Making Custom - BIG but cheap - Crossbows . . .

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

What are the reasonable scaling guidelines for making bigger crossbows - solely for the purpose of increasing MinST, and thus also increasing the Maximum ST that can be set on the bow. Does doubling weight and cost fit for doubling MinST and decreasin Bulk by 2?

And how do I figure how much heavier can I make my ammunition without sacrificing too much range?

I'm trying to build a custom mini-ballista for one of the PCs in the Celestial Ocean.

Thanks in advance!

[Agramer]

Maybe base it on Scorpion (very strong man could use it as crossbow)

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Agramer

Maybe base it on Scorpion (very strong man could use it as crossbow)

Actually, it's the other way around:

I don't want a full-on Scorpion, because the PC can't afford one, so asked for a 500-coin-worth version of a crossbow.

Besides, we don't need to keep it mobile. It's intended to be used with Artillery, or Gunner at most.

[Agramer]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Actually, it's the other way around:

I don't want a full-on Scorpion, because the PC can't afford one, so asked for a 500-coin-worth version of a crossbow.

Besides, we don't need to keep it mobile. It's intended to be used with Artillery, or Gunner at most.

Custom made stuff is always more expensive from "of the shelf".

Make it low quality Scorpion = cuts price down.
Or small version of Scorpion(they come in variety of sizes,not just as single example in book)...cut down stats...
With Crossbow stats and Scorpion stats it shouldnt be 2 hard to gauge new stats/performance.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Besides, we don't need to keep it mobile. It's intended to be used with Artillery, or Gunner at most.

I think it would have to be Gunner for your purposes. Artillery is for indirect fire.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I think it would have to be Gunner for your purposes. Artillery is for indirect fire.

It's most likely that it will be used to fire over city walls (it'll be set up near one).

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Molokh

It's most likely that it will be used to fire over city walls (it'll be set up near one).

A single big crossbow firing unobserved indirect fire? Interesting.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

A single big crossbow firing unobserved indirect fire? Interesting.

Not my idea.

Anyway, the ammo is gonna be incendiary. Which is still dubious, especially since it stands next to a battery of TL1+2 rockets . . .

[NorphTehDwarf]

The easiest solution would just be to give the weapon whatever ST you found appropriate (30, maybe?) and then calculated damage based on what a crossbow of that ST would do, and adjusted weight and cost to taste. Lowering Accuracy by a point or two might be a good idea, since bigger bows were probably built to looser tolerances.

It'd be a fair bet that the reload for a three- or four-person team would take around 20 seconds, doubling to 40 if they're missing a guy and tripling to 80 if there's only a single person to work the whole apparatus.

My hazy guess:

Big Honkin' Crossbow:
Damge: 4d imp, acc: 3 weight: lots Range: 600/750, shots: 1(20), cost: $600

[Verjigorm]

I offer two options: I go dig out Guns, Guns, Guns and stat one up, or I dig out GURPS: Vehicles and stat one up for you. Lemme know which one you'd like. I can probably have it for you by sunday at the earliest.