table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by Anthony

In reality, there's a tendency to attack an opponent where they leave an opening, and that is reasonably implemented as random or semi-random hit location.

True, and I'm fine with that, but I've also seen a lot of talk about how much it leaves to be desired.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Plane

I never paid close enough attention to B552 to notice until now, but...

This goes all the way back to Man-to-Man.

If you want a "realistic" answer it's because the original combat rules assumed that all fighters were melee/unarmed fighters standing in "refused" stances with the left leg leading and the left arm protected by a shield.

The game mechanics reason is that there's no good way to assign even probabilities of a hit to the left/right arm/leg locations using 3d without using sub-tables.

It's not as elegant, but if you want a truly random hit location generator for a standing adult, start with 1d and assign hit location probabilities based loosely on the medical "rule of 9s" which defines surface area for various body parts. From there, roll one or two additional d6 to determine exact hit location.

1 = Head/neck (1-2 = skull, 3-5 face/head, 6 neck)
2 = Arms/hands (2nd d6 = 1-3 L, 4-6 R, 3rd d6 1-2 upper arm, 3 elbow, 4-5 forearm, 6 = hand)
3-4 = Torso/groin (1 vitals, 2 Upper chest (Hit Location 9) 3 Chest (Hit Location 10), 4-5 abdomen, 6 groin)
5-6 = Legs (2nd d6 = 1-3 L, 4-6 R, 3rd d6 1-2 thigh, 3 knee, 4-5 shin/lower leg, 6 = foot)

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by edk926

Which leads to a question, as a left-handed person myself, would I be at any advantage or disadvantage vs the right handed? We would be mirror images of each other instead of a typical right vs right fight.

It depends on how you're trained.

Realistically, if you're a lefty fighting right-handers in a world where right-handedness is normal, you have a minor advantage. This is because you're used to fighting right-handers but right-handers have a minor Unfamiliarity penalty (-1 or -2) unless they've specifically been trained to fight left-handers or the combat skill you're using makes left/right distinctions relatively unimportant (e.g., wrestling or sumo wrestling).

Likewise, unless YOU have been trained to fight left-handers, you also have an unfamiliarity penalty should you encounter a sinister-handed opponent (and vice-versa).

In many cases, there are minor hassles to being a left-handed combatant, like guns with ejection ports mounted on the right side which spit hot brass onto your arm if you're a left-handed shooter and melee weapons optimized for right-handed users. In particular, some shields have strap arrangements which force leftys to use the shield upside down or at a similar odd angle and basket-hilted swords often have hilts which make it impossible for a lefty to hold them properly. Modern compound bows might have grips, arrow rests, and sights designed for right-handers.

If you're a lefty in a "refused" stance, with a weapon in your left (leading) hand the side of your torso which contains your spleen and pancreas is facing forward, meaning a slightly greater chance of hits to those organs than to the liver which is on the right side. Likewise, the left ventricle of your heart (which pumps blood through the body) is on the leading side. Since getting shot or poked in any of those organs is bad news, it's a wash in terms of combat survival, but wound mechanics will be slightly different and damage to the left ventricle is more likely to be lethal.*

If you're in an "open" stance (e.g., like a wrestler), left/right hand distinctions don't matter as much, unless you have a habit of attacking to just one side of your foe's body, in which case you have a Quirk.

*Leftys are also at slightly greater risk for electrocution since they're likely to touch a live wire with their left hand, grounding themselves via their left arm and the left side of their body, so current is more likely to go through the left ventricle.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Being left handed means your style is less familiar to likely opponents, which is an advantage, but also means it's harder to find people who know how to teach you, which is a disadvantage. Overall, it's probably a net positive. The fact that you're attacking your opponents from their weapon side instead of their shield side is negated by the fact that they're doing the same to you, and is thus net neutral.

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

It depends on how you're trained.

Realistically, if you're a lefty fighting right-handers in a world where right-handedness is normal, you have a minor advantage. This is because you're used to fighting right-handers but right-handers have a minor Unfamiliarity penalty (-1 or -2) unless they've specifically been trained to fight left-handers or the combat skill you're using makes left/right distinctions relatively unimportant (e.g., wrestling or sumo wrestling).

Likewise, unless YOU have been trained to fight left-handers, you also have an unfamiliarity penalty should you encounter a sinister-handed opponent (and vice-versa).

In many cases, there are minor hassles to being a left-handed combatant, like guns with ejection ports mounted on the right side which spit hot brass onto your arm if you're a left-handed shooter and melee weapons optimized for right-handed users. In particular, some shields have strap arrangements which force leftys to use the shield upside down or at a similar odd angle and basket-hilted swords often have hilts which make it impossible for a lefty to hold them properly. Modern compound bows might have grips, arrow rests, and sights designed for right-handers.

If you're a lefty in a "refused" stance, with a weapon in your left (leading) hand the side of your torso which contains your spleen and pancreas is facing forward, meaning a slightly greater chance of hits to those organs than to the liver which is on the right side. Likewise, the left ventricle of your heart (which pumps blood through the body) is on the leading side. Since getting shot or poked in any of those organs is bad news, it's a wash in terms of combat survival, but wound mechanics will be slightly different and damage to the left ventricle is more likely to be lethal.*

If you're in an "open" stance (e.g., like a wrestler), left/right hand distinctions don't matter as much, unless you have a habit of attacking to just one side of your foe's body, in which case you have a Quirk.

*Leftys are also at slightly greater risk for electrocution since they're likely to touch a live wire with their left hand, grounding themselves via their left arm and the left side of their body, so current is more likely to go through the left ventricle.

Yeah my experience matches Pursuivant's left handed fighters live in a right handed world, but right handed fighters often only briefly visit a left handed one.

But yeah what you are doing matters a lot. For an extreme example sports fencing with foil (so very side on and a long way from fighting). On my first day at the University fencing club our ability had all been roughly assessed to see where we were in terms of experience. I had a few years at that point so was OK and obviously better than the people who'd never picked up foil before, just the flyer at freashers fair. So they put me up against this 2nd year who'd been in the club for the previous year. So I'm 5' 11" pretty broad and right handed but she was maybe 5ft, very slim and left handed. (Foil's restricted target area).

So yeah I have a massive reach advantage magnified by step advantage, but for me it was still like hitting a postage stamp on the other side of the world. Whereas for her if she could get inside it was like hitting a lake while standing on the bottom.

[Pursuivant]

Potential Quirks:

Freaked Out by Left-Handed Fighters

Gives you a -1 penalty to attack or defend vs. left-handed opponents in unarmed or melee combat.

Left-Handed Shooter:

You sight with your left eye and draw, shoot, or throw the weapon using your left hand.

It forces you to use specialized equipment when using many sorts of ranged weapons. Leads to all manner of minor hassles when forced to use standard equipment designed for right-handers.

In some cases it might even be dangerous, such as if you have to put your head in the way of a recoiling cannon in order to sight through an offset reticule designed for right-eye dominant gunners.

Potential Perk

Style Familiarity (Left-Handers)
You have extensive experience fighting left-handed opponents and don't suffer penalties for lack of Familiarity when encountering such foes.

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by edk926

Which leads to a question, as a left-handed person myself, would I be at any advantage or disadvantage vs the right handed? We would be mirror images of each other instead of a typical right vs right fight.

In sword and shield engagements you may have an advantage against right handed fighters. Your natural attacks strike through a portion of my RH facing that is normally open. I can parry but the LH fighter has a lot of options to trigger a parry and then thrust anywhere from the top of the R leg to my face. Or pull off a Rapid Strike using the first one as a spoiler to get the opponent to commit to covering one part of his anatomy then strike something that is left open.

RH fighters can pull their shields way to the right but it screws up getting shots off and the LH guy is very practiced at blocking and parrying exactly those shots - he fights righties all the time. RHanders can get better at fighting lefties, they just need the opportunity.

Downsides - it is hilarious to see two lefties try to fight! They don't know what to do. Again this can be mitigated by practicing against other LH fighters.

I would make this a Familiarity thing. Fighting RH people is the base no matter what hand is dominant for a character. Buying Familiarity against LH fighters mitigates any bonuses given to them or minuses incurred. Up to you as to how big those adjustments are. I definitely had a hard time working out how to get around a LHers shield and how to watch out for LH attacks.

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by edk926

Which leads to a question, as a left-handed person myself, would I be at any advantage or disadvantage vs the right handed? We would be mirror images of each other instead of a typical right vs right fight.

In sword and shield engagements you may have an advantage against right handed fighters. Your natural attacks strike through a portion of my RH facing that is normally open. I can parry but the LH fighter has a lot of options to trigger a parry and then thrust anywhere from the top of the R leg to my face. Or pull off a Rapid Strike using the first one as a spoiler to get the opponent to commit to covering one part of his anatomy then strike something that is left open.

RH fighters can pull their shields way to the right but it screws up getting shots off and the LH guy is very practiced at blocking and parrying exactly those shots - he fights righties all the time. RHanders can get better at fighting lefties, they just need the opportunity.

Downsides - it is hilarious to see two lefties try to fight! They don't know what to do. Again this can be mitigated by practicing against other LH fighters.

I would make this a Familiarity thing. Fighting RH people is the base no matter what hand is dominant for a character. Buying Familiarity against LH fighters mitigates any bonuses given to them or minuses incurred. Up to you as to how big those adjustments are. I definitely had a hard time working out how to get around a LHers shield and how to watch out for LH attacks.