12-01-2009, 03:48 AM | #41 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Zagreb,Croatia
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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Forgot battle,but Salahadin pinned like that Christian rearguard and would annihilate it and subsequently whole army if not for Christian commander turning whole army timely about and charging to help. Another example were Romans who got defeated by mounted archers(Crassus vs Parthians).
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12-01-2009, 03:56 AM | #42 | |||
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Germany
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
thats the reason the french cavalry brooke their teeth on spanish an english crrees.
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The Knights of St John hold the rearguard, the frankish foot and bowmen hold the flank, and the Richard Lionheart attacked Saladins with a sally of his knights, Sal al Ed Dins forces were routed. or did you mean Tiberias or Teresias where Baldouin th Lepper King a boy forced Saladins forces in a flight he could not even organice a retreat. Quote:
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12-01-2009, 06:26 AM | #43 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Torino, Italy
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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2) Bodkin arrows. The only easy way to reduce DR in low-powered, pseudo-realistic games. 3) All-out aimed attacks on vulnerable locations, especially against huge monsters or heavily armored knights. 4) Being a bowman is very cheap compared to a swordsman: a single skill to improve, ST and HT are less important, equipment is cheap. 5) If you stay 10 yards out of the fight, you'll probably avoid capture, watch the horses, protect the One Ring, even if the fight goes badly. This can be very useful for the party. Bowmen DO kill less foes than melee fighters, but playing them can be both useful and fun!
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12-01-2009, 07:12 AM | #44 | |
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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Archers are always useful when there are lightly armoured opponents to shoot at. |
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12-01-2009, 11:22 AM | #45 | ||||||
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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Also, if you're planning on taking on a formation, you should really either have a) lots of friends armed like you or b) have balls of steel. Nobody's doubting (at least I wasn't) that there are methods for footmen and heavy cavalry to defeat horse archers in battle. But that is a question of discipline, formation and tactical intelligence, things that aren't all too relevant for players outside a very detailed military campaign. Quote:
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This is achieved best by either being somewhere they can't get, or being faster than they are. If your foe is already on horseback, shoot the horse. Of course this can go wrong, everything can - but it's still probably the best way to survive if you're playing a dedicated archer character. Last edited by Phoenix42; 12-01-2009 at 11:32 AM. |
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12-01-2009, 01:19 PM | #46 | ||||||||
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Germany
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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The same time a civil war between different Dynasties was fought in the caliphate, and it is reasonable that the regent of Spain considered it the better part of valour to fight the infidels in holy war then to support one of the factions, his excuse would look very pious. Sorry My Caliph, i couldnīt help you because i was fighting infidels. Quote:
only well-disciplined troops can actually win out against horse archers Quote:
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12-01-2009, 11:14 PM | #47 | |
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Europe
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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I'd guess Penetrating Weapon from GURPS Magic is particularly attractive on the bow, and then since armour penetration is pretty much assured, the +2 damage Icy Weapon or Flaming Weapon on the arrows (which takes effect only if the unmodified damage penetrates the armour, but that's what Penetrating Armour is for). Imbuements might be an alternative to Enchantments, costing CPs instead of gold, and being equally reliant on the world builder's (usually that would be the GM) decision, but AFAIK roughly similar results can be achieved with Imbuements. |
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12-01-2009, 11:17 PM | #48 | |
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Europe
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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One archer, known for being a good shot (with an actual game-mechancial bought-with-points or earned-in-play Reputation, to that effect, if necessary), versus half a dozen orcs. He goes "Freeze! The first to move closer dies. Drop your weapons and run away from me". That's a very real test of whether the GM has a healthy attitude. |
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12-01-2009, 11:19 PM | #49 | |
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Europe
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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For added detail, differentiate the penalty according to weapon, with a bigger penalty to bows than to crossbows. |
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12-01-2009, 11:22 PM | #50 | |
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Europe
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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Archery useful in a GURPS DF campaign is more like Archery 18, or even Archery 20. |
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Tags |
archer, bow, fantasy, low-tech |
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