Meteoric Iron Arrows

[Ulzgoroth]

It should be possible to design a wrought iron arrow usable with the yew longbow and yew regular bow from Deadly Spring, and just rule by analogy from that. I find it very unlikely that the arrow would have to be so heavy as to be impossible to shoot, though to be sure I'll have to do out the math.

I might do that later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

DF says 'any metal weapon' for what it applies to. It is not obvious that a metal tip on a wooden shaft qualifies.

In any case, the recommended solution is to just use meteoric iron sling bullets.

So despite the general sense that there is such a thing (hence all the "OMG The Scout Murdered My Dragon in One Turn!" posts) meteoric iron arrows aren't actually intended?

[Kazander]

Kromm agrees here; the immunity to magic is not conferred by contagion. The entire arrow must be made of MI.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I find it very unlikely that the arrow would have to be so heavy as to be impossible to shoot, though to be sure I'll have to do out the math.

I might do that later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

I didn't use Deadly Spring but I did compare the density of ash wood and iron. A solid iron arrow would be very heavy indeed.

Note that TL3 doesn't generally make hollow iron tubing. Some hollow aluminum and titanium arrow shafts appeared at TL7 but that's rather different.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Kazander

Kromm agrees here; the immunity to magic is not conferred by contagion. The entire arrow must be made of MI.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. However as far as I can tell neither he nor anybody else in that thread (or elsewhere) actually says what that does to the weapon's performance.

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

It should be possible to design a wrought iron arrow usable with the yew longbow and yew regular bow from Deadly Spring, and just rule by analogy from that.

Yeah, that was my initial thought.

I find it very unlikely that the arrow would have to be so heavy as to be impossible to shoot, though to be sure I'll have to do out the math.

According to Anthony and Fred it is. Although neither of them are actually showing the work.

I might do that later if someone doesn't beat me to it.

Yeah, I'm pretty surprised that nobody has done this already. I guess I ought to do it.

EDIT: Rereading that thread it seems like the actual intent of meteoric iron is to protect the weapon from magical attacks. It actually has no effect on anything that doesn't directly target the weapon. So it's not going to work on Missile Shield no matter what you do. That's not actually very clear from DF 1 (and certainly doesn't seem to be the way most people us it in play)!

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

According to Anthony and Fred it is. Although neither of them are actually showing the work.

It's actually a tough problem; it is likely to be bad, but I'm not sure exactly how bad because I don't know just how rigid an arrow has to be.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Anthony

It's actually a tough problem; it is likely to be bad, but I'm not sure exactly how bad because I don't know just how rigid an arrow has to be.

Well if meteoric iron actually isn't supposed to do what I thought it was supposed to do, then it's all rather pointless.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

According to Anthony and Fred it is. Although neither of them are actually showing the work.

Both of them seem to be assuming you build something the same dimensions as a regular arrow, but substitute iron for wood. Which is probably not the right way to do it. An iron arrowshaft most likely will be narrower than a wooden arrow.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

So it's not going to work on Missile Shield no matter what you do. That's not actually very clear from DF 1 (and certainly doesn't seem to be the way most people us it in play)!

?? In the previously quoted message, Kromm agreed that a completely meteoric iron arrow would penetrate magical defenses.

Making a hollow iron tube would be doable by hammering out sheet iron and rolling it around a dowel or rod. Closing the seam might be tricky, or you can spiral the seam and accept the slight increase in drag. A clever artisan might even triple spiral it so the ends can remain flat and serve as fletching.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

?? In the previously quoted message, Kromm agreed that a completely meteoric iron arrow would penetrate magical defenses.

He also said that it doesn't do anything about defenses that don't specifically target the weapon. Which is basically all magical defenses as far as I can determine.

Originally Posted by Kromm

No, definitely not. Those [Shatterproof, Fortify] spells are cast on the armor, not on the metoric item. Meteoric items are immune to spells specifically cast with them as their subject.