The Battle System

Battles are not automated, and all for good reason. This is so players can add drama and flavor to battles instead of simply attacking, then waiting to be attacked, and rinse and repeat. Battle systems as such are simply boring, and are definitely not welcome here. In order to begin a battle between you and your opponent(s) you must find another player that is willing to ref the battle for you, and one that you can all agree to reffing. This rules out favoritism, and it makes battles fairer and less biased.

All battles take place in the "Battle Zone" forum, with the topic subject naming off the players participating in the bout "Hayate Vs Jetsuki" or if it's a team battle; "Hayate, Akira Vs Jetsuki, Volt".
(Credit to Kyuukei Akechi, whose real name escapes me, for this.)


Actions

Actions determine how many times a player can attack, react to an attack, or counter an attack. Each player starts out with four actions per post. The first player to attack only gets three actions on the first post.


During battle you can usually perform one of many of the following actions:

* Use a ranged.
* Use a physical attack.
* Use extra weapon or a special ability.
* Transform.
* Prepare a stronger attack such as using a large cannon, and apply more energy to it.
* Defend yourself.
* Flee.
* Call in support.
* Attach yourself to a Mobile Armor.
* Prepare an accessory for use, such as an external battery.


Attack Types
There are two types of physical attacks. Weaker attacks that are speedy and do little damage (like a quick punch or kick), Stronger attacks, which are slower but effective (like a hook or a horse kick). Weak attacks can be performed twice per action, while Strong attacks can only be performed once per action.

Counter Attacks
Counter attacks allow players to reverse, or block all the damage that was afflicted by an opponent's attack. Counter attacks require two actions to perform, and in turn you are allowed a free action to follow up with an attack. Counter attacks are harder to defend against than regular ones, so a ref may need to keep that in mind when judging fights.

Weapons
Weapons are also considered physical attacks, as they are extensions of a players attack radius. However, in order to successfully block an attack from a weapon, you must have a weapon yourself, otherwise you will be forced to dodge blows. However, this rule don't always apply to the more powerful characters.

Group Battles
If a friend is in trouble, or if there's a damsel in distress, you may have the need to assist them in battle. You may assist a friend in battle at any time, but you must be in the same village and location as them, and you must have role played going there, or have very recent role plays in that area. This prevents players from magically appearing everywhere.

Stamina And Wounds
As the battle progresses, your unit[Suit, armor, etc.] becomes more damaged with each blow, and with each action your character becomes more and more fatigued, along with your unit loosing more and more energy. In other cases, your character can become severely wounded, or even dismembered from the massive combat that might ensue. This forces a huge decrease in stamina, as well as blood loss. In these cases of extreme damage your character can become stunned, or even lose consciousness. That's the worst case scenario, most times we'd expect the damage to be done to your suit until your suit suffers a similar mechanical fate.

However, some races are less likely to succumb to such harsh wounds. Coordinators for example, can take quite of bit of damage, even to their vital organs and still continue fighting, but only for a short time. Being as is that they are more artificial, they can keep pushing themselves until they're completely dead, but only on some occasions where a mass rush of emotions engulfs the coordinator. This may be for Coordinators, but can extend to some New types, and possibly Innovators.

Stunned / Unconscious
Some attacks can temporary immobilize, or knock your opponent unconscious for a short amount of time. This leaves your character open to attacks, as well as open for people to steal your money and your items. Being stunned is temporary and only lasts a couple of turns or so. As for the amount of time exactly you're to be stunned, this is to be decided by the refs.

Ambush
Ambushing an opponent gives you a great advantage in combat. When ambushing a foe, you are going to want to put "Ambush: -Opponent name-" in the subject of your post in the "Battle Zone" forum, then notify a ref of your post. The ref will insure that the ambush is legal and notify the other player. The player will have four days to respond (unless they have a reason for their absence before hand), and the ambush attack will be considered fatal, and you get to decide if the player lives or dies.

When a successful ambush is initiated, the player who ambushed the unfortunate player gets two actions of free hits whereas the opponent is unable to defend them self. However, some skills, and abilities can allow an opponent to thwart or even reverse an ambush. It's up to the ref if the opponent is able to thwart the ambush or not. The ref decides by comparing the two player's stats, Weapon stats, and special abilities. If the player being ambushed has superior stats(Mainly intel), a superior weapon, and the necessary abilities, odds are that the ref will decide to allow that player to thwart your ambush, and in turn the opponent gets two actions of free hits on you, whereas you will be unable to defend yourself.

Fleeing
When the odds are against you, your best chance of survival is the escape. In order to flee from battle, you need one of two things. For one, your weapon, or you needs a higher speed than your opponent, or a weapon/skill that temporary immobilizes your foe in order to give yourself an opportunity to escape, but don't think for a minute that your opponent can not pursue you. If your opponent has a superior speed they can catch up to you pretty quickly unless you have hidden yourself, but unless you are able to hide your thermal energy, or most anything from their radars and sensors; those who can sense it will still be able to find you.

Referees
A referee can be any approved member in the RPG. However, both members must agree on the player who will be reffing the match. A refs job is to read over the battle and ensure that all the rules are being followed and that all damages and energy uses is being calculated correctly. Being as it that the role play is free form, there is no mathematical way to calculate damage. Damage is calculated by the comparing stats and the quality of role play in a player's post. In other words, the higher quality of role play you produce, the more effective your attacks will be. Refs will determine the outcome of most attacks, and determine collisions and power struggle. A ref won't instantaneously give it away, players must post a couple times adding to their attack's power to determine the outcome, or help make it easy for the ref.

There are benefits to reffing battles, when a battle is over and you have reffed the entire battle (or if you've taken the place of another ref, in which case you get the ref point and the other ref doesn't get anything) you receive what is called a ref point. Ref points allow you to unlock rare items and abilities for you to learn, and the slight possibility of weapons.

Power Battles
Beam and saber Battles occur when two opponents launch two powerful saber or beam attacks at each other[In some cases, fist to fist or any two attacks that can collide]. The two attacks collide, which in turn create a power struggle between the two attacks. The two participates take turns applying more energy, or force into their attacks, until one of the participates emerge victorious. In order to apply more force/energy into your attack, you must state exactly how much force/energy you will be putting into your move. Keep in mind that if you use up all your energy your weapon can shut down, or stop responding. On the other hand too much force could put to much pressure on a pilot and KO him..

In which case that there are team power battles the same rules appl. Both sides continue to apply more energy into their attacks until one team emerges victorious by either 1) Giving in, 2) Running out of energy, 3) Ref finds it necessary to end the Power Battle in a draw and both attacks null each other out.