Re: (TFT) Questions on HTH combat

[Stan <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

dwtulloh@zianet.com wrote:
> Mark Tapley writes:
>
> > 1) When entering HTH combat, do you attempt to enter (and knock down 
> > your opponent) during movement or in order of DX during actions? If 
> > during movement, does that imply that you can beat a pole-weapon user 
> > by just running up and jumping on him? That doesn't seem right.
>
> MELEE, 5th edition (revised), lists 'ATTEMPT HTH COMBAT' as
> an option for engaged figures ONLY.  If you're more than one
> hex away from an opponent, you are by definition DISENGAGED
> and so ATTEMPT HTH COMBAT is not a valid option.

Very nice.  Sadly, that's not how Advanced Melee sees it.
Page 3, column 4, actions allowed when moving half MA or
less:
  1) charge attack
  2) throw or jab attack
  ...
  5) attempt hand-to-hand combat

Further, the description of HtH combat on page 15 of AM
includes the statement: "to initiate HtH combat, a figure
moves onto the enemy hex.  If the attacking figure is
disengaged, this is a regular move."  So as AM sees it,
you don't have to be engaged, and the entering of
the opponent's hex is part of movement, although the
ensuing HtH resolution is conducted with other actions
in DX order.

So yes, according to AM, moving into HtH is done during
movement, and pre-empts polearm attacks.  The d6 'defense'
roll is all the defender gets.

Now, is this stupid?  Of course.  The guy with the polearm
should get to attack before some idiot trying to tackle him,
just as he would before someone attacking him with a short
sword.

My house rule is to resolve the 'hex entering' as part of
the attack, and occuring at the usual time as dictated by
DX and polearms.  The MELEE, 5th ed approach would also
work, and may actually be the way to go, as it further
restricts the unbounded foolishness that is HtH combat.


> > 2) When disengaging from HTH, do you make the 4-die roll against your 
> > adjDX *including* the +4 for being in HTH, or against your adjDX 
> > *excluding* that bonus?
>
>
> MELEE, 5th edition (revised), attempts to address by having
> the figure attempting to disengage from HTH roll 1 die.  If
> the disengaging figure has a superior DX, it needs a 1,2 or
> 3 to disengage; if the DX is the same or less, or if there
> are more than one enemy in the hex, you need a 1.
> I dont have my Advanced Melee rulebook handy (its at home),
> does anyone know what it says regarding this situation?

I have a note written in my copy of AM that you DO get the +4
DX bonus.  Since this is not the way I'd rule on the matter,
I doubt I came up with it on my own.  I think this is the
result of one of the Q&A's from the redoubtable Codex.
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