Area/Cone attacks, Dodge and Drop, Retreats

[William]

I'm playing a character who uses a lot of affliction attacks. Several of these come in cones (beam projectors) or area attacks (gas grenades, etc.). The foes have some pretty high defenses. I want to be effective and so I would like to make sure I'm understanding the tactical rules involved. I obviously would like to use them to my advantage but don't wish to misinterpret anything. As usual, I understand that any interpretation may be used against me in the future!

I quote the rules on area and cone attacks for reference.

First, a question on the area of a gas bomb attack. Ultra-Tech says "The cloud fills the indicated area." A 40mm grenade has "(4 yards)" in its notation. I thought this would be a 4-hex radius from a central point, i.e., central hex, then three rings of hexes out from it. But one of the listed sizes is "(1.5 yards)". If that means a 3-hex diameter (one-hex plus one ring), then what is "(4 yards)"?

The gas then immediately (at the conclusion of a successful Attack roll) fills the area? Cover does not, I imagine, help, unless someone can get into a sealed box, yes? (I would think it would take very effective cover to protect one from a gas.)

I understand aiming my attack at a particular hex, no problem there.

Having made my attack with this or a cone projector, what defenses are available to foes in the area? On Campaigns p. 413, we have for area attacks (specifically including gas bombs), "Active defenses don't protect against an area attack, but victims may dive for cover or retreat out of the area; see Dodge and Drop (p. 377)." For cones, we have "targets may attempt a dodge defense to leave the area or get to cover; see Dodge and Drop (p. 377)."

The only way I understand a dodge defense as "to leave the area" is if a person Retreats, or Dodge and Drops. I assume from this, then, that the targets in the area have two options to defend (barring Parry Missile Weapons or some other exotic defense): the Dodge maneuver, adding a Retreat, if a gas-free or non-cone-covered area is within a step or 1/10 Move for them, or the Dodge maneuver adding Dodge and Drop if cover is available within a step (which I believe to be the case only for a cone attack).

(Honestly with this bunch if I used a cone attack I'd fully expect at least one of them to take cover behind her teammate...)

For a cone, there will usually be a cone-free hex nearby. In this case, the Dodge with Retreat will be their best option, if they have not yet used a Retreat this turn or moved more than their Basic Move; if they have, then Dodge and Drop is their only option, and leaves them prone if they take it, is that correct?

But, if I attack a large enough radius with the gas bomb, it's entirely possible that there is not a gas-free hex within a victim's step or 1/10 Basic Move, and cover is irrelevant. In that case, barring exotic defenses, are they automatically subject to the effect for at least one round before they Move out of the area?

[Devil_Dante]

take a look at this thread, you would find rules for dodginf AoE:
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=155583

hope it helps you

[William]

Thank you for the response. Your thread concluded with the same question I asked: namely, if one is more than a step from the boundary of an area attack, is it the case that a potential victim in the area automatically suffers the effect for at least one round before they can Move out of the area?

Although your last question got no responses, I suppose from the fact that we both have the same impression that there is at least some consensus that this is the case. That's something at least.

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by William

Thank you for the response. Your thread concluded with the same question I asked: namely, if one is more than a step from the boundary of an area attack, is it the case that a potential victim in the area automatically suffers the effect for at least one round before they can Move out of the area?

We gamed this out recently with some cone attacks in a DFRPG game. Everyone at my table agreed that this was the only way to read the rules. Non-dissipating cones and AoEs are particularly dangerous because if you aren't a step away from the edge (or complete cover), you take full damage. With explosions or dissipating attacks, moving a step away is more useful due to the rapid dropoff in damage.

Mind you, this was for DFRPG, but the rules in the Basic Set for Area-Effect Attacks (B413), Cone Attacks (B413), and Diving for Cover (B377) appear to be functionally identical.

[Devil_Dante]

the only active defense against an AoE attack is the dodge, so, in the case of cone, the dodge and drop lets you move 1 yeard away. If you are still in the area then you are hit.. that's it

P.S: technically, it s a "diving for cover", B377, same page for dodge and drop: if you have a cover nearby ( 1 yard away or 1/10 BM), and you success into dodge roll, than you have reached the cover in time.

how @dalin said, against explosion or dissipating, 1 yard could reduce the damage drastically, while non dissipating aoe and cone are different because they just deal the same damage.

If you can thing about the dragon breath (the most common cone attack), is pretty much legit that if you are caught in the middle of the breath, even moving one yard won't save you.
Generalizing it for any other kind of cone and we are good to go!!

hope i answerede your question

[Nereidalbel]

Note that characters with high enough move can evade larger cones, due to having a Step of 2 or higher.