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Old 10-31-2020, 03:48 AM   #26
Steve Plambeck
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Default Re: Swinging from the sidelines

The Seven Percent 16.7% Solution

I've come up with this as a uniform solution to the separate but similar problems of unintended targets in both ranged attacks and HTH combat. I wrote it for another system, but it translates easily into TFT house rules. It is on the simple side, coming down to only one or two dice rolls in most situations, and at most 3 rolls under any circumstances -- I was going for playability, speed, and ease of understanding for new players. Despite which I think the odds of striking or shooting your friends or unintended targets are a little more realistic than the RAW.

IN RANGED ATTACKS
Determine the line-of-fire normally, hex center to hex center. Determine the normal adjDX for the shot under regular circumstance (for range and other situational bonuses and penalties). Then, charge -1 DX for each intervening figure standing in the way of the target. For example, if there are 3 intervening figures, that's an extra -3 adjDX. If the attacker makes their roll, the target is hit, and you're done in one roll.

If the target is missed solely due to the adjDX penalty for intervening figures, then there is a possibility of hitting one of the intervening targets. If the roll to hit was missed by a larger margin, then the shot sailed passed the target and only figures in the line-of-fire beyond the intended target are at risk.

For intervening figures, simply roll 1d6. On a 1, the figure closest to the target, friend or foe, got hit. On a 2 you hit the second closest to the intended target, etc. If there are 6 intervening figures, the odds become 100% that one of them will be hit, and if there's only one such figure the odds fall off to 16.7%. If the number rolled exceeds the number of intervening targets, the shot sailed past all of them and the originally intended target.

When the shot gets passed the intended target, also roll 1d6 if there are more potential targets in the line-of-fire. If there is a standing figure that many hexes beyond the intended target, friend or foe, that figure is hit. Yes, anyone more than 6 hexes passed the original target is safe. Each eligible figure on either side of the intended target, be they friend or foe, has a 16.7% chance of being hit.

STRIKING INTO A HTH COMBAT HEX
There is no +4 DX bonus for trying to strike a prone figure, due to the complication of aiming into a pile of thrashing figures. The number of 1-hex figures in a HTH combat hex is also limited to seven (7) figures. The attacker makes a normal roll against their adjDX to hit the desired target. If that roll misses, consider the other counters in the pile to be numbered from top to bottom, from 1 to the maximum of 6. Roll 1d6, and the number that comes up is the figure hit, friend or foe. If the number rolled exceeds the number of figures, no one got hit.

NOW COMBINED: FIRING INTO A HTH COMBAT HEX
Any ranged attack (missile or thrown weapon) into a HTH combat hex is at an additional -2 adjDX, unless the attacker it standing immediately adjacent to that hex. If the attacker is further away, AND there are intervening figures in the line-of-fire, there is again (as above) a -1 DX penalty for each intervening figure, cumulative with the -2 just mentioned. If the attacker makes this adjDX roll, the intended target in the HTH combat is hit, and you're done in one roll.

Exactly as above, if you miss the roll solely due to the DX penalty for the intervening (standing) figures, you must roll 1d6 to see if you hit one of them. If you missed your original target, and missed any and all standing figures that were in the way, your shot or thrown weapon goes into the HTH combat hex. Again, consider the counters in the pile numbered from top to bottom (excluding the intended target you already missed) and roll 1d6 to see if you hit anyone, friend or foe. Anyone in the HTH combat stands a 16.7% chance of being hit when the intended target and any intervening figures have been missed, and there is a 100% chance somebody will get hit if there are 6 figures beside the intended target in that hex.
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Last edited by Steve Plambeck; 10-31-2020 at 06:28 PM.
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