Jab attacks and facing

[Saint]

Looking at ITL p. 112, the rules state that a pole weapon can make a jab attack at an opponent in the hexes marked Z, and this attack follows the line along the edge of the hexes between the attacker and the target. What happens if that line falls right where the target's front hex and side hex meet? Should the attacker get the +2 bonus for an attack from the side, or not?

So far, I've just been giving the defender a break if they are getting beaten to a pulp, but that's not very consistent and the pressure is on to make a house rule.

How do you handle it?

[hcobb]

An ordinary human has two hexes on the map that are side hexes and one rear hex. No other hexes on the map at any range count as these.

[Axly Suregrip]

Hi Saint,
I treat it as Front hex. That is, when it is between front and side.

The reasoning I use is when a person is throwing or missile two hexes away at these hexes, they are considered in front of the shooter. See the diagram on ITL pg 106.

[Steve Plambeck]

Another way to look at it: there should be NO bonus for facing unless the attacker is actually standing in/attacking from the target's own side or rear hexes.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Another way to look at it: there should be NO bonus for facing unless the attacker is actually standing in/attacking from the target's own side or rear hexes.

By this do you mean that a 2-hex jab coming through a target’s rear hex face doesn’t get a +4DX adjustment, since the attacker is not standing in the hex adjacent to this face?

[Saint]

Originally Posted by hcobb

An ordinary human has two hexes on the map that are side hexes and one rear hex. No other hexes on the map at any range count as these.

Originally Posted by Steve Plambeck

Another way to look at it: there should be NO bonus for facing unless the attacker is actually standing in/attacking from the target's own side or rear hexes.

Aaaah. Classic case of overthinking the situation. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Shostak

By this do you mean that a 2-hex jab coming through a target’s rear hex face doesn’t get a +4DX adjustment, since the attacker is not standing in the hex adjacent to this face?

Yeah, that seems fair. You wouldn't get the bonus if you made a missile attack from two hexes away. The advantage for the jab is your opponent needs to find a way to close the distance with you, if they are able.

Thanks again, everyone.

[hcobb]

ITL 106: "A physical attack made from an enemy’s side hex"


Note that it is not "through the target's side hexside"

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Saint

Yeah, that seems fair. You wouldn't get the bonus if you made a missile attack from two hexes away. The advantage for the jab is your opponent needs to find a way to close the distance with you, if they are able.

To be clear, I'd argue that the jab benefits from a facing adjustment.

[Steve Plambeck]

Originally Posted by Shostak

To be clear, I'd argue that the jab benefits from a facing adjustment.

And yet, a missile attack from 2 hexes away is virtually a very high speed jab, but it gets no bonus for facing; that's the paradox if the jab gets the bonus.

The real problem is the 2-hex jab was added later, after Melee was tested, tweaked and published, and it really isn't compatible with the hexagon-based facing rules as originally conceived. No other regular attack can be made along the line between hexes, so it's a special case that has to be ruled on.

[Shostak]

An attack coming along a hex line isn’t a problem, since which attacks count as coming from the front is already well established by the target hexes one can shoot or throw a weapon into. If a given hex is visible to your front, attacks from that hex are made through one of your front hex sides.