Two questions this time:

1. Can you Semi- or Full-Auto on a Called Shot? If not, why not? [i'm guessing it's because a Called-Shot is an action in and of itself, just like Semi- or Full-Auto]

2. How does Delay work? Is it:

• Forfeit whole turn (1 Full Action) to use a Half-Action at some point before your next round (ie. I cannot do anything this round, but can do something that's worth a 1/2 action before my next round)?
• Forfeit one Half-Action to use it at some point before your next round (ie. I can do a Half-Action Move, then delay my remaining 1/2 action 'til later)?

Thanks.

BYE

H.B.M.C. said:

1. Nope; correct reason - it's a Full Action.

2. Unclear. The example would more indicate the former but the Action cost would indicate the latter. Personally I think it would make sense if I can half aim at someone and then delay my standard attack single shot.

Alex

You can not do anything but attack after the aim action, otherwise even if you just use a reaction, aim is lost. So aim then delay does not work, but what does work is delay then aim, then attack with the aim bonus, when it is your turn again.

H.B.M.C. said:

2. Forfeit whole turn (1 Full Action) to use a Half-Action at some point before your next round (ie. I cannot do anything this round, but can do something that's worth a 1/2 action before my next round)

This is the correct version. Another way to look at it is that it costs you a half action to move your other half action to a later point in the round.

tkis - using delay then a half aim is a little strange. You could have just spent the whole round aiming to get a +20, instead of the half aim +10, and made your attack on the following round.

ItsUncertainWho said:

You hear noises down the coridor you ready yourself to take a clear shot at whatever comes at you (delay) a hideous xeno appears, you line up your shot (aim) , and take it (Attack next round)

Delay simply allows you to react to the developing situation instead of acting upon the immediate one. You cannot aim at something you dont see yet, for instance.

While you got RAW right it's nonsensical. I have caught a prisoner and aiming my bolt pistol at its head. If he moves, I should be not only be able to make a called shot, I should also get aiming bonuses for it.

That would only be realistic, right? So at the very minimum aiming and delaying should be combinable.

Alex

tkis said:

To me this is more of a situation for Overwatch, but I get your point, and it does make sense in that situation.

ak-73 said:

Thats why i usually put common sense first and mechanics second. But regarding mechanics, i prefer RAW or clear Houserules, not interpretation.

Wasn't aware if this is or is not the case, but is there a notion of delaying ones entire turn?

As in, giving up being first in initiative in order to yourself back in at some later point (and be at that point for every round afterwords)?

This would be fair still in the sense that everyone else must still go before the player can act again. This is why its only a half action if you delay normally, otherwise, characters could effectively take two turns back to back. Doing that would break some things, as it would enable a player to go that extra distance, if they had some key task they had to complete before anyone else could act.

KommissarK said:

It's not in the rules but I allow it as described below.

Hold Action:

A player can Hold their full action to the point they want to act in a round, as long as their initiative, before rolling, is higher than the combatant they are trying to act before they go first. Otherwise they must make an opposed Ag test against whoever they are trying to act before. If they win they go first, if they loose they go after the combatant they were trying to preempt. Either way this is their new place in the initiative order for the rest of the encounter. If a player tries to preempt another party member, the player not holding can allow the other player to go first without a test.

This way they can plan out strategies (flamers, rockets, grenades, before the close combat guys move in, etc.).

ak-73 said:

How about, you catch a prisoner... then -next round- you perform your 'aim' action, by placing the pistol to the side of his face. Then in the round after that, you spend a full action to delay your shot. Is that not how it works by RAW? If not, it's definately a case of throwing the rules out of the window on this one.

RAW is you can delay almost any half action, but aim may be followed only by an attack action, wich delay simply isnt. In wonky cases i would just go by common sense. That however is often in conflict with the RAW. My suggestion for the prisoner situation is: just adjust the test dificulty to shoot him and you are fine, it does not have to be the explicit bonus from the aim mechanics.

tkis said:

The issue comes in saying that delay isn't an attack action. This is true, but it isn't any other kind of action either. There is a differance between a non-attack action, and no action at all.

I think even RAW allows for Aim - Delay - Attack.

Chrynoble said:

p238

Delay

type: half

Subtype: miscellaneous

Sounds like an action to me.

tkis said:

Not to be mean, but even sticking to a topic about the rules as written that interpretation of the text fails basic reading comprehension.

The reason you spend a half action is to represent the time you spend waiting, not doing anything. By definition delay is passive, if it wasn't the action would be called [whatever you did instead].

The reason the only action you are allowed to take after aim is an attack is because if you do something else you defeat the point of aiming. Doing nothing, which is what your character is doing durring a delay doesn't disturb your aim, so the following shot will still get the bonus.

This could be true even if you delayed for several rounds. Of course even a SM can't hold still forever so at some point I would penalize the character or have them make a will test not to move. This, however, is where we stray from RAW.

Chrynoble said:

Not to be mean, but you are mixing interpretation with exact statements as given by the rules. I do get why you interpret the issue this way, but it is your interpretation nothing more. Going by RAW Delay is a half action, of type miscellaneous, there is no arguing with that, as it is listed under Actions. Aim clearly states that any actions other then an attack , which is a subtype (if you go through the actions table, you will find actions which are attacks), breaks the aim. You are working with your own definition which is not in the rulebook, i am working with exact definitions which are in the rulebook, that is the difference. Interpretation is fine, as long as you denote it as interpretation, there is no arguing with RAW however, unless it is adressed in an errata, clarified in an FAQ or houseruled. I am fine with any option and prefer the houserule over all of them, but that does not change the fact, that it is either a free interpretation based on own preferences not on given statements, or a direct deviance from the given rules.