Position in combat

Position in combat
Position	Modifiers
Fighting from the side	WA, WD, WP -3 knock down -3
Fighting from behind	WA, WD, WP -5 knock down -5 this includes defense with a shield over the arm
Unexpected attack	passive defense
Fighting lying down	+5 accuracy when shooting a crossbow - 3 WS, WA, WD
Fighting kneeling	+2 accuracy when shooting a crossbow - 1 WS, WA, WD

The following picture describes three possible positions:

x x x

o ↑ o

z z z

The arrow marks the character, i.e. the direction it is facing. x stands for an opponent in front, o marks an attacker from the side and z is an opponent from behind.

In theory a character can be surrounded by up to 8 enemies, but they would have to have weapons that do not require space (otherwise they would get in each other's way and have penalties). If they had long weapons, such as spears, and attacked from a distance, there could be as many as twenty of them.

Disadvantageous position

Fighting from the side

You can get to an opponent's side if he does not know about you, is busy fighting someone else, or if you successfully use the Better position maneuver.

An opponent standing sideways to you has a -3 penalty against you to hit, defense and penetration, and generally also to knock down rolls.

An attack on a defender with a shield from his right side is considered an attack from behind.

Attack from behind

An even worse case for the defender is an attacker who falls upon his back. There his penalty is as much as -5.

Defense with a shield across the body (i.e. shield in the left hand and an attack from the right side) is considered a defense from behind.

If the defender does not see the attacker at all (fails an awareness roll), he is also passive.

Unexpected attack

If you surprise an opponent with an unexpected attack (from an ambush, he does not know about you), his defense is passive.

It can also be combined with an attack from behind; in that case the ambushed defender has a passive defense with a -5 penalty. If, moreover, he did not expect a fight, he does not roll for speed.

Movements

In basic combat we assume that everyone is standing. But characters may for various reasons be lying or kneeling, which puts them at a disadvantage in face-to-face fighting or throwing, but gives them advantages for shooting a crossbow.

Step

A straight step is 1 m, a diagonal one 1½ m. For 1 TP you move 1 m walking, 2 m running and only ½ m in a disadvantageous position such as lying.

Turning around

In general a character can turn freely during its act. But if it is the target of an attack, turning costs 3 TP.

Lying down (kneeling)

Kneeling costs 1 TP, lying down 1, from kneeling to lying 1 TP. If you lie down out of turn (a reaction to shooting), lying down costs 3 TP.

Getting up (kneeling)

If you want to get up from lying, it must be your turn. From lying to kneeling you must spend 1 TP, from kneeling to standing also 1 TP (and from lying to standing 2 TP).