The new combat stuff is awesome! I made a human spearman hero and walked around the outskirts of town until I met a goblin hammerman. We were chatting when a goblin maceman and bowman showed up from opposite sides. I suspect a robbery, so I say goodbye to the hammerman and approach the bowman. I casually talk about the weather, then run around him to put him between the me and the maceman.
I grabbed his bow and was able to wrench it off him, which started a fist fight. The fight escalates and the maceman joins in, outnumbering me. The goblins were pounding me with their fists while I was using mostly quick kicks. I was able to put some distance between the hammerman and me, when I see the Bowman swing at me with his right fist. I intercept with my left, put it in a wristlock, did the same with his left, and broke both wrists. The bowman faints as I bash him with his crossbow.
The fight now escalates to lethal, so I rip the bowman's quiver off his back and pull out my knife. Thankfully the maceman only has a copper flail, so I charge him with my knife and wrestle the flail out of his hands. I break his wrists like with the bowman, but with more difficulty. then I shoot him in the leg with the crossbow and he faints. I then slit both their throats.
The goblin hammerman was either struck dumb or just didn't care, as he didn't even move or speak the entire time. I return to town and the villagers confirm my suspicions of bandits, so I head to the guardhouse (killing two more bandits along the way) and get two soldier companions. I "borrow" a bunch of armor and we set off to kill the bandit leader.
On the second day of our adventure, we think we see the bandit leader by the river fork. When we arrive, I see we are near some ruined buildings (that didn't show up on the map). My companions begin shouting about a night creature. I take one step and the maceman runs off and the spearman is being attacked by the bleak freak. I forgot that I didn't put many points into strength so my armor made me too slow to do anything but be shredded to bits by the bleak freak.
Man, this is so mutch fun!