Just getting into Dark Heresy. Currently half way through the rules - finishing the chapter including combat. I think I grasp most of it.
If characters are ambushed the characters are basically sitting ducks, but can you still Dodge the damage from the ambush?
For Rapid Reaction, what is "normal", does the character get to roll for intiative? If this character with Rapid reaction has a higher initaitive than the ambusher(s) wouldn't the character go first?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Darck Child said:
If characters are ambushed the characters are basically sitting ducks, but can you still Dodge the damage from the ambush?
For Rapid Reaction, what is "normal", does the character get to roll for intiative? If this character with Rapid reaction has a higher initaitive than the ambusher(s) wouldn't the character go first?
They characters may not dodge attacks they are unaware of, and since you´re unaware of an ambush they may not dodge attacks from it. You are indeed screwed if you walk into an ambush, auspexes are your friend
Rapid reaction allow the character to roll an agility test to not be suprised, if successful he will roll initiative as usual and may very well go first in that round, suprising the ambushers so to speak.
Darck Child said:
A character may only Dodge if he is aware of the attack; consequently, a surprised character cannot Dodge.
Darck Child said:
Essentially, yes. Remember that a combat round is still essentially representing a near-simultaneous event taking only seconds to complete, so an ambushed character with Rapid Reaction could well strike against ambushers before they've had the opportunity to act (with the caveat that, as they've not yet acted, he might not be able to see them to act against them, if they started the combat hidden).
You can't very well REact to something that hasn't happened yet, so you could not act before the ambush that surprised you.
But you could REact to that action during the first round, and with a high Initiative you could go first on round 2, effectively taking two full rounds of actions before the ambushers get to press the attack.
Alternatively you might spot the ambushers before they attack, by winning an opposed Awareness vs. Concealment test (with appropriate modifiers depending on how well the ambushers are hidden). If this happens, you're not surprised at all, and may act normally on your own initiative.
Thanks guys
