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Old 08-21-2019, 06:11 AM   #1
Hobgoblin
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Default Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Hi there,

Does anyone have a profile (damage, loading time, etc.) for flintlock pistols in TFT? I'm running a big pirate-based one-off for my son's birthday, and pirates mean pistols.

Improvising will be easy enough, but I thought it might be worth checking here to see if there's a recognised or semi-official view. I'm imagining a long loading time like arquebuses and blunderbusses (though maybe not quite so long) and a reasonably high amount of damage.

Many thanks in advance!
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Old 08-21-2019, 07:18 AM   #2
Shadekeep
 
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Aerlith
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Don't have the specs myself, but someone here likely does. They were probably covered in an old Space Gamer article or fanzine at some point as well.

One thing to keep in mind with these is that gunpowder is very unstable on Cidri. So these are much more likely to explode than they would on Earth (which was not the rarest occurrence here either). On the plus side, the wielder can now get a cool hook for a hand. ^_^
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Old 08-21-2019, 07:53 AM   #3
Hobgoblin
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Thanks! I'm sure pistols must have been done at some point.

I'm not setting the game specifically on Cidri (no prootwaddles and a decidedly different take on hobgoblins!), but I entirely take your point about explosions - and hooks!
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Old 08-21-2019, 08:34 AM   #4
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Low-tech TFT pistol:

* Damage 2d-1 to 2d+2, depending on design (bore and powder).

* About 12 turns (using 2 hands) to reload. 1 hand to fire.

* (If it's a matchlock, even a loaded pistol also needs time to light the fuse - it won't be lit if surprised, etc.)

* Use Thrown weapon range modifiers.

* No ST requirement, or low (6-9).

* May have a maximum to-hit chance, such as 12, after all modifiers taken into account.

* Weight, if using ITL-style weapon weights, is probably in the hatchet-to-shortsword range.
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Old 08-21-2019, 09:37 AM   #5
RobW
 
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

We just finished a ship-at-sea piratical adventure, and one of our motley crew envisaged himself with the tried and true pistol/cutlass combo.

So like you, we were a little surprised there was no pistol weapon in the rules. We basically used the TFT gun rules with a few differences, less damage (2d-1), short range (10 hexes I think), and no bonuses on the to-hit roll.

We used missile weapon modifiers. We used the Cidri gunpowder rules (before firing roll 1 die, and a 6 means it's a dud round. A critical miss can mean an explosion). And a reload time long enough to make it an impossible combat option.

It was fine. Certainly not overpowering, and always fun to see if his round was a dud or blew up. The possible advantage over a crossbow was no ST requirement and the GM let him use his two weapons ability to manage two pistols (no parrying). But the second shot at -4DX never hit anyway. Did not use missile weapons talent, that might well have pushed things over the top.

Good luck on the birthday event!
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Old 08-22-2019, 02:32 AM   #6
Hobgoblin
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Thanks, both!

I'll probably lean towards the 2d+2, if only to make the loading time worthwhile. As the party will be nine- or ten-strong, I'll leave out the misfiring this time - but will remember it for the future (I'm running the same scenario with fewer, adult players later in the year).

Because of the player numbers, I'm going for big, tough monsters with multiple attacks, so giving a few characters a chance at delivering some hefty damage early on should work well.
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Old 08-22-2019, 03:07 AM   #7
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

The big advantage of gunpowder weapons, as I see it, isn't that they do more damage than standard weapons, but that they don't have a ST requirement to use them. This means they are the great equaliser. Imagine a dungeon full of gunpowder armed Goblins. Or Prootwaddles 😳😳
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Old 08-22-2019, 04:34 AM   #8
Hobgoblin
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Oddly enough, the pirate crew will include a blunderbuss-toting goblin (if I can get the miniature finished in time ...).

I do want the pistols to pack a reasonable punch, in a "one more step, Mr Hands" sort of way.

The ST requirements in TFT strike me as a great example of game balance prevailing over realism - in a good way. I mean, in real life, using a poleaxe probably requires less strength than using a sword and shield. Powerful bows do have a strength requirement to be used effectively, but a smallish, light person can still wield a halberd to reasonable effect (I once saw a very skinny Swiss Guard brandish one at a tresspassing tourist in the Vatican; he looked more than capable of dishing out damage, despite his light build!). But the game-balancing effects and the tightness of the whole system are just perfect.

It does strike me, now I think of it, that a more realistic approach could be had by having damage rise according to strength rather than weapon - on the grounds that Conan stabbing you with a dagger hurts more than a hobbit jabbing you with a polearm. But grading the increases would probably be more trouble than it's worth - and if it ain't broken ...
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Old 08-22-2019, 08:35 AM   #9
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Here is an assortment of new guns from my long-promised, soon (?) to be released supplement of new gear. The formatting is funny because it is pasted from an excel sheet, but you'll figure it out

NAME DAM ST COST WT NOTES
Boot pistol 1d+1 — 150 1 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Dragon 1d+1 (special) — 150 3 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Belt pistol 2d-1 — 200 2 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Horse pistol 2d+1 — 250 3 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Musketoon† 3d-1 or special — 600 8 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Musket† 3d — 700 10 12 turns re-load, 1 to ready
Hand Gunne† 5d 14, or 2 users 2000 50 24 turns re-load; 6 turns to ready
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Old 08-22-2019, 08:55 AM   #10
HeatDeath
 
Join Date: May 2012
Default Re: Pistols in The Fantasy Trip?

Having melee damage scale with ST is a big part of the transition from Melee to GURPS Man-to-Man.

If you also add a couple of different melee damage types you're 80% of the way there.
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