Charging/boosting assists/interference

[cardyfreak]

I realise there’s a big thread about the mechanics of failed charges and declarations, etc, but this question is subtlely different, regarding h2h mechanics themselves. If it’s been covered in the expanse of the previous thread then let me know and I’ll combine this thread with that.

That being said, I’ll begin...

As far as I can see in N17, fighters that are Engaged can choose whether they want to fight a round of h2h or not. If this is the case, would I be correct in thinking it’s a totally acceptable tactic for a Leader to surround himself with Juves, group activate, charge an enemy with the Juves without making them take the optional free combat, and then use the Leader to charge in and reap the assistance bonuses from the Juves?
I’m not decrying this as cheesy or anything, in fact I think it’s hilarious! A nice bushwhacking tactic to practically guarantee good hits against particularly tough or able opponents. Swarm them with crappy Juves and send a big guy in to reap the bonuses!

 

[PolyOne]

This came up during one of our sessions as well and we didn't see any problems with it - you "CAN" make a free attack when charging, so a litteral interpretation means you don't have to. Since retaliations only happens if you actually try to punch the guy, charging and avoiding combat in order to get assistance for later is a legit tactic.

...it does look kinda silly though

 

[spafe]

Isn't it like a load of mooks squaring up and surrounding/distracting the guy, and he doesnt know where the attack is coming from, trying to watch them all, then your big guy steps outta nowhere and lamps him one. I could see it, esp with the 1" away still being engaged rather than only base contact

 

[PolyOne]

..esp with the 1" away still being engaged rather than only base contact

This sentence really confused me. What do you mean?

 

[spafe]

As far as I recall (still very new to N17 bear in mind), if you are within an inch nowadays you are engaged (if not then disregard everything I said/about to say on the matter), therefore unlike old necromunda where you had to be in base to base (swirling melee cartoon style dust cloud with limbs flailing everywhere), now in n17 you can be doing that cinemac thing where the hero is surrounded by hench goons who stay out of fist range but clearly in hand to hand fighting range, meaning the hero has to keep turning and checking that none of them behind him are about to attack. being an inch away to me looks like that sort of situation more so than cartoon dust cloud of mass punch up

 

[Thorgor]

As far as I recall (still very new to N17 bear in mind), if you are within an inch nowadays you are engaged

You still need to be in base-to-base contact to be Engaged. However, you (under normal circumstances) can't approach less than 1" away from an enemy fighter without engaging them.

 

[spafe]

Cool, cheers mate. In which case ignore my random ramblings.

 

[PolyOne]

However, you (under normal circumstances) can't approach less than 1" away from an enemy fighter without engaging them.

This might be somewhat off topic, but has there been a consensus regarding what happens when you charge within 1'', but can't reach base?
Magnetize to base, or forced to stop outside 1'' radius?

 

[KopMcGinty]

It's something that I only very recent realised.

Not only is it valid, it's kinda vital to make outnumbering actually effective for melee fighters.

Playing it where charge = attacking, there were too many cases where dealing with a Goliath leader would be just feeding my gang to him piecemeal.

I don't think it's cheesy or silly either. As someone already suggested, it's basically representimg the extra guys getting in there to distract but hovering just at the edge of engagement range while a proper hitter gets the work done.

It's thematic and a common trope in tv and movie that we can replicate due to the attack part of the charge being optional. Big fan of the mechanic myself.

 

[KopMcGinty]

This might be somewhat off topic, but has there been a consensus regarding what happens when you charge within 1'', but can't reach base?
Magnetize to base, or forced to stop outside 1'' radius?

I believe it was that you can only engage by making it to b2b, otherwise your halted 1" away?

 

[PolyOne]

I believe it was that you can only engage by making it to b2b, otherwise your halted 1" away?

Found it in the FAQ - you have to reach all the way, otherwise you pause at the 1'' distance

 

[TopsyKretts]

That's how it is in all other games I've played so the alternative seemed very unnatural to me.

 

[ten_kage]

This actually seems to me a very clever tactic.
Not only to provide support to a "better" attacker, but also to engage someone we do not want to shoot without risking retaliation

 

[TopsyKretts]

It's a good tactic for Familiars, they are too weak to do damage or survive retaliation.

 

[enyoss]

This came up during one of our sessions as well and we didn't see any problems with it - you "CAN" make a free attack when charging, so a litteral interpretation means you don't have to. Since retaliations only happens if you actually try to punch the guy, charging and avoiding combat in order to get assistance for later is a legit tactic.

...it does look kinda silly though

I can imagine it when it’s your activation and you’re already in combat. They could just add a ‘Circling Standoff’ Engaged Fighter action for that to make sense, so I guess doing nothing with the current rules achieves the same result.

But when you charge in and then just stand there picking wax out of your ears like a wally? - that just looks stupid. I won’t do it on principle, dead juves be damned!

Looks dumb to the extreme when 2 or 3 juves do it one after the other, the last one’s battle cry abruptly stopping as he joins his two mates - devoid of emotion - swaying gently from side to side right next to the enemy fighter.

 

[KopMcGinty]

You've never seen a movie where a group of mooks arrive and circle someone one, feinting to attack but none coming all the way into range? Only when the poor sod is surrounded do they go for the kill..

It's only as silly and passive looking as your imagination says it is surely!