The purpose of the Armed Combat Maneuvers (or ACM, as many refer to it) is to augment your main fighting skill. With the exception of killing blow, there are no purely offensive skills or attacks in ACM. You will find that the list of skills one can learn in this field is dominated by dodging techniques.
A skill set for the agile and able warrior, its basis lies in the philosophy that the best way to defend against an attack lies in not being there to receive it.
Dodge
– The most basic technique of avoidance and an easy skill to learn. You will find it useful against many different types of attacks. From slashes, swats, and side-strikes, to the tearing bites from rats and hounds, dodge offers good protection.
Sidestep
– A second easy skill, sidestep is the counterpart to dodge and can usually avoid the easy-level attacks that dodge does not cover. These include straight and direct attacks such as jab, stab, simple strike, the overhead strike of clubs, and snapstrike.
Duck
– The most reliable way to keep your head attached to your neck. Duck is also an easy skill, which will avoid most attacks aimed high, or towards any regions of the upper body, including the head, face, neck, arms, and hands. It is useful against both slashing and jabbing attacks.
Swaying dodge
– An average level skill that is useful against attacks which are directed specifically towards the head and face. It is noted for avoiding sapping attacks, longarm strikes, and the very common chop attack, among other things.
Leg dodge
- This average skill is the counterpart to duck for attacks aimed low. Note that low blocks and dodges are, in general, harder in difficulty to learn, adding to the importance of leg greaves and a sturdy set of boots.
Battlecry
– This action heightens one's concentration and increases one's chance to strike at an opponent during the next attack. [In game terms, it lowers the success of your next attack by 10]
Combat Guarding
– A useful, if difficult skill in which you prevent others from approaching the person you are guarding. Few are proficient in it, in part because of the difficulty of the action, but it allows the strength of one powerful warrior to be extended over another who is less proficient in fighting. The skill is also useful for preventing passage through doors and small corridors. [In game terms, the initial success/roll does not matter when you initiate guarding another character. However, the success does indicate your chances of blocking someone from approaching that character. For example, if your success was 30 when you began guarding that person, you will have a 70% chance of blocking an attempt to approach him]