Striking at Weapons

You might strike at a weapon because you want to take its user alive . . . or because the weapon is the only thing you can reach, or is less well-armored than its wielder.

State whether you are striking to disarm or to break the weapon, and then roll to hit. You are at -5 to hit a reach “C” melee weapon (e.g., a knife) or a pistol; -4 to hit a melee weapon with reach 1 (broadsword, mace, etc.) or a medium-sized firearm (e.g., a carbine or sawed-off shotgun); and -3 to hit a melee weapon with reach 2+ (spear, greatsword, polearm, etc.) or a rifle. Attempts to disarm are generally at an extra -2, but see next page. 

Striking at Weapons in Tactical Combat: 

A reach “C” weapon is in its wielder’s hex. A weapon with a one-yard reach is in the user’s hex and in the hex directly in front of him. A 2-or 3-yard weapon is in the two or three hexes directly in front of the user. See the diagram on p. 400. 

However, you can always strike at a reach 2+ weapon on your first turn after it was used to attack or feint against you. 

Defending Your Weapon

• Dodge:
  You can dodge normally to protect your weapon.

• Parry:
  You can only parry using the weapon that was attacked – and only if it’s ready. If you have a broadsword in one hand and a knife in the other, and your foe targeted the knife, you can’t parry with the sword. A parry represents turning your weapon so that the foe’s blow misses or slides off harmlessly.

• Blocking:
  You cannot block an attack on your weapon. 

You may combine a dodge or a parry with a retreat to get the usual bonus. The Defense Bonus of a shield provides no benefit whatsoever.

Knocking a Weapon Away

A strike to disarm is an attempt to knock or twist the weapon out of your foe’s grasp without damaging it. 

Only a weapon that can parry can attempt to disarm, which limits disarming to unarmed attacks, melee weapons, and certain thrown weapons. You have an extra -2 to hit unless you use a fencing weapon (main-gauche, rapier, saber, or smallsword). 

If you hit and your foe fails to defend, roll a Quick Contest of weapon skills with your foe; if you’re attempting to knock away a missile weapon, your opponent rolls against DX. Either of you may opt to make a ST-based skill roll instead of the standard DX-based one, if that would be better. 

• You get +2 if you use Jitte/Sai or Whip skill (having it is not enough!).

• Your foe gets +2 if he is using a two-handed weapon.

If you win, you disarm your foe; his weapon flies one yard in a random direction. If your foe wins or ties, he keeps his weapon, but it will be unready unless he won by 3 or more. 

If you roll a critical failure, you are the one disarmed!

Breaking a Weapon

You can instead target a weapon with the intent to chop through, shatter, or otherwise wreck it. You may make such an attack with any weapon– even a firearm.

If you hit and your foe fails to defend, roll your normal damage against his weapon. See Damage to Objects (p. 483) for effects. A weapon’s weight and composition will determine its DR and HP. (For weapons bought as advantages, see Gadget Limitations, p. 116.)