Sheathing a weapon

[wmervine4]

I believe I found something that looks inconsistent in the basic set with regard to sheathing weapons. B383 in the When Is a Weapon Ready? box talks about how returning a weapon to a scabbard or belt-loop requires two seconds, which I assume means two Ready maneuvers. B396 in the Mounted Combat section says that it requires a Ready maneuver and a DX-3 roll to return a weapon to a scabbard when a mount is bucking.

This sounds inconsistent to me because when mounted, the text as written implies that a weapon can be returned to a scabbard with a single Ready maneuver. Why would it suddenly be much faster to sheathe a weapon when mounted, though admittedly more difficult because of an uncooperative mount?

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by wmervine4

I believe I found something that looks inconsistent in the basic set with regard to sheathing weapons. B383 in the When Is a Weapon Ready? box talks about how returning a weapon to a scabbard or belt-loop requires two seconds, which I assume means two Ready maneuvers. B396 in the Mounted Combat section says that it requires a Ready maneuver and a DX-3 roll to return a weapon to a scabbard when a mount is bucking.

This sounds inconsistent to me because when mounted, the text as written implies that a weapon can be returned to a scabbard with a single Ready maneuver. Why would it suddenly be much faster to sheathe a weapon when mounted, though admittedly more difficult because of an uncooperative mount?

I wouldn't say it's inconsistent as you're doing attempting to do two different things that you hope will end up with the same result. The box says it takes two seconds to scabbard a weapon and that's consistent with modern military drill for scabbarding a bayonet or a sword. In the first second, the scabbard is twisted into position to receive the bayonet or sword. In the second second, the sword or bayonet is slid home and the scabbard released. In GURPS terms, it's a Long Action that takes two seconds and as a Long Action it uses the Ready maneuver each second.

Scabbarding your weapon on a bucking mount is a bit different. You are trying to get rid of your weapon without actually losing it, so you'll have both hands free to control your mount. You're trying to speed up the process with the risk, on a critical failure, that you only think you've secured your weapon, so when you let go, it falls to the ground. That isn't a problem you have with the two second scabbarding attempt.

[evileeyore]

I also allow (as a House Rule) a Fast Draw in place of the DX roll when emergency sheathing, and to speed up regular sheathing (-3 per action replacing, so -6 to do it as a Free Action).

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I also allow (as a House Rule) a Fast Draw in place of the DX roll when emergency sheathing, and to speed up regular sheathing (-3 per action replacing, so -6 to do it as a Free Action).

Martial Arts has the Perk Quick-Sheathe Perk which allows for a Fast-Draw roll to so scabbard a weapon quickly (there are more details that just that, but it is there). Also pg 102 has a whole section on quick sheathing.