Previously, I'd talked about reach in the abstract, without considering the space you're in. How do we deal with the restrictions imposed on fighting by a confined space? I've touched on this issue here before, in my post Dungeoneering Tools: The Spear, but I'd like to develop something a bit more general, as the subject of confined spaces obviously affects more than just the spear.
Confined Spaces
What constitutes a confined space is going to vary based on what kind of weapon you're used. A space that is "confined" for a spear could be spacious for a dagger. There are also some weapons that have options for how to fight with them - something like a longsword can be held with one or two hands on the hilt, or with one hand on the hilt and one hand on the blade (called "halfsword"). A spear can be gripped in thirds (the usual way for single combat) or with one or two hands down at the butt (for formation combat).
See below for a detailed and simplified chart of how much space different weapons need to be used effectively.
Effects of Confined Spaces
If you don't have enough space (in any dimension) for using your weapon properly, you don't get any Defense or Attack bonus for your weapon. Also, any rolls above 10 on your d20 attack roll count as a 10.
If the space is too small to wield the weapon at all (e.g. trying to use a 7' spear in a 6'x6' closet), obviously you can't use it at all.
Weapon Reach
The reach of a weapon is equal to: the length of the weapon past the hand + the length of the arm + the length of one step + a little bit for body positioning. Anything within the reach of the weapon is a potential target.
Footwork
In addition to the length of the weapon, there's also the footwork required for using it effectively. This is fairly consistent across weapons, and can probably be generalized to about one step per round in any direction.
Weapon Usage Style
There's also the matter of usage style. Spear, longsword, and poleaxe immediately occur as having a couple of options for how to use them.
Spears, poleaxes, and longswords can be held in thirds (i.e. each hand 1/3 from the respective end) or at the butt (i.e. both hands down near the end). Holding a spear by the butt gives it great reach, but limits its offensive and defensive power. Holding a spear in thirds gives its attacks and parries great power, and opens up the possibility of using the spear as a lever when grappling (e.g. a missed thrust to the head turns into an attempt to knock the person down by hooking the spear around behind their head and pulling them down).
Poleaxes and longswords can be swung when held at the butt, which for poleaxes obviously needs a great deal of room.
Space Requirements
Most weapons are going to need a radius of their reach around them, and probably space above them (approximately weapon length + shoulder height) above them.
Let's categorize weapons:
Detailed table:
Weapon
|
Length (effective)
|
Max Reach
(length + arm + step + lean)
|
Min width
(length x 2 + step x 2 OR step x 2 for thrusting-only weapons)
|
Min Height (6' wielder)
(length+shoulder height)
|
Dagger
|
1
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
Axe/Mace
|
2
|
9
|
10
|
7
|
Arming Sword
|
3
|
10
|
12
|
8
|
Long Sword
|
4
|
11
|
14
|
9
|
Long Sword (halfsword)
|
4 (1)
|
8
|
8
|
7
|
Spear (thirds)
|
7 (3)
|
10
|
12-16
|
8-11
|
Spear (butt)
|
7 (5)
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
Poleaxe
|
6 (2-4)
|
9-11
|
14
|
9
|
And, an extremely simplified version, because that's a lot of fiddly numbers:
Weapon
|
Length (effective)
|
Max Reach
|
Min width
|
Min Height
|
Dagger
|
1
|
S
|
S
|
S
|
Axe/Mace
|
2
|
S
|
S
|
M
|
Arming Sword
|
3
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
Long Sword
|
4
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
Long Sword (halfsword)
|
4 (1)
|
S
|
S
|
S
|
Spear (thirds)
|
7 (3)
|
M
|
L
|
L
|
Spear (butt)
|
7 (5)
|
L
|
S
|
S
|
Poleaxe
|
6 (2-4)
|
M
|
L
|
L
|
For this table, S / M / L:
Reach: 8' / 10' / 12'
Width: 8' / 12' / 16'
Height: 6' / 8' / 10'
Just curious, no shortsword, cutlas, or hammer?
ReplyDeleteShortswords are not period, nor is the cutlass. They called arming swords shortswords in-period, but I assume you mean the Roman-style stab-and-slash weapon.
DeleteShortswords are a thousand years earlier, and cutlasses a few hundred years later.
A warhammer is just an axe with a bec de corbin instead of an axe head, and a military pick is just an axe with a pick, so for all mechanical purposes there's no difference - just flavour and out-of-combat possibilities (i.e. an axe can chop wood, but a hammer can't).
Scimitars, falchions and other single-edged swords I would just treat as an arming sword, they're about the same size.
For confined spaces, they are the most likely to need the full amount of room since they can't stab as well as a straight blade.
But a more general response - I think the weapons I'm using in my tables are fairly "archetypal" weapons - one should be able to use the stats for these weapons for any other melee weapon.
DeleteWhat about the case when both weapons are constrained but one moreso than the other? A dagger fighter vs a spearman in a narrow hallway for example.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question, and one I was remiss in not addressing.
DeleteOff the top of my head, I would say if the space is big enough to use a weapon (even if not to its full potential), I'm not going to penalize it further because the opponent's weapon is less constrained.
What I might do is make it more likely to come to close combat, as the weapons are less useful. Maybe a double chance of coming to grappling when in confined spaces.
This gives the dagger a big advantage, as you can continue to use the dagger in the close-in fight.
Am I reading this right? Do you need an 8 foot wide space in order to use a dagger effectively?
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying your blog by the way, love the way you are approaching all this.
In order to be able to fully utilize the dagger, yes - about 8 feet. That gives you the option of about one step in either direction (with a little wiggle room), plus enough room to move your arms.
Delete