Roleplayer #10, May 1988

## From the GURPS Reference Screen

#
New Hit Location Table

Due to the limitations of a 2 die range, we have revised the GURPS hit location table a 3 die range. Originally appearing on the GURPS Reference Screen, we present the new table here for those of you who have not yet purchased the screen.
Random Location is used when a part of the body must be randomly chosen as a target (for instance, by falling rocks or an arrow fired from far off). Roll 3 dice to determine what part of the body was hit.
Hit Penalty shows the subtraction to skill when attacking that part of the body of a foe. Note that armor may also give a body part extra passive defense. See Armor Tables in Charts and Tables.
Major Damage is the effect of a serious wound on the body part.

#### Notes:

1. If the brain is hit, the skull provides a natural DR of 2. This is in addition to any armor, Toughness, etc., the victim possesses. The victim is stunned on hits over HT/3, and knocked out on hits of over HT/2.
2. More than 2 hits of damage blinds the eye. An impaling or missile hit (if the weapon is under 1 inch across) gives an automatic brain hit, as above; skull's DR does not protect! If the target is wearing a helm, only a missile or thrusting attack can hit the eye; such a hit bypasses both the skull's DR and the helm's DR.
3. The table is designed to distinguished between the arms of a man carrying a shield. If a shield is not present, and neither arm is nearer, roll randomly to determine which arm (or leg) is hit.
4. Crushing blows to the brain or vitals require the victim to make a roll against HT to avoid knockout (see Injury on the Reference Screen, or Knocking Someone Out, p. 6, RP 9). If the brain or head is the target of a swung hand weapon, of if the vitals are the target of a bullet or impaling attack, a roll that misses by only 1 is treated as a hit to the torso.

    Random   Body Part  Hit Penalty      Result of
    Location          (Subtract from    Major Damage
                      Attack Skill)

    4 or less   Brain          -7          See notes 1 and 4.

    5           Head           -5         No DR; no special damage
                                      results, but critical hits go to
                                          Critical Head Blow Table.

    --          Eyes           -9               See note 2.
    --          Eyes           -10           As above. Armor does not
        (through helm's eyeslits)           protect! See note 2 below.

    6  Shield (far) arm[3]     -4          Damage over HT/2 cripples
                                          arm. Excess damage is lost.

    7     Hand (roll for       -4         Damage over HT/3 cripples
          left or right)                 hand. Excess damage is lost.
    --     Shield (left) hand  -8                   As above.

    8   Weapon (near) arm[3]  -2              As for shield arm.

    9-11    Body (i.e., torso) 0             No special results.

    12     Far leg[3]         -2         Damage over HT/2 cripples
                                         leg. Excess damage is lost.

    13, 14    Near leg[3]     -2                  As above.

    15, 16  Foot (roll for    -4        Damage over HT/3 cripples
            left or right)              foot. Excess damage is lost.

     17+     Vital organs     -3     Impaling weapons and bullets
              (in torso)                that penetrate armor do
                                     triple damage, not double.[4]

    --         Weapon      -3 to -5    Weapon may fall or break.

    (see Attack Mods)

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