Grapples and facing

[Qvintus]

Can you change your facing freely in a grapple? And if so why would you use shoving people around (martial arts page 118)?

[Dustin]

When in Close Combat, you and the enemy each occupy half of the hex (B391). You can't move into his half (so you can travel past, be on the sheltered side of incoming gunfire, etc.) without either Evading or moving him. I think the "move behind him" option in Shoving People Around is more about switching halves of the hex than actually changing your facing.

[Qvintus]

But what about the part where you can force him to turn his back to you?

[Gigermann]

Originally Posted by Qvintus

But what about the part where you can force him to turn his back to you?

That's so you can apply a technique that requires you to be behind him—like the Choke Hold. Also good for terrorists who are using a hostage as a human shield ;)

[Maz]

I can't find anything in the books say you can't change facing, but I think it makes sense that you can't.

[Kromm]

You cannot change facing if you're grappled. Once you've been grappled, your opponent controls your movement both in the gross sense (preventing you from taking steps, running, jumping, etc.) and in the sense that he curtails turning and most posture changes. Remember that facing is a rule for tactical combat, and that tactical combat subsumes facing changes under "movement." If you cannot move, then you cannot change facing, either. This is as true of grapples as it is of Rooted Feet spells and Affliction (Paralysis).

The rules for shoving people around exist so that you can change your position relative to somebody else in close combat. They offer a way for someone who has successfully grappled to avoid having to evade or worry about being the one exposed to weapons fire. They move the grappler's control over his victim's movement from passive ("You can't step or turn!") to active ("You're going to step here!").

This is just another facet of grappling being a high-risk, high-reward option. It's risky because you have to get into close combat, where even the lamest, shortest-ranged weapon can hit you; you need to stick your hands out and go for him, which risks having a hand parried by a knife; you must beat an active defense, which might well turn into a riposte; and then you get to learn whether you're sufficiently strong and well-trained to avoid having your foe break free or counter painfully. It's high-reward because if it all works, your target cannot simply move away or turn; your target ends up with attack and defense penalties galore; and you can follow up with all kinds of takedowns, throws, locks, chokes, pins, etc.

[Qvintus]

It was what i thought. Thanks for the quick ansvare :)