Difference between revisions of "Melee"

Latest revision as of 05:02, 21 January 2026

⚔️ Melee Combat: Offence & Defence

Melee in Holdfast is a 4-directional system. Whether you are using a musket bayonet, a sword, or a boarding pike, your success depends on matching your direction to your opponent's.

Control Reference

Action	PC Control	Console Equivalent
Attack	`Left Click`	`Right Trigger (RT/R2)`
Block	`Right Click` (Hold)	`Left Trigger (LT/L2)` (Hold)
Directional Input	Mouse Movement	Right Thumbstick
Feint (Cancel Attack)	`Right Click` while holding attack	`Left Trigger` while holding attack

🛡️ Defence (Blocking)

Defending is the art of matching your weapon's position to the incoming strike. You can block with muskets, swords, and boarding pikes. Note: Knives, axes, and fists cannot block.

1. The 4-Way Block

To perform a block, flick your Mouse or Right Thumbstick in the direction of the attack and hold the block button.

Up & Down Blocks: The most common blocks due to the prevalence of bayonets.
Left & Right Blocks: Primarily used against swords or Cavalry.
The Logic: Even if a "Down" attack is aimed at your head, you must use a "Down" block to stop it. The crosshair indicator is your best guide for your current active direction.

2. Expert Tips for Defence

Exaggerate Movement: When starting out, exaggerate your mouse/thumbstick flicks. This ensures the game registers the correct direction even amidst the chaos of a 1v1 duel.
Grace Period: Blocks are near-instant and have a very slight "linger" or grace period after you release the button.
Chambering: If you time an attack perfectly against an opponent's attack in the same direction, you may "chamber," effectively blocking and counter-attacking in one motion.

🗡️ Offence (Attacking)

Offence follows the same directional logic as defence but includes a "holding" mechanic.

1. Attack Phases

Windup: The initial animation where the weapon is pulled back. You cannot deal damage yet.
Thrust/Strike: The active phase where the weapon can hit the opponent.
Linger: A very brief moment at the end of the thrust where the weapon can still deal damage if it touches a player.

2. Attack Types

Up/Down Attacks: Available to all melee weapons. The "Up" attack with a sword typically deals the highest damage but has a narrower hitboxes.
Left/Right Attacks: Exclusive to swords, knives, and fists. Bayonets and pikes are limited to vertical thrusts.
Holding Attacks: By holding the attack button, you keep your weapon in the "Windup" phase. Releasing the button triggers the strike. This is used to "feint" or bait an opponent into blocking early.

🩸 Damage Mechanics & Vital Statistics

Damage is calculated based on hit location, movement (dragging), and class-specific buffs.

Hits to Kill (Standard Line Infantry)

Action	Hits to Kill
Upper Body Hit (Direct)	1
Upper Body Hit (Dragged/Spun)	2
Lower Body Hit	2
Fist (Standard)	4
Fist (vs Grenadier/Buffed Officer)	5

⚠️ Critical Modifiers

The Vulnerability Rule: Any player hit while aiming or reloading will die in one hit regardless of the melee weapon (Fists will deal 50% damage).
Sensitivity Lock: The game locks your turn speed during an attack. To bypass this, use the "Block-Attack" transition: Hold Block -> Press Attack -> Release Block.
Drag Penalty: Moving your camera excessively (spinning or "dragging" the strike) reduces the force of the blow, often requiring an extra hit to kill.

Class Resistances & Buffs

Grenadiers: Have a permanent, static resistance to melee damage.
Guards: Can "One-Shot" straight-stab even health-buffed units.
Officer Charge: Under an Officer’s "Charge" command, Line Infantry can one-shot units that normally have health buffs.
Medic/Officer Aura: If a Guard unit is near a Medic or Officer, those classes receive a health increase, potentially requiring up to 3 hits to kill if you only land lower-body drags.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-==The basics==
+==⚔️ Melee Combat: Offence & Defence==
-This is the stuff that anyone can do, you just need to know that it exists. Learning the basics will put you ahead of 90% of the community.
+Melee in ''Holdfast'' is a 4-directional system. Whether you are using a musket bayonet, a sword, or a boarding pike, your success depends on matching your direction to your opponent's.
-===Defense===
+=== Control Reference ===
+{| class="wikitable"
+|'''Action'''
+|'''PC Control'''
+|'''Console Equivalent'''
+|-
+|'''Attack'''
+|<code>Left Click</code>
+|<code>Right Trigger (RT/R2)</code>
+|-
+|'''Block'''
+|<code>Right Click</code> (Hold)
+|<code>Left Trigger (LT/L2)</code> (Hold)
+|-
+|'''Directional Input'''
+|Mouse Movement
+|Right Thumbstick
+|-
+|'''Feint (Cancel Attack)'''
+|<code>Right Click</code> while holding attack
+|<code>Left Trigger</code> while holding attack
+|}
+----
-Defending in Holdfast is extremely straightforward. You have 4 block directions, which will be covered in pairs. All weapons can block in Holdfast, except for the carpenter's axe, the sapper's tools(His sword can still block) and any of the tertiary DLC weapons.
+== 🛡️ Defence (Blocking) ==
+Defending is the art of matching your weapon's position to the incoming strike. You can block with muskets, swords, and boarding pikes. '''Note:''' Knives, axes, and fists cannot block.
-====Up and down block:====
+=== 1. The 4-Way Block ===
+To perform a block, flick your '''Mouse''' or '''Right Thumbstick''' in the direction of the attack and hold the block button.
-These are the 2 block directions you will be using the most, since all musket attacks will be one of the 2 and 50% of sword attacks are up or down.
+* '''Up & Down Blocks:''' The most common blocks due to the prevalence of bayonets.
+* '''Left & Right Blocks:''' Primarily used against swords or Cavalry.
+* '''The Logic:''' Even if a "Down" attack is aimed at your head, you '''must''' use a "Down" block to stop it. The crosshair indicator is your best guide for your current active direction.
-Performing these is rather simple: Move your mouse in the direction you want to block. I.e. if the incoming attack is a down attack, you will have to move your mouse downwards, then click right mouse button to block it(The light around your crosshair indicates which direction you will block if you would block now). Same goes for an up attack. You have to block in the same direction as the incoming attack is in. Even if a down attack is aimed at your head, only a down block will block it.
+=== 2. Expert Tips for Defence ===
-Blocks happen near-instantaneously and have a very slight grace period after being let go of. I recommend you practice these 2 blocks, as a lot of new players continuously fail to block the correct way due to bad mouse movement.
+* '''Exaggerate Movement:''' When starting out, exaggerate your mouse/thumbstick flicks. This ensures the game registers the correct direction even amidst the chaos of a 1v1 duel.
+* '''Grace Period:''' Blocks are near-instant and have a very slight "linger" or grace period after you release the button.
+* '''Chambering:''' If you time an attack perfectly against an opponent's attack in the same direction, you may "chamber," effectively blocking and counter-attacking in one motion.
-When learning and practicing block directions , instead of moving your mouse the "expected" amount of distance for an up or down block, you should over exaggerate the movement, moving your mouse to look down on the floor for down blocks and looking above the enemies head for up attacks.
+----
-As you improve your skill you will get better at blocking and the distance you move your mouse will be reduced.
+== 🗡️ Offence (Attacking) ==
+Offence follows the same directional logic as defence but includes a "holding" mechanic.
-====Left and right block:====
+=== 1. Attack Phases ===
-These blocks should only be utilized against a sword, and have no use otherwise.
+# '''Windup:''' The initial animation where the weapon is pulled back. You cannot deal damage yet.
+# '''Thrust/Strike:''' The active phase where the weapon can hit the opponent.
+# '''Linger:''' A very brief moment at the end of the thrust where the weapon can still deal damage if it touches a player.
-Everything from paragraph 2 from "Up and down block" is true for left and right blocking, except that you need to move your mouse leftwards to perform a left block, and rightwards to perform a right block.
+=== 2. Attack Types ===
-These 2 blocks do not need to be practiced much, and should be learnt automatically with experience.
+* '''Up/Down Attacks:''' Available to all melee weapons. The "Up" attack with a sword typically deals the highest damage but has a narrower hitboxes.
+* '''Left/Right Attacks:''' Exclusive to '''swords, knives, and fists'''. Bayonets and pikes are limited to vertical thrusts.
+* '''Holding Attacks:''' By holding the attack button, you keep your weapon in the "Windup" phase. Releasing the button triggers the strike. This is used to "feint" or bait an opponent into blocking early.
-==Misc.:==
+----
-Movement is another important topic, however there isn't really much to say about it, and its better learnt from experience. However, as a rule of thumb: Whenever your opponent starts attacking try to distance yourself away from your opponent, while also continuously facing said opponent. Reverse is true for attacking.
+== 🩸 Damage Mechanics & Vital Statistics ==
+Damage is calculated based on hit location, movement (dragging), and class-specific buffs.
-==Offense==
+=== Hits to Kill (Standard Line Infantry) ===
+{| class="wikitable"
+|'''Action'''
+|'''Hits to Kill'''
+|-
+|Upper Body Hit (Direct)
+|1
+|-
+|Upper Body Hit (Dragged/Spun)
+|2
+|-
+|Lower Body Hit
+|2
+|-
+|Fist (Standard)
+|4
+|-
+|Fist (vs Grenadier/Buffed Officer)
+|5
+|}
-Offense by itself is pretty basic, and there is a lot to talk about it on basic levels.
+=== ⚠️ Critical Modifiers ===
-====Up attack:====
+* '''The Vulnerability Rule:''' Any player hit while '''aiming or reloading''' will die in '''one hit''' regardless of the melee weapon (Fists will deal 50% damage).
+* '''Sensitivity Lock:''' The game locks your turn speed during an attack. To bypass this, use the "Block-Attack" transition: ''Hold Block -> Press Attack -> Release Block.''
+* '''Drag Penalty:''' Moving your camera excessively (spinning or "dragging" the strike) reduces the force of the blow, often requiring an extra hit to kill.
-Similarly to an up-block, this attack can be performed by moving your mouse up+pressing the left mouse button. Holding the left mouse button will cause you to hold your attack, however 99% of the time you should simply let go of it instantly. This attack is slightly shorter, but also faster, though the difference. is minimal.
+=== Class Resistances & Buffs ===
-====Down attack:====
+* '''Grenadiers:''' Have a permanent, static resistance to melee damage.
+* '''Guards:''' Can "One-Shot" straight-stab even health-buffed units.
-Similarly to a down block, this attack can be performed by moving your mouse down+pressing the left mouse button. This attack too can be held, though the same thing applies to a low attack as to a down attack: You should rarely hold it. This attack is slightly longer, but also takes slightly longer to finish, though, as with an up attack, the difference is minimal.
+* '''Officer Charge:''' Under an Officer’s "Charge" command, Line Infantry can one-shot units that normally have health buffs.
+* '''Medic/Officer Aura:''' If a '''Guard''' unit is near a Medic or Officer, those classes receive a health increase, potentially requiring up to 3 hits to kill if you only land lower-body drags.
-====Left and Right attack:====
-These attacks can only be performed by swords, and can be performed by moving your mouse left/right(left for a left attack, right for a right attack). These have no difference between each other except for their swing direction. (This section may be expanded upon additional testing)
-===Additional notes:===
-Attacks have 2 phases: A windup, during which you cannot hit, and a "thrust" phase, during which your character will thrust his weapon, and can hit opponents. Attack also have a very small "linger" phase, where the bayonet isn't being thrusted anymore, however, it can still hit opponents.
-There is a built in sensitivity lock for all attacks, however, by blocking and then attacking(pressing right mouse button->pressing left mouse button->letting go of right mouse button) we can bypass this lock. We will exploit this in the spinning section of the advanced part.
-Dragging your attack too much(moving it around, spinning) will cause you to deal less damage.
-While attacking your movement speed is slightly slower than when not attacking. On a basic level this shouldn't affect you too much, but if you're chasing someone only attack when you're sure to hit
-==Damage mechanics:==
-Attacks actually can deal different damage depending on where you hit and how you hit. We will quickly go over them here.(Note: We're talking about line infantry vs line infantry combat, which is the general competitive format)
-Action Hits to kill
-Upper body hit+no drag= 1
-Upper body hit+drag = 2
-Lower body hit+no drag= 2
-Lower body hit+drag = 2
-As you can see, hitting the upper body deals more damage than hitting the lower body, and dragging decreases the damage you can do. There isn't a lot more to talk about this, and so this section ends.