Wheellocks and Flintlocks

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Swords were a status symbol due almost entirely to inherent complexity and expense of basic manufacture. They required very high-quality materials and a higher level of craftsmanship than most weapons. They didn't need to be bespoke or "blinged," although they were indeed often both.

Only the level we're talking about (nobles comparing hunting gear) you already above that level. I.e. were talking noble to noble where having a pistol is just the start of the comparison, just as having a sword would have been 1000 years earlier.

Not Noble to non noble


Actually that's kind of the point, once you get rich enough you start measuring your self in pretty esoteric things, not the things the majority of people care about or deal with it might be football teams owned toady, who decorated your gun was one a few centuries ago (actually I've seen how much really nice shot guns go for, it still happens)

Originally Posted by Varyon

If the only disadvantage a wheellock has comes down to cost (both for manufacture and maintenance), it could easily become a status symbol - it will always be more expensive than a comparable flintlock.

Thing is at the level we're talking about (the cost of the decoration being ,many times more than cost of the underlying gun) the actual price difference between a flintlock and wheel lock becomes a proportionally tiny part of the equation. Certainly not enough to make any real difference in status, unless the wheel lock is some how indicative of status in and of itself.

Originally Posted by Varyon

You can also make the wheellock mechanism look much more impressive than a flintlock, at least in my opinion.

Well in matter of taste there are no right or wrong answers, there are example of highly decorated wheel and flint locks so enough people with money though both were worth doing.

Originally Posted by Varyon

The weapons being a bit more fragile might not prevent them from being status symbols, particularly if you can use more expensive parts to offset/negate this penalty. If they have a higher Malf, however, they'll be abandoned.

Yeah I think that's fair (even if your life isn't on the line, There won't be many nobles keen to be embarrassed in front of who ever it is they are trying to impress)