Post by Chicken on Apr 26, 2006 14:28:52 GMT -5
This came up yesterday, and I don't think I gave a very good or very clear answer. I'm claiming the excuse of never having had to explain it before, as well as the fact that it's never really discussed much in the rules.
Incidental-padding is everything padded that you can't deliver a strike with - the flats of a blade, haft padding (including everything on the haft of a flail), and the pommel. It's there because accidents happen and some padding is much better than none at all, but it's not designed to be safe for striking.
Obviously you shouldn't intentionally swing at someone with it (this goes for flails, too - aim with the haft, don't hit with it). You're perfectly within your rights to hold on to haft padding, though, and to block with it. You can even set your haft padding in someone's way to try to herd them or restrict their movement (though not to trip them!). You can also set it against someone's shield to try to push them or their shield around however you want (like the shield hook on my spear).
All that said, you should not be deliberately bringing haft padding (or an unpadded surface, obviously) into contact with another fighter. If you put it in their way and they choose to plow ahead anyway, it's probably okay (just be careful). You can block their weapon and try to pin it against their shield (for instance), but you can't block their arm, or pin their arm against their body with a weapon. Haft padding is only there for accidental contact with another fighter, it should never be used for intentional contact.
I hope that clears things up a bit (and that my fellow heraldy folks agree with my description ;).
Incidental-padding is everything padded that you can't deliver a strike with - the flats of a blade, haft padding (including everything on the haft of a flail), and the pommel. It's there because accidents happen and some padding is much better than none at all, but it's not designed to be safe for striking.
Obviously you shouldn't intentionally swing at someone with it (this goes for flails, too - aim with the haft, don't hit with it). You're perfectly within your rights to hold on to haft padding, though, and to block with it. You can even set your haft padding in someone's way to try to herd them or restrict their movement (though not to trip them!). You can also set it against someone's shield to try to push them or their shield around however you want (like the shield hook on my spear).
All that said, you should not be deliberately bringing haft padding (or an unpadded surface, obviously) into contact with another fighter. If you put it in their way and they choose to plow ahead anyway, it's probably okay (just be careful). You can block their weapon and try to pin it against their shield (for instance), but you can't block their arm, or pin their arm against their body with a weapon. Haft padding is only there for accidental contact with another fighter, it should never be used for intentional contact.
I hope that clears things up a bit (and that my fellow heraldy folks agree with my description ;).
