Grappling (hand-to-hand)
Describes a form of combat attack where the opponent is wrestled as a means to overpower, restrain and potentially cause damage. This form of combat is usually done while unarmed, though under certain conditions a weapon may also be employed. Grappling requires a variable expenditure of action points (AP), depending upon the specific action attempted.
The intention is to gain a superior position, gaining hold of the other combatant to physically immobilize them so that they cannot take any action, or to wrench, twist or crush the opponent as a means to render them unconscious or dead.
Unskilled Wrestling
Describes two forms of grappling that any combatant can perform, regardless of training or experience: make a grab and brawling.
Make a Grab
This is the attempt to grasp or seize an opponent suddenly, grabbing at their arms, legs, head, ears, nose, hair or what they might be wearing, including clothing, belt, backpack or other equipment. Some opponents may be grasped by their beards, horns, spines, tentacles and so on. This move requires 3 AP to perform. The attacker must make an ordinary roll to hit. Success indicates the attacker has gotten the grip desired.
The attacker's weight is then added to the defender's, with the attacker adding 3 lbs. per point of strength. The defender's strength is not considered. The percentage of the attacker's weight is calculated against this total, and a d100 rolled to determine if the enemy can be pulled off balance. Success indicates the enemy has been stunned, but no damage results. The enemy can then be swung forward, into a combat hex to the left or right, or into the attacker's own hex for brawling. Effectively, the enemy is pulled out of the way; this may mean being pulled off a wall, against a physical barrier like a wall (causing 1-3 damage) or to where they can be made vulnerable to attack by someone else.
For example, a 170 lb. attacker with a 14 strength attempts to grab a 180 lb. defender and succeeds in hitting with a d20. We add 170+42+180 for a total of 392; the result is a 54% chance of success for the attacker. A failure indicates the defender is not stunned and that the attacker's momentary grip is lost.
Brawl
| Attacker's Weight vs. Opponent | Modifier |
|---|---|
| one quarter | -12 |
| one third | -9 |
| one half | -4 |
| two thirds | -2 |
| three quarters | -1 |
| even | none |
| one third greater | +1 |
| one half greater | +2 |
| twice as much | +3 |
| three times as much | +6 |
| four times as much | +9 |
Contrariwise, an unskilled attacker may attempt to brawl – the combatant hurls themselves at the enemy (or seizes an enemy that has been pulled off-balance), attempting to seize the whole body and pull them to the ground. The action requires the combatant's full movement that round.
As with overbearing, the attacker's mass is measured againse the defender's, adjusting the roll to hit as indicated by the table shown.
