TL3+1 Mechanical Artillery

Icelander · 11-04-2010, 12:20 AM

In the real world, the invention and widespread adoption of gunpowder quickly made it impractical to continue the advancement of mechanical artillery. No matter how much spring steel ('crossbow' steel) and any number of pulleys and windlasses might have improved lower tech scorpions, arbalests, mangonels and onagers; it would ultimately have been less effective than bombards and cannon.

In a world where gunpowder is rare, unavailable or restricted, however, like many fantasy worlds, this does not apply. Faerun, for example, is a mature TL3+1 in many areas, with functionning TL3+2 gadgets in some areas.

So, how might the artillery devices in GURPS Low-Tech be improved by one or two tech levels of extra design and better materials? Has anyone gone over those tables and wondered?

All ideas welcome. Worked out stats even more welcome.

11-04-2010, 12:20 AM	#1
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	TL3+1 Mechanical Artillery In the real world, the invention and widespread adoption of gunpowder quickly made it impractical to continue the advancement of mechanical artillery. No matter how much spring steel ('crossbow' steel) and any number of pulleys and windlasses might have improved lower tech scorpions, arbalests, mangonels and onagers; it would ultimately have been less effective than bombards and cannon. In a world where gunpowder is rare, unavailable or restricted, however, like many fantasy worlds, this does not apply. Faerun, for example, is a mature TL3+1 in many areas, with functionning TL3+2 gadgets in some areas. So, how might the artillery devices in GURPS Low-Tech be improved by one or two tech levels of extra design and better materials? Has anyone gone over those tables and wondered? All ideas welcome. Worked out stats even more welcome. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!