(01) The Approach

[sully]

If we win initiative and there are no opponents in melee range, can I safely attack with missiles before my allies arrive in melee range? I know missile attack happens before melee attack but I'm unclear on when attacking with missiles while allies are in melee will occur.

[mgtremaine]

Tass tisks "Can't believe they started without us!" and follows, a bit behind the others eye open for hidden threats and possible places to hide...

[waysoftheearth]

Belated mudmap...

. . . H-----H . <-- Far side . . . | . . | . . . moathouse . . . | . . | . . . ~ __/ H-ggg-H \__ .<-- more . . . .|. .|. . . \ guards Swampy.|. .|. . . . .mire .|. .|.<-- Causeway . . . .|. .|. . . . . . . .|GG |<-- Retreating . . . .|. .|. . . Guards \___. .|. .|. . . . . . \ H-S---H \ <-- Stern . . . | . . | . --- . . . | . . | . <-- Near side . . . H-----H . . . moathouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TF. . <-- Players . . . . . G . . . . . . . . W . . . . . . . X . . . . X. . X . . . X . . .X <-- Woods

How long til the rest of the party catch up? tempting to just charge the remaining damaged guys

Flin doesn't know what the others are doing or when they are likely to arrive. But, in terms of a rules discussion (totally meta-gaming), it's an interesting sitution where one group has dived down to the one-minute melee turn time scale, while the other group is still operating at the 10-minute exploration turn scale. It's a bit tricky, but the combat group should be able to complete a few melee turns before the search group arrives, even at a run. Perhaps one or two more.

Assuming missiling is over at this point.

If we win initiative and there are no opponents in melee range, can I safely attack with missiles before my allies arrive in melee range? I know missile attack happens before melee attack but I'm unclear on when attacking with missiles while allies are in melee will occur.

Missile fire usually happens at the half way point of the move. So, given Stern and Garamon are armored with 9" move +3" for charging into contact = 12" total: they would cover 6", then missiles would be resolved (assuming there is no contact yet), and then they would complete their move. Given Stern already moved up last turn, he is going contact them more or less right away this turn, so any missile fire would risk hitting Stern. Besides which, the moathouse is now a serious obstruction to further targeting.

As for melee. Initiative is (primarily) deterministic. Longer weapons (e.g., the guards' spears) will attack first. If weapon size is equal (e.g., spear and two-handed sword), then the nominal attacker--the player who charges into contact (in this case, Stern)--goes first. If both sides charge each other, or things are otherwise equal, then first blow would be diced for.

FWIW, Stern is very likely to destroy the retreating guards on the causeway this round. However, let's not forget the second batch of guards in the second moathouse (at the far side of the causeway), which is another 5-6" beyond the retreating guards...

[sully]

Thanis moves up toward the near moathouse and then looses another arrow over Stern's head at the guards by the far moathouse. If the man he saw earlier with the yellow-green cloak makes an appearance, he specifically targets that guy.

Full movement, no charge

[zygarti]

Flin rushes to catch up with Stern. "Save some for me" he shouts, when he gets to the start of the near side moathouse.

[mgtremaine]

Tass will trail along in last place.

[rredmond]

Garamon will double time it into the action.

Definitely wanted to move up with Stern, but the sooner the better.

[acodispo]

Witherun hustles forward when he hears the sounds of combat. When he reaches the near gatehouse, he'll pause on the causeway to look for any unengaged missile targets on the other side. Lacking targets, he'll seek to cross the causeway and help out with melee.

[Tonneau]

Wraislin follows behind the fighters at a safe distance. He keeps an eye on happenings at the far moat house.

[ehiker133]

Goldwen continues running.