[MA] [UT] [HT] Whips with dynamic length adjustment, and (Un-) Readying

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

Monowire Whips (UT163) have a control on the handle that allows varying the length dynamically from 1 to 7 yards. Now, obviously this is not possible for a normal leather whip. However, what about the Light Whip (MA225) made from a very dense cord - is it possible to spool such a whip into the handle at T9-10, or perhaps even earlier, without doing it the TL^ way? (Yes, I know Light Whips do negligible damage; doesn't matter - it's for a neurolash.)

Related question: IIRC even with Reach Mastery, if you strike with a Kusari at 4 yards and change Reach to 1 yard, you still have an Unready Kusari in your hands. But is the same true for a whip which actually changes length (such as the official Monowire Whip from UT, or the one I propose in the first paragraph)?

Thanks in advance!

[Refplace]

I don't see why it wouldn't be possible.
All you need is a whip tail that is braided onto a short rod (to anchor it) inside or behind the handle part and then the rod could be motorized to reel it in or out.
Using such a whip accurately would be a problem as your distance changes your stance would need to as well.
I would recommend it be preset to various lengths. Push the button 1 time for each foot or maybe have a couple of buttons set for spooling to specific length. So need a simple computer chip to run your motor.
Another caveat is you need to unspool it before striking. This is becasue you have to swing the full length of the whip back in order to build up the momentum as you swing it forward towards your target.

As for the unready I think each time you use the whip it is unready and you have to reready it in GURPS right?
Dont have that book handy at the moment.
In real life there is a maneuver called the 4 corners that involves quickly snapping the whip over head to the 4 compass points one after the other and it does not involve what I would call a Ready maneuver.
Here is a FAQ by a renowned whip maker.
http://www.murphywhips.com/FAQwhips.html

Tried to find a video of the technique but no luck.
If I recall it you crack forward left then rear right then forward right then rear left but I am not a performer (or even whip expert) and I might be remembering that wrong.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Using such a whip accurately would be a problem as your distance changes your stance would need to as well.

Well, Reach Mastery definitely should handle stance-dancing.

Originally Posted by Refplace

I would recommend it be preset to various lengths. Push the button 1 time for each foot or maybe have a couple of buttons set for spooling to specific length. So need a simple computer chip to run your motor.

Oh, preset it to various Reach numbers, definitely.

Originally Posted by Refplace

Another caveat is you need to unspool it before striking. This is becasue you have to swing the full length of the whip back in order to build up the momentum as you swing it forward towards your target.

This one gets interesting. It is unclear whether a spool-whip needs to be carried unspooled but coiled in order to be immediately ready 'on-demand'.

A carefully coiled flexible weapon becomes Ready when drawn with Fast-Draw, so I presume it should become ready when it is drawn with a Ready manoeuvre. I'm not sure would it be Ready if it is drawn with a Ready manoeuvre which includes pressing the 'unspool' button.

Originally Posted by Refplace

As for the unready I think each time you use the whip it is unready and you have to reready it in GURPS right?

A Whip becomes Unready after being used at certain ranges. The question is, does reducing the whip length make it wieldy enough that it can no longer have an Unready state from a swing (I'm talking about reducing it to Reach 1), or does it still require Readying, like a Kusari, because the positioning just doesn't allow a one-second swing.

Originally Posted by Refplace

In real life there is a maneuver called the 4 corners that involves quickly snapping the whip over head to the 4 compass points one after the other and it does not involve what I would call a Ready maneuver.

Yeah, I definitely saw Whip Art used more repeatedly than 1 per 2-3 seconds. With Dual-Weapon Attack, in fact.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Oh, preset it to various Reach numbers, definitely.
This one gets interesting. It is unclear whether a spool-whip needs to be carried unspooled but coiled in order to be immediately ready 'on-demand'.

A carefully coiled flexible weapon becomes Ready when drawn with Fast-Draw, so I presume it should become ready when it is drawn with a Ready manoeuvre. I'm not sure would it be Ready if it is drawn with a Ready manoeuvre which includes pressing the 'unspool' button.

Hmm I would say that coiled or spooled would work for carrying and standard for Fast Draw. Also pressing the button and unspooling it as part of your Ready maneuver I would think would be fine. The catch is how fast is the spooling mechanism.
If it unspools based on momentum rather then a motor then a quick and forceful shake would be enough to spin out a short length. But a longer one probably take longer to roll all the way out. The button pressing I would just call part of the proper grip and not add any extra time. At least if it was designed for this us and I dont see why it wouldn't be.

A Whip becomes Unready after being used at certain ranges. The question is, does reducing the whip length make it wieldy enough that it can no longer have an Unready state from a swing (I'm talking about reducing it to Reach 1), or does it still require Readying, like a Kusari, because the positioning just doesn't allow a one-second swing.

I would say yes.
I used to own a 4 foot snake whip and it was easy to snap it out then forward. Longer ones like my friends 21 footer took some practice to get to lay out well enough and multiple Ready maneuvers are appropriate to represent that.
For a short whip its not really anymore then pulling a sword back for a swing.

[Aneirin]

Was just wondering, with a whip, can you use fast draw to instantly ready it after an attack? (I assume so)

How does that work when a whip needs two ready manouvres due to its length? Would it be fast draw and you can manouvre, next turn fast draw and attack?

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Aneirin

Was just wondering, with a whip, can you use fast draw to instantly ready it after an attack? (I assume so)

How does that work when a whip needs two ready manouvres due to its length? Would it be fast draw and you can manouvre, next turn fast draw and attack?

In general, you can't use Fast Draw to Ready a weapon that becomes Unready after attacking, nor can you use it to switch the reach of a long weapon. If the GM is generous, he could allow a Perk (akin to Form or Grip Mastery) to let the user attempt a quick change in length - maybe rolling a technique of Fast Draw or Weapon Skill. For blatantly cinematic Whip fighters with Weapon Master or TbaM, there could be a Perk to let him use it as though it's one yard shorter (up to two yards without becoming Unready).