4E GURPS fantasy...which books please?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by rerednaw

Is a simple crossbow (probably knife backup) viable. I KNOW that bows are still the way to go (curse you DND!!) but I've always like the simplicity of the trusty crossbow.

The reloading time is the killer.

The best use I've managed to make of a crossbow in GURPS was on a ST-based character who wore heavy armour. When fights seemed possible, he'd carry it loaded and cocked, which requires being at the front so that accidental discharges don't hit comrades in the back (also, he was a Dwarf). When opponents showed up, he'd take one shot, discard the crossbow, and switch to a melee weapon. Loading during combat was never even considered.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by johndallman

The reloading time is the killer.

The best use I've managed to make of a crossbow in GURPS was on a ST-based character who wore heavy armour. When fights seemed possible, he'd carry it loaded and cocked, which requires being at the front so that accidental discharges don't hit comrades in the back (also, he was a Dwarf). When opponents showed up, he'd take one shot, discard the crossbow, and switch to a melee weapon. Loading during combat was never even considered.

This.
Dwarves in my setting use slings as primary ranged weapons (ammo easier to come by and more durable than arrows) but a good crossbow is handy for firing from formation or against foes rushing your shield wall.

[sir_pudding]

If you want to make an effective crossbow sniper for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy
check out the assassin occupation in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 12: Ninja. You won't be shooting a lot during combat, but you will be able to make those shots count.

[Captain Joy]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Also some of these free PDFs.
http://www.warehouse23.com/products?...D=558398545-sb
Skill categories, Martial Arts Techniques Cheet Sheet, Combat Cards, and the Magic Spell Charts can all be handy for the players.

GURPS Historical Folks is free, and unofficial; but just about as close to official as it can be without being so. Make sure you download both the original 3rd ed. document and the 4th ed. update; the 4th ed. update is just stat blocks without the accompanying descriptive text.

It was compiled and edited by Rev. Pee Kitty, so you know it's got to be good.

[tanksoldier]

I wanted to add to this thread that I often play a "standard" character type in one off or short run medieval-esqe games: a sergeant of crossbowmen.

His back story is that he's an experiences soldier/ mercenary who leads and trains crossbow troops... militia levies, household troops, mercenaries, whatever.

He's good with the crossbow and has teaching skills, but his REAL purpose is to provide a voice or reason and experience... much like a modern military senior sergeant.

Lots more points go into tactics, leadership, Soldier/TL and close combat skills for AFTER he's fired his crossbow and doesn't have time to reload.

I do use FD: Arrow and Rapid Reload and Strongbow to make him fast, for a crossbow, and hit hard with the crossbow but even that isn't going to make him fast enough to matter in the typical adventuring group combat... but he IS deadly in a fixed defensive position, or when there's several noncombatants and extra crossbows handy...

...but he's built with the understanding that most of his fighting in-game won't be done with a crossbow.

[(E)]

If you havn't come across the details before you can get crossbow with a ST rating a lot higher than your character's. Slower to reload but packing more punch.

[AlexanderHowl]

GURPS does not tend to reward great ST as much as great DX (unless the character is very strong, which is one of the reasons why a ST 20, DX 12, IQ 8, and HT 12 character is a solid build).