YOU'RE the GM: the last chance archer

[RobW]

OK, let's try another one -- to see how people play.

Ideally, maybe we can avoid commenting on our individual approaches until the poll is over and "the data collected"?

Halberd (ST13 DX11) vs Horse Bow (ST10 DX14) in an empty melee arena. First turn, Halbred runs at full speed, is shot for 3 damage. Second turn, Halberd charge attacks. Who gets first attack? Halberd claims he goes first, because charging pole weapons always get first attack due to their length. Horse Bow says a bow can act at even greater distance, and as his DX is higher, he should go first.

What do you decide?

[Shoug]

I would say that's a fair interpretation of the rules, specifically because the maneuver is called "one last shot" which implies that it is fired before the distance is closed. The archer is also in a very hairy situation now, and I don't see it being very unfair that he be given a chance to avoid instantaneous annihilation by halberd charge.

[MikMod]

Yup. Option (l) p103, the archer gets to go first with ONE-LAST-SHOT which I interpret as happening in movement phase, and as per p115 they drop the bow and that's them done for the turn.

Surprised so many people think Halberd is RAW...

[Chris Rice]

Originally Posted by MikMod

Yup. Option (l) p103, the archer gets to go first with ONE-LAST-SHOT which I interpret as happening in movement phase, and as per p115 they drop the bow and that's them done for the turn.

Surprised so many people think Halberd is RAW...

Absolutely, it makes no sense to me that in such a situation the archer will be struck at by the halberdier and then launch his final arrow. The only way I can visualise this is if the archer fires first, before a Melee attack is made.

[Tywyll]

Originally Posted by MikMod

Yup. Option (l) p103, the archer gets to go first with ONE-LAST-SHOT which I interpret as happening in movement phase, and as per p115 they drop the bow and that's them done for the turn.

Surprised so many people think Halberd is RAW...

See I completely agree with you, but when I asked a question about when the One Last Shot happens in combat order (believing as you that it occurs before combat) I was told it still happens on someone's Dx, which seems to defeat the purpose. I was told it 'only allowed you to fire, regardless of what happens to you' which seems stupid to me.

[kjamma4]

Originally Posted by Tywyll

See I completely agree with you, but when I asked a question about when the One Last Shot happens in combat order (believing as you that it occurs before combat) I was told it still happens on someone's Dx, which seems to defeat the purpose. I was told it 'only allowed you to fire, regardless of what happens to you' which seems stupid to me.

If you have your missile weapon ready and an enemy moves adjacent to you (but does not engage you), you have to wait until your Dx to fire.

If they do the same thing and engage you, why should you be able to fire faster?

[Chris Rice]

Originally Posted by kjamma4

If you have your missile weapon ready and an enemy moves adjacent to you (but does not engage you), you have to wait until your Dx to fire.

If they do the same thing and engage you, why should you be able to fire faster?

Tricky one. I think part of the problem is that Melee is trying to model a situation in which many things would actually be happening simultaneously with a system in which nothing happens simultaneous.

Melee (p16) "...a figure with a missile weapon ready can get off one shot if suddenly engaged

Melee (p7) one last shot Missile attack....you can almost always release an arrow at a charging enemy.

Since you can't fire a missile weapon when actually engaged, it's reasonable to assume that the shot goes off before the engagement occurs.

But I take your point that this means the "one last shot" would then go out of DX order.