02-01-2021, 11:33 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Glendale, Calif. near L.A.
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Horseback Bow?
Hello,
Which bow can be used from horseback? Longbow, regular bow, short bow, composite bow, crossbow, pistol crossbow, or prodd? Thanks, Paolo |
02-01-2021, 12:32 PM | #2 | |
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Re: Horseback Bow?
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To expand on that, any of them could be, though I believe that the longbow and regular bow - especially the longbow - might be more difficult than the others (and a composite bow is a type of construction, not a size, so like the crossbow it depends on that specific weapon, not on the general type).
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Warning, I have the Distractible and Imaginative quirks in real life. "The more corrupt a government, the more it legislates." -- Tacitus Five Earths, All in a Row. Updated 12/17/2022: Apocrypha: Bridges out of Time, Part I has been posted. |
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02-01-2021, 12:45 PM | #3 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)
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Re: Horseback Bow?
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02-01-2021, 01:47 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: One Mile Up
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Re: Horseback Bow?
Relevant book/page references for rules on this topic may be found under Horse Archery, 4e Basic p231, Attacking From Moving Vehicle or Mount, 4e Basic p548, as well as Combat Riding, 4e Martial Arts p69 and Mounted Shooting, 4e Martial Arts p77.
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02-03-2021, 05:29 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Re: Horseback Bow?
Possibly. There are other options, like holding it at an angle or standing in the saddle, but those would be a bit awkward, I think.
__________________
Warning, I have the Distractible and Imaginative quirks in real life. "The more corrupt a government, the more it legislates." -- Tacitus Five Earths, All in a Row. Updated 12/17/2022: Apocrypha: Bridges out of Time, Part I has been posted. |
02-04-2021, 03:07 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Dec 2020
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Re: Horseback Bow?
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As for crossbow use while staying mounted, every crossbow which can be reloaded without mechanical help is a potential weapon on horseback. Maybe you should consider to allow only crossbows that needs a bit less STR than the PCs have, because you can use only the muscle power of your arms. Last edited by Willy; 02-04-2021 at 03:16 PM. Reason: spelling error added example |
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02-04-2021, 08:34 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Horseback Bow?
Crossbows include a stirrup to assist in loading, so you can probaby reload it on horseback without any issues as long as the horse is not moving faster than a walk. It would be amusingly difficult while galloping away from the enemy, a -4 to Riding rolls and any Fast-Draw rolls. Of course, shooting at an enemy behind you while on a galloping horse is quite difficult, so you need to be exceptional anyway.
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02-05-2021, 02:17 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Apr 2019
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Re: Horseback Bow?
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Historic Short bow, Composite Short Bow, or the various crossbows (at least one shot if its already loaded). Being at least familiar with horse riding and proficient with bows, there is almost no way you could accurately shoot, or frankly even fully draw a long bow (which is the only way to shoot a bow accurately) You might be able to shoot some of the smaller varieties of "regular" bow, though you would probably only be able to in specific angles from your bow hand side. If you want to play a game of "what could I maybe do", then Im sure a case could be made for any particular brand of craziness at a high enough difficulty modifier. Modern Its more about the size of the bow, a compact compound bow would honestly be the ideal if you had to shoot a bow from horseback. A full size bow of any variety would be the same issue as a long bow. Crossbows of course you can shoot, but reloading will be the same challenge it would be doing it while riding a bike or other equally difficult situations. |
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02-05-2021, 02:42 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Horseback Bow?
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02-05-2021, 03:00 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Horseback Bow?
The asymmetric Japanese bows are a sufficiently odd special case that it may be reasonable to call them a different weapon.
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Tags |
bow, crossbow, horseback |
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