Fate is a story-oriented roleplaying game system that allows players to use the roleplaying process to their character’s advantage. Vivid descriptions and cinematic actions are the watchwords of Spearpoint and the Fate system.
The system used in Spearpoint is referred to as “tactical” Fate. Fate, in this case, the 2.0 version, was designed by Rob Donoghue and Fred Hicks and places the emphasis on telling exciting stories.
To play Spearpoint and use Tactical Fate, you need four six-sided dice and a creative imagination. You use the dice to decide margin of victory or defeat.
Fate relies primarily on two mechanical processes to help decide the outcome of events; Aspects and Skills. Aspects are special descriptive words that allow a character to do some really outstanding things when those words can be used (in game terms; "invoked"). Aspects are very powerful- they allow you to reroll dice or add plusses when you really need it. As long as you have an appropriate Aspect you can invoke- you can usually turn failure into success- and success into something spectacular.
Skills are a little less powerful than Aspects, but a bit more universal in their application. Skills are the knowledge and muscle memory of your character. When doing an action for which you have the skill you automatically add plusses to the outcome of the rolls. If you have two ranks in firearms, then when you roll to shoot you get an extra two plusses.
Tactical Fate is a lot like other versions of Fate, though it places a bit more emphasis on the weapons and technology being used.