The Kick Attack maneuver in Arsenal p160 reads:
A staple of many martial arts, kicking has a greater range and power
than punching. The attacker receives +1 Reach on Unarmed Combat Tests
when using a Kick Attack.
No requirement, straight bonus, no malus.
From a mechanics point of view, is there any reason not to use a Kick Attack maneuver on all Unarmed Combat attacks?
Best Answer
The Arsenal lists a variety of Martial Arts Techniques. All of them have different bonuses for different fighting styles. As a boxer, punching is better than untrained kicking, while grappling and kicking are favored by other styles. Generally, if you are untrained, you are right, kicking is king. However, any training will dwarf the simple +1 reach from untrained kicks. A master in a technique will not need that +1. Their own technique will grant about +3 in some aspects, some have more reach, do more damage or grant defense dice.