[LT] Rated ST for bows and crossbows

Icelander · 05-04-2011, 03:15 PM

As for why weight doesn't vary with rated bow ST, I can tell you the reason for that. It was determined during playtest, with extensive research, that the individual variation between differerent bowyers or lots of wood was more significant than any variation for rated poundage at human-scale ST. In short, all longbows were between 1.75 lbs. to 3 lbs., but the correlation between the heaviest bows and the heaviest draws was weak enough so that it would not have been realistic to establish one in game rules. The weight given for bows in Low-Tech are close enough to functional averages of real examples to be fine.

Also, there are no engineering challenges involved with making bows of any draw that humans can draw. If you can draw a ST 25 bow, there's no reason why you can't make one, really. As for anything that is a special order, it is probably going to be more expensive, largely because the wood that is set aside for bow-making will usually be aimed at less heroic archers, but in a world of DF barbarians, I don't see any need to assume this. Just increase weight and cost as normal for different SMs and maybe require bows at the upper edge of the possible ST for that SM to be Fine (Materials) or add a similar CF surcharge. But that depends on the setting assumptions as much as on any rules.

Crossbows are fundamentally different in this respect. This is why I argued for statting them for their rated poundage and dissassociating them from ST entirely. Higher ST does increase crossbow weight and there are significant materials-based limits on how powerful they can get.

Ignoring this and allowing composite and self-crossbows to have any ST the character wants, for no extra cost, makes a mockery of steel crossbows and is patently unrealistic. But that's the way that Bill chose to go.

05-04-2011, 03:15 PM	#19
Icelander Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iceland*	Re: [LT] Rated ST for bows and crossbows As for why weight doesn't vary with rated bow ST, I can tell you the reason for that. It was determined during playtest, with extensive research, that the individual variation between differerent bowyers or lots of wood was more significant than any variation for rated poundage at human-scale ST. In short, all longbows were between 1.75 lbs. to 3 lbs., but the correlation between the heaviest bows and the heaviest draws was weak enough so that it would not have been realistic to establish one in game rules. The weight given for bows in Low-Tech are close enough to functional averages of real examples to be fine. Also, there are no engineering challenges involved with making bows of any draw that humans can draw. If you can draw a ST 25 bow, there's no reason why you can't make one, really. As for anything that is a special order, it is probably going to be more expensive, largely because the wood that is set aside for bow-making will usually be aimed at less heroic archers, but in a world of DF barbarians, I don't see any need to assume this. Just increase weight and cost as normal for different SMs and maybe require bows at the upper edge of the possible ST for that SM to be Fine (Materials) or add a similar CF surcharge. But that depends on the setting assumptions as much as on any rules. Crossbows are fundamentally different in this respect. This is why I argued for statting them for their rated poundage and dissassociating them from ST entirely. Higher ST does increase crossbow weight and there are significant materials-based limits on how powerful they can get. Ignoring this and allowing composite and self-crossbows to have any ST the character wants, for no extra cost, makes a mockery of steel crossbows and is patently unrealistic. But that's the way that Bill chose to go. __________________ Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!