Re: (TFT) Death Test 1, take 4: SURVIVED!

[Mark Tapley <mtapley@swri.edu>]

At 18:38 -0400 10/3/11, Sgt. Hulka wrote:
> Because the hand to hand resolution takes place in the movement 
> phase, the pole arm users are already on the ground and either 
> unarmed or armed with daggers by the time the combat phase comes 
> around, erego no polearm set versus charge attack.

	This maybe should be a FAQ. Sgt. Hulka's interpretation of 
the rules makes some sense and the (IMHO ambiguous) rules can 
certainly be read to support it, but we typically play by a slightly 
different one. In our interpretation, there is a critical difference 
depending on whether the attacker moves into a front hex of the 
target during his approach or not.

	If the HTH attacker moves into a side or rear hex of his 
target during movement and has one more MA left before he exceeds 
half of his MA, he may continue onto the target's hex. The target 
gets the one-die roll (re-rolling if a 6 comes up and the attacker 
came through the rear hex).
	This relies on a close reading of AM pp. 15, "To initiate HTH 
combat, a figure moves onto the enemy figure's hex. If the attacking 
figure is disengaged, this is a regular move."

	If the HTH attacker moves into a front hex of his target 
during movement, he is engaged at that point and ends movement at 
that point. In that case, his attempt to engage in HTH counts as his 
action, and happens in the normal sequence with other actions. That 
means a pole-weapon user would get his charge-attack first action 
against the oncoming HTH attacker, and may *also* roll a 6 during the 
HTH attempt, getting a second (but not doubled) hit on the attacker.

	We like this interpretation because it "makes sense" to us. 
Tackling someone from behind for HTH during movement disrupts any 
chance they have to make a charge-attack (or other attack) during the 
action phase. This seems OK. However, if you attack them from in 
front, the pole weapons' extra reach means they always have a chance 
to impale you before you ever get close. A normal weapon user may or 
may not get to strike before you get into HTH and grapple - it 
depends on your relative adjDX. Still making sense to me. It makes 
HTH users very powerful if they have numerical superiority and/or a 
tactical advantage such that they can run around and attack from 
behind. On the other hand, charging in from a front hex offers them 
no such advantage; in fact it may prove to be impossible if none of 
the four conditions at the beginning of the "HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT" 
section apply. If the target has open space behind him, MA equal or 
better than the HTH attacker, and is not willing to agree, a would-be 
HTH assailant in a front hex is reduced to either a bare-handed (or 
dagger) normal attack, or disengage (and the latter is impossible if 
he just charge-attacked).

	Note that a HTH attacker that started the turn engaged 
"...may shift onto a figure engaging him for HTH...", so he can still 
make it into HTH from in front on the second turn (if he still feels 
like it). The sequence would then be:

Turn 1) charge attack, move into front hex and stop. Action is normal 
bare-hand attack (since target refuses HTH). Target gets a weapon 
attack which is automatically first if a pole weapon, or by adjDX 
order if not.

Turn 2) shift onto target for HTH during movement phase. Target gets 
the 1-die roll, possibly repelling attack with a 5 or 6, else falling 
in HTH. Target does not get his weapon attack that turn.

	Hope this is useful! I also hope this rules interpretation 
isn't ridiculous; we think it's more or less realistic and like 
playing by it; but opposing opinions welcome.
--
						- Mark     210-379-4635
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