Sneak attacking - I'm a tad confused

[hong]

That would mean you couldn't flank with an (untrained) unarmed strike or a 3.5 whip. And yet, by the rules, your melee attacks gain flanking bonuses as long as your ally threatens. But when he attacks, he doesn't gain a flanking bonus, because his ally - you - doesn't threaten.

I said threatening was sufficient. I didn't say threatening was necessary.

The flanking rules are clear, but Hive Mind tries to use different rules that don't exist...

I can't see hive mind actually causing problems in play, whatever the rules might be. The intent of the ability is crystal-clear, which is that you can't flank one formian unless you can flank every formian, by which I mean you can get into the correct position.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I can't see hive mind actually causing problems in play, whatever the rules might be. The intent of the ability is crystal-clear, which is that you can't flank one formian unless you can flank every formian, by which I mean you can get into the correct position.

I'm going to come back to the unarmed strike.

A is wielding a longsword. B is unarmed and untrained. X is in between them.

When A attacks, he is not flanking; his ally does not threaten.

When B attacks, he is flanking; his ally threatens.

If X is a formian, is X considered to be 'flanked' when C attacks Y?

Same question if A loses his sword.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

I'm going to come back to the unarmed strike.

A is wielding a longsword. B is unarmed and untrained. X is in between them.

When A attacks, he is not flanking; his ally does not threaten.

When B attacks, he is flanking; his ally threatens.

If X is a formian, is X considered to be 'flanked' when C attacks Y?

I don't care.

The rules exist to cover the situations that are likely to come up in play, not those that are created as artificial examples to showcase their shortcomings. I think I can say with some certainty that the situation where a formian is flanked by one unarmed guy and one armed guy is not going to come up in 99% of games, and so there is no great need for the rules to be specific about that situation.

"All models are wrong, some are useful" -- George Box

 

[Hypersmurf]

The rules exist to cover the situations that are likely to come up in play...

But this rule doesn't The situation where two formians are simultaneously flanked is extremely unlikely to come up in play, because of how flanking works.

Haven't you been paying attention?

-Hyp.