Stealth allows creatures to avoid detection by concealing themselves from enemies. A creature that has not been detected by any enemy is considered Concealed. At the Operational Map, or when Roving, stealth is decided in a roleplayed manner through DEX Skill Checks affected by the Stealth General Skill and by the enemy's highest PER. By this means, one of more Player Characters could start an Engagement Concealed. NPCs can, at the GM's discretion, do so too, though it is advised to indirectly warn the players and perform one or more PER Skill Checks. However, during the course of an Engagement, things are more mechanical. They must successfully pull off a Sneak (1 APS) Regular Action.
To successfully pull off a Sneak (1 APS), they must pass a Hard DM DEX-based Skill Check, provided they meet all of the following conditions:
- They are within Natural Cover, Half Cover, Full Cover or in the darkness.
- They have not performed a Sprint (1 APS), Charge (2 APS), fired a non-Suppressed weapon, or performed any other obvious and noisy action this Turn.
- No enemy within Short Range (SR) has Line of Sight on them.
When possible, and especially with creatures that start an Engagement Concealed, it is advised to use an alternative tabletop model, such as a base painted with a question mark. This allows maintaining suspension of disbelief that an enemy is actually hidden, despite the fact that they can clearly see their model on the board. If they haven't even seen the enemy at all, it is possible to omit placing the models on the board until the creatures are revealed, but this is a tool that the GM should use sparsely and carefully, giving the players a chance to fight back. Overuse risks the campaign becoming unfair for the players, who should never be antagonised.
Maintaining & Breaking Concealment
When a creature that is Concealed is present in the battlefield, every enemy within Line of Sight must pass a Hard DM PER Skill Check affected by the Investigation General Skill at the start of their Turn. If they pass, the creature is revealed, losing their Concealed status. If multiple Concealed creatures fit the criteria, roll for each one of them. The next attack to target them will gain an Easy DM to its hit rolls.
Creatures that find themselves Concealed can perform a number of actions without attracting unwanted attention, such as Reload (1 APS), Change Weapon (1 APS), Overwatch (1 APS), Draw Item (1 APS), Use Item (1 APS), Take Cover (1 APS) and Meditate (3 APS). In general, any action that, by logic, makes little sound and requires little movement. The final say on whether not an action that is not included here can be freely executed lies on the GM.
However, some actions require passing a Hard DM DEX Skill Check before they occur. These are specifically Move (1 APS) and Spot (3 APS). It is also possible to fire a Suppressed weapon while attempting to maintain concealment, though in this case, the DEX Skill Check will occur after the attack is resolved. If the roll is a failure, the creature loses its Concealed status, though it suffers no additional penalties.
Finally, some actions will always break concealment. All attacks without a Suppressed weapon, as well as the Charge (2 APS) and Sprint (1 APS) actions, are in this category, unless they are Special Abilities which specifically allow maintaining concealment. Coming within Close Range (CR) of an enemy will always break concealment.
Terrain & Concealment
The type of terrain that an Engagement or an out-of-combat interaction also has a severe effect on stealth. In general, rougher terrain and darkness favour stealth.
| Situation | Open Ground | Forest & Mountain | Urban & Jungle | Darkness (Stacking) |
Sneak (1 APS) (DEX Skill Check) | NONE | |||
| NONE |
Note that darkness stacks with terrain. For example, in a dark jungle, the Sneak (1 APS) Regular Action gains a Very Easy DM. However, remember that darkness, as per the Terrain & Darkness Rules, can be nullified through the use of flashlights, floodlamps, or any other such objects that inflict Illuminated, or by simply turning the lights on if it's a room. Using Night Vision or Thermal Vision grants an enormous and unfair advantage, as they nullify the enemy's bonuses, while keeping one's own.
Big Creatures & Vehicles
Creatures of Large 🐎 or Huge 🦏 size, and all vehicles, may only become Concealed if they are stationary and enjoy at least one terrain advantage of those described in the aforementioned section. A stationary Main Battle Tank 💥 within a dense treeline may conceal itself from enemy view; but one that is speeding in open terrain cannot.
The following can never be Concealed under any circumstances: