DwD Studios

It's a percentage based system, fairly abstract (four characteristics, ten skills based on those characteristics, all fairly broad). Most things that you roll for are done with percentage dice against either the skill score of the raw characteristic (both are, roughly, on a 0-99 scale), with GM assigned modifiers based on circumstances. (There's also provision for multiple actions in a turn, with a cumulative -20 penalty after the first.) There is a provision for opposed rolls, and for critical success/failure (roll doubles and it's critical, so the more skilled you are, the greater the chance of critical success, the less the chance of critical failure).

The four characteristics are Strength, Dexterity, Logic and Will. The skills are Academic, Detective, Leader, Martial Artist, Medic, Pilot, Scout, Soldier, Technician, and Thief. Some skills have areas of specialization. Sometimes, it takes a little thought, but nearly any task is covered by one or more of the skills or characteristics. Perception is a function of Logic, but depending on circumstances, Scout might be more appropriate. Charm is part of Will (which produces some odd, and not terribly realistic, results, like "the more attractive you are, the more resistant you are to torture and interrogation" - but it's very cinematic).

While it's possible to run a realistic game, it's fairly cinematic as written. Player characters have 3-5 times as many hit points as most NPCs, and get Bones, which are a whole lot like luck points in Top Secret. Use on, and amazing (and unrealistic) things happen, like "no matter what you do, nothing can kill you for one turn."

If you've ever played Top Secret (either edition), it will feel fairly familiar. Actual play is pretty fast paced, characters are hard to kill and heroic, if not superheroic (in a Batman sense). The rules are simple and streamlined, and very consistent. It took me about 15 minutes to explain to my players enough to start the game.

If you want gritty realism, this isn't a very good choice. If you want a James Bond or Jason Bourne movie, it works very well.

I am looking at working with like Jason Bourne style to Navy Seals/SAS Operations...but it sound like it could work for me.

Can add your skills if you want?

How do you handle opposed rolls in the game?

Thanks

It such a different type of game in regards to other spy-themed RPG's and would take a lot of post to explain all the nuances it contains. For $10 you get...

• Core_Rulebook
• GM_Operation_Manual
• The_Usual_Suspects
• Condition_Cards_-_Print_and_play
• Operative_Dossier
• Operative_Dossier_-_printfriendly
• Outfitting_Reference_Sheet
• Mission_Generation_Worksheet
• Enemy_Organization_Worksheet
• Initiative_Cards_-_Print_and_play
• DP_Checklist
• Hit_Location_Halfsheet

Try it out. :D

If you want the player characters to be significantly better at most things than everybody else (except the special villains), it does the very well. On average, most NPCs go down with one bullet or two punches (one if the character is skilled in martial arts). Brand new PCs can, on average, absorb 3-5 times as much punishment (and more if they're wearing any kind of armor).

There are actually guidelines for doing so somewhere (is it in the GM's book?)

From Pg 45 of the main rule book:

CONTESTED ACTIONS
Some actions may be contested, determined by the GM. For instance, trying to pick a pocket might be detected if your opponent makes a successful LOG check. Trying to wrestle a pistol out of someone’s grasp might be handled by contested STR checks. In such cases, there must be a clear winner (so if you both pass your check, the contest continues the next turn until someone fails). If less cinematically dramatic situations, the GM may decide to resolve contested actions with one roll for both contestants (whoever succeeds and rolls highest wins; reroll if both fail).

There are also resistance checks for when something will succeed unless the character successfully resists (rather than two characters contesting something at the same time). So, if the bad guy makes his roll to shoot you, you get a resistance check to dive for cover.

And for the record, I agree with w00t that $10 is a heck of a deal for a lot of material.

Sounds like a great system....If I order the hardcover book does include everything you mention or should I get the PDF & Hardcover.

Also I ready there might be new version coming out in 2016?

I'm going to let the DWD guys answer the first question, because I'm not sure what's in the hardcover.

As to the second, there's a 2nd edition in the works, but no estimated release date. They're currently focusing on Frontier Space, which is like Covert Ops, but with space ships. From what they've said here, there will be substantial changes to 2nd edition, with six characteristics instead of four, and skills that are just skills, not based on characteristics (but with bonuses from applicable characteristics). I'd guess it's pretty unlikely to be released this year, though. Probably should let the DWD guys answer that, too, I guess.

PDF + Hardcover B&W Book, you get it all :D
In fact I think all our POD's come with a free PDF.

No ETA on a new version. I'm testing CO2 (Covert Ops 2) regularly with one of my online groups, however Bill and I are currently working on FrontierSpace, our sci-fi offering. CO2 and FS use the same core game mechanic and it's likely that the development of FS will heavily influence CO2.