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[Dynaes]

I've seen the rule for withdrawing using acrobatics, but I haven't been able to find whether you grant attacks for passing by someone.  I.E. if I approach a character and move through the hexes next to him to get around him, can he attack me (assuming he has an attack left)?

As a follow up, can a character just walk up behind someone to gain combat bonuses, or do you assume that a character can freely turn to face them (assuming one on one combat).  I've ruled that a character is free to spin, but if he has already defended against someone without a flank bonus then he can only move to a facing that would keep that person in a non-flanking position.  This seems in line with it becoming very difficult to prevent a flank as the fourth combatant appears, and also keeps in the spirit that everything happens in 3 seconds, so things are all but simultaneous, with slight favor based on initiative.  Is this spelled out anywhere, and/or how do you folks handle this?

[Smilingknight]

There aren't any attacks of opportunity in Anima, if you had initiative and held back your action I think you could choose to attack when someone passed by.

As for the free spin, the only reference in the rules is where they explain the flanking rules. A skilled fighter  can keep 3 enemies in front of him especially since small movements are passive actions.

I like your house rule if you are using minis though, it makes sense

[Gimp]

If you moved within engagement range of another model, continuing on past the model would count as leaving an engagement, and require either an Acrobatics roll or allow the opponent a free strike.
 
Think of combat as a fluid environment, rather than static pieces on a board.
 
For someone moving in on another model's flank or rear, it's easy to use a Notice check to see if they spot them coming.  If they had already seen them, it would be very difficult to move in on them, but if they hadn't, you would base the Notice on the situation (Hidden, dark, etc...).
 
Using a D&D move around before attacking could work if you wanted overly simplistic combat, but since Anima gives us a much more cinematic style, it would be silly not to use the tools we've been given.

[Smilingknight]

If you moved within engagement range of another model, continuing on past the model would count as leaving an engagement, and require either an Acrobatics roll or allow the opponent a free strike.
 
Think of combat as a fluid environment, rather than static pieces on a board.

I never even considered doing it that way, but it makes sense.
I'd prefer to use the initiative order to determine this, i.e. if you couldn't react quick enoighto attack that person because you were to slow, him running past you shouldn't be able to attack him now. And since initiative is rerolled every round, it doesn't hamper a character as badly as a bad DnD roll.

[Lia Valenth]

I never even considered doing it that way, but it makes sense.
I'd prefer to use the initiative order to determine this, i.e. if you couldn't react quick enoighto attack that person because you were to slow, him running past you shouldn't be able to attack him now. And since initiative is rerolled every round, it doesn't hamper a character as badly as a bad DnD roll.

That is what Surprise is. If your initiative for the round is 150 points above the other persons then they can not attack you, and you gain extra abilities like sticking close to the slower one and interrupting as they attempt to attack any of  your allies.
If your going to allow them to retreat from combat/move around the person without acrobatics checks, you should make it require a high value of initiative. Maybe you do not need to obtain surprise (150pts above them) to run past them without worry, but you still need 100pts above them. Or you could give a bonus/penalty to the acrobatics roll equal to half the difference in initiative.

[Gimp]

If you moved within engagement range of another model, continuing on past the model would count as leaving an engagement, and require either an Acrobatics roll or allow the opponent a free strike.
 
Think of combat as a fluid environment, rather than static pieces on a board.

I never even considered doing it that way, but it makes sense.
I'd prefer to use the initiative order to determine this, i.e. if you couldn't react quick enoighto attack that person because you were to slow, him running past you shouldn't be able to attack him now. And since initiative is rerolled every round, it doesn't hamper a character as badly as a bad DnD roll.

Unless you're severely distracted, taking a swing at someone running past you is extremely easy.  The initiative system for Surprise does a nice representation for that.

[Dynaes]

Good points all around.  In addition to it being easy to take a swing at someone darting past, if someone does the D&D walkaround, it gives you plenty of time to turn to react to them (assuming you are aware of them).  I know my players like to think tactically and use flanking etc, but I do like the point about the cinematic nature of this combat.  I think I'll experiment with allowing freedom to face an opponent at will until you are fighting >3 opponents, in which case #4 and #5 (in order of initiative) automatically get to flank you, and #6 automatically gets a back attack.  Of course, I don't expect to see a single person fighting 4, 5, or 6 opponents too often, I suppose it's possible.

Slowly but surely I'm working out the assumptions/expectations that years of D&D have beaten into me.  Then I get to beat it out of my players.  Thanks for the responses.

[Sharpandpointies]

Of course, I don't expect to see a single person fighting 4, 5, or 6 opponents too often, I suppose it's possible.

That dude better hope he has some kind of serious edge over his opponents - mobility, Dominion techs, martial arts for better defense, whatever.  Facing four or more opponents who are close to on par with someone is a fast way to get smeared in Anima.  :) 

Slowly but surely I'm working out the assumptions/expectations that years of D&D have beaten into me.  Then I get to beat it out of my players.  Thanks for the responses.

Different system, different styles.  :) 

[Gimp]

I worked with a historical group that did mock battles for a while.  There was a man who enjoyed the challenge of fighting with the many groups in our area, and who was a great example for what a person can do in combat.
 
I watched him face off against ten opponents multiple times, and win.  He was fast, and very adroit at outmaneuvering the opposition so he never had to deal with more than three of the group at a time.  Those, he slowly whittled down.
 
I would not give multiple opponents an automatic flank or rear on a character.  I'd let the character roll on Acrobatics for fancy outmaneuvering, or Tactics for smart maneuvering, to keep the opposition tied up amongst themselves.
 
A large group attacking a single target have disadvantages many people don't consider.  Everyone trying to attack a narrow target range (one person) is going to make their attacks snarl on each other unless they are really well trained for such things.

[Dynaes]

Ah, Gimp, why do you have to do this to me?  Now I have to decide between realism and ease of play.  I guess I have some (more) thinking to do about what is more important to me.  My gut says leave the ease of play to our D&D games and really enjoy the openness and realism that this system allows. 

[WolfintheMeadow]

This game is largely anime based... realism in combat is the last think I worry about, lol.

We worry about other things. Like how long it would take the group to travel 500 miles on foot when one of us has Serious Illness...

We ended up having to carry somebody whilst they slept.

[Gimp]

Ah, Gimp, why do you have to do this to me?  Now I have to decide between realism and ease of play.  I guess I have some (more) thinking to do about what is more important to me.  My gut says leave the ease of play to our D&D games and really enjoy the openness and realism that this system allows. 

I love the cinematics available using Anima's system.  The action can be over the top, but still work like a movie fight scene, as opposed to D&D's current rigid grid concepts.
 
Keep it simple, or use what the game gives us, and it can still be a lot of fun.  If I was more interested in simple, however, I'd go with a system that doesn't give cinematics as well as Anima does.
 
One of Anima's strengths is from what you can do with the system, as opposed to being constrained in unrealistic ways like D&D.  There's no reason for simplistic combat, when anime, and Anima, offers so much more.

[Arikail]

I think I'll experiment with allowing freedom to face an opponent at will until you are fighting >3 opponents, in which case #4 and #5 (in order of initiative) automatically get to flank you, and #6 automatically gets a back attack.

Hmmmm.... I thought that was how it worked anyway. I don't have my books on me, or I'd check, but I distinctly recall seeing that somewhere not long ago.

I would not give multiple opponents an automatic flank or rear on a character.  I'd let the character roll on Acrobatics for fancy outmaneuvering, or Tactics for smart maneuvering, to keep the opposition tied up amongst themselves.

On the other hand, I do like this, and would definitely allow it for someone who wanted to try.

[Ozymandius]

  I'd let the character roll on Acrobatics for fancy outmaneuvering, or Tactics for smart maneuvering, to keep the opposition tied up amongst themselves.
 

What kind of difficulty would you require for this?

[Gimp]

  I'd let the character roll on Acrobatics for fancy outmaneuvering, or Tactics for smart maneuvering, to keep the opposition tied up amongst themselves.
 

What kind of difficulty would you require for this?

I'd keep it simple, and use an opposed roll against the highest Attack rating in the opposition for an ongoing fight, and against the new opposition if someone was joining a fight.
 
That fits the mechanic for using Acrobatics to outmaneuver a single foe for a flank or rear attack.