Movement during Combat

[Malechi]

Hey there,

I just got my book yesterday and I have a quick question regarding movement during combat. I realise this was mentioned here --> http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=3415&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=movement but it didn't answer the question I've asked, nor has the errata.

My question is simply, how is movement in combat handled.  I note on page 86 of the rulebook it states you can move up to your move in feet, which is considered a charge etc.. but it also says "Even if not charging, one must move half as far (1/2 move) during each Exchange..."  The text goes on to suggest miniatures to determine combat movement etc...  

Basically, the second section confuses me.  Are you required to move? or can you plant your feet and fight from there.  I realise from the other post on movement in combat that there's a lot of circling going on etc, but what is the mechanical procedure (game mechanics) for moving, breaking away (I think it might be Evasion, but I'm not sure), or pressing the attack and indeed just general movement in combat?  I've not seen it mentioned in any of the combat examples and I can't remember seeing anything specific about it in the Terrain section either.  :)

Other than that first question, I'm in love with the game already and I've only had it half a day.  


cheers
Jase :)


[/i]

[Ashren Va'Hale]

evasion breaks combat and brings you back to circling, for movement in combat- staying still invites death in most situations but there are times for taking a stand, use common sense to dictataewho's going whereand moving where. I USE MINIATURES BUT COUNTERS OR SPARE DICE WORK WELL FOR THIS AS WELL> sorry about the caps, its an ongoing problem.

[Jake Norwood]

My take on it is that you do have to move--you can't fight in place with most weapons--though it doesn't need to be much. I actually discourage using miniatures except for the most basic understanding of a scene, and using terrain rolls whenever movement is a crucial factor.

Jake

[Salamander]

Hey there,

My question is simply, how is movement in combat handled.  I note on page 86 of the rulebook it states you can move up to your move in feet, which is considered a charge etc.. but it also says "Even if not charging, one must move half as far (1/2 move) during each Exchange..."  The text goes on to suggest miniatures to determine combat movement etc...  

Basically, the second section confuses me.  Are you required to move? or can you plant your feet and fight from there.  I realise from the other post on movement in combat that there's a lot of circling going on etc, but what is the mechanical procedure (game mechanics) for moving, breaking away (I think it might be Evasion, but I'm not sure), or pressing the attack and indeed just general movement in combat?  I've not seen it mentioned in any of the combat examples and I can't remember seeing anything specific about it in the Terrain section either.  :)

Other than that first question, I'm in love with the game already and I've only had it half a day.  


cheers
Jase :)


[/i]

Hey there right back atcha!

I am a scholar of the longsword up in Calgary. While training to use the weapon it became apparent pretty quick that movement is important. A minimum of 1/2 move is fair, a few of my fellow scholars are quite fast and in the period of a second or two have moved forward, to the side, circled and cut several times.

You don't have to move in one direction. You can move forward, backward, sideways diagonally or even describe a part of a circle. As an avid gamer before I joined the Sword Academy, it was standard fare for three guys with bastard swords to line up in a 10'x10' room with a troll and go to town. Armed with the knowledge I have now, I figure one guy with a bastard sword would have trouble in the same space! We have never really visualized what a real sword fight would look like until now because we were always using the abstract model of a simple roll to hit vs. armour class and a roll to determine how many hit points we did or recieved in damage. TRoS changes all that... in a big way. I almost think that the wise player of this game would go watch a WMA class just to get an idea of what is really going on.

[Malechi]

I guess thats where I'm coming from.  Having had no WMA experience and only playing D&D the only experience I can bring to this concept is my Aikido training, which is all movement based, even the Bokken stuff.  Having said that, I guess what I was really asking was, is the 1/2 move mandatory, ie you have to state "i'm moving here" or no?

[Lance D. Allen]

My answer is no. But as the Seneschal, if they're fighting in close quarters, such as an alleyway, or a barroom (or even your typical D&D 10'x10' room) Just take into account that you do move. Most movements are semi-conscious, and you'll move in such a way that you're not overly inconvenienced, but in the above situations, terrain rolls may be in order, and perhaps even advantageous (I jump up onto a table! {which'd give the higher ground advantages as described in the book}).