Engagement System
The engagement system simulates the ability of a character to attack from a distance with
a ranged weapon, attack at close range with a melee weapon, or attack from a medium range
with a pole weapon (spear, lance, etc.). There is also the possibility of being
engaged by multiple opponents, with the potential for being overwhelmed by too many of
them. To move in and out of engagement, you use the commands, ADVANCE and RETREAT.
Engagement States
Engaged:
The engaged state indicates that a combatant is in combat with another. Each
combatant may directly engage only one opponent at a time. However, several
different combatants may engage the same foe. To engage a creature, you either
advance on it, aim your ranged weapon at it or target it with your magic.
An engaged combatant may use the following types of attacks:
Melee Weapons
Pole Arms
Ranged Weapons - may suffer a penalty
Spells - spell may be aborted if a blow is struck against the caster
during the preparation of the spell. Some spells are
area spells
and do not target a specific friend/foe/object.
Disengaged:
The disengaged state indicates that a combatant has either yet to engage in close combat
or is actively avoiding it. When a character is engaged in combat, he/she can
disengage by using the DISENGAGE or RETREAT commands. If you try to leave the area
by going north, south, through a portal, etc. the system will automatically try to
disengage you first. You can actively attempt to stay disengaged even though foes
are trying to engage. You do this by using the HANGBACK command.
There are three different states of engagement. They are: melee, pole, and missile
range.
The following types of weapons can be used at melee range:
Ranged Weapons (bows, crossbows, slings, thrown weapons)
Pole Arms
Appropriate Spells
Melee Weapons (broadsword, rapier, axe)
The following types of weapons can be used at pole range:
Ranged Weapons (bows, crossbows, slings, thrown weapons)
Pole Arms
Appropriate Spells
The following types of weapons can be used at missile weapon range:
Ranged Weapons (bows, crossbows, slings, thrown weapons)
Appropriate Spells
There is no missile weapon range inside buildings or cramped areas such
as caves.
Thrown weapons may be used at pole, missile and melee. At range, thrown weapons use
a different skill than when at melee. At melee, the thrown weapon uses the
appropriate skill for that type of weapon. Ranged weapons (such as bows) may never
be used as melee weapons.
Guarding:
A disengaged character may choose to GUARD another character who is not at melee range
with their opponent. The one doing the guarding draws off an attacker and if
successful will prevent the attacker from engaging the one you are guarding. Any attempt
by an opponent to engage the protected combatant will first cause an engage attempt with
the protecting combatant.
Retreating:
At times in combat it's prudent to retreat. You can do so by the RETREAT command.
The retreat may fail if your opponent/s are able to block it. Generally you
move back one range at a time. Melee retreats back to Pole Range and Pole Range
retreats back to Ranged. You cannot leave a room/area until you have disengaged
successfully from your opponent.
Since several creatures may be engaged with you at various ranges, retreating from one,
may not disengage you from every creature. So, you may need to RETREAT many times in
order to get out of all the creatures' range.
Knowing when to retreat from combat is important to your survival. If you are
getting exhausted, your balance is very poor or you are being overwhelmed by too many
opponents, it's probably time to retreat.
Offensive Factors
A character's offensive ability is a combination of :
Skill with the weapon in use
Attacker's strength (adds to damage done)
Attacker's agility (adds to all weapon skills)
Properties of the specific weapon
Current position in combat
Any reductions/additions due to:
Fatigue loss/gain
Health point loss/gain
Spirit health loss/gain
Magical factors
Current Range (Missile, Thrown weapons)
Multiple Opponents
While you may only engage one foe at a time if there is more than one creature in the
room, they all may engage you. Your attention is mainly directed to the creature you
are directly engaged to, but a much smaller portion of your attention is also focused on
the other creature's engaging you. Your attention can be split this way between two
creatures. Beyond that, very little of your attention and defenses are used to stop
their attacks.
In other words, your main attention is focused on the opponent you specifically engaged.
Your secondary attention is given to another creature as chosen by the combat
system (usually the next creature to engage you. Any other creatures beyond that,
you pretty much can't defend against.
Even though the combat system picks your secondary foe automatically, you can use the
BLOCK command to specify the second creature you will focus your attention on. This
is useful when a reaver and a wind hound is engaged you but another reaver then walks into
the room and you want to concentrate your secondary attention on the second reaver.
Multiple opponents skill improves your ability to fight with more than one foe. This
not only helps with your ability to fend off the attacks of the second creature attacking
you, but also helps with any other creatures attacking you (though your improvement will
be very slow here). A high reflex and a high multiple opponents skill is your best
defense against fighting three or more enemies.
There is a maximum number of opponents who can engage another opponent. The factors
in determining this are the size of the attackers and the size of the one being attacked.
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