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We had a peculiar situation the other night. Our halfling druid wanted to FLEE two attackers but could not because his foes were in the same zone. So he used FEINT to get the best initiative card and then RUN to move to an adjacent zone. The first round was then over as he started out with the worst initiative card.

What to do here? The next round starts with the defendant holding the best initiative card and being alone in his zone, so technically he can now FLEE. But this doesn't seem right as his pursuers are of course close behind and not just sitting on a rock while their foe uses his actions. It also doesn't seem right that one can simply RUN from close combat without any sort of dice roll.

Under the circumstances I ruled that a FAST non-rolled RUN can only be used to close the distance to ARM'S LENGTH. To leave close combat and enter a different zone, RUN should require a MOVE roll and count as a SLOW action.The pursuers then needed a like MOVE roll to keep up, or a better one to also close the distance to ARM'S LENGTH. Making this sort of RUN a SLOW action also meant the pursuers were limited to FAST attack actions in case they actually got back to ARM'S LENGTH and wanted to finish the round with e.g. a SHOVE, which seemed reasonable.

Our halfling got away, eventually, by rolling a really good MOVE roll to outpace his pursuers and was allowed to roll for FLEE.

Under the circumstances I ruled that a FAST non-rolled RUN can only be used to close the distance to ARM'S LENGTH. To leave close combat and enter a different zone, RUN should require a MOVE roll and count as a SLOW action.The pursuers then needed a like MOVE roll to keep up, or a better one to also close the distance to ARM'S LENGTH. Making this sort of RUN a SLOW action also meant the pursuers were limited to FAST attack actions in case they actually got back to ARM'S LENGTH and wanted to finish the round with e.g. a SHOVE, which seemed reasonable.

Had to read that paragraph a few times to wrap my head around it, but seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Hmm. There is in fact a RETREAT action that looks reasonable (p 85). It isn't listed in the action tables though, which is why we missed it. Please fix :)

I'm still tempted to say that running from an active pursuer should require a MOVE roll, somehow.

I'm still tempted to say that running from an active pursuer should require a MOVE roll, somehow.

Completely agree.

Is not "Fleeing the conflict" section (p.80) covering this situation? It does require a Move roll

Is not "Fleeing the conflict" section (p.80) covering this situation? It does require a Move roll

It's not allowed to flee if the combatants are in the same zone. The retreat action doesn't move you out of the zone, only out of arm's reach. If, after that, you run out of the zone and the pursuer runs too, what rules apply? With no roll required for running, can the one fleeing actually ever get alone in a zone (to be able to roll for FLEE)?

Ok. I did not get the point, sorry.
So you are proposing that, after a "Retreat" action, you have to win an opposed Move roll (it would be a Slow action as you are rolling) to actually put some distance. Then the PC can attempt "Flee".
Yes, it makes sense.

We had a peculiar situation the other night. Our halfling druid wanted to FLEE two attackers but could not because his foes were in the same zone. So he used FEINT to get the best initiative card and then RUN to move to an adjacent zone. The first round was then over as he started out with the worst initiative card.

What to do here? The next round starts with the defendant holding the best initiative card and being alone in his zone, so technically he can now FLEE. But this doesn't seem right as his pursuers are of course close behind and not just sitting on a rock while their foe uses his actions. It also doesn't seem right that one can simply RUN from close combat without any sort of dice roll.

I am not sure I see the problem here. He’d taken his knocks earlier in the first round, as he was last to act. Sacrificing any action to FEINT and run, seems good enough to flee next round. 

Thanks for bringing this up, we'll have a look and see if we can clarify the rules.