Fighting is dangerous. There are many ways to get oneself killed, and some are more unique than others. Kinetic Damage (DMG) represents kinetic damage, where cuts, stabs, blunt strikes and bullet impacts fit in this category. However, in Crimson Blues there are a number of types of damage; except for regular DMG, all others are considered Special Damage. DMG which ignores all saving throws is considered Direct Damage (DR-DMG). DMG which strikes at an enemy's Critical Health Points (CHPS) is considered Critical Damage (CR-DMG), such as that inflicted by a Critical Hit.
Critical Hits
When an enemy performs an Armour Saving Throw (Saving Throw Rules), they may fail so hard they get hit with a Critical Hit.
If the Critical Hit was dealt with a weapon that deals regular kinetic DMG, inflict 1dX / 2 Critical Damage (CR-DMG), where "X" would be the dice type used to measure regular DMG for that weapon (for example, a Battle Rifle ⚡ that inflicts 3d6 DMG would inflict [1d6 / 2 CR-DMG]) and roll 1d6 to determine the Critical Effect:
- 4-6: Laceration - Inflict one instance of Bleeding.
- 3: Artery Shot - Inflict one instance of Severe Bleeding.
- 2: Limb Shot - Inflict one instance of Crippled.
- 1: Headshot - Inflict one instance of Headshot.
- 4-6: Crew Hit - The projectile directly impacts a crew member.
- Subtract from the projectile's PEN the ARM value of the vehicle that has already been penetrated.
- On a Naval Vehicle 🚢, roll 1d6. The result is the number of additional crewmen within Point-Blank Range (PBR) of the target crewman.
- 3: Engine Hit - Reduce the enemy's MOV to 0 until the damage is repaired.
- On multi-engined vehicles such as a Bomber 💥 or Destroyer ⚡, divide MOV by the number of engines and subtract the equivalent of one engine.
- 2: Weapon Hit - Disable the main weapon until the damage is repaired. Subsequent hits will disable secondary weapons systems.
- On vehicles with multiple gun turrets, such as a Battleship 💥, disable the entire gun turret.
- 1: Ammo Hit - The on-board ammunition ignites. Typically, very fatal.
- BURN-DMG: Inflicts Burning.
- CHEM-DMG: Inflicts Poisoned.
- RAD-DMG: Inflicts Ionised.
- EMP-DMG: Inflicts Electrified.
- PSI-DMG: Inflicts Cursed.
- EXP-DMG: Same Critical Effect table as kinetic DMG.
Special Damage
Special Damage types include the following:
- BURN-DMG: Caused by incendiary weapons such as a Flamethrower 🔥 or natural fires. Enjoys +2 Damage Rolls against any Animal 🐾 or Plant 🌼.
- CHEM-DMG: Caused by noxious chemical compounds. Enjoys +2 Damage Rolls against any Animal 🐾 or Cryptid 🐲.
- RAD-DMG: Caused by radiological weapons and atomic bombs. Enjoys +2 Damage Rolls against any Cryptid 🐲 or Eldritch Creature 👾.
- EMP-DMG: Caused by strong electromagnetism, electrical discharges and energy weapons. Enjoys +2 Damage Rolls against Robot 🤖 creatures.
- PSI-DMG: Caused by psionic phenomena. Enjoys +2 Damage Rolls against Sentient 🧠 creatures.
- EXP-DMG: Caused by explosive weapons. Does AOE damage and produces fragmentation (see Frag Rules)
When a weapon or munition has multiple damage types (for example, EXP-DMG/BURN-DMG), the damage dice shall be halved and rolled in separate groups. If the number of dice is not divisible by 2, the exceeding damage roll will be transferred to the first damage type listed.
For example, a weapon that does 7d6 EXP-DMG/BURN-DMG will, in practice, roll for 4d6 EXP-DMG and for 3d6 BURN-DMG. If the target is a Vulnerable creature, such as an Animal 🐾, the corresponding bonus applies. In this case the attack would deal 4d6 EXP-DMG and 5d6 BURN-DMG (+2 Damage Rolls due to Vulnerability).
Damage Modifiers
Damage profiles may include the following modifiers:
NDM - No Damage. Self-explanatory.
NFR - Non-fragmenting, this munition does not produce fragmentation (but its blast radius still responds to the Frag Rules).
AOE - Creates a cloud or puddle which has specific effects.
SMK - Smoke cloud which blocks Line of Sight.
LUZ - Inflicts Illuminated.
SBL - Inflicts Severe Bleeding.
EMP - Inflicts Electrified.
Modifiers last for a Short Duration, unless they have a plus sign (+), in which case duration increases by one increment. They can never be Permanent.
For example, STN+ would last for a Medium Duration and BLD++ would last for a Long Duration.
Area of Effect (AOE)
Certain attacks deal area damage. The most obvious example is explosives, which utilise Frag Rules to deal single-shot EXP-DMG over an area. Some munitions and weapons, however, generate AOE clouds and puddles which either deal damage or Status Effects to whomever passes through it. This AOE has its own profile, distinct from the original projectile or weapon's, in a parenthesis.
Area of Effect modifiers must dictate their own radius, duration and effect. For example, AOE-CR/SD (1d6 CHEM-DMG | PSN) has a radius of Close Range from the point of detonation, lasts for a Short Duration, does 1d6 CHEM-DMG to anything inside and inflicts Poisoned). AOE effects or damage from a single source cannot affect a creature more than once per Round. They can, however, be simultaneously affected by the AOE effects of different overlapping clouds.