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<blockquote data-quote="Mannahnin" data-source="post: 8158906" data-attributes="member: 7026594">Reach and occupied space (varying amounts based on weapon length, even) were covered in AD&amp;D starting in 1978.&nbsp; I think BECMI dropped them for the sake of simplicity, but inadvertently left out some basic details like fighting frontage in a 10' hallway which AD&amp;D and Moldvay B/X DID cover.I'm surprised to see you write that &quot;a lot&quot; of the old maps were in 5'=1&quot; scale.&nbsp; IME almost all of the old ones (certainly all the classics from the 70s and 80s) used 10' squares, and 5' squares only became the de-facto standard once 3rd edition came around.&nbsp; There were hints of it earlier; Zanzer Tem's dungeon was from the 1991 basic D&amp;D boxed set, which was the last gasp of the basic D&amp;D line.&nbsp; I guess we saw some other 5' square action in the 90s with 2nd ed, but I wasn't buying a lot of modules in that period.&nbsp; I wonder how common it was. I guess during the AD&amp;D 2nd ed Combat &amp; Tactics era they were emphasizing grid-based combat more, so it would make sense if they transitioned to 5' square-scale maps in the mid 90s, even prior to 3E.As Marc already quoted, Moldvay B/X helpfully recommends (as I think BECMI overlooked) each character taking up 5', which is simpler than, for example, AD&amp;D 1st edition's 3.33' (three characters abreast in a 10' corridor) baseline, which was modified based on what exact weapons characters were armed with.Anyway, your approach of up-scaling that map to four times the size by reading the 5' squares as 10' squares can definitely work.&nbsp; I've done the scale flip with some Dyson Logos maps when I wanted a more open or a tighter layout.OTOH, playing Room #3 as a tight little brawl, where the characters can't bring their superior numbers to bear, is also a valid approach.&nbsp; As is Theater of the Mind, with the DM just judging based on real-world distances.&nbsp; In reality, a few people (especially if they're missing their weapons or just have daggers, and aren't trying to swing 3' swords around) COULD squeeze into a 5' x 10' room, especially if they were jumping on and dogpiling a lone guard.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mannahnin, post: 8158906, member: 7026594"] Reach and occupied space (varying amounts based on weapon length, even) were covered in AD&D starting in 1978. I think BECMI dropped them for the sake of simplicity, but inadvertently left out some basic details like fighting frontage in a 10' hallway which AD&D and Moldvay B/X DID cover. I'm surprised to see you write that "a lot" of the old maps were in 5'=1" scale. IME almost all of the old ones (certainly all the classics from the 70s and 80s) used 10' squares, and 5' squares only became the de-facto standard once 3rd edition came around. There were hints of it earlier; Zanzer Tem's dungeon was from the 1991 basic D&D boxed set, which was the last gasp of the basic D&D line. I guess we saw some other 5' square action in the 90s with 2nd ed, but I wasn't buying a lot of modules in that period. I wonder how common it was. I guess during the AD&D 2nd ed Combat & Tactics era they were emphasizing grid-based combat more, so it would make sense if they transitioned to 5' square-scale maps in the mid 90s, even prior to 3E. As Marc already quoted, Moldvay B/X helpfully recommends (as I think BECMI overlooked) each character taking up 5', which is simpler than, for example, AD&D 1st edition's 3.33' (three characters abreast in a 10' corridor) baseline, which was modified based on what exact weapons characters were armed with. Anyway, your approach of up-scaling that map to four times the size by reading the 5' squares as 10' squares can definitely work. I've done the scale flip with some Dyson Logos maps when I wanted a more open or a tighter layout. OTOH, playing Room #3 as a tight little brawl, where the characters can't bring their superior numbers to bear, is also a valid approach. As is Theater of the Mind, with the DM just judging based on real-world distances. In reality, a few people (especially if they're missing their weapons or just have daggers, and aren't trying to swing 3' swords around) COULD squeeze into a 5' x 10' room, especially if they were jumping on and dogpiling a lone guard. [/QUOTE]

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