[LT] What if a weapon is in several categories?

[Anders]

Low-Tech gives detailed rules for what categories of weapons cost when made Fine or Very Fine. Categories include thrown weapons, missile weapons, projectiles melee weapons in general, swords and others. Some weapons fall in more than one category - the Khopesh can be used with the Broadsword or Axe skill, the Spear can be a melee weapon, a thrown weapon or a missile, etc. What do I do when a weapon falls into more than category - what Cost Factor should I use? I suggest using the cheapest one, but I would like to know what the hive-mind (and the author) thinks.

[johndallman]

Use the most expensive one if you want the weapon to be fit for the most demanding usage.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Anders

Low-Tech gives detailed rules for what categories of weapons cost when made Fine or Very Fine. Categories include thrown weapons, missile weapons, projectiles melee weapons in general, swords and others. Some weapons fall in more than one category - the Khopesh can be used with the Broadsword or Axe skill, the Spear can be a melee weapon, a thrown weapon or a missile, etc. What do I do when a weapon falls into more than category - what Cost Factor should I use? I suggest using the cheapest one, but I would like to know what the hive-mind (and the author) thinks.

I'd think the most expensive as a minimum. As johndallman indicated, assuming the greatest cost factor represents the most difficult aspect to get correct, it should be the cost factor to go with. On the other hand, I wouldn't have a problem with an argument that said "add all the cost factors that apply together to get the final cost factor", on the grounds that it's more difficult to make something with multiple functions do all of them well. It's something along the line of, "Well, yes, it is a fine stabbing spear but now the balance is all wrong for throwing it."

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Use the most expensive one if you want the weapon to be fit for the most demanding usage.

This.


Alternatively use which one you want the bonus for.

[Dustin]

Don't get too hung up on which skill is being used, the LT rules for Fine/Very Fine (LT59) are classifying weapons, not the skills they're being used with.

Projectiles, and crushing- or impaling-only melee or thrown weapons: +2 CF.
Fencing weapons, knives, swords, and missile weapons: +3 CF.
Other cutting melee or thrown weapons: +9 CF

Here, a spear is pretty clearly +2 CF, and the khopesh is noted in the text as being a "sword" in name only, so it would be 'other', at +9 CF.

[Anders]

But a spear can also be a missile, for a Spear Thrower.

[chandley]

Originally Posted by Anders

But a spear can also be a missile, for a Spear Thrower.

In GURPS terms, that actually makes it a projectile. A missile weapon is a bow, crossbow, sling, like that. So improving your woomera is expensive... but the spear itself is still pretty cheap.

[Dustin]

Originally Posted by Anders

But a spear can also be a missile, for a Spear Thrower.

In that case, isn't it a projectile? I think the woomera/atlatl/bow etc is the actual "missile weapon".

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Use the most expensive one if you want the weapon to be fit for the most demanding usage.

Isn't there an underlying logic behind the rules, one that can be dug out, analyzed, and then applied to such questions as the one the OP is asking?

[Anders]

Yeah, as I understand it the cost for a Very Fine non-sword is through the roof because, historically, such items were very rare and you would need a specialist to make them. That might not apply to, say, dwarfs who like Very Fine axes thank you very much. If you combine DF and LTC2 (may God have mercy on your campaign), there's little point to using a sword at all. A Dwarven axe with a spike is strictly better than a sword with the exception of weight.