Relative Distance in Fighting

From Combat Strategy:

Real distance is determined by the absolute measure of distance from one point to another. However, this objective measure works only in a world where all people are physical and mental equals. Since this is unreasonable, you cannot rely on real distance alone to determine your combat strategy.

Relative distance is used to account for the many mitigating factors of actual combat including:

• Skill level
• Mental toughness
• Speed
• Size
• Types of available weapons (bodily and environmental)
• Vulnerability of targets exposed
• Type of techniques available

EXAMPLE: In neutral and long-range combat, you use speed to initiate an attack. However if your opponent is faster than you, you will easily be countered before you complete the attack. If you are faster, then your relative distance to the target is shorter but if your opponent is faster than your relative distance is longer.