Question abut when a main gauche attack occurs in the round

[raniE]

So, I got my legacy edition box on Wednesday and played my first game of melee in around fifteen years today. Ran into a question almost immediately. When a fighter attacks with a regular weapon and a main gauche, does the main gauche attack happen simultaneously to the main attack, at the adjusted DX rank (so 4 DX slower than the regular attack), or last in the round (like with bows firing multiple shots)?

[hcobb]

Melee page 13 and ITL 111: "It is rolled at -4 DX."

As with ITL 26 "the to-hit roll is made at DX+3."

This is a success, not a timing modifier. Resolve both attacks at nominal DX.

Note other cases where DX itself rather than the roll is modifed for an attack.

[larsdangly]

It isn't clearly specified here, or for related cases under the Two Weapons talent, net and trident, etc. I believe the parsimonious approach is to resolve everything at once at the attacker's place in the adjDX order, rather than to apply the bow rule. Given that the extra bow shot has a pre-requisite but is otherwise just a 'gimmie', whereas second attacks with melee weapons involve DX penalties, I think this approach is reasonably balanced.

One thing I wish had been spelled out more clearly is the question of an adjDX penalty with your main weapon when you also attack on the same turn with a main gauche, and how this influences your armor bonus from the main gauche. A literal reading of the text strongly suggests you attack with normal odds with your main weapon and retain your armor bonus; thus, it is always to your advantage to attempt the second attack using the main gauche. But it's a complex enough situation that a line of clear rules would have been well placed here.

[raniE]

Thanks for the answers!

Another question that came up was defending. Does it take effect immediately, or does it only kick in when your DX rank comes up in the action order?

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by raniE

Thanks for the answers!

Another question that came up was defending. Does it take effect immediately, or does it only kick in when your DX rank comes up in the action order?

Always declare defend or dodge when your turn to move comes then change your mind at your DX order point for action if nobody has attacked you yet.

[larsdangly]

That's right. Though in practice I also let people make their first statement that they will defend at the moment they are attacked.

[raniE]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Always declare defend or dodge when your turn to move comes then change your mind at your DX order point for action if nobody has attacked you yet.

Ok, but if someone does attack you before you come up in the DX order, they still have to roll 4 dice? That seems weird, as it gives low DX fighters an advantage where they can declare defense, have no one attack them as they will be too hard to hit, then suddenly change to an attack when their low DX comes up.

[Lord Twig]

I have decided to run it that everyone declares their dodge or defend before anyone attacks. After that you can't dodge or defend until your DX comes up in the action phase.

[raniE]

Originally Posted by Lord Twig

I have decided to run it that everyone declares their dodge or defend before anyone attacks. After that you can't dodge or defend until your DX comes up in the action phase.

Hmm? I’m not sure I follow this. Do you mean you declare dodge/defense either during movement, in which case you are stuck with that choice, or you can wait and declare dodge/defense when your DX comes up, but then you miss out on defending against any attacks that came in before your turn to act came up?

[Lord Twig]

Originally Posted by raniE

Hmm? I’m not sure I follow this. Do you mean you declare dodge/defense either during movement, in which case you are stuck with that choice, or you can wait and declare dodge/defense when your DX comes up, but then you miss out on defending against any attacks that came in before your turn to act came up?

Yes. Everyone moves, then anyone that wants to can dodge or defend and that is their action for the round. If you didn't dodge or defend right after movement and it comes to your turn and now you don't want to attack, you can still choose to dodge or defend if you want.

So say you charge two goblins and one goes before you and gets a good hit in. If you go before the other goblin you can switch your attack to a defend to try to keep the second one from killing you. If both goblins went before you, you are out of luck.

That's just the way I run it, and it seems fair for everyone.