[MA] Italian fencing description and the riposte

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by hal

how would I simulate a fencer who has a parrying dagger in one hand, a rapier in the second hand, up against a foe with but one rapier to hand?

Attacker has the combination: Parry/Counterattack. He has his main gauche skill for the first segment of the combination, and he has his rapier skill as the second segment.

So, the action might start off with:

First Fighter with one blade... attacks.
Second fighter armed with blade and defensive dagger uses his Parry/Counterattack - succeeds with both. Original attacker now defends with a parry at -2 penalty.

Second Fighter now attacks with dual weapon attack as two separate weapons in a low line attack (aimed for the vitals and leg).

First fighter parrying for the second and third time before the start of his next turn, is at penalties to his defense rolls for second and third parries, plus the -1 for dual weapon attack.

I don't think that is how it works. While my books are in the old country, I think the sequence is:

Agent Attacks with his Rapier and Hits. Patent Parries with his Rapier using the Counterattack technique, and succeeds.

Now Patient gets his turn. If he chooses to attack agent, Agent will be at -2 to Parry due to the Counterattack. Patient does not get an extra attack, or to attack out of order ... GURPS simplifies combat into discrete turns because the alternative is not practical for mere humans.

Again, my books are in the old country, so anyone who wants to play this out should check Martial Arts.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Polydamas

I don't think that is how it works. While my books are in the old country, I think the sequence is:

Agent Attacks with his Rapier and Hits. Patent Parries with his Rapier using the Counterattack technique, and succeeds.

Now Patient gets his turn. If he chooses to attack agent, Agent will be at -2 to Parry due to the Counterattack. Patient does not get an extra attack, or to attack out of order ... GURPS simplifies combat into discrete turns because the alternative is not practical for mere humans.

Again, my books are in the old country, so anyone who wants to play this out should check Martial Arts.

Yep counter attack isn't an extra attack, it's an attack technique that you can use if you happen to have just successfully defended an attack from your intended target.

Fighter A and Fighter B

On A's first turn: A attacks, B defends

On B's first turn: B Attacks using counter attack, A defends at -2 or -1



You could do what Hal's suggesting with a Wait though I think.

as in declare a Wait: "after defending against X counter attack against X"


Fighter A and Fighter B again

on A's first turn: A declares Wait "after defending against B counter attack against B"

on B's first turn: B attacks A, A defends and A's Wait triggers so A counter attacks B (B will defend at -2 or -1)

on A's second turn: A attacks B, only B may now have already used an active defence which means they will have to use different defence or suffer a multiple defence penalty

on B's second turn: B doe what every B wants (so long as B is still in the fight).


It could go well if A is confident they can defend against B having given up the chance to attack first, and hit with the counter attack.