OD&D Resolving Combat with OD&D using Chainmail rules against non-Chainmail monsters?

Kai Lord

Hero
Hello, I know that most who play OD&D simply use the "Alternative Combat Method" that syncs up with pretty much every version of D&D/AD&D up until 3E but I've been reading through both the OD&D and Chainmail rules and have been trying to wrap my head around the idea of going full Chainmail for combat as referenced by Book I Men & Magic. What I'm wondering is how the game expects players and referees to adjudicate combat with monsters that were not listed in the Chainmail "Fantasy Combat Table." For PC's M&M gives a "Fighting Capability" Chainmail equivalent for each class and level so we know where they stack on the Fantasy Combat Table. But where does say a Beholder or a Purple Worm fit in? I've combed through the books and Reference Sheets to see if there's a chart listing the Chainmail Fighting Capability of all the new monsters but so far haven't found anything. Does such a chart exist or is that one of the many things that Gygax & Arneson assumed that each gaming group would simply write up their own rules for?
 

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Mannahnin

Scion of Murgen (He/Him)
I believe they assumed you would expand the FCT, basing relative strength on the ones which were included.

As a note, Daniel from Bandit's Keep on YouTube has some videos, including live streams, of him running OD&D using Chainmail-based combat. They may be of interest and useful to you.

 


overgeeked

B/X Known World
There’s a few resources floating around, including Compleat Chainmail, a 41-page PDF on Grey Elf. There’s also various blogs and forum threads.






 

Thondor

I run Compose Dream Games RPG Marketplace
Well this made me pull out my copy of "Champions of ZED: Zero Edition Dungeoneering." It attempts to present a "what if Gygax and Arneson's vision were a little more unified, and they had a good editor."

One of the things it does is present 3 methods of combat resolution, which is neat. It's relatively small bestiary lists things like
Giant Eagle - Attack 4 Lt Hrse, Defend 4 Hvy Hrse
Wraiths - Attack Hvy Foot, Defend 4 Hvy Foot

I've always meant to give the 2d6 methods in it a go.
 

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