Re: Mounted combat

[Joseph Beutel <mejobo@comcast.net>]

I was a bit surprised by this turn in the thread… because I remember that rule being in AM in the first place! I’ve been running Grailquest with a friend and we have been using that exact rule (and we are both following along with the rulebook for the most part as it’s been awhile since I’ve played). 

I think the rule as written is probably ‘enough’ because when you add in the ability to push (which could have the effect of breaking the line sufficiently to even allow more movement during the movement phase), kick or trample, and the casualties that the first round of fighting will cause, it’s pretty likely that you will have created gaps that the cavalry can move through, at least in the next turn. 

On Aug 1, 2018, at 3:22 PM, Rick <rick_ww@lightspeed.ca> wrote:

Hi all,

  This was on the SJ games forums.  Guy the new TFT line editor suggests that a horse moving 8 hexes or more is treated as a larger figure for engagement purposes.  The problem is a line of guys with daggers one hex apart can stop a calvary charge when the horses hit the force field zone of control and become engaged.

  The following is something Guy wrote and my reply.  I’m curious about people’s thoughts.

  Warm regards, Rick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by guymc <viewpost.gif>

As a matter of fact, it has been addressed. In the updated Mounted Combat rules, if a horse has moved more than 8 hexes in a single turn and then engages a single man on foot, the horse is treated as if it were a three-hex figure. Thus, the man is engaged, but the horse and rider are not.

Hi everyone, guy.
Thinking about this, it seems weird to me. No other critters get a "+1 hex in size" if they move 8 hexes. It seems a strange little patch to fix the problems that horses are hard to engage with guys on foot. 3 hex war horses (and those war horses were HUGE), is a better solution, IMHO.

But if this, "Move Fast & Increase Your Size", is going to be a thing, how about this:

Any figure who moves...
... 10 to 19 hexes in a turn gets +1 to their size (for engagement purposes). // A trot.
... 20 to 29 hexes in a turn gets +3 to their size (for engagement purposes). // A canter.
... 30 to 39 hexes in a turn gets +6 to their size (for engagement purposes). // A gallop.

So a small, two hex riding horse that is trotting is not engaged by a single footman.

A 3 hex war horse at a canter is not engaged by 2 footmen.

A 3 hex war horse at a gallop is not engaged by 3 footmen.

If a horse is not engaged by you and moves thru your hex in movement, you are knocked back as it brushes by you. Make a 3vsDX if it is cantering, or a 4vsDX if it is galloping. If you fail, you are knocked back one hex and fall. (And of course later horses could trample you in passing.)

Optionally, being knocked back could do 1d-2 falling damage.

Some rules like this, would capture the power of a cavalry charge.

Comments welcome!

Warm regards, Rick.