Grip: It’s payback time.
Box: You’re bleeding, man!
Grip: I ain’t got time to bleed.
Get moving, you’re holding up the parade!
ARC – The Underworld’s activities can be easily grouped into three categories: movement, combat, and non-combat actions. Currently, discussing various movement processes also offers a great opportunity to introduce different map elements.
The three map areas—the town of Crawford, its sewers, and the lair of the REZ—are shown with four double-sided maps, totaling eight maps. The maps use a square grid overlay. Each square depicts the terrain and its elements within a central white rectangle, which features a central black dot and two numbers.
Line-of-sight (LoS) is measured from the center of a square to the center of another square. If a LoS check crosses any portion of a square with a boxed [] center dot, the LoS is blocked. LoS into a blocked square is clear as long as it doesn’t cross a square with a boxed [] center dot. LoS is also blocked if it crosses a solid building wall or passes through a character.
The first, left-hand, blue number shows if a square provides cover using a specific die, ranging from d4 to d10, which is included with all combat defense rolls. In ARC – The Underworld, only one character can occupy each square; stacking is not allowed. As explained in the previous Combat Mechanics article, cover is always your friend. For example, the woods square at the lower left of the sample Crawford map offers a d6 cover die to a character in that square.
The second, right-hand, green number shows the cost in MPs to enter a new square. Characters move from square to square, expending the movement cost listed for each. They usually can’t exceed their available MPs, as shown on their character cards. Some action cards let characters spend additional MPs when moving. Characters are limited to two consecutive diagonal moves, with the second move costing an extra 1 MP. This rules out the nuances of a square grid compared to the more common hex grid.
A key aspect of the game allows characters to enter and exit buildings through windows and doors. Characters can occupy a building to take cover in combat or complete specific objectives. Clearly, it’s easier to go through a door than a window, but tactical choices often determine which move to make.
For example, the Laundromat building in the lower right corner has a window at the top left and a door at the bottom left. The door includes a stoop to help distinguish it from the window. A character can move orthogonally or diagonally through a door without additional movement cost. Characters can only cross a window orthogonally and must spend +1 MP to complete the move. Characters can move freely through other friendly characters, typically not through opposing characters. This introduces another feature of the game – Attributes.
Attributes differ from Skills. They are traits linked to specific REZ character classes, as
well as ARC and REZ devices and creatures — more on devices and creatures will be
covered in a future article.
Both ARC Operators and REZ Characters may become hidden.
Attributes
- Agile: The Character or device can move through opposing characters and diagonally between characters. It does not incur the +1 diagonal move penalty, but it remains limited to two consecutive diagonal moves.
- Hidden: Result of a Hide non-combat action.
- Low Profile: Does not block movement, LoS, or combat.
- Remote Observation: Reveals Unknowns in LoS and command range, and within 2 squares of Hidden units in LoS.
- Sniffer: +1 CH vs. Hidden
Author: James M. Day