I must admit that I'm not big fan of attack of opportunity
Doing fencing when I was younger and have attended self defense training against knife I've been learned that run away from combat is good and reasonable way to avoid injury. Escape from combat can be achieved quite easily without being hit. Problem is when the attacker try to chase defender. When he catch up he can hit defenders back without able to defend effectively. This mechanism was used in Warhammer fantasy battle.
Although I'm not martial art expert and someone more experienced could provide different opinion.
In my pen and paper sessions I try to learn my players that retreat can be good option. Same thing pays for their enemies. There is no reason to get massacred by much more powerful opponent.
I believe that attack of opportunity was introduced to D&D to streamline and speed up combat when character are being hit when they try to retreat. There are also no exp for runaway monsters
But I think Engagement mechanism will work fine for the Ethernity and make the combat fun and tactical, although I think its not very realistic
I really recommends you to check the The One ring pen and paper rpg http://www.cubicle7.co.uk/our-games/the-one-ring/. They have really nice, fun and simple system of combat stances.
I must admit that I'm not big fan of attack of opportunity Doing fencing when I was younger and have attended self defense training against knife I've been learned that run away from combat is good and reasonable way to avoid injury. Escape from combat can be achieved quite easily without being hit. Problem is when the attacker try to chase defender. When he catch up he can hit defenders back without able to defend effectively. This mechanism was used in Warhammer fantasy battle. Although I'm not martial art expert and someone more experienced could provide different opinion. In my pen and paper sessions I try to learn my players that retreat can be good option. Same thing pays for their enemies. There is no reason to get massacred by much more powerful opponent. I believe that attack of opportunity was introduced to D&D to streamline and speed up combat when character are being hit when they try to retreat. There are also no exp for runaway monsters But I think Engagement mechanism will work fine for the Ethernity and make the combat fun and tactical, although I think its not very realistic I really recommends you to check the The One ring pen and paper rpg http://www.cubicle7.co.uk/our-games/the-one-ring/. They have really nice, fun and simple system of combat stances.