Henchmen

[The Admiral]

Incidentally the US mercenaries prove that ranged weapons can't be used against diagonally adjacent targets or US halberdiers would be pointless.

I agree. I have finally come round to not allowing ranged weapons to attack the immediate diagonal. If they can, then the crossbowman has all the stats and abilities of a Halberdier, plus the ability to attack at range, for the same cost in gold. What would be the point of ever hirering a Halberdier?

[Count Mohawk]

I agree. I have finally come round to not allowing ranged weapons to attack the immediate diagonal. If they can, then the crossbowman has all the stats and abilities of a Halberdier, plus the ability to attack at range, for the same cost in gold. What would be the point of ever hiring a Halberdier?

It's not that Halberdiers are bad so much as that Crossbowmen are so much better. I had this same discussion with slev a few weeks ago, actually, and the suggestion I gave him to help equalize the two a bit more was to bump the Halberdier up to 7 Move (from 6). You could also bump the Crossbowman's Defense down to 2 (from 3), or if you have colored dice, improve the Halberdier's attack roll to BWW (one Black two White).

[The Admiral]

I agree. I have finally come round to not allowing ranged weapons to attack the immediate diagonal. If they can, then the crossbowman has all the stats and abilities of a Halberdier, plus the ability to attack at range, for the same cost in gold. What would be the point of ever hiring a Halberdier?

It's not that Halberdiers are bad so much as that Crossbowmen are so much better. I had this same discussion with slev a few weeks ago, actually, and the suggestion I gave him to help equalize the two a bit more was to bump the Halberdier up to 7 Move (from 6). You could also bump the Crossbowman's Defense down to 2 (from 3), or if you have colored dice, improve the Halberdier's attack roll to BWW (one Black two White).

Or cost him at 100gc, which was my previous solution. But I just think the whole concept of diagonal attack weapons is devalued by the ability of ranged weapons to match their ability. Hence my core change. I know what the rules say, so this has been a long angst for me, but there it is.

I think what finally did it for me was reference to AHQ.

[cynthialee]

and my fix would be to just give the Halberdier an extra Body Point

[Daedalus]

Admiral, I agree with you and Gold Bearer that allowing a Crossbowman the same diagonal attack as a Halberdier is broken. I use rule interpretation to handle the problem.

In short, only a Halberdier is allowed to attack diagonally between two squares that block line of sight. Note that a square on the other side of an intervening wall that ends at a doorway is blocked. The light-gray lines represent walls containing an open doorway:

|    |    |    |
|    |O|    |
|H| B|    |

In contrast, a Crossbowman is allowed to attack diagonally in an opponent's corner square if only one of the squares adjacent to the opponent and Crossbowman isn't blocked. So he couldn't attack from the Halberdier's postion above, because the adjacent square in common with the Crossbowman and Orc is blocked by the Barbarian. The Crossbowman may shoot the Orc in the diagram below, using standard line-of-sight rules:

|    |    |    |
|    |O|    |
|C|    |    |

The result of this difference in ability means a Halberdier can safely attack from a diagonal space turn after turn, but a Crossbowman will likely get only one unmolested shot from his open position. You can check out this post and this post for a more detailed explanation if you're interested.

[knightkrawler]

I just think the whole concept of diagonal attack weapons is devalued by the ability of ranged weapons to match their ability. Hence my core change. I know what the rules say, so this has been a long angst for me, but there it is.

I ruled the same thing.
One of the more complicated things to think about and word correctly when writing my rulebook and icon key.

[slev]

I just think the whole concept of diagonal attack weapons is devalued by the ability of ranged weapons to match their ability. Hence my core change. I know what the rules say, so this has been a long angst for me, but there it is.

I ruled the same thing.
One of the more complicated things to think about and word correctly when writing my rulebook and icon key.

I also did the same thing!

I agree. I have finally come round to not allowing ranged weapons to attack the immediate diagonal. If they can, then the crossbowman has all the stats and abilities of a Halberdier, plus the ability to attack at range, for the same cost in gold. What would be the point of ever hiring a Halberdier?

It's not that Halberdiers are bad so much as that Crossbowmen are so much better. I had this same discussion with slev a few weeks ago, actually, and the suggestion I gave him to help equalize the two a bit more was to bump the Halberdier up to 7 Move (from 6). You could also bump the Crossbowman's Defense down to 2 (from 3), or if you have colored dice, improve the Halberdier's attack roll to BWW (one Black two White).

Or cost him at 100gc, which was my previous solution.

This is an option, but in context, I was trying to make the Men-at-Arms (to use the UK term) all cost the same. At least teh "official" four anyway.