Dual-Weapon Attack is a Cinematic Combat Maneuver which allows 2 weapons to hit in the same attack for -4 to skill, and inflicts a -1 defensive penalty.
The technique of the same name as the option can buy off these penalties.
It is considered cinematic except when bought for Guns (Pistol)
bows[]
see Panjagan
Martial Arts[]
MA 127:
- This option is allowed for two unarmed attacks with different hands.
MA 159:
- Even in a realistic game, it’s possible to use one blade to Beat (pp. 100-101) and the other to strike a blow as part of a Dual-Weapon Attack
MA 174:
- When armed with two swords, they favor Dual-Weapon Attack – often using one blade to feint (or to Beat; see pp. 100-101) and the other to attack.
MA175
- Players use Dual-Weapon Attack to feint and attack
MA190:
- The attack itself might be a kick, a punch, or both, thrown as a Dual-Weapon Attack.
190 contradicts assumptions some might make from MA123's "allowed for two unarmed attacks with different hands" and B417's "If you have at least two hands, you can strike with two hands at once" perhaps implying that non-extremity arm attacks (forearms, elbows) or non-arm extremity attacks (kicks, stamp kicks, drop kicks) or non-arm non-extremity limb attacks (shin kicks, knees, knee drops) or even non-limb attacks (slams, headbutts, bites) or non-damaging attacks (throws) might not be allowed using Dual-Weapon Attack.
Ranged combat[]
DWA is initially written for melee combat only: like with AOAD or Rapid Strike it was NOT an option for ranged combat, which only allowed Attack (Ranged) or All-Out Attack (Ranged).
This was modified in the GURPS High-Tech / GURPS Tactical Shooting / Gun-Fu trilogy
Tactical shooting covered this on 18/44
Given it's use of the distinct semantic Ranged Rapid Strike one might retroactively refer to the original as Melee Rapid Strike to avoid confusion and acknowledge distinct applications of rules.
Although there's less rules difference with DWA (RRS/MRS deal with RoF differently) calling it Melee Dual-Weapon Attack vs Ranged Dual-Weapon Attack could make sense following this pattern.
The reason for that is because there IS a rules difference which pg 44 explains: the -1 to defend when you target the same foe is ONLY AGAINST PARRIES (normally possible only at close range): there is no -1 to dodge ranged DWAs like there would be to dodge melee DWAs.
Posts[]
- 2009 http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=878799&postcount=7 Kromm says it is not specific to body parts and can be used for any attack for the skill you purchase it with.
- 2012 http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?p=1441992#post1441992 Kromm says it allows 1 attack per arm all at -4.
Gaming Ballistic[]
- https://gamingballistic.com/2014/07/25/dual-weapon-attack-and-rapid-strike/
- https://gamingballistic.com/2014/07/25/committing-to-dual-weapon-attack/
See also[]
- Extra Attack
- Rapid Strike, which it cannot be mixed with
- Dual-Weapon Defense
- Parrying with Two-Handed Weapons