Feints don't make sense to me...

[bocharuk]

Originally Posted by Jovus

To be clear, turns in GURPS are not sequential. They overlap; this means, for example, that the proper one second measurement applies to the time between the start of one character's turn and the start of that same character's next turn, rather than the time it takes to go 'through the initiative order', to paraphrase from another game system.

This overlap also means that there's no waiting about in the combat round, unless your character takes the Wait maneuver. While, sitting at the table, it certainly feels like there are little concrete blocks of action-time - I feint, he attacks, I defend, I attack - the reality to the characters is much more fluid.

So, thinking about fencing (which will stand in here for all melee fighting, since it's the sort I have experiencing with), when you feint, you trick the enemy into thinking you're doing something you aren't. This can take basically two forms.

This brings me to another question then. If combat is fluid to the characters and there's no waiting as you say, then what about penalties to defense for subsequent attacks? Ex: the -4 per parry after the first with the same weapon. Wouldn't all attacks after the first round be subsequent ones?

Having my defenses 'refreshed' at the start of my turn indicates there are concrete blocks of action time and that there is some sort of break 'between rounds' or at least 'between turns'.