make sure he isn't faking. If she was a cop, she might have simply walked up cautiously, gun at ready, but she's not paid enough to take chances like that. It takes two turns to move to him.

More than 10 seconds have passed. Catava takes 1 FP damage (p.426).

Catava cuffs the corpse to the stairwell, again just in case, and runs outside to see if there's anything else she can do for the cop who was with her.