Grenades, spell effects, and other attacks that cover a large area are “area effect attacks.” The three most common size attacks have been made into Small, Medium, and Large Burst Templates, found on page 180 and on our website.

To attack with an area effect weapon, the character places the template on the table (or picks where he wants the center of the blast to be) and makes a Shooting or Throwing roll. If the attack is successful, the blast is centered where desired. Everything under (or partially under) the template is affected, rolling damage separately for each Wild Card or group of Extras.

Failure means the blast deviates. Just how far depends on whether it was thrown or launched, and what range bracket the target was in (Short, Medium, or Long). Roll 1d6“ for thrown weapons (such as grenades) and 1d10” for fired projectiles. Multiply by 1 for Short range, 2 for Medium, and 3 for Long.

Next roll a d12 and read it like a clock facing to determine the direction the missile deviates. A weapon can never deviate more than half the distance to the original target. That keeps things from going behind the thrower.

Targets use their lowest armor value against area effect damage–armor must cover the entire body without gaps to provide any protection at all.

Cover: Targets who are prone or behind cover still get some protection from area effect attacks. In these cases, the modifier they would normally receive against ranged attacks acts as that many points of Armor instead. A character in major cover, like a foxhole, negates four points of damage from a blast if he's caught within it.

Diving for Cover: Thrown weapons with a blast effect (such as grenades) and artillery allow potential targets a chance to move out of the area of effect. Give targets who saw the danger coming an agility|Agility roll at -2 to jump out of the way and avoid the damage. If successful, move the character just outside the template (his choice exactly where). Grenades can be thrown back as well (see Grenades on page 57).

Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition p. 79