diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
index a67ac666d2..b9033daac4 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwbase/world.hpp
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ namespace MWBase
             virtual MWWorld::Ptr  getFacedObject() = 0;
             ///< Return pointer to the object the player is looking at, if it is within activation range
 
+            /// Returns a pointer to the object the provided object is facing (if within the
+            /// specified distance). This will attempt to use the "Bip01 Head" node as a basis.
+            virtual MWWorld::Ptr getFacedObject(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, float distance) = 0;
+
             virtual void adjustPosition (const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr) = 0;
             ///< Adjust position after load to be on ground. Must be called after model load.
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
index 5cc09624b5..de239d6346 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwclass/npc.cpp
@@ -305,14 +305,19 @@ namespace MWClass
 
     void Npc::hit(const MWWorld::Ptr& ptr, int type) const
     {
+        MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
+        const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting> &gmst = world->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>();
+
         // Get the weapon used (if hand-to-hand, weapon = inv.end())
         MWWorld::InventoryStore &inv = getInventoryStore(ptr);
         MWWorld::ContainerStoreIterator weapon = inv.getSlot(MWWorld::InventoryStore::Slot_CarriedRight);
         if(weapon != inv.end() && weapon->getTypeName() != typeid(ESM::Weapon).name())
             weapon = inv.end();
 
-        // FIXME: Detect what was hit
-        MWWorld::Ptr victim;
+        float dist = 100.0f * ((weapon != inv.end()) ?
+                               weapon->get<ESM::Weapon>()->mBase->mData.mReach :
+                               gmst.find("fHandToHandReach")->getFloat());
+        MWWorld::Ptr victim = world->getFacedObject(ptr, dist);
         if(victim.isEmpty()) // Didn't hit anything
             return;
 
@@ -362,8 +367,6 @@ namespace MWClass
                 //damage *= weapon_current_health / weapon_max_health;
                 if(!othercls.hasDetected(victim, ptr))
                 {
-                    const MWBase::World *world = MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld();
-                    const MWWorld::Store<ESM::GameSetting> &gmst = world->getStore().get<ESM::GameSetting>();
                     damage *= gmst.find("fCombatCriticalStrikeMult")->getFloat();
                     MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->messageBox("#{sTargetCriticalStrike}");
                 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
index 3881523769..9cf944656c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.cpp
@@ -304,6 +304,19 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return results;
     }
 
+    std::pair<std::string,float> PhysicsSystem::getFacedHandle(const Ogre::Vector3 &origin_, const Ogre::Quaternion &orient_, float queryDistance)
+    {
+        Ogre::Vector3 dest_ = origin_ +  orient_.yAxis()*queryDistance;
+
+        btVector3 origin(origin_.x, origin_.y, origin_.z);
+        btVector3 dest(dest_.x, dest_.y, dest_.z);
+
+        std::pair<std::string,float> result = mEngine->rayTest(origin, dest);
+        result.second *= queryDistance;
+        return result;
+    }
+
+
     void PhysicsSystem::setCurrentWater(bool hasWater, int waterHeight)
     {
         // TODO: store and use
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
index d7e8532601..2b8cb00afc 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/physicssystem.hpp
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ namespace MWWorld
             Ogre::Vector3 traceDown(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr);
 
             std::pair<float, std::string> getFacedHandle (MWWorld::World& world, float queryDistance);
+            std::pair<std::string,float> getFacedHandle(const Ogre::Vector3 &origin,
+                                                        const Ogre::Quaternion &orientation,
+                                                        float queryDistance);
             std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedHandles (float queryDistance);
             std::vector < std::pair <float, std::string> > getFacedHandles (float mouseX, float mouseY, float queryDistance);
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
index d839a051a1..cf651a2e71 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "../mwmechanics/movement.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwrender/sky.hpp"
+#include "../mwrender/animation.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwclass/door.hpp"
 
@@ -776,6 +777,28 @@ namespace MWWorld
         return object;
     }
 
+    MWWorld::Ptr World::getFacedObject(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, float distance)
+    {
+        const ESM::Position &posdata = ptr.getRefData().getPosition();
+        Ogre::Vector3 pos(posdata.pos);
+        Ogre::Quaternion rot = Ogre::Quaternion(Ogre::Radian(posdata.rot[2]), Ogre::Vector3::NEGATIVE_UNIT_Z) *
+                               Ogre::Quaternion(Ogre::Radian(posdata.rot[0]), Ogre::Vector3::UNIT_X);
+
+        MWRender::Animation *anim = mRendering->getAnimation(ptr);
+        if(anim != NULL)
+        {
+            Ogre::Node *node = anim->getNode("Head");
+            if(node != NULL)
+                pos += node->_getDerivedPosition();
+        }
+
+        std::pair<std::string,float> result = mPhysics->getFacedHandle(pos, rot, distance);
+        if(result.first.empty())
+            return MWWorld::Ptr();
+
+        return searchPtrViaHandle(result.first);
+    }
+
     void World::deleteObject (const Ptr& ptr)
     {
         if (ptr.getRefData().getCount()>0)
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
index 1b436373ba..45cb1f61e8 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/worldimp.hpp
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ namespace MWWorld
             virtual MWWorld::Ptr getFacedObject();
             ///< Return pointer to the object the player is looking at, if it is within activation range
 
+            /// Returns a pointer to the object the provided object is facing (if within the
+            /// specified distance). This will attempt to use the "Bip01 Head" node as a basis.
+            virtual MWWorld::Ptr getFacedObject(const MWWorld::Ptr &ptr, float distance);
+
             virtual void deleteObject (const Ptr& ptr);
 
             virtual void moveObject (const Ptr& ptr, float x, float y, float z);