- 10 October 2025 from Kromm at https://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=2565074&postcount=12 " If you want an unofficial optional rule, which I'd class as "harsh realism" . . ."
One-on-One Stop Thrust
A fighter who has a reach 1+ thrusting weapon and who takes a Wait maneuver may declare that they are orienting the weapon's tip toward one specific opponent, who must be more distant than that weapon's current reach. They are bracing for a stop thrust against that enemy and that enemy alone. Other foes can engage them normally – even run right up to them – without any special consequences.
If the named opponent moves to within the weapon's current reach – it is unimportant how (even if it is a runaround!), only that the weapon can now reach them – this is considered an attempt to evade. They are not evading their rival but the tip of their weapon. As soon as they are within reach, roll a Quick Contest: their DX or Acrobatics (not Judo or weapon skill!) against the waiting fighter's skill with the thrusting weapon. There are no modifiers for posture, as the weapon remains in the way even if its user is not standing.
If the moving fighter wins, they move harmlessly past the weapon and conclude their turn normally. They may move inside the weapon's reach, and if they do, their opponent can choose this option on later turns only if they make the distance between the two warriors greater than weapon reach once again, whether by changing the weapon's reach or stepping back. If the waiting fighter has a weapon of fixed reach or cannot step back, they may be out of luck . . . especially if the moving fighter got into close combat!
If the moving fighter ties, they cannot get past the weapon, but stop short of being hit. Move them 1 yard from the point where the Quick Contest was rolled, directly away from their opponent. This costs 1 point of Move. If they still have Move left, they can continue to move but cannot reduce the distance again. Otherwise, their maneuver works normally; e.g., if they chose All-Out Defense (Increased Dodge), they still get its benefits, while if they chose Move and Attack, they can use a ranged weapon. Since the moving fighter remains beyond the weapon's reach, the waiting fighter can repeat this option next turn.
If the moving fighter loses, they are hit! They stop at the weapon's reach and their turn ends immediately. They do not get an active defense roll – that was what the Quick Contest represented (losing counts as a failed dodge, should that matter). The waiting fighter rolls their thrusting weapon's usual damage, +1 per two full yards by which the moving fighter reduced the distance. This counts as a parry (not an attack) for the waiting fighter. On later turns, Holding a Foe at Bay (Martial Arts, p. 106) applies against the struck fighter.