Tactics

Read the field, set ambushes, predict enemy moves, devise battle plans.

Tactics covers reading terrain advantage, setting ambushes, predicting enemy moves, devising battle plans, countering sprung traps, and pulling off a masterstroke that breaks a fight before it starts. The staff officer reads a corridor the way a pilot reads a sky; the NCO lays ambush geometry along a chokepoint; the sergeant predicts the enemy will swing left because they always swing left. Where Command speaks to the squad and makes them move, Tactics is the mind behind the move. A successful pre-combat read shared with the group grants +1 to group initiative. Failure by 5+ on a devised plan gives the enemy +1 instead.

Rules Reference

Field	Value
Armor Check Penalty	false
Key Ability	INT
Trained Only	true
Untrained Use	Cannot use untrained; can describe a plan but gains no mechanical bonus without training.
Key Ability	INT

Notes

Special: Pre-combat read (DC 12+) shared with group grants +1 group initiative. Failure by 5+ on a devised plan grants enemy +1. Planning skill only; does not replace Command or Strategy.

Special: A successful pre-combat read of the field (DC 12+ before initiative) shared with the group grants +1 to group initiative for that encounter. Tactics is the planning skill, not the people skill -- it cannot replace Command (which speaks to the squad) or Strategy (which spans campaigns). Failure by 5+ on a devised plan gives the enemy +1 instead.

Untrained: Tactics is trained-only. An untrained character can describe a plan but not formally devise one; the GM should require training before granting any bonus from a plan to a group's checks.

Descriptors

dc: 12

Field	Value
dc	12
task	Read terrain advantage on a small field

dc: 15

Field	Value
dc	15
task	Set a simple ambush

dc: 18

Field	Value
dc	18
task	Predict an enemy's next move

dc: 22

Field	Value
dc	22
task	Devise a battle plan

dc: 25

Field	Value
dc	25
task	Counter a sprung trap or unexpected maneuver

dc: 30

Field	Value
dc	30
task	Pull off a battlefield masterstroke

Synergy

bonus: 2

Field	Value
bonus	2
from	Perception
threshold	5

bonus: 2

Field	Value
bonus	2
from	Command
threshold	5

Synergies

bonus: 2

Field	Value
bonus	2
ranks	5
skill	Perception

bonus: 2

Field	Value
bonus	2
ranks	5
skill	Command

Uses

application: Read terrain advantage on a small field

Field	Value
application	Read terrain advantage on a small field
dc	12
failure	You pick a bad spot; enemy gets +1 instead.
success	You pick the position; +1 to the next group check there.

application: Set a simple ambush

Field	Value
application	Set a simple ambush
dc	15
failure	Ambush spotted or sprung wrong; surprise lost.
success	Ambush springs clean; +2 to the opening volley.

application: Predict an enemy's next move

Field	Value
application	Predict an enemy's next move
dc	18
failure	Enemy does something else; you commit too early.
success	You read the move; group readies or counters.

application: Devise a battle plan

Field	Value
application	Devise a battle plan
dc	22
failure	Plan leaks; friction in execution.
success	Plan holds; +1 to group checks for the encounter.

application: Counter a sprung trap or unexpected maneuver

Field	Value
application	Counter a sprung trap or unexpected maneuver
dc	25
failure	Trap lands; group takes the hit.
success	You re-stance in time; trap blunted.

application: Pull off a battlefield masterstroke

Field	Value
application	Pull off a battlefield masterstroke
dc	30
failure	Plan fails; you are out of position.
success	Enemy broken before contact; encounter won or shortened.