Dodge question

[sabanknight]

We are in a game at the moment and was wondering, if attacked from the rear and sides if you are aware of an attack do you have a - to active defences

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by sabanknight

We are in a game at the moment and was wondering, if attacked from the rear and sides if you are aware of an attack do you have a - to active defences

Normally, you are at -2 to defenses against attacks from your side hexes, and cannot defend against attacks from the rear hex at all. Peripheral vision lets you defend attacks from the sides at no penalty, and the rear at -2. 360º Vison eliminates all penalties.

If your atttacker has done a runaround – moves from your line of sight to behind you and attacks, you have -2 to defend (instead of no defense).

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by sabanknight

We are in a game at the moment and was wondering, if attacked from the rear and sides if you are aware of an attack do you have a - to active defences

-2 to side hexes, no defense from rear hex. B390-391.

[Gollum]

Did I read it somewhere or did I just dream it?

I've not my books at hand, but I remember that if a character can't dodge an attack he is not aware of (of course), if he is aware of it, he can still dodge an attack from the back, with a -4 penalty.

And I also read that for a runaround attack that ends to the back, the penalty is -2. As from a side hexe (which is logical; it's not really an attack from the back)...

But as I wrote it above, I've not my books at hand, so, these numbers have to be checked.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by Gollum

Did I read it somewhere or did I just dream it?

I've not my books at hand, but I remember that if a character can't dodge an attack he is not aware of (of course), if he is aware of it, he can still dodge an attack from the back, with a -4 penalty.

And I also read that for a runaround attack that ends to the back, the penalty is -2. As from a side hexe (which is logical; it's not really an attack from the back)...

But as I wrote it above, I've not my books at hand, so, these numbers have to be checked.

You are correct about the side Dodge penalty, at least.

[Ulzgoroth]

RAW, you can't dodge an attack from behind, unless it's a runaround attack.

RAW, you can defend against an attacker you can't see. I think that might be a -4 penalty.

I don't know how these go together.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

RAW, you can't dodge an attack from behind

That's not what my rules say. They say that you can, if you are aware of it.

[The Wrathchild]

Originally Posted by sabanknight

We are in a game at the moment and was wondering, if attacked from the rear and sides if you are aware of an attack do you have a - to active defences

As others have already pointed out, attacks from side hexes give the defender a -2 penalty to succeed. Attacks from the rear hex leave no option for defence.

But!

Beware the "Runaround attack"-rule! For an attack to truly be from the rear and not fall under this rule, the attacker has to start the turn INSIDE the two lines of hexes traced through the defenders SIDE hexes. See the scematic for vision on B74 - you have to come from a black hex to get a true "no defence possible" attack - and that is actually pretty hard to do in tactical combat where opponents are aware of you, because they often go and change facing on you on THEIR turn, putting you into Runaround Attack-territory.

If you look at the box for the runaround rule, you'll see the phrase "start from the front". I took that to mean the front 180 degrees for a long time, but have since been corrected by Kromm.

And the above is for people with normal vision. For Peripheral Vision and 360 degree vision there is no true rear hex, as mentioned.

I also think that the above takes care of that "what if I look the other way than where my body is facing, by giving you 270 degree awareness.

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by The Wrathchild

As others have already pointed out, attacks from side hexes give the defender a -2 penalty to succeed. Attacks from the rear hex leave no option for defence.

But!

Beware the "Runaround attack"-rule! For an attack to truly be from the rear and not fall under this rule, the attacker has to start the turn INSIDE the two lines of hexes traced through the defenders SIDE hexes. See the scematic for vision on B74 - you have to come from a black hex to get a true "no defence possible" attack - and that is actually pretty hard to do in tactical combat where opponents are aware of you, because they often go and change facing on you on THEIR turn, putting you into Runaround Attack-territory.

If you look at the box for the runaround rule, you'll see the phrase "start from the front". I took that to mean the front 180 degrees for a long time, but have since been corrected by Kromm.

And the above is for people with normal vision. For Peripheral Vision and 360 degree vision there is no true rear hex, as mentioned.

I also think that the above takes care of that "what if I look the other way than where my body is facing, by giving you 270 degree awareness.

Of course, this leaves out what happens if you have a sense other than vision that gives you 360 degree coverage. Can Daredevil dodge attacks from behind like he does in the comics, or not at all?

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by vitruvian

Of course, this leaves out what happens if you have a sense other than vision that gives you 360 degree coverage. Can Daredevil dodge attacks from behind like he does in the comics, or not at all?

Daredevil probably has Pararadar with 360º arc, and hearing based. Any targeting sense can be used to allow active defenses, IIRC.