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.
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.
|
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.
