The detail for the Run Away! maneuver states to use the player's Horsemanship skill vs Intensity if on horseback. Is this instead of a standard combat roll to determine whether the PK is struck while running away? If this is the case and, given that the UI is likely to be seriously high in a Run Away! situation, the enemy seems almost certain to automatically critical their attack. This doesn't make Run Away! a great option to escape the battle without risking likely death.

Or, is there still meant to be a separate combat roll to determine whether the PK is struck. If so, what is the purpose of the Horsemanship roll?

I think I am missing something here. Please help.

The detail for the Run Away! maneuver states to use the player's Horsemanship skill vs Intensity if on horseback. Is this instead of a standard combat roll to determine whether the PK is struck while running away? If this is the case and, given that the UI is likely to be seriously high in a Run Away! situation, the enemy seems almost certain to automatically critical their attack. This doesn't make Run Away! a great option to escape the battle without risking likely death.

Or, is there still meant to be a separate combat roll to determine whether the PK is struck. If so, what is the purpose of the Horsemanship roll?

I think I am missing something here. Please help.

You miss nothing
except perhaps that this is usually imposed, not voluntary

If asked, I will allow a Passion roll of Love (Family) here, where I would almost never allow it for an attack

I was thinking of the answer to this. It seemed straight forward enough until this question popped up and I took a closer look.

I can't see why the roll is opposed vs Intensity when on horseback but Enemy Combat skill when on foot. Should it not be either both vs Intensity or both vs Enemy Weapon skill? The current ruling would seem to favour those on foot, as Intensity can get very high.

I was thinking of the answer to this. It seemed straight forward enough until this question popped up and I took a closer look.

I can't see why the roll is opposed vs Intensity when on horseback but Enemy Combat skill when on foot. Should it not be either both vs Intensity or both vs Enemy Weapon skill? The current ruling would seem to favour those on foot, as Intensity can get very high.

I see your question now
I think that I made that difference to give some chance for a knight on foot to escape at all
But perhaps it is best to give it to both mounted and afoot men, since it is imposed when the Intensity is already very high
I think that I prefer that the answer be that it is against the unit's Combat Factor +10 for anyone

Also, the key to this maneuver is that the player chooses which unit to run through to escape

I used Horsemanship vs Enemy Weapon Skill at the time. The UI was 69 at the time...Battle of Humber (Evening)!! It didn't seem right for a knight on horseback to suffer an automatic critical while a knight on foot would have had a good chance of escaping unscathed. I think I like your idea of using Horsemanship or Weapon Skill as appropriate vs Enemy Weapon Skill +10. I'll give this a try next time.

Incidentally, this was my group's first experience of the new BoB system and, overall, we loved it. We played through the Battle of Humber (Evening) and (Morning) and the players really enjoyed the choices open to them and the sense that their actions could influence the overall outcome of the battle. As GM, I really enjoyed the sense of drama the new system helps to create and the clear procedures to resolve each action. The enemy stats from BoA are pretty nasty though! We played the previous battle system extensively and never quite fell in love with it, but the new rules seem fantastic!

Thank you Greg for continuing to evolve this superb game!

UI was 69! Can you break that down, how on earth was it that high?

BI 44 + 10 (Battle Size Mod) + 10 (Battle Zone) + 5 (Disordered)...Arthur's army routed on next round.

The BI started at 39 [20 +10 (Outnumbered 5:1) +5 (Surprised) + (3d6-10)].

It was a short, sharp decisive victory for the Saxons. The player knights and Srthur got the chance for revenge in the Morning Ambush next day!