Attack From Behind/Multiple Attacker Penalty

[Phil Adams]

Apologies right up front if this is a redundant or totally stupid question (well, two questions).

 

The rules penalize someone being attacked from behind with 1/2 DCV.

 

QUESTION: Is this merely a matter of position or one of awareness? (IOW, if the attacker is just a regular Joe and simply steps behind the defender as his half move, does he automatically trigger the penalty or does it require someone to actually manage to sneak up behind someone else in combat and attack the target unawares?)

 

The rules state that a multiple attacker penalty can be triggered by two or more people coordinating an attack on a defender.

 

QUESTION: How does this interact with being attacked from behind? (This seems to already be addressed to an extent by giving the defender the choice to focus on one attack and take what amounts to an attacked from behind penalty from everyone else.) The problem I'm having is with resolving the potential logical extension to this.

 

EXAMPLE: Attackers A, B, and C attack Target D (DCV 6). A attacks from the front while B and C attack "from behind." All three make their Teamwork rolls. Multiple Attacker Penalty, -2 DCV. Now, does that mean D has a DCV 4 vs. all or does it mean D has a DCV of 4 vs. A and DCV of 2 (6 - 2, halved because of the "from behind" penalty) vs. B and C or does it mean D has a DCV of 4 vs. A and DCV of 3 (6 halved, the maximum you can get from a multiple attacker penalty) vs. B and C?

 

Thanks!

[Steve Long]

There's a question about this in the Rules FAQ under "Surprised" in the "Combat Modifiers" section that I think addresses your question. If that doesn't help you, please post a follow-up and I'll cover whatever's missing.