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: @@
-==Defense==
+==⚔️ 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.
-Defending in Holdfast is straightforward. You can block in 4 directions; up, down, left, and right. You can block using muskets, swords, and boarding pikes. Other weapons such as the knife are unable to block.
+=== 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
+|}
+----
-===Up and down block:===
+== 🛡️ 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.
-The Up and down block are going to be your most used block directions due to the prevalence of muskets.
+=== 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.
-To perform a block, move your mouse in the direction you want to block. I.e. if the incoming attack is a downward attack, you will have to move your mouse downwards then hold the right mouse button to block it. Even if a down attack is aimed at your head, only a down block will block it. The crosshair is a useful indicator of which direction you'll block in.
+* '''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.
-Blocks happen near-instantaneously and have a very slight grace period after letting go of the right mouse button.
+=== 2. Expert Tips for Defence ===
-When practicing block directions instead of moving your mouse the "expected" amount of distance for an up or down block you should exaggerate the movement. This helps you reliably block in your intended direction when you are actively moving and rotating while engaging in melee.
+* '''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.
-As you become more familiar with blocking you will become better accustomed to the required amount of movement to perform a block.
+----
-===Left and right block:===
+== 🗡️ Offence (Attacking) ==
+Offence follows the same directional logic as defence but includes a "holding" mechanic.
-These blocks should only be utilized against a sword, and have no use otherwise.
+=== 1. Attack Phases ===
-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.
+# '''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.
-==Offense==
+=== 2. Attack Types ===
-Offense is quite similar to the mechanics discussed for defense, but with a differences.
+* '''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.
-====Up attack:====
+----
-Similar to an up-block, this attack can be performed by moving your mouse up then pressing the left mouse button. Pressing and then letting go of the left mouse button results in you attacking right away while holding the left mouse button will cause you to hold your attack.
+== 🩸 Damage Mechanics & Vital Statistics ==
+Damage is calculated based on hit location, movement (dragging), and class-specific buffs.
-====Down attack:====
+=== 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
+|}
-Similar to an down-block, this attack can be performed by moving your mouse down then pressing the left mouse button. Pressing and then letting go of the left mouse button results in you attacking right away while holding the left mouse button will cause you to hold your attack.
+=== ⚠️ Critical Modifiers ===
-====Left and Right 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.
-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).
+=== Class Resistances & Buffs ===
-==Misc.:==
+* '''Grenadiers:''' Have a permanent, static resistance to melee damage.
+* '''Guards:''' Can "One-Shot" straight-stab even health-buffed units.
-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.
+* '''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.
-==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
-==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