Starting positioning in an ambush

[jchokey]

In an ambush situation (per. 166) where the ambushee is surprised and hesitates, is there still a test to determine starting positioning? Or does the ambusher simply get to declare starting positioning on his own?

[Thor Olavsrud]

You should test. You might not get any successes.

[jchokey]

You should test. You might not get any successes.

Just to clarify.... the *ambusher* (and the ambusher alone) rolls in such a situation? And if he gets any successes at all, then he can declare starting positioning? Is that it?

If so, what happens if the ambusher gets no successes for starting positioning while the ambushee is hesitating? What is starting positioning then?

[Thor Olavsrud]

If so, what happens if the ambusher gets no successes for starting positioning while the ambushee is hesitating? What is starting positioning then?

Then it's a tie. The rules for ties in initial positioning tests apply.

[luke]

Page 130 of BW: "Characters start out of range unless the situation demands otherwise."

[jchokey]

Then it's a tie. The rules for ties in initial positioning tests apply.

Page 130 of BW: "Characters start out of range unless the situation demands otherwise."

OK that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying on that point, both of you. That's very helpful.

But now for the return and follow-up to my initial question...

If the ambusher is successful in establishing initial positioning, can he choose to have the ambush start in Fight!, rather than R&C?

The rule that Luke just cited from p. 130 goes on to say:

"The winner may choose to start either out of range, at extreme range, or at optimal range (but not too close to shoot)."

But of course, that's in the R&C section. But, is it a requirement that an ambush start out in R&C, rather than directly in Fight!? It would seem to me that if the ambusher was successful in surprising the target... and if the intent of the ambusher was to go directly into hand-to-hand, rather than R&C, it ought to be possible to go straight into positioning for "Fight!" rather than starting off in R&C. Is that correct?

[luke]

I just assumed an ambush would involve bows and crossbows.

Anyway, where the ambush starts is situational to the game. If its the players' intent to start in Fight!, that's ok so long as it makes sense in the game fiction.

[pseudoidiot]

Yeah, I don't see why there couldn't be a situation where you jump out of the bushes 5 feet from someone and scare the shit out them then start hacking them down.

[Fuseboy]

Yeah, I don't see why there couldn't be a situation where you jump out of the bushes 5 feet from someone and scare the shit out them then start hacking them down.

You might call for a higher Stealthy Ob to get that close unnoticed, which is one way to handle it.

[jchokey]

I just assumed an ambush would involve bows and crossbows.

Anyway, where the ambush starts is situational to the game. If its the players' intent to start in Fight!, that's ok so long as it makes sense in the game fiction.

Great! THanks for confirming on that.

[stormsweeper]

You might call for a higher Stealthy Ob to get that close unnoticed, which is one way to handle it.

Eh, I think the situation is handled quite nicely as is. The attacker needs to hit an Ob 1 with his positioning test, and then he can say they start at optimal.