waysoftheearth wrote:In Chainmail's missile firing rules, two Hobbits firing sling stones count as three firing.
In OD&D Hobbits are "deadly accuracy with missiles as detailed in CHAINMAIL".
In Greyhawk, Hobbits instead have a +3 attack adjustment with slings.
I've been thinking some more about this....
In Chainmail's MASS BATTLE missile rules, Hobbits can "fire stones" as far a bow, and every two firing count as three (slings are not mentioned, nor even included anywhere in the rules). The mass battle mechanics calculate casualties based on numbers firing and target armour--they're not very D&D-like at all.
But Chainmail's MAN TO MAN rules (the basis of D&D combat) provide a mechanic for individual shooting; a missile-weapon vs. armour-type matrix attack that looks similar to the melee attack matrix. You throw 2d6 and compare the result to a "to hit" number, which differs for short/medium/long range, and makes more armoured targets harder to hit. However, the MtM rules also state the rules of mass battles also apply in MtM combat.
So how should the Hobbits' advantage in Mass Battles be reconciled with the individual shooting rules?
I got to thinking that the 3:2
numbers advantage for mass battles could be expressed as a 3:2
dice advantage in individual shooting. I.e., what if Hobbits rolled three dice (and discarded the lowest) rather than rolling two dice for individual shooting? So I calculated the hit probabilities for all weapon versus all armour types at all ranges, for both straight 2d6 and for 3d6 dropping the lowest. And then compared the results.
It turns out that 3d6 drop the lowest is, on avarage, a +13.3% advantage over straight 2d6 for individual shooting under the MtM rules. That is "near enough" to +15%, or a +3 attack adjustment on a d20. And +3 is exactly the advantage which Greyhawk would later ascribe to Hobbits firing slings.
So, knowing all that, I figure that the mass battle rule for Hobbits firing translates "neatly" into a +3 advantage on a d20--as given in Greyhawk--though I'm sure it was never determined this way in the '70s!
Owing to the various instances of Hobbits throwing stones (and apples) with uncanny accuracy in Tolkien's stories I figure this advantage should by applicable to small hand hurled missiles (not spears!), as well as to slings. Bearing in mind that like adjustments do not "stack" in OD&D--only the largest applies.
edit:
p.s. What is also interesting is that, according to the MtM missile tables:
Hits at short range are on average 57.9% likely. Hit at medium range are on average 14.6% less likely (-3 on a d20) than at short range. Hits at long range are on average 29.0% less likely (-6 on a d20) than at short range.
These range adjustments look more sensible than OD&D in which, hits at short range are on average 42.5% likely. Hits at medium range are then at -1 (on a d20), and hits at long range are then at -2 (on a d20).
