Quick tactical combat situation: Weapon Reach and Backpedal Defense

[muranternet]

Some of this was addressed in the Wait clarification thread, but not this specifically.

Situation: Shorty has a reach 1 weapon. Pokey has a reach 2 weapon. Assume they start at range 2 on a plain and Pokey has initiative. Pokey does not attack; he takes Wait, stating whenever Shorty closes to 1, he's going to step back and attack. He does this every turn. Does Shorty have any tactical options besides an All Out Attack?

[Anthony]

Move and Attack. Or attack his weapon.

[vierasmarius]

Or keep pressing Pokey back until he runs into a tree, trips over a rock, falls in a ditch, etc. Funny thing about the Earth is that it has a notorious lack of infinite empty plains.

[Nyarli]

All-out attack (long). MA 97. And Great Lunge.

[Gnome]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Or keep pressing Pokey back until he runs into a tree, trips over a rock, falls in a ditch, etc. Funny thing about the Earth is that it has a notorious lack of infinite empty plains.

But it has plenty of areas sufficiently large that you can get in enough stabs this way to kill someone.
I often see people here rail against "infinite empty plain" scenarios, but given the number hexes you can choose from for your steps, retreats, etc., I usually find that it's easy to circumvent the obstacles and use tactics such as this one. You do need a relatively large open area in which to fight. Like any road or patch of wilderness.
That said, this one doesn't bother me that much. Reach should give a big advantage, and this is part of it. At some point, you have to close distance with your foe. An All-Out Defense (Increased Dodge) is the safest way to get in there IME.

[Ulzgoroth]

Or Committed Attack, or moving into Pokey's hex with a Move or AoD maneuver.

[muranternet]

Originally Posted by Gnome

But it has plenty of areas sufficiently large that you can get in enough stabs this way to kill someone.
I often see people here rail against "infinite empty plain" scenarios, but given the number hexes you can choose from for your steps, retreats, etc., I usually find that it's easy to circumvent the obstacles and use tactics such as this one. You do need a relatively large open area in which to fight. Like any road or patch of wilderness.
That said, this one doesn't bother me that much. Reach should give a big advantage, and this is part of it. At some point, you have to close distance with your foe. An All-Out Defense (Increased Dodge) is the safest way to get in there IME.

I also thought "cutting off the ring," when the ring is measured in acres and the long jab has a spearhead, has significant downsides. I suppose for dramatic effect it's easy enough to direct a backpedaler into a conveniently placed rock if the player thinks of it.

Increased Dodge is a good idea I hadn't considered.

[muranternet]

Thanks for all replies; I'm tooling up to GM GURPS again with mid-crunchy tactical combat rules and this one had been bothering me.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by muranternet

I also thought "cutting off the ring," when the ring is measured in acres and the long jab has a spearhead, has significant downsides. I suppose for dramatic effect it's easy enough to direct a backpedaler into a conveniently placed rock if the player thinks of it.

Well, if the backpedaler is allowed to see the map as usual, it's not, because they've got plenty of freedom of movement to avoid it. If they're not allowed to be aware of what's behind them and the GM wants them to get in trouble, then it's easy.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Well, if the backpedaler is allowed to see the map as usual, it's not, because they've got plenty of freedom of movement to avoid it. If they're not allowed to be aware of what's behind them and the GM wants them to get in trouble, then it's easy.

The back peddler should only be allowed to see what's behind them if they actually *look* behind them, thus risking a sword to the [insert hit location here].