[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Skarg

I'm sure no unarmed attack bonus damage is supposed to stack.

I think the only way to get a HTH attack for damage on the same turn you enter HTH, is to enter HTH during movement. If you use your action to initiate HTH during combat/actions, either by "Attempt HTH" or by an UC throw, then you don't also get to attack for damage. (And if the victim hadn't acted yet, no, they don't get a HTH attack either - their action is falling down and/or whatever they did as an HTH initiation defense - otherwise, there's this weird situation where it's safer to initiate HTH with higher-DX opponents, which would be silly) Or at least, that's how we've always played it.

Choosing to move into HTH after an UC throw may or may not be a good idea, but I don't think it needs to be be improved, because it's an option you can either take or leave. I think that, like all changes to position that happen without using MA (including the normal Attempt HTH action phase option), there is no restriction due to Engagement. So yes one use is to get away from someone who may be about to attack you, though yes it may not be the best thing to do. That's ok because you don't have to do it. There are other tactical situations where it might matter and be desirable to get to move one hex during the action phase and/or jump into HTH immediately rather than wait for the next movement turn.

You certainly have a different interpretation of attempting HTH than I do. Here's why I think that everyone who attempts HTH (whether in movement or as an action) gets an attack. From ITL 103, Options for Engaged Figures, emphasis mine:

(o) ATTEMPT HAND-TO-HAND ATTACK. During the
movement phase, the figure stands still or shifts; when its
turn to attack comes, it moves onto the hex of any adjacent
enemy, and attempts to hit with bare hands or (if it was ready)
its dagger.

Now I don't think that's altogether decisive because that option is a bit loosely written. It doesn't even mention that there's a die roll to see whether the attempt to enter HTH is successful. You might squint and say the attempt to hit does not happen this turn, but I think the simpler reading is that one moves onto the hex, rolls for defender's reaction and attempts to hit all in one turn.

Those who don't think that initiating HTH as an action gives one an attack this turn would certainly conclude that the throw doesn't give one an HTH attack this turn. I reckon the disagreement between your reading and mine is more fundamental than details of UC skills.