Close combat rules

This page covers the close combat rules. The rules for movement in combat are here, those for ranged combat here. An overview of the combat rules is here.

Close combat covers the unarmed close combat as well as the armed close combat.

In Essence, the armed close combat works like the unarmed one. Various attacks hit parries (or, ideally, the enemy). Extraordinary skills like those for the unarmed close combat exist, but unlike those (that is, the combat styles of "Judo", "Boxing" and "Kung Fu") these just simplify the use of certain melee weapons - but they do not give special attacks or parries. They just enhance the hit chance with types of weapons.

The attacks:

There are various modes of attacking. There are the simple attacks, that everyone know and that one can find in any common bar brawl.
There exist three extraordinary skills, Judo, Boxing and Kung Fu, as well as many melee weapons that have their own attacks.
The 4 unarmed combat styles (that is counting the common ones) can be regarded as additional weapons. Characters using those as a primary form of attack should write down their favorite attacks and the damage calculation, without having to deal with complicated calculations in combat.

In simple terms, a character must approach a different character to within 3 cm to be in close combat. There are several exceptions for this in the melee weapons: the Bull whip, the Chain whip and several of the spears that all have a range of 6 cm.
In theory these two characters could shoot at each other, since they have only 1 Meter between them in "real distance". Nothing is stopping them from that, but we're at the close combat rules. More on that further down.

In principle, close combat starts with a close combat attacky, no matter which kind. After a successful attack comes a parry, unless it was a critical hit, which would hit automatically.
Combat remains round based, of course. That means that character A, that just reached close combat distance to character B with 6 AP left, can easily hit A with two fist strikes for 3 AP each. After each attack, the player controlling character B can roll for the parry, but they can only hit back once it's their round.

This remains true, no matter which skill or weapon is used.

The parries:

The parrying rules explain everything in detail, especially when to roll on which skill, depending on the attack. In principle, handicaps depend on what the parrying character holds in their hands.

Overview over the (optional) close combat rules:

First the unarmed combat:
Self imposed handicap
Aimed blows and kicks
K.O. rules optional

The combat styles:
Simple close combat actions that are available to all
Judo
Boxing
Kung Fu

Now to combat with melee weapons:

Self imposed handicap
Aimed attacks
Two handed fighting