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

["gem6868" <gem6868@verizon.net>]

Mark, my read was similar, but your explanation is nicely thought out, so 
I've nothing to add.  I haven't used HTH much as it seems to always be 
better to fight with a weapon (unless you're a giant) and everyone in DT1 is 
armed, usually quite well.  Is HTH clarified elsewhere?  I'm now reading 
Wizard and can tell that questions about the Melee rules were addressed and 
"corrections" made, or just better explained.  Do Adv Melee / Wizard address 
this?  I won't be getting to them for a while.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Mark Tapley
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 7:47 PM
To: tft@brainiac.com
Subject: Re: (TFT) Death Test 1, take 4: SURVIVED!

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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