Honored sirs and ladies,
I am considering creating a houserule that eliminates the in-a-duel-everyone-is-always-in-range rule from page 260, and before doing so I would like to know if there is a good reason for that rule that I'm not seeing. I've done a sport version of medieval swordsmanship for 20 years, and distance control has always been an essential part of tactical maneuver even in single combats (especially when weapon reaches differ). However, I have not gamed as much as some on this forum. I therefore humbly ask: Would removing that rule harm the game somehow?
Duels would still differ from skirmishes in having the building 1-vs.-1 strife, iaijutsu rules for iai duels, and the knowledge that one can max out Strife and Fatigue to win just one fight without worrying whether your foe's buddy is flanking you.
Thank you very much.