Rupert, what you point out in your first paragraph are all true. However, please note that half of the players where knew to GURPS or 4e, and I wanted to jump into the game right away. I did not intend to nurf the PCs, so if one of the PC was a knight or a swashbuckler, I would have introduced Rapid Strikes.
The thief did perform backstabbing when it was clear the enemy was showing its back to the thief, but I will reduce the element of GM fiat for the next game.
I cut down the number of combat options in the start of my previous (short) GURPS campaign, and gradually introduced what I cut out. I never reached the point to adding facing, but we had much tactical fun. That is why I was comfortable in cutting down combat options in this game.
Cutting down on combat options is also recommended in How to be a GURPS GM, and facing is a option listed under "Most Options, Slowest Play, Greatest Detail".
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Originally Posted by Rupert
This lowers the value of High Pain Threshold and high HT, and also makes it harder to put mooks down quickly (and more worthy NPCs, for that matter).
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The "mooks" went down quick enough with my simplified rule. High Pain Threshold was much appreciated by the PC Barbarian too.
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Originally Posted by Rupert
I'm not sure what you intentions were, an overall effect of these changes is to reduce the power and flexibility of dedicated melee combatants.
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My intentions where to cut down on rules I had to explain and the new players had to remember, as well as reduce the number of dices that had to be rolled.
It worked well enough that the players enjoyed and we are actually scheduling the next game so the PCs can clear the rest of the dungeon. I will introduce more option in the next game, the most important ones being Deceptive Attacks, and better details for backstabbing.