Long Range Missiles vs. Wind

[FireHorse]

Obviously the wind isn't normally relevant, because of the short distances at which combat normally takes place in the game (and the settings, for that matter).

But I've got a couple of moving platforms (ships), on high seas (it's not a storm or anything, but it's not exactly a placid lake, either), and at considerable range (at least at first) — so in this particular case, the wind seems a bit more relevant than usual.

But is it actually worth the effort of adding "Wind" to the calculations?

To clarify, I mean from the perspective of a potential Player of such a scenario.

When you belly up to that Scorpion and start lobbing harpoons at that shipload of enemies approaching you, are you going to think: "Oh how cool, I get to take the direction and speed of the wind into account, while I take my shot"…?

[Skarg]

Depends on how much the GM or players like detail and realism.

If there's a lot of wind (as there often is at sea, etc), then wind can be a massive factor especially in long-range fire of projectiles, especially slow, light ones... especially ones with feathers and a lot of surface area... like arrows.

Wind effect on the accuracy of arrows would not be a flat adjustment so much as a change in the accuracy increment used... which can be done either by changing the increment or by multiplying/dividing the range.

Wind direction also matters. If you're firing with the wind, the wind may actually help (though still be more inaccurate). If you're firing upwind, it will increase the effective range. If you're firing crossways to the wind, it'll blow your arrows sideways, having the most effect on accuracy.

Wind could also buffer the firer and his weapon. Again I think bows would tend to be a bit more buffeted than crossbows - the bow is lighter, and also generally held upright, perfect for catching wind. I'd think that aspect would tend to be more like a flat DX adjustment - the amount depending on the amount of wind.

An air elemental (and/or magic wind spells) might be able to arrange for different wind conditions.

Of course, the GURPS way would tend to be to build rule systems or at least guidelines to model these things in ways that make sense. The TFT way tends to be "use GM discretion", though a TFT GM may still want to have some good guidelines to go by that make sense.

[FireHorse]

Originally Posted by Skarg

… An air elemental (and/or magic wind spells) might be able to arrange for different wind conditions. …

An air elemental…?!

Yes, that could make things very interesting.

I keep forgetting that Magic is a contributing factor. Now I'm wondering how many ways the Players might casually Magic their way right through obstacles that I thought were much more challenging…

[hcobb]

Water elemental (it is in its element...) to punch below the waterline?

Maximum range of a Fireball spell: 60 hexes.
Maximum range of a Fireball rod: 400 hexes.

[JLV]

Personally, if I were dealing with this issue as a GM, I would probably just simplify it to a straight DX adjustment, regardless of the details; differing strengths of wind add 1 point of DX penalty per "level" of the wind:

Calm = 0
Breeze = -1
Stiff Breeze = -2
Wind = -3
High Wind = -4
Storm = -5
Stronger than Storm (Gales or Hurricane force winds) = not allowed period.

Definitions of the wind strengths? GM judgement, or for the rules lawyers, say 5 knot wind speed differentials; calm is still air, breeze is less than 5 knots, stiff breeze is between 5 and 10 knots, and so on. Or any other division you feel is more "accurate" or suitable for your game. This, of course, ignores wind direction, etc., etc., etc. But really, it's a KISS kind of solution for a KISS kind of game. Now in GURPS...!

And while the DX adjustments may appear small in comparison to wind speed (indeed they probably are -- a fifteen knot wind is nothing to sneeze at), I would stick to something along those lines because this is supposed to be a heroic game with heroes doing hero-ish things, and if someone wants to try a "trick shot" in a high wind, who am I to discourage it? ;-)

[FireHorse]

I think that approach sounds good enough, JLV. I do want the scenario to acknowledge (in some way) that the Wind IS a factor, but I am perfectly happy to do so without getting unnecessarily hyper-mathematical about it.

[hcobb]

Don't expect to be sailing very fast when becalmed, but you can still get waves from distant winds or ocean currents.

[FireHorse]

Yeah, but getting becalmed just means you'll bring up the music and run a montage for a few minutes of everyone doing random stuff and looking bored, to imply the passage of time, and skip forward to whenever the enemy ship gets spotted.

Or to put it another way, the Sailing Mini-Game in my scenario will have two parts, at two levels of "zoom" — one for the Voyage itself (zoomed out to 15-mile hexes, and summarizing whole days per "turn"), and one for the Chase & Naval Battle (zoomed in to Village Hex level, with "turns" now being some yet-to-be-determined number of minutes).

Of course, then comes the Boarding Action, but that isn't really part of the Sailing Mini-Game, that's just normal combat.

With a whole bunch of NPC participants.

On two big groups of Megahexes.

[hcobb]

Row row row your longship up to the becalmed merchant ship.

Expect sailing MA of 8 to 20 depending on wind and ship. So you'll want to increase the time factor by three everytime you increase scale by three.

[FireHorse]

Originally Posted by hcobb

Row row row your longship up to the becalmed merchant ship.

That sounds so jolly it makes me wonder if the Players would have more fun being the Pirates, rather than fighting against them…

Expect sailing MA of 8 to 20 depending on wind and ship. So you'll want to increase the time factor by three everytime you increase scale by three.

Good point. Danke!

EDIT: And with that in mind, I think maybe my medium-level zoom needs to be Town Hex-sized, not Village.