HYENA

FREQUENCY: Common
FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Wilderness Plains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Hills], [Tropical Wilderness Forest], [Tropical Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains])

NO. APPEARING: 2-12
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 3 ~ 16
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: II | 35 + 3

SAVES: 13.14.15.16.16

Hyenas are pack animals dwelling on warm plains. <>
They are hunter/scavengers with very strong jaws and aggressive if hungry. <cf. wolf>

Giant (Hyaenodon)

FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Swamp], [Tropical Wilderness Plains])
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 5
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ~ 15
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L <>
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 90 + 5

Hyaenodons are simply huge (prehistoric) hyenas.

<d>

<Scent ability, perhaps - National Geographic>
<0.9 M tall, 68 KG - National Geographic><check>

Joe Maccarrone wrote:
...
Thank you -- more juicy bits falling from the Master's gaming table... :)

I think overbearing is the most frequently overlooked aspect of AD&D combat. A few dozen humanoids should be a serious threat to any lone hero, and force him to look for a position of tactical advantage.

My interpretation is that an overborne combatant must be successfully grappled on subsequent rounds, to keep him on the ground (where he is assumedly being stabbed, smashed, etc.). If a group overbears an individual, I then have them divide their efforts in subsequent rounds -- some holding him down, some delivering weapon attacks (at +4 to hit, with no shield or Dex bonuses, of course). If a grappling attempt fails, or if another condition of breaking the grapple is met (e.g. a bend bars roll), the victim can regain his feet immediately.

Is this the way you handled these situations?

Thanks,

Joe

Pretty much, yes.
In a skill based system all that can be managed with opposed roles, the defender getting penalties, the attackers bonuses.

An animal pack attacks this way--lions, hyenas, wild dogs, wolves.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Overbearing (DMG) (UA1) (UA2) +
 

Elfdart wrote:
Colonel, lately I've been re-reading books of folklore and mythology from all over the world. One book about Middle Eastern mythology makes it pretty clear that the ghoul was based on hyenas: desert-dwelling, laughing, corpse-eaters. I noticed that you created Yeenoghu as demon lord of ghouls and gnolls. Did you make the ghoul/hyena connection way back then?
 

As far as I recall I had discovered that the ghoul was from Egyptian folklore, a demonic creature.
I then connected them to hyenas, famed scavengers, via Yeenoghu.
As I have seen plenty of hyenas as a lad at the zoo, heard their calls and smelled their stink, that seemed most fitting to me.
I really dislike those animals 

Cheerio,
Gary