Handling Combat with Wandering Monsters in Hallways

[mithrandir138]

I need some advice: How do you guys handle encounters with wandering monsters when players are walking single file down a hallway. How does initiative/combat work for your encounters like this when logically the person in front (or back) or immediately behind (or in front of) them is the only one that should be able to engage in combat? I have worked through this a couple of times with other systems and never been satisfied. It is always awkward and I just want to see what is commonly done.

Thanks in advance!

[Hywaywolf]

If its a 5' wide passage then only the front PC can melee unless someone in back has a reach weapon. Most passages are 10' so that would allow for the 2nd person to move up to combat beside the first person. Potentially, PC's further back could use a range weapon but would have to use the firing into melee rules. As far as initiative goes, that determines who will be the front PC when actual combat starts. Someone who reacts faster but is further back can move past a slower reacter and initiate combat as long as the monsters don't have initiative. If they do, then they can choose to attack first and choose who they will attack.

In a 10' passage, if combatants stay in single file on one side of the passage then there is nothing stopping the other combatants from moving down to the last enemy and then everyone attacking everyone.

[SmootRK]

If its a 5' wide passage then only the front PC can melee unless someone in back has a reach weapon. Most passages are 10' so that would allow for the 2nd person to move up to combat beside the first person. Potentially, PC's further back could use a range weapon but would have to use the firing into melee rules.

This; why it is good for marching order to be well defined, with characters in second rank using spears/polearms when possible. Initiative and surprise are handled normally, the MU in back can still cast spells when his/her turn comes up (same for clerics). The only big difference in tight quarters is that some characters may have to forgo actions because they do not have a viable action to perform... my suggestion is that they use 'delay declarations' so that they might get a chance to do something afterwords, for instance first rank fighting, second rank guys says "I don't have a target for melee, so I will delay just in case one of my comrades falls and if so, I will immediately step forward to fill that spot." He loses his initiative roll, and now acts on the initiative order when that occurs (if it occurs)... sorta like when one sets against charge.

[JoeCarr28]

It works both ways of course ... it means the wandering monsters also have a very restricted fighting front, which may or may not be to the party's advantage.

Unless it's an ambush situation, there will normally be some distance between the two groups of opponents at the start of combat. I guess each side needs to make their own tactical decision as to whether they wish to engage in the confines of a tunnel, or whether it would be in their interests to, for example, withdraw to a more open area.

[mithrandir138]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the info.