Critique this fight please

[Emiricol]

Ok, in this I played the Gol Grunt (pole arm)  rather recklessly, and Telouse (long sword) likewise behaved recklessly.  In the first exchange, Telouse tried to Beat and Steal Initiative.  He failed to steal initiative which nearly cost him dearly, but it was just a scratch, and the beat was successful.

In the second exchange, Telouse took advantage of the situation and went for the arm swing, while the Gol Grunt tried to use the range to his advantage and skewer Telouse.  Telouse went first, however, and was lucky enough to take the Gol's arm off.

One observation: pole arms have few maneuvers.  Another observation: if Telouse had missed he likely would have been killed.  He lived through this battle with only a flesh wound due to raw luck, I think.

Thoughts on this battle?  I'm trying to get a better grip on the tactics of maneuvers.


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Aye, fight and you may die; run, and you'll live. At least a
while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!

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Telouse opts for an Aggressive stance

Gol Grunt opts for an Aggressive stance

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Both fighters simultaneously rush in for the attack!

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At the start of the round, we refresh both combat pools


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Double strike engagement...

Combatants must now declare their attacks in reverse order of reflex...

Gol Grunt gains +2CP for his aggressive stance
Gol Grunt thrusts at Telouse's chest with 8 dice...

Telouse gains +2CP for his aggressive stance
Telouse must pay an additional 2 dice to attack because he's out of range.
Please select Telouse's attack...
Telouse beats at Gol Grunt's weapon with 8 dice...

Determining who gets to swing first...

(TN 6) 2, 9, 1, 9, 2  - Result: 2
(TN 7) 9, 7, 2, 7  - Result: 3
Gol Grunt attacks first...

Telouse can attempt to steal initiative if he wishes...
(TN 7) 2, 5, 9, 1, 1, 3, 5, 7  - Result: 2

Gol Grunt rolls and gets 2 successes.
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Attack successes: 2
Strength: 6
Weapon Damage: 2
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Toughness: 5
Armor: 4
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Gol Grunt hits Telouse with a total damage rating of 1... (Light laceration to lower abs)

Telouse loses 3 dice due to shock!
(TN 6) 7, 1, 4, 1, 7, 2, 9, 5  - Result: 3

Telouse rolls and gets 3 successes.
Telouse successfully knocks Gol Grunt's weapon out of the way. Gol Grunt loses 6 dice, and cannot use weapon in next exchange.

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Telouse rushes in to attack, while Gol Grunt tries to hold him off...

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At the start of the round, we refresh both combat pools


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First engagement...

Telouse must pay an additional 2 dice to attack because he's out of range.
Telouse takes a swing at Gol Grunt's arms/hands with 10 dice...
Please select Gol Grunt's defense...

Gol Grunt thrusts at Telouse's chest with 10 dice...

Determining who gets to swing first...

Initiative goes to original attacker...
Telouse attacks first...

Gol Grunt can attempt to steal initiative if he wishes...
(TN 6) 7, 1, 1, 11, 6, 4, 9, 5, 17, 3  - Result: 5

Telouse rolls and gets 5 successes.
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Attack successes: 5
Strength: 5
Weapon Damage: 2
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Toughness: 6
Armor: 0
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Telouse hits Gol Grunt with a total damage rating of 5... (Total loss of arm at shoulder)

Gol Grunt loses 13 dice due to shock!

Gol Grunt loses his entire attack pool, so his attack doesn't happen...

Please have both players throw a white or red die at the same time to indicate initiative.
What color was Telouse's die?

[bottleneck]

Comments:
*in our game, Telouse would have kept initiative after a successful beat maneuver, and Gol could not attack or parry because of the beat. The shock from Telouse's attack would have been applied to the beat attempt, though. (seems init and shock carries over, but the beat effect only applies to the exchange where noone has any dice).
Had T gone first and beat successfully, the Gols attack would not have landed (by our house rules.)

*When Telouse commits all his dice to the swing, he has no dice left to buy init with - this is a bug in the simulator.

*With optional rules for range penalty on init [suggested on the forum somewhere - good rule], the Gol wil win most red-red on long range (and lose on short range).

*Conclusion: this battle would look different in paper-rules. Only certainty is that with both players being so overly agressive, one will die. I'd bet on the Gol winning since he has a longer weapon. (i.e. to win, T must survive getting in to short range and then gut the Gol before it evades back to long range).

One observation: pole arms have few maneuvers.  Another observation: if Telouse had missed he likely would have been killed.  He lived through this battle with only a flesh wound due to raw luck, I think.

Agree on both points. But the polearm is still a good weapon, and part of T's luck was to meet a reckless opponent.

*The polarm (in game terms) has few maneuvers, yes, but it is normally piercing and does have a lot of reach. Meaning that the pikeman will win initiative on most red-red situations. Unless you have many dice and good stats, you should not go red-red vs a pikeman. The pikeman likewise should almost always attack in the first exchange (from red or from white if he's a devious bastard).

*Let the Gol go for an unarmored location in the first round, you'll see him win a lot on red-red. If you're armored everywhere, he should consider attacking with all his dice, or running away and getting some help. (There's no shame in running away when nobody sees it).

*The beat is a good maneuver _if_ you can be sure to get init (good stats, plenty of dice to win int)... Or you can (I think) beat and block if you have a shield.

*In the second round, T should keep enough dice to buy init. If he wins the first contest, he could always spend them on a feint - if he loses he needs those dice to buy it back!

-script the Gol to do certain maneuvers (always red on long range, powerful thrust at unarmored location, full evade on short range). Then play around with T's tactics. If you find a good one, keep it and let the Gol change his. Or better, find some guy to play the som with. (behold the power of the feint...)

[Andrew Mure]

A thing to remember about pole-arms and their limited number of manoverves is that historically these weapons were mainly used in dense formations that allowed only a few moves due to room rather than being one on one weapons. Therefore they are nowhere as versitile as swords or axes, however there are a few points to consider.

* Range-Range-Range- Pole-arms are long weapons they are best when your opponent is in front of the spike and you're in trouble once he gets past it. So evade back to red-white if he ever does.

* Attack! These weapons are somewhat limited defensibly generally (though the profiency does cover the quarter and long staffs) not having the balance of a sword nor allowing a free hand for a shield. They are good on the thrust and have a good chance skewering the other guy first on red-red.

[Emiricol]

Very good advice and points, thank you both!  I will now have to look up the modified initiative rule.  I'm going to run through some fights on paper without the simulator and see how they differ (for instance, the init thing...)