(TFT) Some Thoughts on HTH

[ErolB1@aol.com]

Some thoughts on HTH in TFT and possible modified rules. 

A successful BTB initiation of HTH combat combines three attacks, making it 
an enormously powerful tactic. 

First, the target of HTH combat is disarmed - he has to drop his shield and 
any weapons larger than a dagger. 

Second, the target of HTH is thrown down with a "sacrifice throw" - he and 
his opponent both have to drop prone. 

Third, the target of HTH is put into a sort of limited pin, or pin-light - he 
is limited in his actions, and has to make a 4d vs Dx roll to escape. 

And all this without needing to make any roll to hit...

(On top of this, my intuition screams at me that a character initiating HTH 
combat should be able to make a HTH attack that turn - which would pack *four* 
attacks into a single turn.) 

So, assuming that the rules for HTH combat - and especially for initiating 
HTH combat - need fixing, what should the fixes do?

o Should figures in HTH automatically fall prone? Or should this be an 
option, or optional attack result, rather than something that always happens? (I 
think it should be.)

o Should figures in HTH get +4 Dx to attack each other? Why is this 
necessary, or even desirable? (I don't see any point to it, so I've dropped that bonus 
in my house rules.)

o Should certain figures get a damage bonus in HTH as opposed to regular 
melee? (I want to tone down HTH rather than juicing it up, so I don't allow any 
damage bonus for, e.g. a tiger, in HTH.) 

o How easy should it be to initiate - or escape from - HTH? (Making it hard 
to initiate HTH makes the mechanic "brittle" IMO, so I don't use that as a 
balancing factor. It should be moderately hard to leave HTH, but not as hard as in 
BTB TFT.)

o How easy should it be to hold on to shields and melee weapons in HTH? (I 
simply allow figures in HTH to hold on to their weapons.)

o How easy (or possible) should it be to use regular melee weapons in HTH? 
(Here I get a little tricky with my house rules: A figure can use a regular 
melee weapon in HTH *if* he tried to leave HTH that turn and *if* his opponent 
acted to keep him from doing so. Its more complex than that, however, with 
intersections with my opportunity attack rules.)

Erol K Bayburt


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