How to fix Chase Combat, From the Compromise thread... Options

[Cain]

Okay, someone asked me to bring this into a thread all it's own, so here goes.

After looking at the Chase Combat rules, I've come to the conclusion that they're basically useless, and I want to fold some of their better functions into normal combat.

Why are the Chase rules useless? They don't do a good job at vehicle combat. It has a different timeframe which makes adding in the actions of passengers problematic; the rules can't handle more than two vehicles, and the rules don't acknowledge things like being dramatically faster. It allows you to instantly teleport from long range to within 5 meters (the "Picard Maneuver") regardless of speed.

What do I like? I like the fact that distances are abstracted, and that you can Cut Off and/or Break Away. I don't like having to calculate relative speeds, and I think the rules for a Cut Off is pretty elegant. I like the concept of being able to Break Away with a simple set of rolls, but I don't like the fact that it takes a minimum of four minutes to do so.

I'll give one example, which is admittedly extreme, but based on a real story. We're in a modified sports car, and being chased by go-gangers. Now, our car is much faster than their bikes-- we're at a Speed of 300. Assuming they're on racing bikes, and not choppers, their top speed would be 200. They're probably not even going that fast.

We make our opposed roll for Chase Combat. Now, each driver gets to roll; we outscore most of them, but one biker does better than we do. He gets to set the range for the combat, and chooses Short Range. So, they just pulled off the "Picard Maneuver", and teleported within a few meters of us.

Next, the passengers act. While everyone else is taking potshots at the gangers, I'm calling my bound Force 10 spirit. I have it use the movement power on us. 300 meters/turn x10 = 3,600 kph, or Mach 4.6. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/vegm.gif)

Now, what really happened was that the GM simply handwaved our escape, and we got away. But this is an example, so if we followed the rules, here's what would have happened:

By the rules, a vehicle that exceeds its base Speed will suffer whatever penalties the GM feels is appropriate. We're going so fast, you'd expect a hefty penalty. But that means we're less likely to succeed on the opposed test, so the gang manages to keep up, despite the fact we're going more than four times the speed of sound. We have to win three rounds in a row, then make a Break Away test on the fourth round. Of course, by that time, we'll have traveled 150 miles; the bikes wouldn't have even gone one tenth of that.

So, there's one example for you. I can come up with others. But basically, what I'd like to see is vehicle rules that are compatible with normal combat, but still allow for abstract distances and abstract actions. What do you all think?