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

[PvK <pvk@oz.net>]

I agree. 

Two things about the reality of a long polearm are hard to deny.

1) They are longer than other weapons, and this means there will be an opportunity for a skilled user who is holding the polearm so as to do so, to get a chance to try to hit someone with a shorter weapon as the other person approaches them, before the other person would physically be able to reach the person with the long pole.

2) Though not spelled out in TFT, they also have a longer lever than shorter weapons, which translates to more leverage which means more force than other weapons.

For interesting comparison, in GURPS, there is no charge attack per se, but there is the ability to use opportunity attacks as people enter your reach (if you take the appropriate option), and the reach of a polearm is generally three (1-yard) hexes, and they have some of the highest damage values of medieval weapons, including the ability to impale on a swing with a side halberd point, which does evil damage (average 18 points in one blow to an unarmored human). However they are rated "unbalanced" and can only get in one attack for every two or three of a balanced weapon. So kind of like in TFT but in a different more complex way, they are powerful and dangerous but best used with team mates.

--- davidomiller@verizon.net wrote:

... I've always thought that the  
unfortunate choice of the term "charge attack" narrows a persons  
interpretation of what the rule is attempting to cover way too much,  
which is really being impaled. I don't need to run 10 or 15 feet  
towards a person to put my weight behind such an attack. ...
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