shifting while engaged to multiple enemies

[GranitePenguin]

Thanks, everyone. I can't tell you how many times I read that and didn't see it.

[larsdangly]

It happens to everyone! The core rules of TFT are very tight and well engineered, but it can be hard to find and keep track of them, even though there really aren't that many. Someone should write a short, dense rules manual in the style of Squad Leader or one of the other old-school hex and chit board games.

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by hcobb

A multi-hex figure can simply shift away from all the little people that are engaging it. (ITL 103) So wait for the munchkins to move then shift away to apply dragon breath or one-handed pikeaxe jabs.

I knew multihex creatures can shift onto foes but I never saw that they can shift away from foes. Thanks for pointing this out.

So, does this mean a multihex creature may shift away from all one hex foes engaging it? Or, does it mean a multihex creature may shift away from all but one (thus still shifting around the one)?

Either way, the multihex get a free disengage move during movement.

[amenditman]

"a multi-hex figure must be in a front hex of two small
figures to be engaged (3 if it is 7 hexes or longer)......
A multi-hex figure also moves only one hex when it shifts.
However, the shift may carry it onto one or more one-hex
figures and/or away from one-hex figures with which it was
engaged" ITL p103

[hcobb]

So clearly it pays to play a Centaur with a Halberd. Just alternate shifting away from foes and declaring standing defense against their charge attacks at adjDX 14. (Spinning in place as needed.)

[larsdangly]

Anyone controlling a multi-hex figure or a flier needs to carefully review the relevant rules for engagement, movement, HTH, push-backs and trampling. Played properly, such figures are much, much tougher than you would guess from simple toe-to-toe exchanges of attack rolls. This is particularly true of dragons, who are completely different combatants when you let them fly (and understand what this lets them do).

[Desert Scribe]

Originally Posted by larsdangly

Anyone controlling a multi-hex figure or a flier needs to carefully review the relevant rules for engagement, movement, HTH, push-backs and trampling. Played properly, such figures are much, much tougher than you would guess from simple toe-to-toe exchanges of attack rolls. This is particularly true of dragons, who are completely different combatants when you let them fly (and understand what this lets them do).

Thanks. I want to run some combats against large creatures, but I need to study those rules some more. Are there any examples here on this message board?

[Skarg]

I don't think there's a worked example posted.

There were some discussions here at one point about mounted combat.

As for flying combat, one post that might be useful (or more confusing) is my thread asking and eventually trying to answer various questions about the aerial combat rules.

I've run some playtest flying actions with large dragons since I last posted there. If you have questions about it, maybe add a post there or in the House Rules sub-forum.

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Desert Scribe

Thanks. I want to run some combats against large creatures, but I need to study those rules some more. Are there any examples here on this message board?

See my video of footloose giants here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7SZ9AHpKFI&t=16s

[larsdangly]

The most significant things about flyers is that they are able to avoid engagement from figures on the ground, under any circumstance I can easily think of.

Perhaps the second most significant thing is that their flying MA is usually high enough that they can attempt HTH with a figure on the ground, irrespective of other factors. A combatant with high ST and a good unarmed attack is usually best off initiating HTH if they can, as it neutralizes the armed attack of a smaller foe. Even a small dragon is more or less immune to the HTH attacks of most humanoid foes.

With careful planning, a flyer will often be able to reach a side or rear hex side of a foe on foot and deliver an attack (or enter HTH without risk) on any turn in which the flier moves last. This is because half a flyer's MA is enough to circum-navigate a nearby foe, opening possibilities not available to combatants on foot. This is particularly important when fighting foes armed with pole weapons, which present a significant counter to flyers' combat tactics.