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I'd like to check my understanding of how this works - If you want to move to an adjacent zone, you have to take a RUN action (fast) in order to do so and you are then NEAR everyone in that zone? To move within ARM'S LENGTH of them would require a second move and would leave you NEAR every other character, is that correct?

Thinking about the example on Page 85 with the tactically inept Orcs - If I have initiative and want to attack someone in an adjacent zone, I need to RUN twice, once to move zones and once to move to within ARM'S LENGTH, whereupon they can SHOVE me to the floor and STAB me with a sword without me being able to defend myself. Clearly, anyone doing that would need their head examined.

What's more likely to happen in practice is that I RUN to the adjacent zone and then hold my second action in the hope that my enemy is up for fight and will move to within ARM'S LENGTH on his turn, at which point we both have one action left and I can initiate combat. Alternatively, if he doesn't engage me, I can use my held action once he's finished his actions to move next to him and start combat in the following round. - Does that all make sense?

There doesn't seem to be much about holding actions in the text, except the AWAIT action in the Hidden Combo section - so it would be good to have that clarified.

The other aspect of movement that concerns me is Rough ground - I'm not keen on the idea that you roll Movement or fall over, it sounds like it could easily descend into slapstick. I'm not sure what the alternative is though - require a slow action to move into or within Rough ground? So Turn 1 - enter the zone (Slow) and still have a fast action left to parry. Turn 2 - close with the enemy (Slow) and still have a fast action left to parry. Turn 3 - Proceed with combat. That feels like it's slowing things down quite a bit.

You need to be very tactical when fighting in this game. We have done two sessions of playtesting (mostly combat) and we start to get the hang of it. Now when I move in to engage a player I do just as you described, a Run action to move into their Zone and then I save my other action until later. There is a talent that allows you to do this engage move without paying an action (a very useful talent).

If you are using the advanced combat rules, then both players secretly selects both their actions (done by cards) at the same time. So in order to show that you want to save an action so you can parry or dodge later, there is a card for doing so (Await). That's the reason they needed to explain what that card was for. If you play with the normal combat rules, you can always save an action so you can parry or dodge later in the turn, you show that by simply say that you are saving one of you actions (and you can show it by turning your Initiative card as a reminder).

When it comes to Rough terrain. This would be up to the GM to decide what is Rough. To avoid "slapstick", let Rough really be something that is rough. Meaning a forest is not rough but a jungle is for example.

Yes. To clarify, when it's your time to act in the turn, you can't choose delay your actions to carry them out later in the turn. You can however save one or both actions to Dodge or Parry later in the turn, should someone attack you. If nobody does, those saved actions are forfeit.

Regarding rough terrain, how about this option?
1) slow action to move cautiously in 1 zone of rough terrain without having to roll Move.
2) fast action to run in 1 zone of rough terrain, requiring a Move roll.

Notice that when a SLOW action is traded for a FAST action, like in this example, it does not mean that you have to walk leisurely. This is just an observation about the narrative presentation of course. A tactically better choice might be to use the FAST action to move and save the SLOW for the option to actually attack later if your enemy also moves (to put you both at ARMS LENGTH). That saved SLOW action can still be traded for a FAST action to parry.

I completely agree about the ROUGH terrain and falling over. It needs to either become a bit more nuanced or better exemplified when the rule applies.

Is their a charge option? Running two zones and attacking?

Is their a charge option? Running two zones and attacking?

There is a talent that allows you to do that.

Yes, the Melee Charge talent allows a combined move and attack:
"When you move from NEAR to
ARM’S LENGTH range you can, at the same
time, SLASH, STAB, PUNCH, or SHOVE. This
is called a CHARGE."

So, I guess that addresses part of my issue - I'd still like the option to hold an action though, so I move, then my opponent moves and we both have an action left for a proper fight. I suppose playing through the flow of the fight in my head, one of us will want to parry in that first exchange of blows, I'd prefer it was him rather than me though. Coriolis (and I know I keep citing it, becoming a bit of a Coriolis ) allows you to use your defensive action to either parry (reduce opponent successes) or counter-attack and damage your opponent at the same time he hits you. Maybe that could be an option?

Coriolis (and I know I keep citing it, becoming a bit of a Coriolis ) allows you to use your defensive action to either parry (reduce opponent successes) or counter-attack and damage your opponent at the same time he hits you. Maybe that could be an option?

Oh yes, I’d hope so. I LOVE that option in Coriolis, and it seems perfect for the pseudo-medieval combat of Forbidden Lands. 

Coriolis (and I know I keep citing it, becoming a bit of a Coriolis ) allows you to use your defensive action to either parry (reduce opponent successes) or counter-attack and damage your opponent at the same time he hits you. Maybe that could be an option?

Oh yes, I’d hope so. I LOVE that option in Coriolis, and it seems perfect for the pseudo-medieval combat of Forbidden Lands. 

Maybe if the parry role generates extra these could be spent on a counter attack?