Small Critters With Artillery
From RPT GM David M.
...to address your actual issue, 'Making Monsters Marvelous Again'... Kobolds and goblins.
Everyone thinks that because they're small, they're not a problem. 'We'll just charge in, screaming, hacking with swords to break them up and cause fear'.
That's fine.... but kobolds and goblins actually do really well with ranged weapons. Yes, they're not physically strong, but they have good dexterity.
Now picture a group of 10 goblins who are on a scouting mission, in mid-winter. They have been told to scout around the area, and see if there are any animals worth hunting for food. A very simple objective... they're actually not interested in open combat, their mission is to find food for the tribe.
Six of the group are carrying three javelins each, the other four have shortbows, with two quivers of arrows each. They're a scout group, and they know it. Their orders are not to engage, unless it is absolutely needed - and even then, it's a tactical retreat. Pick off as many of those who threaten you, and retreat. They're not roaming around to pick fights, they've been sent out to look for food.
Now you have a party of 5 PC's, and they walk into an apparent ambush. Actually, it isn't.... the PC's and the goblin scout group, simply happened to cross paths at the worst possible moment. The goblins are chasing a deer that they hit, but didn't kill.
RP to the extreme! The PC's might see goblins, and think... wipe them out! That's usually the norm. However, the goblins have their orders..... do not engage in combat. So now, the goblins will retreat in all directions.... but they're not being cowardly. They're retreating to take advantage of their ranged weapons, which they are really good at. They have no interest in an open fight, but they will use ranged weapons to avoid actual combat, so as to get back to actually tracking down that deer for food.