"Multiple Combat Resolution?" Topic

I recently bought the SOBH rules and have been trying to get familiar with them…I have a question or two for you guys and gals out there who are knowledgable about them:

When faced with multiple combatants, how is combat resolved? I understand that the outnumbered fighter loses 1C for each additional opponent, but is the combat still resolved as one on one? Or do the multiple opponents all attack at once? (I guess this assumes that the larger group has all moved into contact via a group move)

Also, how is combat split when there are multiple combatants on both sides? Are they paired off as individual fights like LOTR SBG does, and if so…who determines the pairings?

Thanks for any clarification!

Bart

Regular combat only happens when a figure spends an action to attack another figure. The combat is between those two figures only, but taking into account modifiers like multiple opponents.

So, if Friar Tuck is fighting two of the sheriff's men, they are just thrusting and parrying until someone spends an action to attack. Let's say that is Tuck. He attacks man #1 and is at -1 for the attack. He and man #1 roll off and let's say the result is that man #1 has fallen. There are no consequences for #2.

On the sheriff's turn, man #1 spends an action to stand back up and attack tuck. Only #1 is attacking, but tuck still gets the -1 from the extra combatant (#2). Let's say #1 ends up fallen again. Then #2 activates and attacks tuck. Tuck is still at -1 because of man #1, even though #1 is fallen. Let's say that Tuck doubles #2. #2 is out of the fight now.

Hopefully that helps.

Each figure's activation occurs in a vacuum. If a figure surrounded by enemies attacks another in the same situation, each is penalized for every enemy in contact. This does not stop the contacting figures from attacking if and when they activate. The bit that really confuses conventional skirmish gamers is that you can move into contact and not attack at all, which can come in handy for a number of reasons.

Thanks guys! That helps a lot.

Bart