Fighting in cramped spaces?

[PalladiumBrony]

Are there, anywhere in the books, any rules to cover penalties for fighting in cramped spaces? I define a "cramped space" as "any space in which you can't use a weapon as it was intended to be used, without risking hitting the walls or ceiling". Examples might include using a claymore or a pole-arm indoors, or fighting on a spiral staircase (fun fact, that's why spiral staircases in medieval buildings, spiral staircases were always built so that those ascending turned clockwise; to allow those defending the stair from the top unfettered use of their right hands, while preventing those ascending the stairs from using their sword arms as effectively. If I was DM'ing this, I might say that if you can't use your weapon to full efficiency, you only get half your combat bonuses to strike and possibly to parry, but I'd value opinions from other players. Of course, if you have multiple ways of using your weapon, this is negated - example; a poll-axe could be used in great, swinging strokes to deliver blunt or chopping strikes to the enemy, which would be very hard to do indoors. But, at least in a straight hallway, once you have the weapon oriented properly (switching from one posture to another might prove difficult), you could easily deliver thrusts with the spear point, without too much problem. I'd argue that any weapon is at a disadvantage when fighting on a spiral staircase, but that was expressly the point.

[The Beast]

I'm not aware of any book with rules as you are looking for. However, Ninjas & Superspies has additional HtH rules and terminology that may help you come up with a house rule that would cover such situations, and Rifter 3 has some optional, expanded rules as well. The one covering Groundfighting (R3, p40) may come closest to what you're looking for.

[Hendrik]

Hi PalladiumBrony,

always wanted to say this: great & funny name you have chosen there.

That said, in my Gnomes article as publiished in Rifter 81, I have suggested this rule:

Fighting in areas too low for your body size is at -2 for every foot of size of a combatant over the ceiling height; so, a 6' human will be at -6 to strike/parry/dodge in a 3' “high” corridor.

This rule does not address all the issues you raised, but some. My logic was that if you are too tall for where you fight, you will have to crouch and will be less efficent as a fighter. Naturally, you will try to compensate by stance, etc, but I wanted to suggested a rule of thumb that already reflects that, i.e. you can still fight, just worse.

As to fighting on spiral stair cases: this only truly works if you have a left-hand / right-hand rule as a leftie going up would not be at a disadvantage at all (swinging) - he would just get winded more easily, methinks. The staircases were built on the assumption of right-handedness and that the fighters going up would be at a distinct disadvantage because the stairs would turn right; therefore, taking away the up-going fighters right swing and allowing full movement for the down-hacking defender.

I like your solution as a rule of thumb:

if you can't use your weapon to full efficiency, you only get half your combat bonuses to strike and possibly to parry,

I would phrase with an example, using your example from further down in your post, and as follows combining the two rules:

FIGHTING IN TIGHT SPOTS:

(1) Whenever you cannot use your weapon to full efficiency - for example: fighting in a corridor too tight to wield your pole arm, but you can still thrust - the hampered fighter gets his combat boni to strike and parry reduced to half as long as he can still move freely with his body.
(2) When you are fighting in areas too low (or tight) for your body size, you will be at -2 for every foot of your size over the ceiling height; so, a 6' human will be at -6 to strike/parry/dodge in a 3' “high” corridor.
(3) These modifiers stack.
(4) Naturally, the GM is free to adjust these modifiers up or down depending on the situation.

In fact, this is what I do, too

Kindest regards
Hendrik

[bar1scorpio]

You've seen what happens if you bounce your longsword off a low ceiling, haven't you?

[PalladiumBrony]

You've seen what happens if you bounce your longsword off a low ceiling, haven't you?

No, but I assume it'd make your blacksmith rich!

[Hendrik]

You've seen what happens if you bounce your longsword off a low ceiling, haven't you?

No, I haven't. Have you?

Seriously, I am not sure at whose post your comment is directed but if you are referring to any of the attempts to deal with "confined spaces": the point of any rule is simple: use common sense. If the GM decides using the weapon is impossible or the negative modifier should be higher than the "rule of thumb" says, go for it.

Rather than just asking a question: what would be your solution?

Kindest regards
Hendrik

[kiralon]

I'd tie my 2 handed sword to a giant rabid vampiric tassie devil and send it down the hole like a knight with a lance, and watch it wreak carnage. The sword would be flaming obviously.
or
fill the hole/tiny passage with lava so I don't need to think of a solution.

But seriously, when in a space too small to wield the weapon.
blunt weapons are at -6 strike, -6 parry, -6 damage
slash weapons are -6 strike, -4 to parry and -4 to damage
piercing weapons are -2 strike, -4 parry and -1 damage
daggers are exempt from the negatives.
but the characters avoid it when they can. Generally the smallest tunnels they are in are 6ft sewer tunnels, and spears are fine for those. Anything smaller and they hire a gnome or the party members avoid it.

But those are good general rules, and work for all sizes whereas mine are pretty much party dependant.