Movement in Combat

For those that prefer tactical combat using figures and floorplans, it’s important to have a robust set of movement rules. Hack100 offers nothing innovative in this regard. It adopts entirely standard approaches to defining how far a combatant can move each round, and how combatants engage and disengage from hand-to-hand combat.

How Far Can a Combatant Move Each Round?

Standard unarmoured characters have a Movement of 12. This means that they may move up to 12 metres in each combat round in addition to taking one Action. They may move before their Action, or after their Action, or they may split their Movement either side of their Action. They may also forego their Action and take a second move (i.e. up to a total of 24 metres for an unarmoured character).

If playing with floorplans, which are typically standardised at 5′ x 5′ (1.5 m x 1.5 m) squares, a Movement of 12 metres equates to 8 squares.

Movement is reduced by any armour a character is wearing as indicated in the following table. Armour also provides a negative Difficulty Modifier to any Agility Task Rolls whilst worn.

Engaging and Disengaging from Hand-to-Hand Combat

As soon as one combatant makes a Hand-to-Hand Task Roll against an opponent, the two are said to be “Engaged” in combat. Once Engaged, there are three main ways in which a combatant can Disengage.

• By subduing their opponent, e.g. knocking them over, rendering them unconscious or killing them.
• By performing a tactical withdrawal. The combatant that is disengaging may move up to half of their Movement directly away from their opponent(s). This counts as both their Movement AND their Action for the round. The disengaging combatant may still oppose any attacks upon them during that round by attempting to parry or dodge.
• By running away – the combatant simply turns and flees at up to twice their Movement directly away from their opponent(s). Each Engaged opponent gets an Easy (+20) free attack that the disengaging combatant may NOT oppose.

Referees should feel free to modify Movement rates accordingly. Some creatures may be naturally faster or slower. Terrain may also affect Movement, e.g. wading through water, climbing steep stairs, clambering over a wall, traversing a crowded barroom, etc.