Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-26-2021, 03:27 PM   #11
JustAnotherJarhead
 
JustAnotherJarhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Cali
Default Re: Crossbows

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter von Kleinsmid View Post
Especially if you have a pavise or castle wall protecting you while you do. The DX penalty for firing an over-strength crossbow is also less important when you're firing at an entire enemy army rather than a specific target.
This is a good point Peter

Area target vs: Point target.

RAW do not address this. There are two factors, one being accuracy. If a point target (1 hex) at 8 Megahexes range is at a penalty to hit, would an area target (say: a megahex) be an easier target to hit? assuming the majority of those hexes within that MH were occupied by a body?

Maybe a penalty reduction for each hex within a MH that is actually occupied the shooter could reduce the long range penalty by -1 or maybe even .5 and round down?

an 8 MH shot would be very difficult for most misslers unless they were trained properly (missle weapons I,II,III)

Area targets just seem to make sense.
JustAnotherJarhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2021, 09:01 PM   #12
Peter von Kleinsmid
The Fantasy Trip Line Editor
 
Join Date: May 2021
Default Re: Crossbows

Well, RAW does mention it's easier to lob a molotail into an area than it is to hit someone directly with a thrown weapon. And it does mention scatter on a miss, and the chance of hitting other foes along a line of fire. And it does mention a +1 to hit per hex of apparent width of a large target. A clever GM may be able to figure something out if/when they need to resolve such a situation.

For example, simply applying the to-hit bonus for firing at a large target, then on a hit determining a line of fire through the formation, and rolling to hit anyone along that line of fire until it hits or passes through, perhaps only hitting each person on a 5 or less.
Peter von Kleinsmid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2021, 09:04 PM   #13
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: Crossbows

Oversized targets are specified at ITL 116

Light crossbow at 240 "yards" (whatever the fnord a yard is these days) against a formation of men a dozen hexes wide is base DX 11 plus MW III is 14, +2 for braced, +2 for aiming, -8 for range, +11 for target size gives adjDX 21
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2021, 07:47 AM   #14
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Crossbows

My house rules stipulate that well-braced crossbows of all sizes, wielded by someone with Crossbow talent, have a ST requirement of 8 (chosen because that's also the ST requirement of a cranequin, which implies you can basically manipulate the weapon at that ST score).
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2021, 10:28 AM   #15
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Crossbows

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
Light crossbow at 240 "yards" (whatever the fnord a yard is these days) against a formation of men a dozen hexes wide is base DX 11 plus MW III is 14, +2 for braced, +2 for aiming, -8 for range, +11 for target size gives adjDX 21
Yes, though that just means your shot hits the formation, which has empty space in it, so then you need to figure out what line the shot passes through, and roll for unaimed hits, probably only hitting each person along that line on an automatic hit (5 or less).

But, to my original point, in a battle with large enemy formations to shoot at, that means you could cock a heavy crossbow with a ST 8 crainquin, then fire (without much point in taking extra turns to aim) even if your ST is far below ST 15 and still hit the formation and have some chance to maybe hit someone random in the formation.

It's also helpful when firing an un-aimed barrage at a group, to have higher damage in each shot, rather than more single shots, because hits are liable to be on a different (and probably unwounded) figure, and one 3d hit may cripple or take out an unwounded foe, while more 1d-1, 1d (or even 1d+2) hits are much less likely to take anyone out.

Since the battle is probably going to involve many minutes where large forces are organizing and maneuvering out of melee range, the crossbowmen using crainquins don't really mind the low rate of fire, particularly if they're not under fire themselves, and/or have a pavise or cover to use while loading.

Last edited by Skarg; 07-27-2021 at 10:47 AM.
Skarg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.