(c) Copyright 1992, by John Aegard

Title: Variant Initiative rule.

Description:

Reaction Speed (RS) is a derived stat based upon IQ and DX.  It is used to
determine sequence in a combat round.  Characters move in order of descending
RS.

To find a character's RS, add his/her IQ and DX, then divide by two.  Do 
not discard fractions.

There are two modifiers to RS:

+2 if the character has Combat Reflexes.
-  the character's Encumbrance level, rounded up.

If two characters' modified RS scores are tied, use these tie-breaking
criteria:
1] The character with Combat Reflexes goes first.
2] The character with the lowest encumbrance level goes first.
3] The character with the highest DX goes first.
4] The character with the highest IQ goes first.
5] The character with the highest 3d roll goes first.

Justification:

These Reaction Speed rules provide for a more detailed fight than those 
previously used by GURPS.  It gives a bit of an edge to those characters
who have a higher IQ and can presumably think faster.

As the example will show, this rule will help those who have higher IQ's
and Combat Reflexes.  The victims of this rule are low-IQ, high-encumbrance
fighting types.

Example:

Four characters decide spontaneously to engage in a tavern brawl.

A rogue has DX 14, IQ 10, HT 10, and Encumbrance 0.  
Her RS is 12-0=12

An elf has DX 12, IQ 13, HT 9, Encumbrance 0, and Combat Reflexes.
His RS is 12.5+2=14.5

A warrior has DX 13, IQ 9, HT 12, Encumbrance 2, and Combat Reflexes.
His RS is 11-2+2=11

A wizard has DX 10, IQ 15, HT 10, and Encumbrance 1.
Her RS is 12.5-1=11.5

The characters move in the following order: elf, rogue, wizard, warrior.

Had the sequence been figured out in the old manner, the result would have
been:

1] Rogue:   Speed 6, Move 6.
2] Elf:     Speed 5.25, Move 5.
3] Warrior: Speed 6.25, Move 4.
4] Wizard:  Speed 5, Move 4.