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Rule 4.E. (was Re: Thrusts to the Side of the Head)




Poster: Mike Ward <mward2@polaris.umuc.edu>

An excellent example, Duke:

On Tue, 15 Sep 1998, Logan & Arielle wrote:
 
> Poster: Logan & Arielle <sirlogan@mail.clt.bellsouth.net>
> 
> Ok lets go with your idea that moving your head, no matter which way, to avoid
> a face thrust is like lifting your leg to avoid a leg blow.  I just want to
> know who you think is going to make that call?  If a spearman thrusts at my
> face and I move my head to cause the blow to glance/miss, are you going to
> come in saying "I know for a fact that Logan tilted/turned his head so that
> the thrust would land on an area that is impervious to thrusts.  Therefore he
> is dead!".  

This is exactly the situation created by this rule, and we should strive
to avoid it. If there is no impervious area, there is no problem. Example:
we are fighting, I stab at your face with my spear, you attempt to dodge.
One of 2 results are possible: you succeed in your dodge resulting in a
glance or a miss, or you fail and I hit in the face or side of the helmet.
There is no gray area.

Why should the side of the helmet count? It has been established that a
spear can cause great damage - too much damage if used improperly in our 
game because it could injure the neck. This would have also been damaging
to the neck of the medieval soldiers we are pretending to be. So let this
be simulated by aknowledging the thurst to the head with the force of a
normal face thrust.  

Remember - proper engagement is still necessary, so nobody should be
getting totally blind sided. Also remember - excessive force will
be dealt with when it occurs. Thrusts to the head, any part
of it, should be only as strong as a face thrust, which the fighters
already expect and for which their armor is prepared.

What is most unrealistic and very unsafe is to let a fighter take the
field thinking that some part of his body is invulnerable to blows,
especially the head.

Sincerely, 

Smegmar




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