Rearward Stance and Range

[Willis]

I have 2 characters that want to use bows as their primary weapon, and the party totals 5 characters. It says that a character can only take a rearward stance if 2 others are protecting him. Cant he same 2 characters count for both of them, or will one of them have to move out of rearward stance?

[zedturtle]

The way I run things, no. Each archer needs to have two close combat buddies in order to keep the enemy engaged and not able to close with the archer.

I do allow terrain and special efforts to allow better that the 2:1 rule when it's appropriate.

[Rocmistro]

Is one of your players are Woodsman with a hound of mirkwood? He can teach it to work as a "body" for providing the proper ratio.

[Willis]

No, unfortunately not. I'd have counted that as a defender as well.

[Rocmistro]

Yep. I think you're group can only have 1 full time archer then. Keep in mind that this doesn't preclude them ALL from making opening volleys, though. And it's also a decent judgment to rule that the terrain is favorable to them for this, especially if they are defending. Also, I would consider letting a player spend a bonus combat die to make a ranged attack when he normally could not.

[Majestic]

I don't ordinarily allow it, either. This has the added benefit of encouraging more characters to choose something other than Rearward.

[zedturtle]

I don't ordinarily allow it, either. This has the added benefit of encouraging more characters to choose something other than Rearward.

I'm not a 100% sure what you meant, but it did make me think that maybe a 2:1 or 1:1 requirement for Defensive might not be a bad idea. Maybe let people Protect Companion for free if you went that route.

[Majestic]

I don't ordinarily allow it, either. This has the added benefit of encouraging more characters to choose something other than Rearward.

I'm not a 100% sure what you meant, but it did make me think that maybe a 2:1 or 1:1 requirement for Defensive might not be a bad idea. Maybe let people Protect Companion for free if you went that route.

Whoops; I was conflating Defensive and Rearward. You're right, though, that such a concept might not be such a bad idea, if one is having the problem of their characters always choosing Defensive stances.

[Beleg]

Personally I've always ignored the 2:1 rule and 'assumed' that the archers would just back off a ways, within reason of course. Though my players have 'rebooted' as it were with new characters since we first started, and in doing so have actually ended up fitting into the ratio regardless due to favouring other weapons over bows.

[Stormcrow]

Personally I've always ignored the 2:1 rule and 'assumed' that the archers would just back off a ways, within reason of course.

And the orcs they were fighting would politely decline to advance on them?