Combat Example of DW Beta confuses me...

The Combat Example confused me quite a bit. While it describe an interesting Combat that shows many different aspects, it seems to work against the explainations of how the (GM-)moves should be used.

For example, why can the goblins attack and do damage even though there was no failure involved (Ranged Attack 10 -> a kill but the other does automatic damage or the charge against the wizard where no one roled), while the complete stealth-complete-miss had only a minor effect. Also it is written that Damage is a hard move and should be used sparingly, but in the example all the goblins go for damage.

Can anyone here clarify it for me?

For the why the goblins would do that, I'd say because the GM felt it was dramatically appropriate. As for the damage move to be used sparingly, well, it's a hard move, you're expected to use it whenever there's a golden opportunity, not necessarily just rarely. Again, essentially, whenever the GM feels it's appropriate.

The GM in AW engine games isn't really scrutinized, in my experience, just do stuff and your good as long as your players don't think you're being cheap.

Don't have the book handy, but when you announce some danger or something (a soft move you can do whenever) and the players ignore it / turn their attention elsewhere, you get to make a hard move (they've handed you a platter).

So, for example, the archer knows the goblins are nearby and close enough to attack, but still focuses on shooting... this opens him up to danger/damage.

The goblins attacked Rath; Nora tried to shot one of the goblins and killed him, but the other one had free course on damaging the poor Rath. So yes, they just ignored the threat and the GM made an hard move for this.

It might help to have the combat example annotated where one side has the table conversation and the other has short rules explanations and why things are happening in the narrative.

Yeah, like in AW where for every move there's its name enclosed in parenthesis.