Hey gang,
Here is the situation - I'm running the Black Pass event a few times at the local game store [it is AWESOME!] - and while my group has been playing a good while and has the range mechanism down - I shudder at trying to explain it to total fresh folks for some reason.

Any suggestions for the best way to explain or demonstrate it to the demo folk? =D

Not one idea? =( Ah well...we'll see how it goes then.

<shrug> I haven't found it particularly difficult to explain to people.

The ranges are "bands", and distances between are identified by a number of tokens.

I then explain/describe the ranges pretty much how the rules describe them. ie (and I don't have my book here in front of me, but something like...)

"Engaged is a distance within which you can whisper and be heard, and/or strike in melee, so just a couple feet at most. This is shown on the table by having models/standups bases touching."

... and so on, plus explaining putting a number of tokens between groups to reflect the distance/number of maneuvers required.

What do you think would be the ranges in metric system?

I'm not a metric user. Since it's abstract, of course, answers will vary. I don't have my books in front of me, so I could be way off on medium-extreme ranges, but I'd say (off the top of my head) probably something similar to:

Engaged = 1m

Close = 1m-10m

Medium = 10-50m

Long = 50-150m

Extreme = 150m+

I'd say it isn't really important to know exact distances in meters.

It's not like tactical RPGs where : I'm at 15 meters from my ennemy, at what range increment am I.

I'm not even using tokens to count distance. Hey, it's abstract, isn't it.

I would put words instead of numbers to describe ranges :

Engaged : in melee reach of
Close : near, but out of reach of a weapon's swing. Usually in the same room (indoor). A few paces away.
Medium : close enough for ranged attacks but at a somewhat safe distance of melee. You have to run to reach the target within a round. Indoor, it would represent someone at the far end of a long corridor.
Long : Far from you. Even ranged attacks are harder to score from that distance. Magic usually don't reach that distance. It's more or so a safe distance.
Extreme : Very far, out of combat reach. In combat, people in this distance tend to either close-in or move out. I don't even use stand-ups on the table for characters this far. A character you notice at the other side of a very large plain is at extreme range.

Thanks guys - I use similiar methods for explaining and rationalizing - I just thought I would see if anyone else had something that worked brilliantly for them before I demo.

I think it would be easiest to explain as a "TARGET," with the center being the engagement. Dvang's explanation of "bands" of distance away fits this description perfectly. Players need to realize they are no longer dancing in a 5' square and counting out geometry. It's a fluid roleplaying system rather than a strict boardgame like WFB or D&D's combat system.

Jay H