Dungeons & Dragons: Replacing - Pagana
Cripple ♥♥♥♥♥♥ is taking over Pagana's position.

Quick clarification on D&D BECMI on how to hit, using THAC0.
TACH0 means "To hit armour class 0" which is your common reference for three reasons.
1: It sounds good.
2: You have a table of THAC0-THAC9.
THAC0: 19
THAC1: 18
THAC2: 17
THAC3: 16
THAC4: 15
THAC5: 14
THAC6: 13
THAC7: 12
THAC8: 11
THAC9: 10

Your base armour class is given by your armour type (No armour = AC 9, Leather = AC 7, Chainmail = AC 5, etc). then you add your bonuses (Shield -1 to AC, Dex 16 -2 AC). Let's say you have chainmail armour, 16 dexterity and a shield, you would have a base armour class of 5, which is modified to a 2 for your shield and dexterity bonus (5 - 2 - 1 = 2). Now you have an armour class worked, someone needs to hit you. Somebody has no bonus and decides to attack you. he rolls a 16 which hits AC 4 (THAC4 result). If he had 14 strength (14 str, + 1 to hit) then he would have modified his Roll to a 17, which hits AC 3 (THAC3 result). A miss in the first case, but in the second he would now cause damage. he hits you with a short sword, doing D6 damage for the weapon, plus 1 for his strength bonus (14 str, +1 to damage). He rolled a 4, giving him a total damage of 5. You now have a temporarily lost 5 hit points (keep your total HP and have a current HP).

3: you can calculate your to hit in another way. You roll a D20, add your bonuses and the enemy's AC together, if you would have hit AC 0 then you would have hit the target. You will not know the Armour Class of monsters in D&D, only the DM does. You are allowed to guess or figure it out, but each monster's stats may be different.
So how does this work in practise? You roll a D20, you get a 15. you then add your strength bonus of 2 for being strength 17 and get a 17. your opponent is in chainmail and shield for an AC of 4, so you add 4 to your roll. You get a total of 21, which is greater than your THAC0 of 19. You hit! Then you roll damage using a Longsword, rolling D8 for the sword and adding 2. you rolled an 8! you do 10 (8+2) points of damage and he drops dead.

Note: It is impossible to have an armour class of 10 or higher (even if they have a dexterity penalty for instance) but it is possible to have an armour class better than 0, and will be likely to occur in your second adventure and beyond.
Note: In hand to hand combat, you get a strength bonus to your to hit and to damage rolls. In ranged combat you get a dex bonus to hit only, damage is unmodified. Some thrown weapons use strength bonuses (such as hand axes).
Note: The modifiers for to hit are: Training, Strength, Magical bonuses, Miscellanious modifiers (Such as behind cover).

Combat menouvers at first level:
Retreat! Run 3 times your normal encounter speed away from the enemy. You give your oppoenent a free attack with +4 to hit and no shield bonus!
Fighting withdrawl: you back up 10 feet a round, able to fight the enemy as your withdraw.

Spears, pikes and certain weapons may "set" against a charge, dealing double damage.
Lances may be "couched" when charging on horseback, dealing double damage.

Please read the cyclopedia if you want to find more. Fighters gain fighting styles at 12 level (I think) for things like "parry". Also the weapon proficiencies give you certain skills or abilities as you level up. (on top of additional to hit bonuses and new damage for your weapons). You may advance in weapon mastery every once so often. Fighters have 4 skill slots at first and gain them more often, other classes get two to start.

Skills: You can get more as your progress.

I hope this helps.

"Make sure nobody makes a mess" The bartender orders his newest staff member, Lucius. Wearing a hood standing with a fine crafted spear and bow from a distant land, the unscrutinised guard hides in the shadows of the corner of the tavern. He is alert to the presence of all the guests. The tavern is especially busy today, many rough men in worn plain cloth, a figure or two in hay hates and a fist around his mug. The night grows dark. Iron clad, an eight foot tall figure drinks fine delicacies at the front of the tavern, speaking in posh tone to his neighbours. An acolyte of the Order of the Golden Griffon sits cheerfully at one desk. engaging in conversation & drink but keeps a cautious eye on the suspicious looking man standing alone at the wall that has taken no drink, no chair, no order at all. He looks like he could be up to something, but what? The rogue looking figure scans the room, finding and searching for worthy warriors that may aid him in making his fortune, noticing the large iron monster of a man at the front.

Two more walk in, a tall fair elven maiden, fitted with elven maille, bow and a fine-light sword that would sweep through the air like a leaf on the wind. The other a squirt of a man, carrying an axe on his belt and a pin readily available. His leather suit fitted by a belt covered in an arsenal of items ready to engage with any simple door or device. The Elven maiden seems cautious, another one to stick in the corner to the shadows, refusing to enter conversation or eye contact; Such actions and presence catch the eye of the guard first stationed in the opposite side of the wall by the staircase. It is rare in human lands to see one of the Elven kind, never mind two who have never met. She seems able to hold her own in a fight, however. The man walks around the room, first taking a drink of something mildly weak and a strong ale which he hands over to the first snive he sees. He pinches out of the drunk man's pocket with immense skill and evasion only enough coin to perhaps buy a quality wine for the big man who seems rich enough but is he daring or does he take an easy prey next to him?

The Night in the tavern is filled with cheer, shouts, joy, glimmering copper and silver, all bringing a ting in the barkeep's eye.