Hi there. Sorry if these are redundant questions, but I did a Search and did not find the answers I sought. Take it easy on me; I just ran my first ever TROS trial combat last night. I have the hardcover edition. Several questions follow:

1. In the combat example on pg.88, the Senechal declares after the first exchange that Stephen loses 3CP due to Geralt's Duck and Weave. However, Stephen starts with 9CP, and spends 5 dice on his first attack. Yet in the second exchange, he tries to "evade (partially), spending his last 4 dice". That's a total of 9, folks. So when does the 3CP get deducted? At the beginning of the next round, the example says Stephan will have only six dice in his pool, due to Shock 3, and only 7 dice every round thereafter (I assume this is due to Pain—Stephan must have WP 4, right?). But I still don't see where the 3CP for Geralt's Duck and Weave is deducted from Stephan's pool. What am I missing?

2. In our first trial last night. Two red dice were dropped in one of the exchanges. We didn't want to get into buyng initiative yet since it was a bit complicated for our first exchange ever, so we went to a contest of Reflexes to determine whose blow struck first. Well, each combattant rolled 2 successes so they tied there as well! Since both were thrusting for the chest, and neither can defend, does this mean they skewered each other simultaneously? They also tied with 5 successes on the damage roll! Neither were wearing armor over their chest, but one's Toughness resulted in a level 4 wound to the chest. the other guy took 6 wound level. He dies instantly, pierced through the heart, the other guy drowned in his own blood a while later. Sound right? Or did I miss something? On a related question, if the contest of Reflexes had not tied, would the winner would have struck first. In this case, assuming the wound is severe enough, the loser's attack would never even land, correct? Assuming a medium wound, I'm guessing the loser's attack would instantly be subject to Shock penalties, correct?

3. On Table 4.4 Evasion Target Numbers, pg. 84, where the results refer to "the next exchange": Does this "rollover" to the first exchange of the next round in the event the result is generated during the second exchange of the current round? For example, say it's the second exchange of Round 1 and I successfully (partially) evade. Does that mean I can pay 2CP at the beginning of Round 2 to automatically take the initiative, therefore obviating the need to throw down red and white dice? Or do the combattants still throw the dice, yet I can spend 2CP to be the aggressor even if my opponent throws down a red die?

4. Are there offical errata to the hardback book published here or elsewhere?

Thanks in advance.

Earl

Hi, I am pretty new to the game myself, but maybe I can help.

Earl Aubec wrote: 1. In the combat example on pg.88, the Senechal declares after the first exchange that Stephen loses 3CP due to Geralt's Duck and Weave. However, Stephen starts with 9CP, and spends 5 dice on his first attack. Yet in the second exchange, he tries to "evade (partially), spending his last 4 dice". That's a total of 9, folks. So when does the 3CP get deducted?

At the beginning of the next round, the example says Stephan will have only six dice in his pool, due to Shock 3, and only 7 dice every round thereafter (I assume this is due to Pain—Stephan must have WP 4, right?).

2. In our first trial last night. Two red dice were dropped in one of the exchanges. We didn't want to get into buyng initiative yet since it was a bit complicated for our first exchange ever, so we went to a contest of Reflexes to determine whose blow struck first. Well, each combattant rolled 2 successes so they tied there as well! Since both were thrusting for the chest, and neither can defend, does this mean they skewered each other simultaneously?

They also tied with 5 successes on the damage roll! Neither were wearing armor over their chest, but one's Toughness resulted in a level 4 wound to the chest. the other guy took 6 wound level. He dies instantly, pierced through the heart, the other guy drowned in his own blood a while later. Sound right? Or did I miss something?

On a related question, if the contest of Reflexes had not tied, would the winner would have struck first. In this case, assuming the wound is severe enough, the loser's attack would never even land, correct? Assuming a medium wound, I'm guessing the loser's attack would instantly be subject to Shock penalties, correct?

3. On Table 4.4 Evasion Target Numbers, pg. 84, where the results refer to "the next exchange": Does this "rollover" to the first exchange of the next round in the event the result is generated during the second exchange of the current round? For example, say it's the second exchange of Round 1 and I successfully (partially) evade. Does that mean I can pay 2CP at the beginning of Round 2 to automatically take the initiative,

therefore obviating the need to throw down red and white dice? Or do the combattants still throw the dice, yet I can spend 2CP to be the aggressor even if my opponent throws down a red die?

4. Are there offical errata to the hardback book published here or elsewhere?

I noticed that too, and believe it is an error (not covered in the errata). By the rules, the duck and weave should help the former defender's next attack. So Stephan has only 1 die for defense (or 2 if you assume that half of 5 dice used for offense is rounded down).

Yes, this is even confirmed under the description of a thrust on p. 64.

Red/red is lethal if neither combatant can or does use block and strike or evasive attack.

AFAIK, shock is applied first to the dice the other combatant has already declared. So yes, if shock reduces these to 0, he doesn't even get to attack.

You don't throw red/white dice every round. The winner of each exchange is the agressor on the next exchange and the loser has to defend (or buy initiative, or attack second). This also carries over from one round to the next.

Yes, on the official TROS homepage at

http://www.theriddleofsteel.net/support/errata.htm

nsruf covered 1. fairly well. It is probably an error that slipped through the fine netting cast by our errata writer. Nobody's perfect.

2. You've got it precisely right on all counts. Double reds suck.

3. To clarify, you do not throw initiative at the start of every round. Whoever won or kept th initiative on the second exchange of the previous round has it for the first exchange of the next round. In the case of a partial evasion, the defender cannot win the initiative unless he pays the 2 dice; otherwise, the initiative stays with the attacker. The only times you throw initiative are at the beginning of a new combat, or during a lull in combat, or any time when there is no clear decision as to who won the initiative.

To further clarify, any time the book refers to the next exchange, it may mean the next exchange in a given round, or the first exchange of the next round. shock penalties, penalties due to maneuvers like Beat or Bind and strike, etc. all carry over into the next round if they are incurred on the second exchange.

4. nsruf also covered this sufficiently.

Brief question: Why do you refer to it as the hardcover edition? There never was a soft-cover edition, unless you're referring to the old leatherbounds, or the first supplement, Of Beasts and Men.

Brief question: Why do you refer to it as the hardcover edition? There never was a soft-cover edition, unless you're referring to the old leatherbounds, or the first supplement, Of Beasts and Men.

No worries, friend.. Oh! And Welcome to the Forge, and the Riddle of Steel boards. Can't believe I failed to catch that on the first time 'round.

We're a sometimes rambunctious bunch, but any questions you have, we can generally answer or give perspective on with a quickness.

Lance wrote: unless you're referring to the old leatherbounds

Wolfen wrote: nsruf covered 1. fairly well. It is probably an error that slipped through the fine netting cast by our errata writer. Nobody's perfect.

Earl Aubec wrote:
1. In the combat example on pg.88, the Senechal declares after the first exchange that Stephen loses 3CP due to Geralt's Duck and Weave. However, Stephen starts with 9CP, and spends 5 dice on his first attack. Yet in the second exchange, he tries to "evade (partially), spending his last 4 dice". That's a total of 9, folks. So when does the 3CP get deducted? At the beginning of the next round, the example says Stephan will have only six dice in his pool, due to Shock 3, and only 7 dice every round thereafter (I assume this is due to Pain—Stephan must have WP 4, right?). But I still don't see where the 3CP for Geralt's Duck and Weave is deducted from Stephan's pool. What am I missing?

2. In our first trial last night. Two red dice were dropped in one of the exchanges. We didn't want to get into buyng initiative yet since it was a bit complicated for our first exchange ever, so we went to a contest of Reflexes to determine whose blow struck first.

Well, each combattant rolled 2 successes so they tied there as well! Since both were thrusting for the chest, and neither can defend, does this mean they skewered each other simultaneously?

They also tied with 5 successes on the damage roll! Neither were wearing armor over their chest, but one's Toughness resulted in a level 4 wound to the chest. the other guy took 6 wound level. He dies instantly, pierced through the heart, the other guy drowned in his own blood a while later. Sound right? Or did I miss something? On a related question, if the contest of Reflexes had not tied, would the winner would have struck first.

In this case, assuming the wound is severe enough, the loser's attack would never even land, correct? Assuming a medium wound, I'm guessing the loser's attack would instantly be subject to Shock penalties, correct?