"At the end of a combat round spent fighting in a close combat stance, a player-hero may attempt to escape the field by making a roll of Athletics."

So you can attack during your action and that flee (if you make your Athletics roll)?

pp. 163 in the AB, right?

The escape check happens at the end of the combat round, so if you chose to attack you will have already attacked and then make your Athletics check to escape.

The next paragraph states that a success means you have escaped. A failure means you did not escape *and* you won't be able to attack the next round.

So, yes - I would say if you are successful you make your attack and then begin to flee.

In order to use the escape the field, you must spend one round fighting in the rearward stance which means that you can only attack with ranged weapons. The following round you then attempt to roll athletics TN 10 + Attribute level. On the round you attempt to escape contact you cannot attempt to attack, if you fail then you cannot attack the following round.

E

I think you're mixing up two rules. Page 163 states that if you spent the previous round fighting in a rearward state, you may escape immediately (no roll required, by implication from what follows).

"At the end of a combat round spent fighting in a close combat stance (my emphasis), a player-hero may attempt to escape the field by making a roll of Athletics. The TN for the roll is equal to 10 plus the highest Attribute level among the opponents that the character is facing."

If this was not the case, the whole party could never escape from the combat, since you need to have two people in close stance for every one in rearward stance.

I dont' think so Eldath.
If you started your action already in Rearward (i.e. you had no enemies engaged with you) you can automatically escape (since there is no one that can block you).
If you stared in one of the engaged stances (Forward, Open, Defense) you have to make the roll.

Another question related.
If you:
- are in one of the engaged stances;
- are engaged by multiple opponents;
- make a melee attack;
- make your athletics roll without extra successes;

You cannot escape, but you don't lose your next action, right?

EDIT: Ninjaed! :-)

As I read it...

If in close combat (nor rearward stance), you can make your attack and then attempt the Athletics check to leave combat.

If successful, that's it... you're off the field of battle and safe.

But if you fail, you lose your next attack action, but could presumably attempt to leave combat again at the end of the next round.

This is how I read it as well that you make your attack, roll your Athletics check and if you made it then your out!

Yes sorry, I was still half asleep when I wrote that lol, brain asn't firing on many cylinders.

E

I wish there were separate areas in this forum.
It would be great to have rules like this spelled out, and then made sticky for reference!

I haven't gotten to the table yet with the game, but questions like this will no doubt come up and I am sure this topic will be difficult to find.

Hopefully, C7 will release a FAQ and errata shortly.