Re: (TFT) TRAMPLE Questions

[Sgt Hulka <hulkasgt@yahoo.com>]

As far as I know, by the rules as written, a cavalry lance and halberd are
both pole-arms and therefore are treated identically...that is all polearms
charging or receiving a charge are resolved at the beginning of the combat
round, but they are resolved from highest adjusted dex to lowest. So if the
halberdier and charging lancer have the same dex, the halberdier will be
resolved first, since he has the +2 adjusted dex for receiving a charge.
Unless he chooses to attack the horesman instead of the horse, in which case
he's back to -2 adjusted dex and he's equal to the charger and therefore
they're resolved simultaneously. The same goes for the Pikeaxe, Spear, and
even lowly Javelin. (Note that if a halberdier were foolish enough to charge
the front hex of a mounted figure with a cavalry lance, their situations would
be reversed...the cavalry lance figure would gain the +2 to adjusted dex).
 
To use a concrete example. Say a Knight Templar's abilities are ST 13 Dex 15
(12) IQ 8. He has chainmail, which reduces his adj Dex to 12, and he has the
"Horseman" talent so attacking a single-hex footmen reduces his adj Dex to
11.
 
He wants to charge a bill-man (halberdier). The Bill-man's abilities are St 13
Dex 11 IQ 8. He is wearing no armor and doesn't have a shield...he's just a
lowly yeoman sent to the line to stop a cavalry charge.
 
The Knight charges the Bill-man. The Bill-man either wins initiative or is in
a proper formation so that he doesn't have to move and can properly receive
the knight's charge. He gains +2 adjusted Dex for receiving a charge with the
polearm, and he gets double damage for a potential damage of 4 dice.
 
The Knight moves more than 8 hexes so he gets +2 damage to his attack, and
then doubles it for charging with a polearm, for a potential damage of six
dice plus two. For whatever reason, let's say he chose not to trample the
Bill-man. Again, maybe the Bill-man's in a proper formation so that the
Templar finds himself engaged as soon as he's adjacent to the Bill-man.
 
In this case, the Bill-man could either attack the Knight, at adjusted Dex 11
(+2 for receiving a charge, -2 for attacking a mounted figure), or he could
attack the warhorse at adjusted Dex 13 (+2 for receiving a charge).
 
The Templar Knight is attacking the Bill-man at adjusted Dex 11.
 
So if the Bill-man attacks the Knight, the attacks go off simultaneously, and
the Bill-man is likely to be insta-killed by the Knight's 6+2 attack. But
maybe' he'll kill the Knight, in return, with a 4 attack, and he's quite
likely to at least unsaddle him.
 
Alternatively, the Bill-man could attack the horse, at adjusted Dex 13. In
this case his attack would go first. And if he managed to hit the horse for 16
or more damage on that four dice, he'll knock it over, unseat the knight, and
never take that 6+2 cavalry lance attack.
 
In my somewhat limited experience I've found that hitting the horse is the
better option. You're not likely to knock it down, but even if you don't
you'll wound it really badly and other charging bill-men can usually take it
out and unseat the knight. Bottom line, you need to get rid of that potential
6+2 insta-kill option for the knight, and the horse is usually easier to kill
than the knight.
 
Meanwhile, the guy with a broadsword is sol because charging/receiving charge
polearms always go first. So the guy with the broadsword could be superman
with an adj dex of 100 and he'd still get splattered by the 6+2 lance.
 
Now, what you might be thinking about is that the pike, as a special case,
goes first *regardless* of adjusted dex. Even if you have a 40-point knight
with fine plate and a magic lance who has an adjusted dex of 16+, a grounded
pike is going to attack him first even at a lowly adjusted dex of 8+. As far
as I know, that rule is specific to the pike, though, not the lance.
 
Or, maybe I've missed something in my reading of the cavalry lance...I admit
they're pretty nuanced rules and somewhat hard to wrap one's head around. I
haven't tried out pikes in actual play yet so I'm not completely familiar with
them.

--- On Mon, 7/14/08, John <johnnyboytmm@juno.com> wrote:

From: John <johnnyboytmm@juno.com>
Subject: Re: (TFT) TRAMPLE Questions
To: tft@brainiac.com
Date: Monday, July 14, 2008, 6:31 PM

------ Sgt Hulka <hulkasgt@yahoo.com> wrote:---------------------
If the mounted knight were to attempt to charge the man-at-arms from fewer
than 8 hexes distance he'd be in a world of hurt. The man-at-arms would not
move, and since he's receiving a charge he'd be at +2 Dex most likely
attack
the charging knight first.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Without checking the books, doesn't the lance have a longer reach? and
therefore attack first in a charge, regardless of adjusted Dx.

I know that is how we played.  Unless the footman has a 3 hex pike, he gets
to
take double damage from a 3 die lance before his turn to act.  I thought it
was
official, but it may have been the GM's interpretation.  (when I am next by
my books I will have to check)

All I know is when I stood in front of innocents, blocking the path of
charging
cavalry, brandishing nought but my halberd, it was a real life threatening
stance.  An I was pleasantly surprised to have survived.



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