Maneuvers in combat.

Hi everyone!

We have a bunch of new players in Central KY that have just picked up our first starter decks and had a couple of games. We think that we have most of the rules down but a few things still boggle our minds, and I was hoping that you guys would be able to help.

Our biggest question that I can recall right now is, how do maneuvers work? If a card says to add a Maneuver, what does that cover? Does it cover all of the combat options (like Destroy Equipment and Combat End) or just determining Range? We are not sure as they look like maneuvers but there are specific cards for those actions.

Any Help is appreciated!

Hi Bahamut810,

There's a detailed play summary on this very website: vekn.net/detailed-play-summary

Basically every combat has a 'determine range' step, and combat can occur either 'close' or at 'long' range.

There are some funky combat cards, retainers, allies, equipment and minion specials that may actually 'set' the range to close or long, skipping the normal 'determine range' step.

However, assuming normal combat, the 'determine range' step defaults to both combatants being close. Manoeuvres will simply move a combatant from 'close' range to 'long' range - and the other combatant may also play a manoeuvre to get back to close range.

You can only manoeuvre during the determine range step, so you cannot play manoeuvre cards at any other point to get them out of your hand. Some manoeuvre cards have additional bonuses. Unflinching Persistence is an epic card for minions with Fortitude because you can manoeuvre during the range step and prevent one damage later in the round (or just prevent 1 damage during damage resolution).

Certain strikes only work at close-range, although you can still play them to get them out of your hand. A Strike: Destroy Equipment will only work if the two combatants are at close range (and there is equipment to destroy). However, there are ranged 'Destroy equipment' cards like Canine Horde that allows you to destroy equipment at close or long range (assuming the minion has Animalism). In both cases, the opposing combatant can play a 'Strike: Dodge' type card to avoid your strike.

'Strike: Combat Ends' type cards are effectively a ranged strike with first strike (it resolves first, like a dodge), because effectively the vampire is going "I'm beautiful and you don't want to hurt me - let's just go our separate ways".

So, reading that document, "Additional strikes" only allows you to do extra damage and not the special effects like destroy equipment and steal blood? Those 'special effects' require a specific card?

Bahamut810 wrote:

So, reading that document, "Additional strikes" only allows you to do extra damage and not the special effects like destroy equipment and steal blood? Those 'special effects' require a specific card?

Additional strikes grant you the option to choose X additional strikes, which can also be strike cards played from your hand. Note: there's a restriction on additional strikes, you can only have 1 source (including effects from equipment or vampires/minions) of additional strikes each round of combat, unless stated otherwise on the card that grants additional strikes.

Your default strike (without playing cards) is always a hand strike. So additional strikes without strike cards are additional hand strikes.

Looks like others have done a good job answering questions, I just thought I'd mention that I've recently put together a quick-start guide to walk people through how to play VTES. I've also written a beginner's guide to VTES with plenty of information about how to play the game, acquire cards, find other players, etc. And finally, I sell demo decks and clan support packs (~450 cards centered around a single clan including moderately expensive staple cards) very cheaply specifically to new players. Hope these resources are useful to you and your fellow new players.

Welcome to VTES - the best multiplayer CCG ever!

@Brettscho...

I don't see a mail option on this board to be able to PM you, but I was interested in a support pack. Where can I contact you privately about that?

Thanks!