The bow is mightier than... the gun?

[Juca]

Hi, we are trying to convert Shadowrun to GURPS 4th (the setting and feeling, not all the rules of course), but we've got a problem with one of the characters - a bowman.
Now we are all experienced players and we know that a bow will be never beter than a gun at almost anything, but, even then, it is a important detail of the character and we want to give bows an edge. We do not want to make it better than firearms, we only want to make it playable. What we are willing to try:
1 - The bow can be aimed during the time that it is being ready (the last second);
2 - Anyone can shoot at 1 arrow per second with a Fast-Draw: Arrow and by accepting a -2 penalty on the attack roll (yes, everyone can act like they have "Heroic Archery", from Dungeon Fantasy);

But we still want it to be able to inflict more damage. Any sugestions on this matter (and in any other ways of making it a bit more effective?)

Thanks in advance.

[Refplace]

Well if your trying to convert Shadowrun concepts I would go with making the Archer a Physical Adept and use Imbuements.

[aesir23]

If it's shadowrun, why not make special arrow heads available? You can fit more explosives on an arrow than in a bullet, and you could extend that to ultratech devises like emp arrows, etc...

alternately, you could allow enchantments to work on arrows but not modern weapons, just because.

[DanHoward]

The damage in GURPS for muscle-powered weapons is already too high compared to firearms.

[benz72]

Dikote the tips (add an armor divisor)
Use tuned aerodynamic stabilizers (reduce range penalties)
Let heads carry special payloads (steel, wood, silver, etc.), possibly at no performance penalty
Make some opponents immune to gunfire but not muscle powered weapons
Allow enchantment of bows but not guns

[Lamech]

Let see here, bows do imp damage instead of piercing, I suspect there are somethings that makes a major difference for. You could allow imbuements, weapon master and the like only for bows. Allow custom cinematic techniques for people with weapon master in there chosen weapon (Use the rules in MA); guess what doesn't have weapon master?

[jason taylor]

Real bows were mightier then guns for a long time in the sense of having better RoF, accuracy, and range. It was penetration capability and user friendliness that made the gun crowd out the bow. All the same one could imagine an alternate history where the bow stayed in use for a long time. If nothing else, it would have been more effective then a wheelock pistol in a caracole

[lexington]

Bows already do a lot of damage so it's probably not a good idea to raise that by much. Consider either Imbuments, special arrowheads, or enchantments to add an armor divisor.

There's also the good-old-boy solution of strapping an explosive to the head. Steal the 15mm warheads from Ultra-Tech and give the bow -4 to hit and half range (modifiers made up on the spot).

[sn0wball]

Stealth.

Firearms detectors are ubituous. They not only recognize metal frames of guns, but also the chemicals used in ammunition. Recognizing a bow, especially one made of organic compounds, will be much harder. Also, people will not think of bows being a threat and thus not program their detectors to detect the shape of bows.

Law.

Lonestar will take you in even if they spot you with a light pistol. Get caught with a bow ? If you can stand a little laughter, they will let you walk away with your historical trinket or sports toy.

Magic.

In some Shadowrun campaign I played in, spirits could be harmed by muscle-powered weapons, being will driven or something.

[Mr Frost]

Jack up the users' strength {muscle implants} and make the bow out of some sort of ultra tech materials {say a memory material with myoelectric muscle fibre "sinues"} that you can handwave into a damage bonus .

Try +1 or 2 damage for a technobabble material bow and another +2 (2) for superfine warheads .

Firefly had the superhooker using a bow with some sort of electrical {or other power , I can't remember which now} bow if that sounds better than memory material with artificial muscle .