This pertains to SR4.

When would a person, with one Initiative Pass (IP), taking a Complex Action (CA) complete the CA while fighting a person with three IPs during a combat turn? Would he finish at the end of the combat turn, during the first IP, or some other time?

I believe he would finish at the end of the combat turn.

That's not the way I understand it. I've always run it that all actions with the exception of those requried an Extended Test are resolved in the initiative pass that they're begun. Thus, someone with on IP fighting someone with 3 IPs who makes a complex action in Pass 1 (their only one) also finishes that action in Pass 1.

However, Extended Tests are different because they specifically indicate the interval of time in between rolls. Thus, an action that has a threshold of 8 and an interval of 1 IP would probably not be finished in the 1-IP-Dude's first pass. Plus, 1-IP-Dude wouldn't actually get to roll again during the opponent's IPs.

You're best bet is to think of IPs as abstract measures of time. They don't represent a second or a fraction thereof, their simply the moment at which one person acts.

My understanding as well. It may help to interpret complexity not as duration in this context, but rather as a game balancing mechanism.

Thanks for the replies.

I do believe that is what the rules state now that I read your comments Dashifen. I was also thinking about movement during a combat round as well and how some of the people on the board mentioned they take the combat round and divided it by 3 or 4 IPs, depending on what their players have to help with movement.

One thing I missed from 2nd Ed was initiative order. Just like in 3rd every 10 points of initiative gave you an extra action for the round, but unlike in 3rd where everyone went once then subtracted 10 and those still with a positive number went again in 2nd it was you went in order of initiative number with all intervening numbers factored in. Example:

Initiative Sam 31
James 8


Order:
31 Sam
21 Sam
11 Sam
8 James
1 Sam


Granted this could make it so a none augmented person would miss the fight, but I think it handled the speed of augmented characters better.