Firearms and DD

Player character options and their spells

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Post by ehiker133 » Wed Jul 16, 2014 1:15 am

Re: Firearms and DD

Ah, I see now. I wasn't putting anything behind the reason for no armour in the 1800s. I wasn't specifically saying it was because of firearms. I was basing it on the historic fact that there simply was no armour used during that time in American history and it sounded like you were going for a pretty specific time period (though I agree, it probably had a great deal to do with firearms).

As far as dealing with the lack of armour, there are several options you could consider...

1. Increase dexterity bonuses (though I suppose this only works well if you have a good dexterity score).

2. Build "Unreliable" factors into firearm use or penalize them a bit. Give them a chance to jam or even explode in the user's face due to a bad barrel. Make gunpowder expensive. Make it expensive and rare. Give pistols harsh To Hit penalties at any range greater than 15'. Give rifles a smaller but similar overall penalty.

3. Give certain classes an inherit armour class (due to training, toughening techniques, etc.) fighters have an inherent AC of 5, clerics/shamans have an IAC of 6, thieves an IAC of 7, etc. factor that in with DEX bonuses and they could easily be survivable characters

4. Combination of any or all of the above.

Ummm... That's all I got right now.
[f=47]Dougal Blackfoot (MV 9", AC 6, Lvl 4, HP 10/10) [/f]
[f=59]Goldwen (Sagacious* Abbess, MV 9′′, AC 6, HD 2+1, HP 9, FC 2 men, SV C3, L][/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:14 am

Re: Firearms and DD

ehiker133 wrote:1. Increase dexterity bonuses (though I suppose this only works well if you have a good dexterity score).

2. Build "Unreliable" factors into firearm use or penalize them a bit. Give them a chance to jam or even explode in the user's face due to a bad barrel. Make gunpowder expensive. Make it expensive and rare. Give pistols harsh To Hit penalties at any range greater than 15'. Give rifles a smaller but similar overall penalty.

3. Give certain classes an inherit armour class (due to training, toughening techniques, etc.) fighters have an inherent AC of 5, clerics/shamans have an IAC of 6, thieves an IAC of 7, etc. factor that in with DEX bonuses and they could easily be survivable characters
4. Make it rain, or get wet in rivers often enough.

5. Given the "encounter distance" rules, superior accuracy at long range probably isn't going to as significant in game as it was in reality. Make frequent use of fog, rain, snow, glare, sand storms to obscure long range visibility.

6. Observe the "no firing into melee" rule. Or make it very random/dangerous to do so.

7. Presume all firearms with multiple shots per turn, including double barrel shot guns and pistols, do so as a 1 HD monster. Single shot weapons (sniper-like rifles) can attack on the level equivalent matirx.

8. Use the "normal attacks" rule for all melee combat, regardless of HD/level/heroic status of the target(s). I.e., a 4 HD figure gets 4 hand to hand combat attacks per turn against anything, but just the one missile attack in the same combat period (or perhaps several with higher ROF weapons). In fact, this would be a very close approximation of Chainmail's Man-to-Man combat.
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Wed Jul 16, 2014 4:51 am

Re: Firearms and DD

ehiker133 wrote:1. Increase dexterity bonuses (though I suppose this only works well if you have a good dexterity score).
I've been thinking about this. I'd not use dexterity for AC adjustments versus tiny, invisible, impossibly fast missiles, since it's impractical to "dodge" bullets in any real sense.

It might work better to use experience or wisdom as a measure of how careful or careless a figure is about making a target of himself. A wise character might always be subconsciously aware of his surrounds; where the good arcs of fire are, where good cover is, what is blocking line of sight, and so on. While a fool is oblivious to this and can't help but put himself in harm's way.

There are tabletop wargames that use this approach. E.g. Flames of War has it the number to hit infantry depends on the quality/training of the infantry. Battle hardened troops are harder to hit than are new recruits.
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

Posts: 2128
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:33 pm
Location: Just west of St. Louis

Post by ehiker133 » Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:55 am

Re: Firearms and DD

All great ideas, WOTE! I agree, maybe use the WIS bonus vs. magic to be a WIS bonus vs. firearms, instead!
[f=47]Dougal Blackfoot (MV 9", AC 6, Lvl 4, HP 10/10) [/f]
[f=59]Goldwen (Sagacious* Abbess, MV 9′′, AC 6, HD 2+1, HP 9, FC 2 men, SV C3, L][/f]

Posts: 1288
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 3:56 pm

Post by sully » Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:14 pm

Re: Firearms and DD

http://io9.com/maps-of-an-alternate-nor ... 1603696416

Relevant (somewhat) to this discussion.
Thanis [Stealthy Hero, MV 12′′, AC 7, HD 4, hp 16, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, N]. Hooded cloak, padded armor, sword, longbow +1 & quiver of arrows, dagger.

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