11-27-2009, 06:48 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: A nice, warm rock with an excellent view of the Damned
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
The role of the archer is to shoot at the opposition before it closes to melee range. After that the archer goes into melee just like the others. Sometimes he might be able to swing keeping his distance and firing every 2-4 turns or so, depending on him having Fast-Draw or not. Fast-Draw does make a difference here, in those 100-150 pointers. One of the main challenges is the fact the Ready-ing that archers do a lot allows "only" Stepping - thus, if the archer needs distance he has to spend even more time getting that distance.
But attacking at a distance IS an advantage. You can reach just about everyone on the field, and in spread-out affairs, the archer can easily end up dominating while the tanks stomp around forever. As in all things GURPS the value of points spent depend on the game providing the conditions under which those points come into play. In tight places, with opponents coming from all directions, the archer will be sad. In open, free-range battles he is much happier. In bottlenecks where he can be elevated, and safe behind frontline fighters - he's estatic. Especially if the opponents have no missile users of their own ;-) edit: Sniping is of course also an opportunity. Setting is all - and the role varies with the setting. Ah, Ninja'd - several times ;-)
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The Wrathchild Last edited by The Wrathchild; 11-27-2009 at 06:54 AM. Reason: Ninja'd & typos |
11-27-2009, 08:12 AM | #12 |
Doctor of GURPS Ballistics
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lakeville, MN
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
My players used ST16 xbows for that, and as "fire and drop" initial salvo.
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11-27-2009, 08:47 AM | #13 |
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
Our archer likes to climb on trees etc to get a good shot without the enemy closing in easily on him.
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11-27-2009, 11:10 AM | #14 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Cowtown, Canada
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
That's a good plan as long as the enemy doesn't have any archers. Your guy can't dodge very well if he's sitting in a tree! On the other hand the branches and leaves might count as light concealment, and if he has camouflage they might not spot him for a couple shots.
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11-27-2009, 11:15 AM | #15 | |
Petitioner: Word of IN Filk
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Longmont, CO
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
Quote:
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“It's not railroading if you offer the PCs tickets and they stampede to the box office, waving their money. Metaphorically speaking” --Elizabeth McCoy, In Nomine Line Editor Author: "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Stronger" |
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11-27-2009, 11:18 AM | #16 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
Don't discount the historical primary purpose of archery: survival. If the party is traveling being able to hunt is often a life saver.
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11-27-2009, 11:20 AM | #17 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
The archer wins fights before melee ever happens if the GM is being fair about starting fights at long distances some of the time. If every fight happens at spear range to grappling range, or at most at one second's sprint, then archers are limited. If hostilities open at 50-100 yards a good deal of the time, though, then archers are too valuable to ignore. The key thing as the player of an archer is to let the GM know you expect this. And if, as a GM, you don't intend to do this, you have an obligation to warn the players before they create their PCs, so that nobody creates a PC who's useless in the situations the campaign portrays.
Those saying that "archer" isn't necessarily a dedicated role also have a very good point. I've never actually seen a pure archer. I've seen plenty of PCs whose best skills were Bow and Fast-Draw (Arrow), but who also had a Melee Weapon skill and its Fast-Draw specialty, and who could switch to hand-to-hand rapidly. In fact, I've never seen a pure melee warrior. Even the shortest-ranged of these could chuck axes or spears, and the majority were good with atlatls, bows, crossbows, slings, etc.
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11-27-2009, 11:58 AM | #18 | |
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
Quote:
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11-27-2009, 12:57 PM | #19 |
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Calgary, AB... looking for a few more to join us.
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
Having recently shot a bow I can honestly say he'd better have a lot of gear tying him to that tree or a) his shots will be horribly inaccurate or b) he'll fall out of said tree.
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11-27-2009, 01:37 PM | #20 |
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Re: Role of archers in low-tech parties?
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Tags |
archer, bow, fantasy, low-tech |
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