Blunderbuss

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

One thing I have learned over the past decades is that the "blunderbuss" that I was trying to represent was a comic-book version. They don't really fire a hugely spread pattern, and they don't have to kick like two mules.

New Blunderbuss draft:

The blunderbuss is a crude shotgun. It is a missile weapon, with a maximum range of 10 hexes. The roll to hit with the blunderbuss is at DX+2. All “rolls to miss” with the blunderbuss, against figures both in front of and behind the intended target, are at -2.
The blunderbuss does 1d+2 damage to the first figure it hits, and 1d-2 to everyone else it hits.
Even when you hit something with the blunderbuss, continue to make rolls to miss or hit all other figures in a straight line out to 10 hexes.

The blunderbuss could possibly hit 10 figures? This is admittedly very unlikely, but still.

For reference, a modern 12 gauge (as I recall) shotgun, with a cylinder choke will typically place its pellets in a 40" diameter circle (more or less) at 25 yards. At the other extreme, a shotgun with a full choke will do the same at 40 yards.

Of course, a blunderbuss is a much cruder weapon. But there are black powder enthusiasts who use them today. One guy that I recall reading, got a 22" pattern at 16 feet.

Assuming this data is solid, I suggest that you give a bonus to hit at close range and be done with it. I *would* allow it to hit multiple targets in a single hex. Suggested rule - double the normal missile weapons penalty, but give it a +2 at 1-2 MH range.

EDIT - From my notes: "The [blunderbuss] tests were ...uniform. At 40 feet each gun produced targets with a lateral spread averaging between 20 and 36 inches. The Oakes...produced one target with a lateral spread of 60 inches. At 60 feet, the Oakes averaged a lateral spread of 50 inches,which was slightly bigger than the ...the other two ...” -- Melvin Flanagan, "Myths of the Blunderbuss".

"At 10 yards, diameter was 34-56 inches with wide flare barrel; 31-53 inches with short flare barrel." From chart in same article.

This suggests that at long enough ranges, you *might* be able to hit 2 figures.