Punch

3e basic set[]

Unique non-penalization[]

pg 112 had:

All weapon attacks (except for fists) are at -2 in close combat.

MA46 had a technique (then called maneuver) to buy off that penalty. The CC technique "allows an attack to be made at a reach 1 hex short of its normal range, but at -6."

This actually seems (even at default) to remove the "longer weapons may not be used to attack at all" policy for Reach 1 weapons (close is 1 hex short of reach 1) meaning only reach 2+ couldn't do it.

It's unclear if this would also apply to kicks. They were weapons not normally usable in close combat except with karate. The note under karate only mentioned a damage penalty and not a skill penalty, but it doesn't explicitly rule out the -2 non-fist CC rule either.

If that did apply then a close-range kick would be cumulatively Karate-4 to hit.

The -2 in CC rule seems to have been removed as of 4E, making close combat with non-punches more accurate.

In similar generosity, the Long Weapons in Close Combat rule in GURPS Martial Arts only made it -4 to skill (instead of -6) to attack 1 yard less, and doesn't limit it to 1 yard less (could be multiple yards, -8 or -12 to skill)

Buying this off as a technique is still limited to half the total penalty, instead of -3 from -6, 4e's MA69 variant of the CC tech was -2 instead of -4, -4 instead of -8, etc.

Reach[]

Compendium 54:

For game purposes, human arms have a reach of 1

Compendium 104:

Short Arms "Short arms have reach C (close combat only), and don't have the leverage to use any weapon which must be swung."

B101:

A punch is an attack with a Reach (see p. 102) of C or 1.

B102:

The reach of a bare-handed fighter is close and 1 yard.

There is a note regarding "two reaches" weapons:

Most "long" weapons (those with two or more reaches) must be readied for a turn to "change grips" and go from one reach to another.

Punches would be "long weapons" for this purpose (since they have two reaches). An example is given of those which require grip change:

For example, if you are holding a halberd with a grip that allows you to strike 3 hexes away, you will have to re-ready it for a turn before you can use it to strike someone 1 or 2 hexes away.

It then directs elsewhere:

The Weapon Table shows which weapons require a grip change, and which (e.g., greatsword and quarterstaff) do not.

This references pg 206. The aforementioned "halberd" is under polearm. The 4th column (Reach) for polearms has an asterisk (*) after the numbers. This is also the case for the Flail, Spear, and Two-Handed Axe/Mace categories.

The explanation for the asterisk is found on page 207:

Must be readied for one turn to change from long to short grip or vice versa.

Long weapons (2 or more ranges) displayed in this chart with no asterisk are Broadsword/Fencing/Knife/Staff/Two-Handed Sword.

Unlike 4e, unarmed combat (punch/kick) is not included under the weapon chart, so there is no way of knowing whether it's C,1 reach was asterisked or not, but presumably it is non-asterisk and was freely changeable at both ranges similar to a knife, the only other C,1 weapons.

the confusing second asterisk[]

Right of the explanation was "Becomes unready if used to parry." also represented by a single asterisk. This likely referenced the single asterisk found at the end of "Flail" and TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE

4e[]

Back Punch[]

This uses the Elbow Strike technique to hit per MA67's Back Strike note.

Pyramid[]

http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=19 Kromm replied in Pyramid 28 on 24 March 1998:

Unarmed Combat

What is the range of a bare-handed attack?

- Chuck Bennett

Unless otherwise specified, all bare-handed attacks (including the special maneuvers in GURPS Martial Arts) have a Reach of "C, 1." That means that they can be used on targets who are in close combat or who are one hex away.

This could explain some of the confusion in regard to how people are able to parry pistols pointed at them from an adjacent hex instead of just their own hex, even in 4e rules. This might be a leftover from the 3e rules where hands had longer reach. Since hexes are 3ft wide, someone in the center of a hex would only need to reach 1.5 feet to exit it and influence another hex.

Pistols are C-range weapons so they don't project into external hexes according to 4e rules.

To accomplish this in 4e may require All-Out Attack (Long) or Committed Attack (Long) to perform a lunge into a kneeling position.

Comparison[]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-g2Xfw9DUE talks about how Palm Strikes can more easily transition into grappling or Eye-Poke or Eye-Rake attacks.

GURPS doesn't really deal with that, the conscious transition needed between "making a fist" and having an open hand, that could be interesting rules to have.

Grappling nothing (including Control Points for a closed fist) is probably the best way. Ready maneuvers are already established as giving full CP on a weapon, and it's possible to do dual readies or fast readies with technique or skill