N18 Charging and Versatile

[HugeSamples]

@Ben_S what versatile is saying is that the model with versatile is engaged with the target if they are in versatile range, but the "target" might not be engaged back--they might not be able to perform retaliation attacks and if they live they are free to walk away or shoot on their activation.

Charge only requires that the charger is engaged, not the chargee.

 

[Ben_S]

what versatile is saying is that the model with versatile is engaged with the target if they are in versatile range, but the "target" might not be engaged back

I know that Versatile is a bit of a mess, but what you just said seems practically the opposite of: "The enemy model is considered to be engaged, but may not in turn be Engaging the fighter armed with the Versatile weapon".

 

[HugeSamples]

I might have had the wrong combination of words then:

model A has a whip and charges model B.
model A is in versatile range at the end of the charge.
model A is standing and engaged with model B at the end of the charge and must make a free fight basic action.
model A gets the +1 to their attack characteristic for a successful charge (being standing and engaged at the end of the charge).
model B is not standing and engaged with model A and cannot perform retaliation attacks.

Think of it as a one party consent rule.

 

[Aulenback]

The Versatile rule requires that the interpretation be "The enemy model is considered to be engaged [BY THE VERSATILE ARMED FIGHTER], but may not in turn be Engaging [WITH] the fighter armed with the Versatile weapon" because the reverse makes Versatile entirely non-functional. If Versatile only makes the TARGET count as Standing and Engaged, but not the wielder, then it can ... never be used. At all. Because the attacker will never be Engaged, and thus will never be able to use a Fight action at Versatile range. At all.

If your Arbitrator is choosing to interpret Versatile such that "The enemy model is considered to be [Standing and] engaged, but may not in turn be Engaging the fighter armed with the Versatile weapon [who is thus not Standing and Engaged]", Versatile at your table can simply never be used. At all.

Yes, that text is not clearly written, especially for those of us with English as an additional language. But the intent has been made clear that it is the fighter armed with the Versatile weapon who counts as Standing and Engaged at versatile range, and not their target instead.