Without wishing too spark up a thread that has already been examined
closely, I am becoming very inclined to allow players to defend
against ranged combat using close combat. Using shields to advance
under missile fire is a fairly commn combat tactic of the period and
sagas are full of characters parrying javelins with shields or
plucking javelins out of the air. I would apply an imporvisational
modifier if the character did not have an appropriate skill (one of
the Elmal Sheild Wall skills or some lunar Form Testudo skill). The
penaltly would be about -3 if you had a shield, more if you didn't
say -5 against javelins, -7 against arrows (dodging). If people are
advancing to contact I'd use the figures for AP to gain distance to
cover their bids (on a transfer your'er not loosing AP as you advance
you have a positional advantage). I'm thinking of producing a result
table for defeat levels which reflects the defeat of an archer show
is not actually in contact. Something along the lines of dazed -
runs away; minor defeat runs away and future actions at -1 penalty
until archer reahes safety; major defeat runs away and future actions
at -50% until reaches safety; complete defeat runs away in blind
panic unable to defend/attack in contests until safety reached. If
the archer is unable to flee then I would suggest that they throw
themselves to their knees and surrender ( I think the list before has
discussed options for a 'fight to the death' where surrender seems
impossible I quite like an option of you can keeping bidding AP up to
your original AP until rendered dead or unconscious).
Thoughts?