Today I will be using Scott Malthouse’s Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying (USR) (and the automatic weapon rules from USR Cyberpunk) and the oracle I outlined in last week’s blog post to play out a day in the life of Charlton Heston’s character Robert Neville in the 1971 film The Omega Man. 

Robert Neville, Action Scientist

Action d8

Wit d10

Ego d6

Hits 12

Specialisms

Action – Military (+2)

Wit – Science (+2), Urban Survival (+2)

Equipment

Submachine Gun (Medium Weapon +2) In ranged combat Robert can roll a second time at the same or a different target. The second attack roll gets a -2 penalty. Has a flashlight mounted which negates any darkness penalties. 

Pistol (Light Weapon +1)

Knife (Light Weapon +1)

Leathers (Light Armor -1)

Tool bag (Repair/siphon +2)

Robert is out on a supply run. He is running low on Merlot and would like to find a new album or two to listen to. He loads some empty gas cans into his 1971 big block Chevelle and heads out of his compound after breakfast. Does he run into any problems on the way downtown? I’m going to say that it is unlikely. Blue 6, Red 3, White 1 so the answer is yes! Is the problem a trap set by The Family? I will say that is likely. Blue, 6, Red 5, White 1 another yes. Are Family members present? I will say this is unlikely due to it being during the day. Blue 2, Red 3, White 5 so no. Have they undermined a section of bridge? I will say this is likely. Blue 6, Red 6, White 5. The doubles mean I am asking the wrong question. Is the trap in a building instead of targeting the car? I will say even odds on this one. Blue 5, Red 2, White 5. So the answer is no the trap isn’t in a building and it is targeting the car but the doubles on the Blue and White dice mean an event or plot twist. I’m going to roll onthe Events table from Ray Otus’ Oracle. A 6, Reveal something about, or advance a thread. The Family is going to not only attack the car while Neville is in a building but he will also not find what he is looking for until later in the day potentially stranding him in the city at night. 

So Robert will find that he has already looted the good stuff from the stores on the outskirts of town and wastes too much time in the record store. He does manage to find a copy of Miles Davis’ Nefertiti and Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel. He still needs to find that bottle of wine so he heads deeper downtown and starts checking higher end restaurants. Does he find what he is looking for? I’m going to say it is unlikely. Blue 3, Red 4, White 2. So he does not and while he is in an expensive Italian restaurant that has been previously looted The Family strikes! Is the attempt to disable to Chevelle by taking out the tires? Do they succeed? Blue 4, Red 6, White 6. So we have doubles (remember the White die replaces the Blue since it is higher) so we are asking the wrong question. Does Robert hear them disabling the Chevelle? Blue 6, Red 3, White 3. He does.

The Family has built a ballista and uses it to hurl hunks of concrete or maybe a cast iron stove or heavy bathtub into the poor muscle car disabling it. Robert hears the crash as the metal crinkles on impact and rushes outside just in time to see the second missile hit home! Can he tell where the ballista is located? I’m going to say this is a Hard Wit Non Contested Attribute Test (NCAT) so he needs a 7+ using his d10 Wit. A 10! He not only can tell what building but what window they are firing from. Time to clear out the nest!

Robert runs to the front door, is it locked? I will say it is likely since the building is occupied. Blue 6, Red 2, White 3 so yes. He will pull a short crowbar out of his tool bag and use it to try and pop the door. So this will be Action d8+2 for the crowbar and I will say it is a Medium NCAT so he needs 4+ to succeed. 6+2 is 8 so he is able to get the front door open. Is anyone covering the front door or in the entry way? I’ll say that is unlikely. Blue 6, Red 5, White 4 so yes they are. As the door swings open a member of The Family is waiting with a crossbow and takes a shot at our hero! 

Family Member Action d6, Wit d4, Ego d4 Hits 2 Crossbow (Medium Weapon +2)

This will be a Contested Attribute Test (CAT) and I’m giving the Family Member a one time +2 because they are ambushing Robert. So Robert rolls Action, d8, against the Family Member’s Action d6+4 (+2 for the crossbow and +2 for the ambush) Robert rolls a 6 and the Family Member rolls a 5+4 for a 9! Robert takes the difference in damage 3 -1 for his leathers so a total of 2 dropping his Hits from 12 to 10. Now that the ambush has been resolved we will roll for Initiative. Initiative is Action + Wit.

Robert got a 10 and the Family Member gets a 5 so Robert goes first. He drops the crowbar and unslings his submachine gun. He’ll be able to fire next turn. The Family Member charges and attempts to use the crossbow as a club, we’ll treat it as a Light Weapon. Robert rolls a d8 and the Family Member rolls a d6 +1 for the improvised club. They both get a 6 but the +1 for the Light Weapon means the Family Member does connect, Robert would take 1 point of damage but his Leathers absorb that so we’ll just say it was only a glancing blow. Next round!

Robert wins Initiative again, a 9 to a 5, and fires a burst from his submachine gun at point blank range! This will be Action plus the Medium Weapon d8+2 against the Family Member’s Action of d6. Robert rolls a 1 against the Family Member’s 3 so with a tie we will say he doesn’t hit but he can fire again with a -2 because the submachine gun is automatic and this time we get 4-2 to the Family Member’s 1 so this time our albino assailant takes 1 point of damage. The Family Member is going to try to flee into the building, let’s see if they win Initiative and can get away.

(I like to give ties to the defender although in a solo game maybe they should always go to the hero, thoughts?)

The Family Member rolls 6 and 4 for 10 to match Robert’s 5 and 5! They will go simultaneously. Since the Family Member is running away this will be a NCAT for Robert but I will make it a Medium one as his target is moving. Robert fires another burst and 3+2 is a hit! No need to worry about damage as the Family Member only had 1 Hit left and Neville cuts them down before they reach the stairwell.  

Robert has a decision to make. He wants to go upstairs and kill the bastards that ruined his car but it is also getting late in the day and he needs to either find a way out of the city or find somewhere to hole up before dark. I think this requires a Medium Ego check, that is a 4+ using a d6. A 1! His anger gets the best of him and he turns on the flashlight mounted on the submachine gun as he moves to clear the rest of the building. 

I’m going to roll a d6 to see how many Family Members are left in the building, 2. We need to determine what kind of building this is, I’m going to say it is a

1 bank

2 department store

3 another restaurant

4 apartment building

5 or 6 office building.

I roll a 3 so it is another restaurant. The stairwell our unfortunate ambusher was running toward leads to a nightclub upstairs. Does Robert take time to check the ground floor or does he move straight to the stairwell knowing whomever destroyed his car is probably upstairs? I think it is likely he will go straight for the stairs. Blue 1, Red 3, White 3 so this is a tie meaning I’m asking the wrong question. Do the Family Members upstairs move toward the gunfire downstairs? I’ll say even odds. Blue 5 Red 5 and White 2 so again the wrong question! Is their a mechanical trap waiting for Robert? I’ll say that is likely, Blue 2 Red 2 White 6 so yes there is. Does Robert notice the trap before it goes off? I’ll give him Wit +2 for Urban Survival but say it is a Hard NCAT so he needs 7+. He rolls 2+2 for a 4 so he doesn’t notice the trap! A net falls on him and before he can get out the remaining Family Members come downstairs to subdue him. 

Robert shouldn’t have let his temper get the best of him! Probably best to end this here on a cliff hanger. Until next time be excellent to each other.