Re: (TFT) Shields vs missile/thrown attacks on hex spines

[Peter von Kleinsmid <pvk@oz.net>]

I remain unconvinced that thrown attacks should use facing modifiers.

Omission of specifically saying they don't use the modifiers, doesn't say 
to me that they do use them - thrown attacks seem more akin to missile 
attacks than to hand weapon attacks. Also, the omission you found about a 
ranged facing table for side & rear would have been a crucial omission that 
would have generated many questions if players were assuming they should be 
applying the facing modifiers to ranged attacks!

The Fantasy Master's Screen listing thrown weapon facing modifiers was 
another one of the reasons our group couldn't mention the FM Screen without 
launching into contemptuous mockery and laughter.

Counter-arguments include:

* Advanced Melee page 6: "A physical attack may be made ONLY against a 
figure engaged with you - that is, in one of your figure's 3 front hexes." 
and "A physical attack made from an enemy's side hex adds +2 to the 
attacker's DX. A physical attack made from an enemy's rear hex adds +4. An 
enemy's facing does NOT affect adjusted DX of spells cast at him." Now, it 
should have specifically mentioned thrown, missile, and jab attacks to be 
perfectly clear, but to me, these are stronger indications that the facing 
modifiers apply only from the side and rear hexes themselves, not from 
unspecified arcs further away from the target. At most, I would see 
applying the facing mods to thrown weapons _made_from_one_hex_away_ - 
otherwise, there's no clear definition of what a side or rear hex is at 
greater range.

* Advanced Melee page 13, last paragraph: To-hit modifiers are listed for 
six figures, ALL of which are offering either side or rear facings to the 
thrower, and NONE of them mention any facing modifiers, except that A can't 
throw at H because he is not in A's front throwing arc.

PvK
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"