I am running my first two-on-one fight scene over PbEM, and have paused play because I have a few questions. The combatants consist of a human wielding a magic knife and an elf wielding an elven spear going up against a rather badass great wolf.
Human: +0 to engage (shortest wpn vs. shortest wpn)
Elf: +2 to engage (longest vs shortest wpn)
Great wolf: +2 to engage the human and +1 to engage the elf (both from stride)
They’re fighting in a mountain forest. My first two questions are in regard to the difficult terrain modifiers, BWG pg 456.
Question 1: Does the “advantage to engage” modifier translate to a disadvantage to engage if normally at +0 before the difficult terrain modifier? Ie. should the human be at -1D to engage?
Question 2: It states that the disadvantage penalty is reduced by -1 Ob for all weapon categories, unless the weapon holding advantage is a knife (shortest) or a mace (short). This sounds explicit, but is slightly confusing. Does this modifier apply to the shortest and short weapon categories, or to the weapons knives and maces only and explicitly? Need to know if my wolf’s bite is subject to the modifier if he loses advantage.
Question 3: I’d ideally like my wolf to take them on one at a time. I’m a bit confused about this though. While the rules support refusal of engagement to one opponent while engaging with another opponent, they don’t seem to allow this on the first exchange. According to page 435, positioning tests are allowed on each exchange after the first.
Does this mean that I must let the human and elf engage the wolf on the first exchange, and then try to disengage with one of them on the second exchange? I hope this isn’t true. While I am willing to accept it as viable for this particular battle, it would really rob archers and sorcerers of their effectiveness in their specific party roles. They would have to waste the whole first exchange dancing around and avoiding before they could do what they’re meant to do…
You can’t stop the Elf and the Human from engaging.
I don’t understand the Archer comment. They don’t have to dance around at the start of the fight. Hey have to dance around while they’re trying to nock a new arrow.
And an additional question that just came up out of the blue: When using a shield to shield bash, what skill is tested? There is no Shield skill, after all…
Question 1: Does the “advantage to engage” modifier translate to a disadvantage to engage if normally at +0 before the difficult terrain modifier? Ie. should the human be at -1D to engage?
I don’t think so. You’re supposed to reduce the advantage. +0 is not an advantage.The advantage is only available to the character/s with the longest weapon…In fiction terms, the reduction is supposed to limit the effectiveness of longer weapons in confined spaces.
Question 2: It states that the disadvantage penalty is reduced by -1 Ob for all weapon categories, unless the weapon holding advantage is a knife (shortest) or a mace (short). This sounds explicit, but is slightly confusing. Does this modifier apply to the shortest and short weapon categories, or to the weapons knives and maces only and explicitly? Need to know if my wolf’s bite is subject to the modifier if he loses advantage.
Common sense would make me plump for your first interpretation. It’s dependent on weapon length rather than just knives and maces . It makes longer weapons less effective in confines spaces.
Question 3: I’d ideally like my wolf to take them on one at a time. I’m a bit confused about this though. While the rules support refusal of engagement to one opponent while engaging with another opponent, they don’t seem to allow this on the first exchange. According to page 435, positioning tests are allowed on each exchange after the first.
To take part in Fight! you must engage.There’s nothing that says both characters have to fight. The wolf chooses who he wants to engage. The opponent he engages must engage him. The other gets to choose.
Does this mean that I must let the human and elf engage the wolf on the first exchange, and then try to disengage with one of them on the second exchange? I hope this isn’t true. While I am willing to accept it as viable for this particular battle, it would really rob archers and sorcerers of their effectiveness in their specific party roles. They would have to waste the whole first exchange dancing around and avoiding before they could do what they’re meant to do…
I would use the Eye of the Storm (pg457) if (for instance) my archer wants to load his weapon risk-free during the first exchange while the melee fighter dukes it out with their opponent. The archer then has to engage at the start of the second exchange if he wants to fire. Or he can just load and fire whilst engaged and risk getting wounded. If I was their opponent, I’d engage the archer
Question 1: Can I set for a Great Strike if I’m not engaged with anybody, if it’s the last action of an exchange and I know an opponent will engage me right away? How about if I will do the engaging?
Question 2: If I Lock a mounted opponent, does “pull him in” yank him off his horse? How about if I am a Troll?
Question 3: Can I use a human body for shield dice? How about if I am a troll?
Trolls are big. They make me wonder.
I have more questions too, just gotta think of them.
Technically, no. Since you must engage with someone to act against them.
I’d give a big ol depends. It’s quite possible to grab on and be dragged. So size of the target, the mount and the degree of the lock would all factor into my decision.
Maybe a 1D shield. Bodies don’t make very good glacis surfaces.
Yeah, that’s what I said too. Currently running a fight scene with two mounted knights vs a troll warlord and some orcs. It’s turned into a big ol’ brawl-fest. “Get 'im off that horse!”
Question 1: Can I use Throw Person as a thrown weapon against a third opponent (if I’m really big and strong)? What would the damage be? Can I Aim first? (Script: Lock, Aim, Throw Person ^^) Question 2: Do I have to be engaged with an opponent to Intimidate, or just within shouting distance? Question 3: Do I have to be engaged in the same melee as an ally to Command, or just within shouting distance?
I’d treat it as a Charge, so no damage but potentially a knockdown or penalty to their next action. And re-read Throw Person: it doesn’t actually require a pre-existing lock. No aiming allowed (there’s no to-hit roll either, though). Take your entire MoS for the Throw Person test (the whole thing, so you don’t get to wound the throw-ee) and use it for the Charge. I guess I’d let you just keep those as your successes, rather than making you re-roll them? BUT! You must be engaged with both targets, and I think the throw probably counts as Longer, so apply the appropriate disadvantages.
I’m thinking of this as a street-fighter’s tactical shove/throw: Grab A, toss them at C to keep them both busy while you deal with B. If you’re looking to model an ogre picking someone up and pitching them, that’s something different. For that, I’d say that once they have an incapacitating Lock, they can just do that using a Throw action, just as they could with any other similarly-sized projectile. Since that throw doesn’t involve the same kind of body mechanics and leverage, it should be Throw (same as for a big rock) rather than Throw Person, and shouldn’t require the Boxing skill.
2/3 The skills don’t require that you be engaged, necessarily. They’re obviously useful outside of Fight, for instance. For the fighty uses, though, particularly for Intimidate… I think if I’m fighting Bad Mood Billy, you can’t just dance around outside the fight and try to intimidate him: he’s too focused on me.
Awesome! I hadn’t thought of those options. Good stuff.
For 2 & 3, I suppose it would be situational. I can see how Bad Mood Billy couldn’t be intimidated by someone on the sidelines. But if there was somebody engaged in a Fight, but not actively participating, I might allow it. This came up in a recent fight scene: An orc was knocked prone, and then the knight who was fighting him disengaged to reset his lance while another knight focused on fighting the troll. The disengaged knight intimidated the prone orc from the sidelines. I think that made sense.
Well, I actually meant “in the fight, but disengaged” when I said “dancing around on the sidelines.” But since the orc was disengaged too, I’d let anybody nearby intimidate him. I’m just trying to avoid a situation where three PCs are squared off against a squad of town guards, and the fourth is just kinda standing behind them lobbing Intimidates in hopes of getting lucky and causing a Steel test.
Personally, though, I’ve only used Intimidate as part of the run-up to a fight. Anyone have advice who has used it during?
Yeah, it’s a great way to get low Obs for your Strikes, especially if you’re disadvantaged with little hope of gaining advantage otherwise. The two actions it eats up can be disabling though, especially with low reflexes. Best used early in a combat, before you get hurt.
