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Old 04-03-2021, 08:50 AM   #11
RyanW
 
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

I always adjust the table to read lead/rear rather than left/right.
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Old 04-03-2021, 02:14 PM   #12
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by edk926 View Post
Which leads to a question, as a left-handed person myself, would I be at any advantage or disadvantage vs the right handed?
I actually asked that question of SJG back when GURPS 1e was first released*.

The answer (from SJ) was, in game terms, no. They were aware of the effect. And if they included a bonus to make being left-handed an Advantage rather than player choice (a Feature, to use later terminology), which didn't seem worthwhile for the small effect.


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* They had an invitation to submit questions by mail, with the questions written out with enough space between on that sheet for an answer, and a SASE - Self Addressed Stamped Envelope -- with your return address, in which they returned your question sheet with the answers written in. Which might be an interesting historical tidbit on how much technology has changed communication in the timespan of the game's existence.
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Old 04-03-2021, 06:04 PM   #13
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
Pistols used with modern grips tend to present the main hand (right for most shooters), and old-style one handed stances did too, especially those used for duelling, which were very strongly angled (to minimise the shooter's profile).
Only if shooting a pistol one-handed. If using a two-handed grip (preferred for control and accuracy) you cannot easily present the side of your main hand forward while keeping the two-handed grip; you're basically limited to presenting a square facing (firing straight ahead, presenting your full body and exposing right and left side equally) or taking a sideways stance and presenting your off-hand side if trying to reduce your exposure or take cover.

A lot of that is very fluid, though, and will change as you move around obstacles, take cover, and return fire.

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One-handed sword stances, when no shield or off-hand weapon was used, also tended to strongly present the main hand and side, for the same reason.
That's certainly true, and is largely done to increase reach while maintaining distance as a defensive stance. This is less true of short-reach weapons such as a knife, where you may need to use of your off-hand both offensively (to grapple) or defensively (to parry or take a blow while protecting your weapon hand).
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Old 04-03-2021, 06:27 PM   #14
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

One possibly fix might be to treat either arm result as "roll 1d, 1-3 is left 4-6 is right" and this would even the odds without needing to change too much.
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Old 04-03-2021, 07:54 PM   #15
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

From the point of view of the target (a PC), isn't it better to be winged on the left than the right? So the game is slightly biased in your favor.
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Old 04-03-2021, 10:28 PM   #16
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by Not View Post
From the point of view of the target (a PC), isn't it better to be winged on the left than the right? So the game is slightly biased in your favor.
That combined with it largely being a coincidence makes me think there's no 'problem' with the table's results and considering that it's no harder to intentionally hit one arm over the other the difference is quite small.
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Old 04-04-2021, 01:24 PM   #17
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by Not View Post
From the point of view of the target (a PC), isn't it better to be winged on the left than the right? So the game is slightly biased in your favor.
This might make being left-handed a disadvantage though since you're more likely to get hit in the good arm that your good hand is connected to.

But maybe if it's -0.5cp that doesn't qualify as a quirk and it's rolled into a 0pt feature.

It's just weird though since in theory you could change it with stances, there's even something in Gladiators about presenting one side forward.
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Old 04-06-2021, 05:14 AM   #18
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by ericbsmith View Post
Only if shooting a pistol one-handed. If using a two-handed grip (preferred for control and accuracy) you cannot easily present the side of your main hand forward while keeping the two-handed grip; you're basically limited to presenting a square facing (firing straight ahead, presenting your full body and exposing right and left side equally) or taking a sideways stance and presenting your off-hand side if trying to reduce your exposure or take cover.
In professional training the posture for both pistol and rifle shooting is mostly to try to be square against any threat when you cannot take cover as your vest covers more from front with no arm holes there(police) or the rifle plates only protect from front and rear(military) so you want them to be towards the possible threat.

And yes, pistol shooting is definitely taught to be two handed except when training with entry shields.
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Old 04-06-2021, 07:14 AM   #19
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by weby View Post
In professional training the posture for both pistol and rifle shooting is mostly to try to be square against any threat when you cannot take cover as your vest covers more from front with no arm holes there(police) or the rifle plates only protect from front and rear(military) so you want them to be towards the possible threat.
That's quite recent though. Until vests got good enough to reliably make a difference the training was to angle as much as possible to present a smaller target.

Old-style pistol duelling used a side-on stance for the same reason, using a one-handed grip (and had the elbow vertically below the shoulder so the arm covered as much of the vitals as possible).
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Old 04-06-2021, 07:36 AM   #20
Fred Brackin
 
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Default Re: table make why does random hit location hitting left side more likely?

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Originally Posted by Rupert View Post
That's quite recent though. .
By which, I believe Rupert means "during our lifetimes". :)

"Weaver stance" was new-ish when i was young. I believe this is discussed in thhe "Modern Pistol" Style in Tactical Shooting.
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