Okay so far I've gleaned from the boards that the communis opinio is that you cannot use pistols on semi-auto or full auto fire in melee combat. But I still wonder about the following actions:
1. All Out Attack -> the rules on p190 of the Core Book specifically state that you make 'a furious melee attack' ... so I am thinking melee weapons, and that a pistol used in melee combat cannot be used for an All Out Attack. Is that right?
2. Guarded Attack -> gives you a -10 penalty on your Weapon Skill test (in order to defend better). Does this reference to WS imply that you cannot make a Guarded Attack with a pistol since you would use BS for that?
3. Defensive Stance -> all attacks against you suffer -20 to WS. Again, what if you are facing a melee combatant with a pistol who would try to hit you not with WS but with BS?
4. Maneuvre -> calls for opposed WS tests. Again, what if one or more of the melee combatants use pistols and hence, BS?
5. Charge -> can you make a charge with a pistol in combat?
6. And finally .. if all these drawbacks are into play, do you think it's still viable to use a pistol in melee combat? No burst fire, lotsa actions seem disallowed, and there are also house rules which allow you to parry an with a pistol in melee combat (slapping the hand away etc).
Thnx!