Charge Action - again!

[pansophy]

One thing that came into mind: would it streamline the rule if you give a charging character a Free Attack action? I ask because sometimes the charging character does not attack first when engaging a character with an Wait action ready.

Example: Jimmy (normal SR 17, DEX 12) declares a charge at Rob (SR 19, DEX 13).

Opening Move SR:

• Jimmy: 12
• Rob: 19

Rob uses a Wait action to get a Free Attack action and pays 12 SR, reducing his current SR to 7.

Jimmy charges at Rob, paying 5 SR for a new total of SR 7. This gives him a Free Attack action.

• Jimmy: 7, one free Attack action
• Rob: 7, one free Attack action

Now, as declared by the rules, you should look at the 'normal Opening Move SR value' to determine who goes first. This would be Rob, as his SR of 19 is higher than Jimmy's 17.

Rob uses his Free Attack action to attack Jimmy, who decides to Parry the blow, keeping his Free Attack action for later and paying 3 SR for his weapon to parry. (I am not sure if Jimmy can keep his Free Attack action for later at this point, but I rule 'yes'.) This will reduce Jimmy's SR to 4.

• Jimmy: 4, one free Attack action
• Rob: 7

Rob could attack Jimmy one more time, but as he does not have the required SR left, he would be at a penalty. He decides against it and simply waits to defend.

Jimmy uses his Free Attack against Rob, who decides to parry at a cost of 6 SR. This costs Rob 1 Exertion Point (as it brings him below his Fatigue Threshold of 3), but his Parry is not at a Penalty as it is 1, still above 0 SR.

• Jimmy: 4
• Rob: 1

Since both character do not have enough SR left to make attacks at their full skill, they decide to let the next round of combat begin.

 

Now, this is a simple combat as there are only two characters involved. The benefit of giving a charging character a Free Attack action is getting more clear in a combat with multiple combatants where Strike Ranks  might be all over the place and at some point it is unclear if the charging character already got his chance to attack. By using a coin or token to symbolise a Free Action, it makes it much easier to track. It also correlates 'Charge' and 'Wait' actions, bringing them closer together and also makes the Charge action more clear. 

Quote

 

Charge (SR = DEX; Cost: 5 SR):

Move up to 25m (Close Range) towards a target and gain a Free Attack that might be used immediately at the end of the movement. If both the charger and the target can attack on the exact Strike Rank when the Charge takes place, the attacks do not occur in DEX order, but in the order in which the two opponents would strike if engaged in Close Combat at the start of a Round, including Penalties for Size Class difference. The defender must use the Wait Action to meet it, as the moving opponent is “not yet there” at his normal SR.

The charging character automatically switches to Close Combat after a charge, if desired.

 

 

[RosenMcStern]

Another point to explain better in the rules, I suspect.

In a charge, attack and movement are contemporary. This means that both Jimmy and Rob attack on SR 12: Jimmy because his Charge includes the attack, and Rob because his attack is "ready to be triggered" because of the Wait action. Comparing the two "melee SR values" in this case is a procedure used to determine who attacks first withing the same SR, and trying to keep into account size and weapon length in an interaction which is otherwise based only on the attacker's DEX.

When Rob attacks Jimmy, the latter has already spent 5 SR for charging and attacking. If Jimmy survives Rob's attack, his own blow then takes place without paying any more SR. Only disablement can prevent him from rolling for his attack.

The free action for the attacker is thus not necessary.

[pansophy]

9 hours ago, RosenMcStern said:

The free action for the attacker is thus not necessary.

Hm, true, the only thing that might come up in a Charge is 'who goes first' - not 'does anybody act in between the two'. That changes the combat quite a bit ...

So here's the updated example, still without paying attention to Combat Effects, Wounds, etc.:

Example: 

Jimmy (Weapon SR 17; DEX 12; Attack SR 6; Defence SR 4; Fatigue Threshold 1) declares a harge at Rob (Weapon SR 19; DEX 13; Attack SR 12; Defence SR 6; Fatigue Threshold 3).

Opening Move SR:

• Jimmy: 12
• Rob: 19

At SR 19, Rob uses a Wait action to get a Free Attack action and pays 12 SR, reducing his current SR to 7.

• Jimmy: 12
• Rob: 7, one Free Attack Action

At SR 12 Jimmy charges at Rob, paying 5 SR for a new total of SR 7.

• Jimmy: 7
• Rob: 7

Both Attacks against each other happen at SR 12, when Jimmy charges at Rob.

Now, as declared by the rules, you should look at the 'normal Opening Move SR value' to determine who goes first. This would be Rob, as his SR of 19 is higher than Jimmy's 17.

Rob uses his Free Attack action make a Close Combat Attack at Jimmy, who decides to Parry the blow, paying 3 SR for his weapon to defend. This reduces Jimmy's SR to 4.

Jimmy survives (Rob misses) and now attacks Rob, who decides to parry at a cost of 6 SR. This costs Rob 1 Exertion Point (as it brings him below his Fatigue Threshold of 3), but his Parry is not at a Penalty as his SR is 1, well above 0 SR.

Jimmy does not do enough damage to overcome Rob's armour, so nothing else happens.

• Jimmy: 4
• Rob: 1

Since both characters do not have enough SR left to make further attacks at their full skill, they decide to let the next round of combat begin.

 

10 hours ago, RosenMcStern said:

Another point to explain better in the rules, I suspect.

I think a full combat example including 3 or 4 rounds with 3 combatants would visualise the whole thing better than any rule can explain. At least for me.   This is why I write it up, so I can show it to my players. They find it easier to understand it that way as well .