Is there any advantage to using Block and Strike versus Counterstrike in BWG beyond the ability to hit back against a Feint? The book explicitly states you don’t get the extra successes bonuses from Block when using B&S, and Counterstrike gives you the benefit of not suffering positioning penalties; for a maneuver that requires a training skill to use B&S just doesn’t seem particularly great.
Block and Strike is fantastic!
Sure, it is vulnerable to Counterstrike, but so are regular Strikes. Block and Strike lets you script offensively without worrying too much about whether your opponent is going to script Strike or
Great Strike (you’ve got a shield, so you can defend against a Great Strike). That’s a huge advantage if you’re facing someone who has a weapon that’s the same length as yours.
Also, if it lures your opponent into relying too much on Counterstrike, that’s an advantage too. It’s going to make your Feint that much more likely to ruin his day.
Actually, my point wasn’t so much how Block and Strike interacts with Counterstrike, but rather that I don’t see much of an advantage to scripting it instead of Counterstrike. You still add your shield dice to CS, you actually get to ignore the penalty from positioning disadvantage, and the offensive side isn’t penalized by being in Defensive Stance - the only advantage I can see Block and Strike having over using Counterstrike is getting to Strike back against Feints (and the Feint still bypasses the Block half). Beyond that, isn’t Counterstrike an equal or superior choice in every way?
Counterstrike only goes off if your opponent scripts Strike, Great Strike, Disarm or Push. Otherwise it does nothing. Block and Strike goes off regardless.
Oh crap, I somehow missed that! Consider my forehead thoroughly self-slapped. Thanks!
No worries!
Just got my book and am reading through it - almost done, just finished strike. I registered with the forum to post this exact same question about Counterstrike but I see that there is already an answer. Can you tell me what page number it says Counterstrike only goes off if your opponent scripts Strike, Great Strike, Disarm or Push?
//
I already owned BWR and never did play it because I found it too crunchy in the wrong places and too inconsistent with some ruling and with too many conditional bonuses etc. Regardless I was sufficiently impressed to get BWG as soon as it came out. I’m very impressed with BWG, not sure how much has changed but I’m liking it a lot.
On pg 444 the table of interactions for Counterstrike only has entries for those, plus Beat and Lock, technically. Anything with a dash means you don’t act, but hesitate instead.
Got you, thanks - still getting used to the mini matrices.