[AtE] Weaponry suggestions for my PCs

[Luke Bunyip]

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[bocephus]

First the easy answer

IMO the go to improvised weapon is always spears.

For range some version of javelin with throwing lever assist.
The major problem with projectiles is the skill penalties combined with the improvised penalties.

Though with all this heavy trash you might be able to improvise fall traps with heavy items and swinging things that cause a lot of confusion even if they don't ultimately do a great deal of damage.

Traps and defenses (pointy sticks and the like) will make inaccurate projectiles more useful as a method to get the attackers to keep their heads down and move without checking their surroundings. Make it difficult for them to maneuver and hide. Hopefully you can encourage them into choke points/fatal funnel situations where you can maximize your few true weapons and defenses.

Explosives, basic nerve/chemical/irritant gasses might be possible to scrounge though pretty unlikely to find components intact. (I don't want to get into actual chemistry of RL stuff you can buy in a big box store that easily make such things) It will depend greatly on PC skill sets though, unless you just want to GM a macguffin to give them an edge.

Force them to attack via certain entrances and you control more of the battlefield. The defenders should have a healthy advantage if they can prepare ahead of time and just about anything should be allowed them if they have more than 2 days notice.

Now the harder answer

There are a great deal of variables in this scenario though, not the least of which is skills and knowledge about both the attackers and the defenders. Consider the world as it exists 5 days before the PCs come into the picture. A successful trading post must have some defenses or it would already be/have been a target for raiders.

Are the PCs using social skills to get into the trading post group so they arent see as advanced scouts for the attackers. Is this trading post wary of new people, worried about the impending attack, used to attacks frequently, organized defense, organized attackers.

Is the trading post new so its more of a hasty defense against an opportunistic but largely disorganized bunch of biker zombies? Are the PCs being expected to provide leadership and save the trading post or are they just joining the defense of an established group?

[Pursuivant]

For ease of construction, concealment, and ammo resupply it's hard to beat a Sling, although the learning curve is steep.

Use the same rules for casting musket balls to make your own sling bullets, spend half an hour searching a gravel bar in a nearby river, or get a friendly local potter to give you a few pounds of prepared clay to mold into earthenware balls.

While they'd be hard to find in large-enough sizes, high-tech/AtE slingers could use steel ball bearings or glass marbles.