Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-18-2019, 03:08 AM   #1
Tywyll
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Default Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

So, reading the pole weapon rules (again) last night, we noticed something we hadn't before.

It seems to say that the free attack a polearm user gets against an incoming attacker is only if they are an attacker (specifically if they charge the pole weapon user).

So does that mean that if you just use your movement to engage a poleweapon user without attacking (charging), you don't grant the polearm user a free attack?
Tywyll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 08:57 AM   #2
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Before answering, could you explain what you mean by a free attack?
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 10:06 AM   #3
TippetsTX
 
TippetsTX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: North Texas
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

The problem is that moving into to position to attack the guy with the pole-arm is considered a 'Charge Attack' per RAW. I don't agree that a half-MA move should be characterized as a 'charge' (more like a walk-up IMO), but that seems to be what the rules currently dictate.
__________________
“No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” -Vladimir Taltos
TippetsTX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 10:23 AM   #4
Shostak
 
Shostak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Twyll, I'd say that no, you can't avoid the polearm advantage that way. The best RAW way to approach a polearm wielder is to make them move first, then outflank them if possible. At my table, I allow the Move and Defend option which has been discussed elsewhere and which lets a figure move up to 1/2 MA and defend instead of attack.
Shostak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 11:48 AM   #5
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

There is no "free attack", just first attacks (against shorter weapons) with advantages.

No, you don't only get the defensive pole weapon advantages if someone moving up to you doesn't attack. You get the defensive advantages against anyone who was two hexes or more away from you at the start of your turn, and who then moves adjacent (unless they end up in your side or rear hex during the action phase).

It has always seemed to me that this represents the problem of moving past the point of a pole weapon from outside - the potential for them to impale you with it, using the weight of your bodies with a long pole braced between them, as you try to get past the point.

So yeah, you need to out-maneuver them, probably by moving second or attempting HTH during movement, or use Defend (I too think the intent wasn't to change the original rules, so Defend is available after moving up to 1/2 MA). Or you use your own pole weapons, mob them with multiple figures, send in your most armored guy, shoot them, throw things at them, cast a spell on them, etc.
Skarg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 02:44 PM   #6
xane
 
xane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: London, UK
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skarg View Post
No, you don't only get the defensive pole weapon advantages if someone moving up to you doesn't attack. You get the defensive advantages against anyone who was two hexes or more away from you at the start of your turn, and who then moves adjacent (unless they end up in your side or rear hex during the action phase).
Are you sure about this, the rules seem clear that a polearm gets the bonus against a "charge attack", and a charge attack is defined as an attack, not some other action

Quote:
Originally Posted by ITL p111
A charge attack is defined as an attack in which the attacker moves from a non-adjacent hex to a hex adjacent to his target.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ITL p11
Charge attack – An option in which you move up to half your MA and then strike at the foe
xane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 04:15 PM   #7
Shostak
 
Shostak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Quote:
Originally Posted by xane View Post
Are you sure about this, the rules seem clear that a polearm gets the bonus against a "charge attack", and a charge attack is defined as an attack, not some other action
I've played TFT since it came out, and have only ever seen it play out that a figure is considered to be charging when moving from a non adjacent hex to one adjacent to a pole weapon user, whether attacking them or not. Skarg is correct.
Shostak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 04:45 PM   #8
amenditman
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Florida Peninsula, Earth, Sol Sytem
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Allowing a figure to approach a polearm equipped figure without attacking and letting them avoid the polearm priority attack is contrary to what would happen if you tried to do this against a real warrior with a polearm.

He would stab you with his long pointy thing as you approached but before you were in range to attack or defend with your short pointy thing.
__________________
The first rule of GMing
"If you make it, players will break it"
amenditman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 08:46 PM   #9
Lord Twig
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

I rule that if you shift (move only 1 hex) to get next to a pole arm user then they don't get the charge advantage. Of course they could have jabbed you from two hexes away on the previous turn, but at least it isn't one massive hit.

Reading the rules again it is also pretty clear that the pole arm user bonus only works against a charging attacker. Charge Attack is option B. If you take option A, Move, you are not charging, and therefore the pole arm user would not get the bonus. He would, however, still be able to attack and the person who closed would not.
Lord Twig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2019, 09:12 PM   #10
Shostak
 
Shostak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Default Re: Safely Approaching Pole Weapons

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Twig View Post
Reading the rules again it is also pretty clear that the pole arm user bonus only works against a charging attacker. Charge Attack is option B. If you take option A, Move, you are not charging, and therefore the pole arm user would not get the bonus. He would, however, still be able to attack and the person who closed would not.
This would mean that a figure that moved its full MA from many hexes distant to adjacent to a polearm user would bypass the charge bonus of the pole weapon while one just two hexes away moving adjacent and attacking would incur the charge benefit. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't make any sense.
Shostak is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:48 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.