The Chase Sequence
Race, chase, rundown or run over your opponents in this mini-game designed to inject some high-octane action into your chase sequences.
This weeks challenge comes from u/Klok_Kaos
“Chase mechanics, to include vehicles of variable speeds (and on foot), obstacles, stunts, offensive driving. Needs to account for variable move speeds and accelerations (i.e. you can’t have a footrace if everyone has 30 move speed).”
Working on this one took a loooong time. I went down many rabbit holes, and found I was retreading exceptionally well trod ground in some instances. To finally get something I’m happy putting up on the blog, I returned back to the drawing board more times that I’d like to count.
So I went back to basics.
I imagined myself at the gaming table, engaged in a chase sequence; What would I want to achieve? How would I take part in the chase? Would I be on foot, on a mount, in a vehicle? Am I the player or the DM? How does the gameplay vary from each perspective?
As I started to visualise what that might look like, I started to think about the brief, and began pulling out the core assumptions to work out if they were true and if so, how to model them.
Core Assumptions
If you have greater speed and acceleration, you’re going to win.
Unless your opponent can either:
Outmanoeuvre you (stunts).
Slow you (obstacles and offensive manoeuvres).
From there I started to put together the potential roles of player characters (PCs) and non-player characters (NPCs). You can find the scenario I came up with at the end of this post.
PC and NPC roles
PCs and NPCs can fill any role, depending on the type of game you’re running. Perhaps your players are running a heist and are trying to flee the scene, or perhaps your players are federal agents trying to take down a gang of notorious bank robbers?
Runner: The role of the runner is to escape.
Saboteur: The role of the saboteur(s) is to assist the runner in their escape.
Chaser: The role of the chaser(s) is to catch the runner and/or neutralise the saboteur(s).
The mini-game starts when the runner makes his move.
The mini-game ends when either:
The Runner Loses the Tail by running out of line of sight and succeeding an opposed stealth check vs. a chasers’ investigation/fieldcraft roll (any relevant modifiers apply).
The Chaser successfully tackles and/or grapples/restrains the runner during the chase.
Each participant in the chase gains a number of stamina tokens equal to their Stamina bonus (or the Stamina bonus of their mount).
For vehicles, the participant gains a number of fuel tokens equal to the vehicle’s Fuel Tank bonus.
Stamina and Fuel tokens can be spent to increase acceleration and perform manoeuvre during the chase.
Actions:
Accelerate (x2 (1), x3 (2), x4 (3))
Slow (0)
Change Mode (from on-foot, to car or mount, and visa versa) (0)
Manoeuvre (1)
Choose route (area knowledge) (0)
Find the Runner’s trail (investigation/fieldcraft) (0)
Shake the tail (stealth)
Manoeuvres:
Offensive Manoeuvres:
Tackle/Ram (acrobatics/piloting)
Clear/Create obstacle (athletics/piloting)
Block escape routes (fieldcraft)
Defensive Manoeuvres:
Dodge/Evade (acrobatics/piloting)
Clear/Create obstacle (athletics/piloting)
Lay false trail (fieldcraft)
Basic Game loop:
The runner starts the chase.
Chasers pursue runners and can ignore or attempt to eliminate saboteurs.
Runners and Saboteurs attempt to outrun, tackle/ram, dodge/evade, or out manoeuvre Chasers.
Runners and Saboteurs escape.
or
Chasers restrain/detain the Runner and/or Saboteurs.
Speed/Horsepower
Player, mount, and vehicle speed balance will vary widely depending on the actual game system, so I’ll leave this section mostly up to GM discretion. But it’s worth considering how Speed could be connected to a strength or power stat to align with how human speed is based on a combination of stride length and cadence, power to weight ratio (muscle power vs mass), and muscle fibre composition for explosive strength and sustained power (slow-twitch vs fast-twitch fibres).
For vehicles, they might have a strength or power equivalent such as a “Torque” attribute that could be used to calculate individual vehicle speeds.
A note about speed for vehicles: The Accelerate action could be limited to vehicle type. For instance while a sedan might be able to accelerate to x4, a dirt bike might only be able to accelerate to x3.
Stamina/Fuel
I would base stamina and fuel points around an endurance or constitution attribute for players and mounts. Human stamina is based on a combination of cardio vascular fitness, VO2 max, and metabolic efficiency (lactic acid processing, thermo-regulation).
Average bonuses are usually small enough to make a chase realistic.
Exceptional bonuses are, well, exceptional and make for interesting heroic outcomes.
For vehicles. A “Fuel Tank” attribute would make sense here. Don’t be shy to make the vehicle’s fuel attribute much larger than a player’s or mount’s stamina bonus.
The benefit of a vehicle is the much higher speed and fuel reserve.
Players and mounts make up the difference in agility, handling and terrain adaptation.
Agility/Handling
Human agility is based on reaction time, balance, spatial awareness (specifically proprioception - the ability to sense the body’s position and movement), and coordination (neuromuscular control).
For the purposes of the game, again, it comes down to system specifics. For player and mount agility, I think acrobatics and animal handling rolls are probably sufficient to represent most situations. With piloting/driving being the skill used for vehicles.
Perhaps, an acrobatics check based on a mount’s agility/dexterity might make more sense for mount based checks.
For vehicles, it might be worth looking at ways to build a “handling” attribute that mirrors agility/dexterity in organics. This could account for the manoeuvrability of different vehicle types. However, that’s beyond the scope of this challenge, so for now I’ll just leave vehicle handling to a piloting/driving check, and use speed to determine the “quality” of the vehicle.
Full Game Loop:
As an action a Runner and any collaborative Saboteurs can initiate a chase by choosing to Accelerate and paying the stamina/fuel cost (they gain surprise and a full round of adjusted movement unless otherwise mitigated).
Then runners, chasers, and saboteurs roll reaction/initiative checks to determine order of operations.
As an action, Chasers, Runners and Saboteurs can vary their speed by paying the applicable stamina/fuel cost to Accelerate.
As an action Runners and Saboteurs can choose a manoeuvre, and attempt to tackle/ram, dodge/evade, create obstacles to block the path of the Chasers, or clear obstacles laid by Chaser who are on their route.
They must pay the applicable stamina/fuel cost. This represents the adrenal impact on endurance in characters and mounts or the extra fuel burnt speeding and slowing in vehicles to turn sharply, charge through a barricade, or avoid crashes.
If out of line of sight, saboteurs can attempt to lay false trails to confuse chasers. They take the manoeuvre as an action, and set an opposed DC based on their fieldcraft/survival roll.
Chasers, Runners, and Saboteurs can use a manoeuvre action to create a temporary obstacle (think unsettling traffic so it becomes a hazard, pulling down crates to block a path, or driving through boxes and garbage to reduce visibility in a side street) to slow each other down. Opposed checks (athletics/piloting vs athletics/piloting)
If able to reach strategic choke points on the terrain, Runners, Chasers, or Saboteurs can use a fieldcraft/survival rolls to create a more permanent barricade with an opposed DC based on their roll.
Determining Winners and Losers
Runners and Saboteurs escape if they succeed at a stealth roll when out of line of sight of all Chasers.
Chasers win if they successfully tackle, grapple, or otherwise restrain/detain the Runner.
Restrained/detained Saboteurs may offer other roleplaying opportunities at the discretion of the GM (e.g., lead PCs to a hideout later on, etc.).
Example: Urban Chase Scenario - The Informant’s Escape
Setup
The Runners:
Runner: “Wire” is a data courier who’s stolen crucial information.
Saboteur 1: “Smoke” is a demolitions expert and Wire’s partner.
Saboteur 2: “Ghost” is a local street kid with area knowledge.
The Chasers:
Zara: Corporate security agent (on foot)
Kal: Zara’s partner (also on foot)
Detective Mills: Police investigator (mounted on police horse)
Agent Voss: Federal operative (in an unmarked sedan)
Agent Reed: Voss’ partner (in the same unmarked sedan)
Scenario Start
Wire emerges from an abandoned subway entrance in the warehouse district, clutching a data chip. He spots the Chasers just before they spot him from their surveillance positions around the plaza.
Starting resources:
Wire: 3 stamina tokens
Smoke: 2 stamina tokens
Ghost: 2 stamina tokens
Police horse: 4 stamina tokens
Sedan: 8 fuel tokens
Reaction/Initiative: Wire gains surprise and immediately uses Accelerate x2 (1 stamina), moving at double speed toward a nearby narrow alley between the buildings.
Round 1: The Chase Begins
Wire’s Turn:
Action: Accelerate x2 (1 stamina, speed doubled).
Heads for “Murphy’s Alley” - too narrow for the Sedan.
Shouts code word “Blackout!” to signal saboteurs.
Smoke’s Turn:
Action: Manoeuvre - Create Obstacle (1 stamina).
Athletics check to topple a construction barrier across the plaza.
Creates a temporary obstacle between mounted Mill’s and the foot pursuit.
Ghost’s Turn:
Action: Choose Route (Area Knowledge check).
Knows about the dirt bike parked behind Chen’s Electronics.
Signals Wire with hand gestures about the bike location.
Chaser Responses:
Zara and Kal: Start pursuit on foot and are forced to navigate Smoke’s obstacle.
Mills: His horse can jump the barrier with a successful Animal Handling check.
Voss and Reed: Drive around the block to cut off escape routes.
Round 2: Urban Obstacles
Wire’s Turn:
Action: Manoeuvre - Clear Obstacle (1 stamina).
Parkours over a chain-link fence with an Acrobatics check.
Now one block from the dirt bike.
Smoke’s Turn:
Action: Manoeuvre - Tackle/Ram (1 stamina)
Attempts to tackle Zara to slow foot pursuit.
Opposed Acrobatics vs Athletics check.
Ghost’s Turn:
Action: Choose Route (0 stamina).
Uses Area Knowledge to guide Wire: “Left at the wall covered in graffiti!”
Provides advantage or roll bonus on Wire’s next navigation check.
Chasers Tactical Decision:
Mills uses his mount’s superior speed (Accelerate x2 - 1 fuel) to take a parallel side street..
Voss and Reed speedily (Accelerate x3 - 2 fuel) reposition the sedan to cover main roads out of the district.
Zara and Kal decide whether to pursue the saboteurs or the runner.
Round 3: Mode Change Complications
Wire’s Turn:
Action: Change Mode (0 stamina/fuel)
Reaches dirt bike, attempts to hot-wire it
Requires thieves tools/technology check.
Dirt bike starts with 6 Fuel Tokens.
Smoke’s Turn:
Action: Manoeuvre - Create Obstacle (1 stamina).
Uses a small explosive charge to collapse scaffolding in Mills’ side street.
Blocks the alley behind Wire, slowing pursuit.
Ghost’s Turn:
Action: Manoeuvre - Lay False Trail (1 stamina).
Fieldcraft check to create diversion.
Points foot pursuit towards a fake escape route.
Chaser Complications:
Voss and Reed’s sedan is blocked by Smoke’s scaffolding collapse.
Mills must dismount to navigate narrow passageways.
Zara and Kal fail the contested roll to discern the false trail and split up to cover both the saboteurs and the runner.
Round 4: Vehicle vs. Vehicle Potential
Wire’s Turn:
Successfully starts the dirt bike.
Action: Accelerate x3 (2 fuel) - maximum speed for the dirt bike.
Heads for highway on-ramp.
Smoke’s Turn:
Action: Shake the Tail (Stealth).
Uses smoke from debris to break line of sight.
Attempts to escape in the urban maze.
Ghost’s Turn:
Action: Choose Route (Area Knowledge)
Knows shortcut to highway that avoids main roads.
Tries to radio Wire with route information.
Chaser Decision Point:
Continue chasing saboteurs or chase the runner?
Sedan vs. dirt bike on an open road.
Mill’s horse cannot follow onto the highway.
Round 5: The Great Escape
Wire’s Turn:
Action: Accelerate x3 (2 fuel)
Hits the highway at triple base (max) speed.
Uses dirt bikes superior handling for lane-splitting.
Voss and Reed:
Action: Accelerate x4 (3 fuel)
Higher top speed, but quickly fall foul of poorer handling.
Must navigate more carefully and eventually run into rush hour stop-start traffic.
Saboteur Cleanup:
Smoke and Ghost attempt final stealth checks.
If out of line of sight, roll opposed stealth checks vs. Chaser investigation rolls.
Scenario Analysis
Final Resource Totals:
On Foot Phase (Rounds 1-2):
Wire: Started with 3 stamina, spent 2 (1 remaining).
Smoke: Started with 2 stamina, spent 2 (exhausted - base movement only).
Ghost: Started with 2 stamina, spent 1 (1 remaining)
Vehicle Phase (Rounds 3-5):
Wire’s Dirt bike: Started with 6 fuel, spent 4 (2 remaining - can continue).
Sedan: Started with 8 fuel, spent 5 (3 remaining - still operational if blocked by traffic).
Mill’s Horse: Started with 4 stamina, spent 1 chasing (3 remaining).
This scenario, while simplified, demonstrates a variety of gameplay styles. Including:
Mixed Movement Types:
Foot vs Foot: Smoke tackling Zara.
Mount vs Foot: Mills pursuing on horseback.
Vehicle vs Vehicle: Sedan chasing dirt bike.
Foot to Vehicle: Wire’s mode change.
Terrain Usage:
Narrow Alley: Favours foot/mount over vehicles.
Highway: Vehicles dominate.
Vertical Obstacles: Favour athletic characters.
Traffic: Creates dynamic obstacles.
Strategic Elements:
Area Knowledge: Ghost’s local expertise.
Resource Management: Stamina/fuel expenditure.
Role Specialization: Each saboteur has different tactics.
Environmental Interaction: Scaffolding, barriers, traffic.
Victory Conditions:
Runner Success: Wire reaches the countryside with the dirt bike.
Saboteur Success: Smoke and Ghost evade the chasers in the urban maze.
Chaser Success: Any combination of captures/restraints.
GM Notes
Vehicle Advantage Demonstrated:
The dirt bike and the sedan can maintain high speeds longer than foot pursuit.
Smoke was exhausted early, showing human stamina limitations.
Vehicles enable sustained high-speed chase phases.
Terrain Advantages:
Urban: Multiple routes, vertical movement, environmental obstacles.
Vehicle Counters: Traffic, narrow spaces, pedestrian areas.
Mount Advantages: Can navigate between foot and vehicle terrain.
Area Knowledge: A goldmine of shortcuts, hazards, and resources.
Adaptation Tips:
If not using contested rolls, scale obstacles to party level.
Consider buffs/debuffs to adjust stamina/fuel totals for desired chase length.
Use familiar landmarks for immersion.
Fail forward. Let failed rolls create new complications, not dead ends.
Unanswered Questions
Q1. How do tokens regenerate?
You “run out of gas” - literally and figuratively and need to refuel/short rest.
Q2. Are there consequences for spending all tokens (e.g., exhaustion, engine damage)?
There are no consequences for “running out of gas”, you just can’t continue, although this is an intriguing context for future “extra effort” manoeuvres - perhaps involving performance enhances (players/mounts) and N2O use (vehicles).
Q3. Can players combine actions (e.g., Accelerate + Manoeuvre in one turn)?
If players have more than one action per turn, then yes. I would also imagine that class-specific features, that turn actions into free or bonus actions, would work well here too - providing advantages in pursuit or evasion.
Q4. What does line of sight mean in different terrain contexts (e.g. urban alleys vs open roads and country)?
The Area Knowledge skill can be used to request terrain information from the GM/DM to discern environmental clues and good paths - if there isn’t a game map to use.
Line of sight means any turn you end your turn without an opponent or team mate in direct line of sight. For the purposes of Shaking the Tail, you want to start your next turn out of line of sight and complete a successful opposed stealth check against your chaser’s investigation or tracking/fieldcraft skill to evade pursuit.
Thoughts on Play-Testing
Core Mechanics:
Resource economy balance: Do stamina/fuel pools feel right? Too generous/stingy?
Action costs: Are acceleration multipliers priced correctly? (1/2/3 tokens for x2/x3/x4 speed).
Victory conditions: How often do chases end in escapes vs captures?
Test with simple scenarios first:
Single runner vs single chaser (same movement type/mode)
Then add complexity: mixed movement, multiple participants, saboteurs.
Key Play-Test Questions to Answer:
Pacing:
How long do chases typically last? (Intuitive sweet spot, I’m thinking 4-8 rounds max).
Do players run out of tens too quickly/too slowly?
Are there enough meaningful decisions each round?
Balance:
Are vehicles too dominant/not dominant enough?
Do mounted characters have a clear niche or are they genre specific?
Are saboteurs effective or just distractions?
Fun Factor:
Do players feel agency or are they just rolling dice?
Are there “dead turns” where nothing interesting happens?
Does resource management create tension or tedium?
Potential Problem Areas:
Action Economy Issues:
What if everyone wants the same action type?
How do simultaneous manoeuvres resolve?
Reaction/Initiative might be too important.
Resource Depletion:
Players might hoard tokens early, making chases long and boring.
Or spend too freely and stall out anticlimactically.
Complexity Creep:
Easy to add more manoeuvre types, but might overwhelm.
Reliance on GM input for environmental opportunities might get fiddly.
This completes week 2 of my 52 week game mechanic design challenge. Subscribe for free to receive a notification when I post the next challenge. Next week I will be tackling a Hacking mini-game that isn’t boring for non-hackers at the table.
If you have any questions of feedback, comment below or join the discussion on Reddit, here.