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Mob Actions and Riots

 

These rules provide the Phoenix Command Referee with a method of managing a riot. They determine when a riot will start and will resolve the actions of a rioting mob. Although the Mob Actions and Riots rules are primarily designed for use in solo scenarios, rules are provided for agitator troops who sometimes can control parts of the rioting mob. A second player, controlling the agitators, would be able to play against the riot control forces player.

 Riot Stages: Every riot undergoes identifiable stages where all of the individuals in a riot follow certain behavior patterns. The average riot will advance through the crowd, riot, riot advance, and skirmish-line stages. There is also the possibility that as each stage advances, the level of weapons used by the rioters will increase both in number and quality.

Crowd Stage: All riots will start at the crowd stage. Here, the people are gathering peacefully. None of the crowd members should be moved on the game map at this stage. Threat level starts at I unless otherwise specified or earlier raised.

A special set of conditions is required to encourage normally law-abiding people to begin rampaging and attacking the symbols of authority. First, there must be a crowd or large group of people which have gathered for one purpose—either protesting, partying, or any other reason. Second, respect for government authority among the crowd must have disappeared. Third, there must be some sort of triggering event, like the arrest of a popular figure, or an attack on the crowd by the authorities. Another trigger may be the actions of a single crowd member or group from the crowd in leading an attack on the riot-control troops. 

Use the following table to determine if the situation advances to the riot stage. Roll 00-99 once every 10 minutes and if the roll is less than or equal to the modified chance of a riot, then the riot stage exists. 

 

BASE CHANCE OF RIOTING

 

Economic Riots:

Base Chance

Unavailablity of standard goods or services

00

As above, but with high taxes

20

As above, but with prevalent starvation

(starvation present in 20%+ of population)

 

40

 

 

Political Riots

 

Perceived repression of dissent

20

Perceived repression of civil liberties

30

Violent repression of dissent or civil liberties

30

Perceived persecution for political, ethnic, or

religious traits

 

50

Modifiers:

 

Crowd Size

Modifier

Up  to   99

+10

100 to  499

+30

500 to 1000

+50

Over   1000

+60

 

 

Guards

 

None

+20

1 guard for every 20 people

+0

1 guard for every 10 people

-20

1 guard for every  5 people

-50

Mounted guards or riot control vehicles present

-20

 

 

Incitements

 

Agitators inciting riots

+2*SL

Crowd ordered to disperse (Riot Act)

+5

Violent attack on crowd by authorities

+20

Notes: SL is the Diplomacy SL of the commanding agitator in the crowd.

Riot Stage: Once the riot stage exists, there is the potential for violence among the individuals and, possibly, the crowd as a whole. The idea that a person in a crowd situation surrenders his will to that of the rioting crowd is incorrect. Each person in a crowd retains his individuality and full control over his own actions, but is subject to external forces which may modify his decisions such as the apparent formation of a norm of behaviour, or the implied threat of harm to non-conformists. So, if an individual in a crowd begins to display violence, others in the crowd may take his violence as a signal that his actions are normal behaviour for the crowd, and act accordingly.

At the riot stage, it is essential to determine whether the individuals in the crowd turn the crowd as a whole towards violence. The crowd does not move at this stage. Instead, the referee or player rolls a 00-99 on the following table after 10 minutes to determine the crowd actions. If the crowd proceeds to riot advance stage, then the crowd is already disposed towards violence.

Roll      Result

00-19    Passions die down. Riot reverts to crowd stage.

20-34    Continue in riot stage for another (10) minutes.

35-99    Proceed to Riot Advance Stage.

 

Die Roll Modifiers:

Authority Actions

-10        No action by authorities.

+15       Crowd verbally ordered to disperse by authorities.

+30       Crowd perceived as attacked by authorities.

           

Authority Numbers

  0        1 guard for every 20 people.

-20        1 guard for every 10 people.

-50        1 guard for every 5 people.

-20        Mounted guards or riot-control vehicles present

 

Agitator Actions:

+2 * SL  Agitation by agitator troops. SL is highest Diplomacy SL of agitator troops.

Riot Advance Stage: In this stage, the rioters begin to move towards the positions of the riot-control troops at a steady walking pace of 1 HPP. Roll a 00-99 every 10 phases and compare it with the distance of the rioters from the main body of troops. If the roll exceeds the distance, then the advance stops and a skirmish line forms at that point. Agitators may try to move the crowd closer to the riot-control troops by subtracting 2 times their commander's Diplomacy SL from the die roll. 

Skirmish Line Stage: Scenarios in most scenarios will start with the skirmish line already formed. The skirmish line is a line of rioters roughly parallel to the main body of the riot control troops. It is a staging area for small clusters of rioters to launch attacks on the riot control troops or other targets.

Each cluster consists of 5 rioters. All the rioters in a cluster will behave in the pattern determined by rolling on the Cluster Actions Table below. 

Rolls for cluster behavior are made once every 10 phases. At the start of a ten-phase period, make a 0-9 roll and note the result. This roll is used to determine the values of modifiers with random components for the period. Next, a 00-99 roll is made for each cluster. By indexing the roll on the Cluster Actions Table under the appropriate threat level, a pattern of behavior is determined for each cluster for the next 10 phases.

Riot Cluster Actions Table

Threat

 

 

 

 

 

Level

Roll

 

Behaviour

I

0

-

2

 

Crowd disperses, riot ends

 

3

-

7

 

Cluster leaves battlefield

 

8

-

55

 

Aggressive shouting - no other action

 

56

-

85

 

Cluster advances to verbally challenge riot troops

 

86

-

99

 

Cluster advances to melee riot troops

 

100

+

 

 

Increase threat level to 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

II

0

-

1

 

Decrease threat level to 1

 

2

-

11

 

Cluster routs

 

12

-

24

 

Aggressive shouting - no other action

 

25

-

45

 

Cluster advances to melee riot troops

 

46

-

85

 

Cluster moves up and discharges missiles

 

86

-

95

 

Cluster charges

 

96

+

 

 

Increase threat level to 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

III

0

-

2

 

Decrease threat level to 2

 

3

-

20

 

Cluster routs

 

21

-

27

 

Aggressive shouting - no other action

 

28

-

52

 

Cluster advances to melee riot troops

 

53

-

75

 

Cluster moves up and discharges missiles

 

76

-

92

 

Cluster charges

 

93

+

 

 

Increase threat level to 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV

0

-

9

 

Cluster routs

 

10

-

14

 

Aggressive shouting - no other action

 

15

-

40

 

Cluster advances to melee riot troops

 

41

-

75

 

Cluster moves up and discharges missiles

 

76

-

99

 

Cluster charges

 

100

+

 

 

Cluster obtains firearms and opens fire.

 

Modifiers

 

Authority Actions:

 

Physical Barriers established

-10

Police personnel line established

-5

Riot police personnel line established

-15

Military personnel line established

-20

Armoured vehicles present

-5

Mounted police present

-5

 

 

Gas weapons used on rioters

+(10)-6

Water cannons used on rioters

+(10)-4

Batons/plastic bullets used on rioters

+(10)-5

Firearms presented and aimed at rioters

+4(10)-20

Live ammunition discharged at rioters

+6(10)-30

Dogs used on rioters

+(10)-8

 

 

Electrical Prods or “non-lethal” weapons used on rioters

 

+3(10)-15

 

 

Rioters severely wounded (>200 PD)

+3(10)-10

Rioters slain     

+5(10)-15

Rioters in melee with authorities 

+3(10)-5

 

Example: Street riots have degenerated horribly with riot police opening fire on crowds and killing two rioters. At the start of a ten-phase period, the player rolls a 7 on a 0-9 roll. Then, he rolls to determine what each of three clusters will do for the next ten phases. The threat level is III. 

Applicable modifiers are "live ammunition discharged at rioters" [+6(10)-30] and "rioters slain" [+5(10)-15]. Since the 0-9 roll at the start was a 7, the modifiers become (6x7)-30 = 12 and (5x7)-15 = 20 respectively for a total modifier of +30.

Modified 00-99 rolls for the three clusters produce 45, 120, and 75, meaning that two clusters will be advancing and attacking riot control troops with missile weapons this period, and the cluster that had the 120 result will be doing nothing but prepare for Threat Level IV actions next period. Next period all clusters will roll at Threat Level IV for their actions.

Agitators must also roll under their SL on a (10)-2 for each of up to two clusters they may command as if the clusters were composed of agitator troops. These rolls are made every 10 phases and replace the respective clusters' rolls on the Cluster Actions Table. Role players should use a Diplomacy or "Agitator" skill roll at Base Odds of 6 instead of the above (10)-2 roll.

Charges: Charges occur almost spontaneously, but usually follow the charges of individual clusters within the mob. If a cluster's actions designate a charge, roll a (10). If the number rolled is less than or equal to the number of clusters which are charging in that phase, then the entire skirmish line charges.

The charge is a headlong run to contact and attempt to overwhelm the riot-control troops. The skirmish line moves at 4 HPP towards the troops and past them if possible. Riot troops, once engaged, will take damage from the group of rioters each phase depending on the rioters' numbers and the threat level of the riot (see below, under INJURIES).

Routs: While in the skirmish line, a cluster may roll a "rout" result. This means that the entire cluster leaves the field in a panic and no longer takes part in the riot. Their leaving may cause the rest of the crowd to rout as well. If a cluster's actions indicate a rout result, roll a (10). If the number rolled is less than or equal to the number of clusters routing, then the entire skirmish line routs. 

For situations where there are charges and routs indicated for different clusters, roll for both charges and routs, with charges taking priority. For example, if a crowd has clusters charging and others routing, the gamemaster would roll a (10) to check if the line charges. If the roll indicates the line charges, no further rolls are made, and the line begins its charge. Any clusters shown as routing continue to rout. However, if the crowd does not charge, then the gamemaster rolls to see if the crowd routs. If a rout is indicated, the line routs, but clusters shown as charging would continue to charge.

Threat Level: The threat level of a riot is a measurement of the type of weapons used by the rioters. Naturally, the threat level has an impact on rioter actions and on injuries suffered by the targets of rioters. 

Threat Level I: The crowd is simply protesting. Weapons are not much more than insults. Any enemy caught in the crowd will suffer from moderate blows.

Threat Level II: The crowd is enraged and is using missile weapons such as rocks and vegetables. Melee combat shows average blows, and blunt weapons may be present.

Threat Level III: A serious riot where the crowd is using potentially lethal missiles such as boulders, glass, and petrol bombs. Melee weapons include both edged and blunt weapons.

Threat Level IV: This is a more frenzied form of Threat Level III. Certain clusters are using firearms if available. Crowds tend to disperse in panic at this stage, leaving the battle to armed rioters. The situation tends to resemble urban insurgency. 

Threat levels are raised immediately on the appropriate roll on the Cluster Actions Table. All subsequent clusters will roll at the increased threat level. The same applies to threat level reduction on the Cluster Actions Table.

Another method of reducing the threat level is through the dispersal of the crowd. For each dispersal, the threat level drops by one step and the next crowd stage begins at the reduced threat level. This will work on threat levels I to III. Level IV threat levels can only be reduced by a crackdown and 24-hour curfew, and are more suited to role-playing situations than skirmishing.

Injuries: People caught and attacked within the mob can be severely injured. These injuries vary according to the threat level as outlined on the following table. The table gives the average amount of PD taken per phase from melee combat by various targets at the different threat levels. To use the table, index the armour type of the target individual with the threat level. The first number gives the PD taken from each rioter per phase if the target is without a helmet, while second number gives PD taken with a helmet.  A target can have up to 6 rioters attacking him. Simply multiply the damage listed on the table by the number of rioters attacking that phase. No such table is provided for thrown weapons. These should be resolved as individual attacks.

Note that this table should be used for skirmish scenarios only. If the referee is simulating a riot involving Player Characters in a roleplaying setting, then the attacks of the rioters on individual player characters should be gamed out using the melee combat rules.

Example: An unarmored target without a helmet is caught standing in a riot at threat level II. He has 6 rioters on him, the maximum allowed. He takes 62 PD per phase from blows from fists, kicks, and blunt weapons from one rioter, so his total PD taken per phase is 62 * 6 = 312 PD. 

 

Melee Damage from Riots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Threat Level

 

 

I

 

 

II

 

 

II/IV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target Armour

 

 

 

Stance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unarmored

 

 

Stand

3

2

 

62

17

 

70

20

 

 

 

Kneel

5

3

 

201

46

 

240

55

 

 

 

Prone

11

5

 

203

47

 

241

55

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light Flex

 

 

Stand

2

1

 

54

9

 

61

11

 

 

 

Kneel

4

2

 

179

24

 

214

29

 

 

 

Prone

9

3

 

181

25

 

215

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medium Flex

 

Stand

1

1

 

53

8

 

59

9

 

 

 

Kneel

4

1

 

175

19

 

209

23

 

 

 

Prone

8

2

 

176

19

 

210

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy Flex

 

 

Stand

1

1

 

52

7

 

59

9

 

 

 

Kneel

4

1

 

174

18

 

208

18

 

 

 

Prone

8

2

 

175

18

 

208

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rigid/Plate

 

 

Stand

1

1

 

52

7

 

59

8

 

 

 

Kneel

4

1

 

174

18

 

208

22

 

 

 

Prone

8

2

 

175

18

 

208

22

 


Page last modified: July 25, 2003