I’m trying to wrap my head around how I would script charging a footman on horseback with a lance. I technically don’t need to script Charge, right? The engage test could represent charging towards them on my horse to put me at optimal lance distance, and then I only need to script Strike. I would only script Charge if I wanted to knock them down. Am I thinking about this right?
Edit: typo
You are right-thinking.
The names of the scripted actions are OOC labels for an intent not IC descriptions. For example, Great Strike instinctively feels like a double-handed blow, but also specifically mentions half-swording (grasping the blade part way along) and could cover any attack using two hands and more prep, e.g. Great Striking with a dagger to get VA might be grabbing your opponent’s arm to yank them forward which opened their armpit to a good stabbing.
Thanks for the confirmation. I also remembered I could have the horse itself script actions, but does it test engagement separately? Page 534 seems to indicate that it does. I’m not sure how to reconcile in the fiction if the rider wins engagement but the horse loses. Maybe the footman slips the horse but is still in the perfect spot to get skewered by the lance.
Look to Riding and Mounted Combat; Riding in Fight, page 533.
Essentially, you test Riding once to urge your mount into combat. Success means you script all actions, but may use your Horse’s Speed and stride for positioning and Avoiding, and its Power for Charging.