Melee Phase

During the Melee Phase, all non-Charge Melee Combat is resolved semi-simultaneously.

Movement is no longer possible. The only allowed actions are Melee Actions.

Melee Rounds

During each Melee Round, 1 set of Melee Actions is resolved. There are as many Melee Rounds in a Turn as the highest available number of Melee Actions for any character.

Normal characters get 1 Melee Action per Turn, so typically there is only 1 Melee Round. But some can have more.

The procedure is the same for each Round:

Pick Engagement Group

An Engagement Group is the smallest cluster of characters that are Engaged with each other in a way that none of them could affect any character outside the group.

Characters that aren't part of any Engagement Group cannot Act during the Melee Phase.

All Melee Actions are resolved for the whole group before moving on to the next Engagement Group.

The Active Side determines which Engagement Group to resolve next.

Declare Actions

First, the Active Side declares all Melee Actions in an Engagement Cluster, then the Passive Side.

Resolve Actions

1. All Attacks in Optimal Reach are resolved simultaneously.
2. All Attacks in Suboptimal Reach are resolved simultaneously.
3. Active Side resolves all its Maneuvers in any order, then Passive.

If special Melee Actions don't come with rules when to resolve, they go with other attacks if they are considered attacks, together with Optimal Reach, unless all Hexes attacked are Suboptimal. If they don't involve an attack, they go with Maneuvers.

Resolving attacks simultaneously means that all attacks and damage rolls are made before damage takes effect. The rolls are made in any order the attacker sees fit, Active Side first. Effect is then applied in the order the attacks were rolled.

Melee Actions

Default actions are listed here. Other actions are available via specific Features.

Attack

You can choose to attack any target in your Engagement Group.

If your weapon is too short, your attack is cancelled without replacement unless:

• It is exactly 1 Hex too short AND your target also attacks you, OR
• Your target happens to Maneuver into your Zone of Control. (In that case, the attack is resolved immediately during the Maneuver.)

Defend

Defending raises your Melee Defense by +2.

Maneuver

This action occurs only after resolving all attacks. If you aren't Dazed by the time it occurs, you may make a Short Move.

There is no penalty for leaving any Zone of Control. However, if you enter a new Zone of Control, you must stop. If that ZOC of belongs to a character who has an uncommitted Melee Action left, he may use it to Attack you, which is resolved immediately.

You may use a Maneuver to enter Close Quarters.

Grapple

Grappling is only possible in Close Quarters or against an adjacent opponent in Close Quarters.

TBD