Gaming

Cyberpunk 2020 Initiative – Version 1

Cyberpunk 2020 initiative system favors solos with the idea of “move first kill first“. So to help balance out the turn order, to limit the number of multiple actions, and provide a chance to the others to act before the solo team laying waste to everyone.

Version 1 (the ’95 draft)

The first draft of these is from ’95 when we had a large group to test them on.

  1. The turn is in order of initiative with the highest going first. Ties favor Combat Sense, then Reflexes.
  2. Every character can have 1 multiple action per 10 points of initiative or part thereof.  So an initiative of less than 10 will still get an action. 10+ 2 actions, 20+ 3 actions.
  3. Characters still suffer a -3 per each additional action to every skill roll, but each an action will be resolved at the appropriate initiative count.
  4. Once a character action is complete, their next action is 10 points down the initiative order.

For example

A Solo & Fixer face off against 3 gangers. Their initiatives are 22 (Solo), 15 (Fixer), 16, 13, & 9 (for the Gangers).

Round 1: Everyone will take their maximum amount of actions. Solo (3), Fixer (2), Gangers #1 & #2 (2 each), Ganger #3 (1 action).

The Solo will take 3 actions, the fixer 2, and the Gangers 1 each as they aren’t that skilled.

  • At 22 the Solo acts, shooting a Ganger #1, in the head, but misses as all actions are at -6.
  • At 16, Ganger #1, shoots the Fixer, doing 1 point to the Left Arm.
  • At 15, the Fixer shoots Ganger #2, who takes 10 points to the Torso.
  • At 13, Ganger #2, shoots the Solo, for 3 points to the Torso.
  • At 12, the Solo acts for the second time, shooting Ganger #1 again, for 10 points to the Head. <Pop>
  • At 9, Ganger #3 shoots the Fixer in the Right Leg for 3 points
  • At 5, the Fixer acts again (with the penalties), shooting Ganger #2, finishing them off.
  • At 2, the Solo has their final action, popping Ganger #3.

Review

All in all our groups found the rules easy to follow and it makes for an interesting combat as the situation evolves around the characters. It  works, however, it limits the style of game play to back and forth gun-play.