Combat Pragmatist/Tabletop Games

Examples of Combat Pragmatists in Tabletop Games include:

Board Games

 * Lukas the Trickster in Warhammer 40,000 is the dirtiest fighter in the Space Wolves Chapter, making him the dirtiest fighter in an army of dirty fighters, and thus easily the dirtiest fighter in the whole damn Imperium. He went so far as to have one of his hearts replaced with a bomb, just to make sure he takes the other guy out with him.
 * And said bomb is a stasis grenade that traps those caught in the blast in a stasis field, where they can only hear Lukas' laughter for the rest of eternity.
 * The Magnificent Bastard.
 * He DOES play up the Space Wolves as berzerkers just so nobody realized what bloody brilliant tacticians they really are...
 * Gabriel Seth, Chapter Master of the Flesh Tearers Chapter. In close combat, he isn't adverse to headbutting an opponent, kneeing them in the groin or biting their throats. This is represented by him getting a free attack every time an opponent in close combat rolls a one. This ability alone makes him able to go through fifty man conscript units with ease.
 * And, surprisingly, the Grey Knights have a beautiful Combat Pragmatist in the form of their amazingly heroic and powerful Brotherhood Champions, who can, when fatally wounded, pour all their power into one final attack that can kill anything. Such attacks are even more potent for their unexpected arrival. Not to mention that their captains have absolutely no problem calling down Nemesis Dreadknights when faced with Daemon Princes or Orbital Bombardments on their own location to spite enemies.
 * Virtually anything the Orks do. Ork logic is basically, "If I win, I win, so it don't matter how I won see?"
 * Notable among the Orks is the Blood Axes clan, while other Orks are content with a brute-force strategy will employ concepts like special forces, camoflage, and retreating if things go bad. Other tribes consider this Unorky, but the Blood Axes stick with what works.

Tabletop Roleplaying Games

 * Too many Dungeons & Dragons classes to name. The rogue's "Sneak Attack" ability is probably the most prominent example; dealing extra damage by specifically striking vulnerable parts of the body. The Sandstorm expansion in 3.5 includes mechanics for blinding opponents with sand. Stormwrack includes mechanics for holding opponents underwater until they drown.
 * The Drunken Master, a drunken-boxing prestige class for the (martial artist) monk, gains proficiency with improvised weapons. Depending on how good you are at getting crap past the DM, a Drunken Master can use Flurry of Blows with anything he damn well feels like. "Want to see what else I can do with furniture?"
 * Paranoia: The main book includes a "Tips for Traitors" section with such advice as "Don't shoot at your buddy the first excuse you get. This gives him a chance to shoot back. Dumb. Wait till he's busy with something else (better yet, give him something else to keep him busy), then shoot at him."
 * The Dawn caste Solars of Exalted. They're natural warriors, skilled in all forms of combat. Every. Last. One. Also, Solar Hero Style is a combination of this, Improbable Weapon User, and Good Old Fisticuffs.
 * All Dawns have the innate skill to be this, but it doesn't stop several from having more strict personal warrior codes.