Melee p.6:
Advanced Melee p.4:
The following table aims to clarify some of the rules regarding actions. For example, in Advanced Melee (AM), the option I.c. is in fact many different options (see table below for various combinations). Although this makes the text short and sweet, understanding the possibilities is more of a challenge. These clarifications may not be aesthetically pleasing to read, but at least I think they're more explicit.
Engagement status = { disengaged, engaged, HTH }
Figure stature = { standing, kneeling, prone, fallen }
An entry of "-" implies any status/stature is possible.
Action | Max move allowed | Engagement status prior to moving | Engagement status after moving | Figure stature prior | Original option (Adv. Melee) | Notes |
None | Full MA | disengaged | - | standing | ||
Crawl | 2 hexes | - | - | fallen/ prone | I.h. | No other actions are possible if a figure crawls. Crawling is subject to engagement rules. AM says, “a crawling figure cannot disengage. It must first stand up.” |
Charge attack | ½ MA | disengaged | - | standing | II.a. | Non-missile, ready weapon. Special case for pole weapons (x2 damage, if last 3 hexes in a line). |
Attack | 1 hex | engaged | engaged | standing | I.a. | Non-missile, ready weapon. Targets will depend on weapon type. Some weapons are both Thrown and Melee (e.g., Dagger, Club, Javelin). |
Dodge | ½ MA | disengaged | - | standing | I.b., II.c. | |
Defend | 1 hex | - | - | standing | I.b. | |
Cast a spell | 1 hex | - | - | - | I.e. | AM says “A wizard may cast spells while kneeling or prone at no DX adjustment.” |
Renew a spell | - | - | - | - | I.e. | Can be done no matter what else the figure does. |
Disbelieve | 1 hex | - | - | - | I.f. | AM says “may disbelieve without standing up.” (under Stand up option, p.3) |
Kneel (disengaged) | ½ MA | disengaged | - | standing | II.d. | |
Lie down (disengaged) | ½ MA | disengaged | - | standing | II.d. | |
Kneel (engaged) | 1 hex | engaged | - | standing | I.c. | |
Lie down (engaged) | 1 hex | engaged | - | standing | I.c. | |
Kneel and fire missile | 1 hex | disengaged | - | standing | I.c. | |
Lie down and fire missile | 1 hex | disengaged | - | standing | I.c. | |
Kneel and fire missile last shot | 1 hex | - | engaged | standing | I.c | AM says, “If you are engaged, you must drop the missile weapon after firing.” |
Lie down and fire missile last shot | 1 hex | - | engaged | standing | I.c | AM says, “If you are engaged, you must drop the missile weapon after firing.” |
Fire missile | 1 hex | disengaged | disengaged | - | I.c. | |
Fire missile last shot | 1 hex (see notes) | disengaged | engaged | - | I.c. | Melee says, “2) Stand still and: m) LAST MISSILE SHOT/ATTACK” which implies 0-hex movement. Melee says, “The missile weapon MUST be dropped next turn.” AM says, “I. Stand still or move one hex and … c) … fire a missile weapon… you must drop the missile weapon after firing.” |
Lie down (disengaged) | 0 hex | - | - | kneeling | (new action) | No movement, figure ends up prone. |
Kneel (disengaged) | 0 hex | - | - | prone | (new action) | No movement, figure ends up kneeling. |
Change weapons (sling) | 2 hexes | disengaged | - | standing/ kneeling/ prone | IV.b. | First weapon/shield is slung. Melee says, “no other weapon may be readied by a prone or kneeling figure.” AM says, “A kneeling figure may ready any weapon. A prone figure must make a 3-die DX roll to ready a weapon.” |
Change weapons (drop) | 1 hex | engaged | engaged | standing/ kneeling | IV.b. | First weapon/shield is dropped in current hex. Melee says, “no other weapon may be readied by a prone or kneeling figure.” AM says, “A kneeling figure may ready any weapon. A prone figure must make a 3-die DX roll to ready a weapon.” |
Reload crossbow | 2 hexes | disengaged | - | - | IV.b. | Reloading a crossbow comes under the “ready a weapon” option for all purposes. As crossbows can require multiple turns (2, 3) to reload, this action counts as one of the turns of the reload. An engaged figure cannot reload a missile weapon. |
Stand up | 1 hex | - | - | kneeling/ prone/ fallen | I.h. | Melee lists this option twice, for disengaged and engaged figures. In both cases, no movement is allowed (stand still).AM says, “I. Stand still or move one hex and … h. rise from prone, kneeling, crawling or fallen position. You may take no other action that turn.” |
Stand up (from kneeling) and move (disengaged) | ½ MA | disengaged | - | kneeling | IV.a. | Stand occurs first, then up to ½ MA of movement (special case) |
Stand up (from kneeling) and move (engaged) | 1 hex | engaged | engaged | kneeling | IV.a. | |
Stand up (from kneeling) and change weapons (sling) | 0 hex | disengaged | - | kneeling | IV.a. | First weapon/shield is slung. |
Stand up (from kneeling) and change weapons (drop) | 0 hex | engaged | engaged | kneeling | IV.a. | First weapon/shield is dropped. |
Attempt HTH (disengaged) | ½ MA | disengaged | disengaged (see notes) | standing | II.e. | Movement onto foe is the last move of up to ½ MA. At no point during the move may the figure become engaged. The HTH attempt is resolved during movement; if failed, attacking figure returns to its last hex before moving onto the foe. |
Attempt HTH (engaged) | 1 hex | engaged | engaged | standing | II.e. | Shift during movement phase, but figure moves onto foe during attack phase |
Disengage | 1 hex | engaged | - | standing | I.d. | AM says, “A kneeling, prone, or fallen figure cannot disengage; it must first stand up.” |
Pick up weapon | 1 hex | - | - | standing | I.g. | AM says, “‘Bend over’ in the hex with the weapon, or an adjacent hex; pick it up and ready it.” AM says (p.6), “A figure … bending over to pick up a weapon is considered to face ‘rear’ in all six directions;” |
HTH attack | 0 hex | HTH | HTH | prone | V.a. | |
Attempt to draw dagger | 0 hex | HTH | HTH | prone | V.b. | |
Attempt to cast spell (HTH) | 0 hex | HTH | HTH | prone | V.c. | DX is adjusted by –6 for the attempt. |
Attempt to disengage | 0 hex | HTH | - | prone | V.d. | If success, figure moves to adjacent hex, and may be engaged to other foes. The former HTH foe is still prone and thus cannot engage enemies. |
Attempt to pin your foe | 0 hex | HTH | - | prone | V.e. | See pinning rules in AM. |