Intro: Is a miss a miss?

There are two ways in GURPS to "miss" a target with your attack: either fail your TH roll, or have your successful TH roll thwarted by the target's successful defense roll.

The latter case is easy to understand: the attack was "on target", but the target avoided it. This rules nugget will only look at the former miss, the failed TH roll. I've always played this as the attack proceeding off-target, plain and simple: the bullet whizzed past the target, the sword thrust stopped short, and so on.

But other interpretations float about: namely, the idea that a "miss" might actually represent the attacker hesitating – perhaps failing to see an "opening" – and not attacking at all. I've avoided that interpretation, as it can create conflicts with known consequences of an attack. If the "attack" didn't happen, why is the attacker's axe now unable to parry, or his halberd completely unready? Why is he short a bullet, arrow, or throwing knife?

Further, it's artificial to imagine fighters always "circling" and "probing" in a way that allows hesitation. An enraged Ogre, a mindless zombie, or just a hero hacking his way through baddies to reach the heroine slipping off the ledge – none of these would "look for an opening" or otherwise hesitate for an instant.

Yet there are other circumstances in which "hesitation" does play realistically. And there are situations, such as when using DECIDE, in which the difference among no-attack hesitation, a true attack that misses by a hair, and a true attack that misses wildly have potential combat significance. Below is a suggestion for gauging these.

The rule

On any TH roll:

• Success by 0+: Normal, solid hit (unless avoided by Active Defense)
• Miss by 1 or 2 (regular or Defensive Attack): Attacker hesitates.
• Miss by 1 or 2 (All-Out or Committed Attack): Close miss.
• Miss by 3 or 4: Close miss.
• Miss by 5+: Wide miss.

Every result except for "attacker hesitates" means that an attack was launched, with all normal consequences (weapon readiness, missile usage, etc.). "Attacker hesitates" means no attack was launched, and no consequences of an attack apply.

In other words, for most gamers unconcerned about close-vs-wide miss, there's only one item in the above that changes anything in combat: If you "miss" by 1 or 2, and weren't making an All-Out or Committed Attack, then instead of attacking and missing you simply don't attack.

That's it.

Variants and options

Hit by 0: A glancing or similarly weak blow, not a solid hit. That's a topic for a future nugget!

Connections

If using DECIDE

Attacker hesitation triggers no defense.

A close miss represents an attack that is not instantly obvious to the target as a miss; it triggers an "immediate defense".

A wide miss, or a critical TH failure, is instantly obvious as a miss, and triggers no defense. (In the case of gunfire, this would assume the defender can clearly see the gun barrel pointing well off-target. It may sound cinematic, but fits in with the general GURPS ability to dodge bullets based on this perceived path of fire.)

When to use it

Obviously, this is of use only to those wanting more detail in combat. The distinction between near and wide miss is likely of interest only to GMs using DECIDE. The distinction between launching an attack and hesitating, meanwhile, can have combat significance in any game, should the GM have interest in that particular detail.

Status

I've used the close-vs-wide miss distinction with DECIDE, but haven't yet gamed the added attack-vs-hesitation distinction. Your playtest comments are greatly welcomed!

Designer's notes

1. The little bit about Committed or All-Out Attack is important, solving the matter of fighters who shouldn't hesitate. The above-mentioned Ogre, zombie, and frantic hero would all use Committed or All-Out Attacks, not cautious, semi-defensive regular or Defensive Attacks. The same goes for any PC who insists, "When I say I attack, I attack!".

2. Why place hesitation above close and wide miss on the failure ladder? The intent is that increasing degrees of failure should increasingly represent what a skilled fighter isn't likely to do. Hesitation is less of a "mistake" than is a true miss: if nothing else, it keeps the attacking weapon ready, reserves the missile, and/or prevents some dangerous counter-attacks. A true miss, meanwhile – especially a wide one – is something that a skilled fighter should rarely display under normal conditions.

(But would you suggest re-ordering the items, Reader?)

3. The rules for Hitting the Wrong Target (B389) discuss a "straight line" threatening unintended targets. A wide miss might indicate a very unexpected direction for that line! It's something for a GM to wing on the fly, or perhaps it's fodder for a future nugget.

Conclusion

It looks simple enough, but it is useful to anyone? What do you say?