[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Rurik

While the psychology of combat applies to melee as well, in a medieval type game most combatants are conditioned for personal combat to the point it is a non factor (until the Fear Spell is cast, or some

I think this makes big assumptions; many combatants may well have had little exposure to combat outside of some militia training before the events of a campaign. After that they get used to it of course, but that's just as true in the firearms case. Take a look at the occupation tables in RQ3 some time and ask yourself how many of those professions are _really_ "conditioned for personal combat". I suspect, especially at the Barbarian and Civilized levels, the answer would be "not many". The professional combatants and no others.

creature that inspires fear come along). Also, the best defense against the axe weilder in your face is fighting back, or at least defending yourself. Curling up into a little ball and wimpering like a baby is not likely to save you. When

Running like hell may well, however, when you see him charging you in the first place. The fact the survival techniques are different doesn't matter; the fact standing and fighting isn't usually the ideal for either is.

good ditch. Modern soldiers, even with the best of training, panic under fire. That is why people trained in firearms that can hit a target every time at a range miss with most rounds in a real firefight, even at very close range.

I'd be really interested to see if its actually worse than it was with weapons. With artillery I can believe it, but I'm honestly unconvinced an experienced soldier reacts any more badly to bullets winging past than an arrow storm or just the sight of a charging mass of enemy.