Attacking with sword and axe

[Earl Aubec]

Leaving aside the question of historical precedence and "realism", it is not uncommon to find wargaming miniatures with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other. Since I'm interested in running what-you-see-is-what-you-get arena combats using TROS, the question is how would I simulate combat for a character so armed? What fighting style or maneuvers would be appropriate? Maybe Bind and Strike? Double Attack? Seems like there's no parrying with an axe 'cause the haft would break (how would one simulate that?). Will this combination be addressed in the upcoming TFOB?

Earl

[Lance D. Allen]

Fighting style: Double weapon.

Maneuvers would include cut, thrust, bind and strike, double-strike, simo-block and strike, and possibly some of the more generic ones like beat, feint and stop short.. Probably hook, too.

Axe-haft breakage: over-rated. Just use the 1-hand stats for the hand axe.

I might also assess a higher activation costs for some maneuvers as the sword and the axe aren't particularly suited to being wielded together.. but that's really your own choice.

[Earl Aubec]

Axe-haft breakage: over-rated. Just use the 1-hand stats for the hand axe.

Thanks for the advice. Is it possible to "botch" a parry? Maybe that would result in breakage for an axe haft?

Earl

[daagon]

After seeing the headless horseman in the Sleepy Hollow movie, I've often thought how cool it looked to wield both a sword and axe together.

I would have thought that if you rolled 2 or more 1's with no successes on a parry, then you would essentially have botched it, so weapon breakage could be a good idea in that respect.

And as the great Wolfen said, creating a fighting style "double weapon" or even "Sword and mass weapon" if you want to be more restrictive is easily done.

[Lance D. Allen]

It is possible to fumble (the TRoS term for botch) any roll that's made with more than 1 die. Generally the ruling is that you lose.. what, half? of your combat pool, but you can make the call however you like... Hell, it probably wouldn't be too harsh to say both.

Heh. I'm essentially agreeing with daagon who's essentially agreeing with me.. When we're not rambunctious, we're insanely agreeable, it seems.

::wry smirk::

[daagon]

You just liked the fact that I said you were great!!

;)