From: rorice@nickel.ucs.indiana.edu (rosalyn rice) This is the last section of my combat rules. It is the latest incarnation of my melee weapon maneuvers. Melee weapon combat isn't just hack and slash combat. (An earlier version can be found at io.com in the GURPSnet ftp site.) Combat Rules 13 - Melee Weapon maneuvers. MELEE WEAPON MANEUVERS Beat and Attack (Hard) Defaults to Weapon skill Cannot exceed skill+2 This move aggressively strikes the enemy's weapon away and is immediately followed up with another attack. The attacker must roll to hit his oppenent's weapon or shield. If this attack succeeds, the foe is at a penalty to block or parry with that weapon equal to 1/2 basic damage done. If the first attack is successful, a second attack may by made at -2. Both fighters must roll for weapon breakage as if their weapons were used to parry a blow. If you miss your first roll, you may make no further attacks with that weapon this turn, though you may defend with it. Change Grips (Average) Default to Combat Skill-2 Must Specialize This maneuver allows you to instantly change grips on a pole arm or spear you are using allowing you to go from 1 to 2 or 3 hex range instantly (or vice-versa). It takes one extra turn of readying to go from a 1-yard to 2-yard or 3-yard reach, or vice-versa, with any 2-handed weapon. An unready weapon can be readied to any reach, regardless of how you used it before. Dual Weapon Attack (Hard) - As Martial Arts Maneuver. Disarming (Hard) - As Martial Arts Maneuver Dismounting (Hard) Default to Polearm, Spear, Staff, Axe -4 Can't exceed Skill+2 Certain polearms have hooks on the back to catch riders and pull them from their seats. Roll vs. skill to hook the rider. Then roll a contest of Riding skill (for the horseman) vs. skill (of the footman) to see if the horseman is pulled from the saddle. +2 to skill for the stronger man. +1 to skill for the man with higher DX. Entangle (Hard) Default to Flail or Whip-2 Can't exceed Skill+2 This maneuver allows you to entangle an opponent's limb in your weapon. This is treated as a contest of your skill vs. your opponent's Dodge score. If the weapon successfully entangles its target each turn you must roll a quick contest of ST or DX (opponent's choice) to maintain the entangling attack. The effects of the entangle depend on the location you catch. See the Lasso skill for ideas. Fient (Hard) - As Martial Arts Maneuver Fight While Crouching (Average) Default to Combat skill- Must Specialize This maneuver allows you to fight effectively from a crouching position. Crouching does not require a "change position" maneuver. If you are in a standing position, you can elect to crouch at the beginning of any turn. No seperate maneuver is required. However, you may not stand up throughout your turn and then crouch at the end of your move to avoid attacks. If are already crouching, you may stand up at the end of the turn,instantly. This position is normally only used when you are an area with low head-room (caves, below decks on a sailing ship, or when you are trying to hide.) Crouching reduces your height by about 1/5 to 1/4 of your total height. Fighting While Kneeling (Average) Default to Combat Skill-2 Must Specialize This maneuver allows you to fight on your knees. This is useful if your feet or lower legs are wounded or if you wish to fight from your knees for some other reason. It takes 1 turn to go from kneeling to standing, or prone or vice-versa. You can attack on the same turn that you go from kneeling to standing or vice-versa. You may not move on the turn you use this maneuver. You may "sprint" 1 extra hex per turn while on your knees, but this is terribly fatiguing and hard on unprotected knees. -1 fatigue per 10 seconds of "sprinting". If your foot is crippled you may fight and move from a kneeling position. Fighting While Seated (Hard) - As the Cinematic maneuver. Ground Fighting (Hard) - As the Cinematic maneuver. Jam Attack (Special) You get so close to your opponent that he can't effectively attack you. Roll a contest of weapon skills. The difference between the two scores is the penalty or bonus to all the foe's attack rolls this turn. This maneuver is part of any combat skill. Hit Location (Hard) - As Martial Arts Maneuver. Shield Press (Hard) Shield or Buckler Cannot exceed skill +2 You press your shield against your enemy's shield so that it is immobilized. Roll a contest of Shield skills. The loser of the contest is at a penalty to all Blocks equal to 1/2 the difference between the two scores. The winner is at -1 to all Blocks and can't attack with his shield. This attack can automatically be renewed each turn if winner of the first contest wins a contest of ST each turn. The winner may choose to release his foe's shield at any time. Shield Snatch (Hard) Defaults to Shield, Axe, Buckler or Polearm skill Cannot exceed Skill+2 You use a shield, axe, or polearm to immobilize your foe's shield or yank it out of the way. Roll a contest of your Axe, Pole Arm or Shield vs. the Shield skill of your opponent. If you win, the shieldman has a penalty to all Blocks equal to 1/2 the difference between the two scores. Furthermore, you (or any other character in range) have a bonus to the 1/2 difference in scores to attack with a ready weapon. A shield used to snatch be used to block, though it still defends with its PD. Polearms or axes may snatch a shield and then thrust immediately thrust to the foe's head or body. This attack uses the normal hit location modifiers, but the foe may not block it and the PD of his shield is negated. This attack may be renewed each turn if the attacker wins a contest of ST, but if a polearm or axe is used to thrust the attacker is at ST-4 in the contest. Stop Thrust (Average) Defaults to Spear or Polearm-2 Cannot Exceed Skill You can only make this attack with a spear or pole-arm braced against solid surface like a wall or the ground. You do +1 damage per 10 mph (or fraction thereof) up to double maximum basic damage to a foe who charges towards you or is attempting to Slam. If you hit 1/6 of the modified damage done is applied as damage to your weapon. You must also roll a contest of ST+6 vs. the victim's ST just as if you made were hit by a Slam attack to see if you were knocked down or knocked back. The opponent can't be knocked back, though he can be knocked down. If you win the contest of ST and your weapon does not break, your opponent is stopped in the hex where the attack occured. The only exception is that if you did enough damage with a spear that your attack "blew through" the victim's body your opponent is impaled on your spear. If he has sufficient Move remaining, he may continue to your hex and make a Slam or weapon attack (with normal Daze penalties) at the very end of the turn. Polearms and boar spears do not suffer from this problem, but you are only at ST+2 to resist the initial Slam attack, and 1/4 of basic damage is applied to the weapon to see if it breaks. It takes 1 extra turn to ready your weapon next turn. If your spear impaled your victim you must roll vs. ST each turn to retrieve your weapon. A missed attack means that the opponent can Evade or Slam at +4. You can't Move, Feint (including Set Up), Disengage or Press if you Stop Thrust. Strike Weapon (Hard) Defaults to any combat skill-3 Prerequisite: Any combat/weapon skill. This maneuver lets you strike at your opponent's weapon to try to break it. It is always possible to strike at a weapon that has just been used to attack, defend or feint against you this turn. Other weapons must have at least one hex in range of your weapon to attack. The penalty to strike at a weapon is -5 for a very small weapon, like a knife or a pistol, -3 for a pole-arm, and -4 for any other weapon. A hit on a wooden weapon might chop through the shaft or knock down or break a metal weapon. To chop through a wooden shaft (possibly destroying the weapon) you must hit it with a cutting weapon. Only basic damage counts - there is no 50% bonus when you cut an inanimate object. Typically a spear, staff or axe would have a haft 2" in diameter, which would have a 3 DR and 8 HP. A well-made pole-arm would have the shaft protected by metal facings. It would have a 4 DR and 12 HP. Keep track of the damage your weapon takes. If the weapon takes triple the amount of damage required to break it in one blow it is weakened and will break on solid hit or parry you make with it. To break a foe's sword, rapier or knife, of other blade weapon, you must strike it with a cutting or crushing blow. It takes 3 hits of damage in a single blow to break a thin knife or foil, 4 for a rapier, dagger, or smallsword, 6 to break a shortsword, knife, or saber, 8 to break a broadsword and 10 to break a larger sword. If your weapon is of better quality, then it takes only half as much damage to break the enemy's weapon. If the enemy's weapon is of better quality than yours it takes twice as much damage to break it. Any weapon can be broken by parrying a heavier weapon. If you parry a weapon of at least 3 times the weight of your own weapon there is a 1/2 chance that your weapon will break. This becomes a 1/6 chance if you have a fine weapon, or a 2/3 chance for a cheap weapon. A very fine weapon will only break on a critical failure. Wild Swing (Hard) Defaults to Skill-5 Cannot exceed 9 This attack negates any penalty for darkness or blindess, or allows you to strike to your side or rear but at -5 to hit, or 9, whichever is worse. No feints or targeting. Can't Press. No bonuses for All-Out or Bold Attacks. Can strike to off-side front, side or rear. Note that if you have peripheral vision, your side hexes count as "left" and "right", so an attack to side is not a wild swing, though it might be at a penalty to hit because of the awkward angle. If you have 360 Vision, you attack to your side and rear normally. Wrap Shot (Location) (Average) Defaults to Skill-1 Cannot exceed skill+2 This attack can only be made with a 1-handed swinging weapon be in the foe's hex or adjacent. You can't Retreat or Disengage while throwing a Wrap shot. You can feint. You make an attack to your opponent's back (or front if you were attacking from behind) at -1. The foe is at -2 to Block and the PD of his shield negated. Furthermore, his armor might be thinner (or non-existant) on his back. The drawbacks of this attack are that your weapon arm can be targeted at -1 and the foe gets double his normal defensive bonus if he Disengages or Retreats. And, on a critical failure you hit yourself in the head for full damage.