Weapon Range Roll Modifiers
With release v4.7.0, Twodsix now includes a basic ability to include range modifiers for weapon attack rolls. This feature only works for an active combat scene where there are tokens on a map. If using theater of the mind, modifiers will need to be added manually. To use this feature, at least one token must be targeted before rolling the attack. If no token is selected, no range modifiers are calculated and the roll happens as it normally does. There is a new rules setting (under Advanced Rules Settings -> General) that configures the calculation method for the modifier base on different rules (described later).
Twodsix makes a number of simplifications to make the calculations feasible across the various rulesets. The most important of these simplifications to understand is that the calculations in Twodsix always apply a range modifier (e.g. -2) to the roll rather than changing the difficulty. For example, the Cepheus Deluxe rules change the roll difficulty from average to difficult if the range is between optimal and maximum. Twodsix would impose a -2 penalty to the roll, instead. This approach is functionally equivalent to changing the difficulty and has the added advantage of making all the range modifier calculations similar across the rulesets.
Other limitations is that for the calculations to be applied,
- If more than one token is targeted, the range modifier is calculated for each roll. However, the range modifier does not appear in the roll dialog when multiple targets are selected (since it may be different for each target).
- The actor making the attack roll can have one token on the active scene. If an actor controls multiple tokens, the system doesn't know which token to use for range calculations. For such cases, no range modifier is calculated.
- A GM must select one active token for the roll for the modifier to be computed.
- The range to the target is calculated based on the grid distance (e.g. the number of squares times the square size) and not the Euclidean distance. This measurement matches how the FVTT ruler works.
There are four different range modifier calculation methods included with Twodsix. These methods covers the various rulesets included and the appropriate one is automatically set when an included ruleset is chosen (although it can be overridden).
- None - This method ignores the range modifier calculation.
- Cepheus Engine Bands - This is the Cepheus Engine approach for calculating range modifiers (https://www.orffenspace.com/cepheus-srd/personal-combat.html#range). Briefly, each weapon is classified with a weapon type under the "Range Band" field. The distance to target is also classified in a band.
The Range Band field on the weapon is now a select option rather than a freeform text field (note any existing weapons will need to have this field updated to work). The options are weapon types (per the CE SRD rules): Close Quarters, Extended Reach, Thrown, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Assault Weapon, and Rocket. An additional field of 'None' has been added to the list; this selection does not apply any range modifier.
- Classic Traveller Bands - This method follows the calculations for Classic Traveller ruleset based on The Traveller Book. Each weapon type (Attacker's Weapon) has a modifier based on whether the range is Close, Short, Medium, Long or Very Long - per the "Weapons and Range Matrix" page 46 and "Ranges" table on page 47.
- Single Value - This method uses a single numeric input from the Range field on the weapon, e.g. 200. The MgT2 rules, for example, follow this calculation method. If the target range is less than or equal to one quarter of the weapon range, a +1 modifier is added; less than or equal to the range value but greater than one-quarter range results in a zero modifier; less than or equal to twice the range but greater than the range results in a -2 modifier; and less than or equal to four times the range and greater than twice the range results in a -4 roll modifier.
- Double Value - This method is common across the Stellagamma Publishing rulesets (e.g. Cepheus Deluxe or Cepheus Faster than Light). The weapon range setting has two values specified, e.g., 100/200. The first is the effective value, and a range less than or equal to it results in no roll modifier. The second value is the maximum range. A range less than or equal to the maximum but more than the effective value results in a -2 roll modifier (functionally equivalent to increasing the difficulty by one step). To use this method, the weapons range setting (on the item) must use the '/' character to separate the two ranges.
For all that above methods, if the attack is infeasible, e.g. beyond maximum range, a -99 roll modifier is added to make the roll fail (except for where a natural 12 is always set to succeed with a setting). Be advised that ammunition will still be reduced, if applicable.
Setting the range value for methods 3 & 4 on a melee weapon can be tricky (method 2 automatically adjust for this range). Twodsix uses the following conventions for short ranges:
- A zero value for range means zero range or the same square
- An empty value (nothing entered) means to skip the range modifier calculation (a zero modifier)
- If using a standard Traveller grid, 1.5m is the dimension of one square. So setting the range to 1.5 would be typical for a melee weapon that could strike an adjacent square. For method 4, specifying only one value is allowed and no '/' is needed.
- If the word 'Melee' is entered into the range, the attack is always allowed up the melee range setting. Otherwise, it is infeasible.
- When a weapon has a melee range modifier value, that modifier is applied instead of any other range modifiers. These settings cover cases when using a ranged weapon within melee combat distance. For example, using a pistol within melee range might suffer a -2 penalty. The melee range modifier can be an integer (e.g. -2) or the string name of the terms used for rolling with advantage or disadvantage per the roll settings (per example 'boon' or 'bane'):
