The 2 skulls in TA

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

You're dealing with two different books. Basic took the more direct and simple approach that on a random hit from behind, it wasn't possible to hit the face, or at least not probable enough to afford the chance on the random roll.

Low-tech takes the more refined approach that allows you to target the face from behind (ears, side of the jaw, etc...), but because of the awkward position and difficulty to target, it's at -7 instead of -5.

Er, I don't think the latter has anything to do with Low Tech. Isn't that fully covered in the Basic Set? You could always make a called shot to the face from behind. You couldn't hit it on a random hit location roll, is all.

Ah, on checking it looks like the swapping of -7 and -5 when striking from behind is from MA137.

Originally Posted by Gudiomen

Where is this text you talk about in helmets protecting area "5" from behind? I'm going to need a quote.

The text I'm talking about, and the only reference I can find that associates area "5" with a skull hit is on Basic, p.552, the hit location table, note [4]. Where it says to treat a random roll of 5 as a skull hit.

From Low Tech 111:
-On pot helms: "(areas 5, 17-18 get no protection – front or rear)."
-On the bascinet: "(all of areas 3-4, plus area 5 from the back but not the front)." It goes on to add that it has a 1 in 6 chance of protecting the face because of its ear coverage.

On LT112, there's some text that might conflate face with the front of area 5:
"Each addition provides the helmet’s DR over a
certain hit location and has a chance of protecting against
an attack to the front of area 5. Add up the listed odds and
roll 1d. If the result is equal to or less than the total, then
the helmet’s DR protects the face."