Topic: Bows in melee?

[C.Tozer]

Hi all

Apologies if this has been addressed elsewhere - how do you handle the situation of an archer standing their ground/backing up slightly against an opponent armed with a melee weapon?
(Ie at point blank range)

Do you allow the archer to keep taking shots? If so at what penalty? Can the melee attacker try to grab the bow? Any other ideas how to handle this situation?

Thanks

[Majyk]

I allowed it, but it was during D&D3.0/3.5s heyday where I asked for a MM roll on the Hard(-10) column.

Whatever percentage then given was rolled and that was the chance of avoiding an AoO(attack of opportunity) from the swordsman just waving his blade and cutting your bowstring after you loosed.

Sure, you’d still get the shot, but it would be your last one!

[Hurin]

In the RM2 rules as written, you just can't use a bow in melee range (Arms Law, red band version, section 3.2, p. 9) if you are engaged. The rules define engaged as having been melee attacked by a combatant (and currently being melee attacked), and withn 5'-10'.

Note too that the phase structure of RM2 made it difficult to disengage. If the archer tried to move back 10' to be able to shoot an arrow, the swordsman could just move forward and press the attack. I believe RMSS actually formalized rules for this with the 'press and attack' action. Of course, if the swordsman doesn't press the attack, the archer could fire.

We have in the past imported D&D style rules into RM2 to cover actions like disengaging with a bit more definition and specificity. We have for example used the D&D '5-foot step' or '5-foot move', and the disengage action. Note however that this makes it much easier for archers to move just out of melee range and use ranged weapons.

Another option would be to take a page from RMU. Since RMU dispenses with the phased combat system and uses an action point system instead, it offers a specific 'Withdraw' action that reduces movement by half and limits max pace to a jog. (It is not that dissimilar to the D&D '5-foot step'). I further define this withdrawal action to have a specific action point cost: 1 AP.

[Aspire2Hope]

True but in the phased version of a round missile go first. So the bowman snaps a shot off before the swordsman makes his move. After that, the bowman needs to be able to disengage from melee and retreat faster than the swordsman can advance.

Somewhere there is a discussion on using your bow to parry. To that I would add there is nothing to stop the archer from using his arrow as a makeshift dagger but realistically the archer needs to be in a position where they can't be attacked without going through some sort of defensive line (or a cliff).

[Hurin]

True but in the phased version of a round missile go first. So the bowman snaps a shot off before the swordsman makes his move. After that, the bowman needs to be able to disengage from melee and retreat faster than the swordsman can advance.

Yes, that's true. Since the core RM2 rules define engaged as both attacked in melee in a previous round and currently being attacked in the present round, the bowman can shoot until the swordsman gets his first attack in.

[markc]

Depending on the quality of the arrow and how it is used it would break after 1 use. But at times that is better then nothing.


In general I have had trouble with missile weapons in melee and possible close to melee without some penalties. I also do not give full Qu bonus to DB (or the formula I use) if you are using a missile weapon (and sometimes thrown weapon).


MDC

[Malim]

We allow a shot when bow wielder is attacked to simulate that the phases happens in a flow!

[Aspire2Hope]

In certain situations we would do an SD check if the foe was charging. Will you hold your nerve as the troll charges you?