AD&D1 -- How many PCs? How many hirelings?

[Silver Moon]

My group started back in 1982 and we usually had around 7-9 active players, so 8 seems about right. I also played in a second group that had around the same. We went through a period of around a year back in 1983 where I actually had a group of 14 active members, with at least a dozen at every game - that was just plain nuts!, but the games were some of the funnest I've ever played. By the early 90's we were down to 6 players, at which point the adventurers would also bring along an NPC or 2 on every adventure to round out the party.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I averaged around 8 players in my 1E days, though we never had any hirelings.

I still find 6 players to be about the best group mix. You can cover all the roles without falling into the fighter, cleric, rogue, wizard stereotype.

 

[Ranes]

Our group had 4-6 players, 5-6 PCs and anything up to six hirelings at a time, though there was a high turnover.