Combat Table

After several sessions, it seems like player characters are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to combat. A 1st level character is already -4 to hit against something like an Orc!
So here we change that. Character classes have a base THACO at first level. Every level they go up, then get 1 better. A 0-level freeman is equivalent to a 0-level magic-user and a 1HD monster. Therefore a 1+HD monster is equivalent to 1st-level magic user.

Class/Monster	upto 1-1HD/NA	1-1HD/NA	1HD/Lvl 0	1+HD/Lvl 1	2HD/Lvl 2	3HD/Lvl 3	4HD/Lvl 4	5HD/Lvl 5	6HD/Lvl 6	7HD/Lvl 7	8HD/Lvl 8
Monster	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13
Freeman	-	-	21	21	21	20	20	20	19	19	19
Magic User	-	-	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13
Cleric/Thief	-	-	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12
Fighter/Ranger	-	-	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11

Ability and weapon modifiers then get applied on top of these (automatically in the case of the online character sheets)
THACO (To Hit Armour Class 0) - therefore subtract the AC to the number required.

e.g. Level 3 Fighter to hit AC5 is THACO = 16 - 5 = 11

e.g. Asus or Suilven (1st level ranger/fighter) default to hit a Kobold AC7 = THACO = 18 - 7 = 11 (which seems about right as they should have about a 50% chance to hit these small creatures who have little skill and only mildly effective skin against a sharp sword blade)
BUT because they have better than average strength (both 17), they get +1 to hit.
Suilven would be 10 to hit the Kobold
Asus, who chooses to use a long sword, for which Elves get +1 , would be a 9 to hit the little Kobold.

e.g. In comparison, Zalman (1st level hobbit magic-user) default to hit a Kobold AC7 = THACO = 20 - 7 = 13. Still a challenge. If he'd been one less on strength, he would have been +1!

Freemen (and women) improve fighting capability every three levels. So level 9-11, will be 18, 12-14 would be 17, and 15-16 (max) would be 16. The reasons for this would be the expectation that people of increased standing would be trained to become more proficient at combat.