(TFT) New weapon list for ranged weapons

["rsmith" <rsmith@lightspeed.ca>]

Hi Everyone,
	This is the way I see ranged weapons working
if we want to fix the problems, Ty has identified:
(I have abbreviated the table heavilly and spread it
over more than one line per weapon in order to make
it format as nice as possible in ASCII land.)

List of abbreviations
---------------------
+   = 2 handed weapon
spd = speed = adjDX not counting range modifiers.
Cbow= Crossbow 
Lt  = Light
Hvy = Heavy
Cq  = Cocking Crossbow by Cranequin.
Gf  = Cocking Crossbow by goats foot.
Hd  = Cocking Crossbow by hand


Weapon Name		Min ST	Damage	Notes (rate of fire)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hobbit Bow+        7		1d-2
Hobbit Bow+        8		1d-2		*2/turn @ spd 9+ 	

Small Bow+         9		1d-1		
Small Bow+        10		1d-1		*2/turn @ spd 12+


Horse Bow+        10		1d		
Horse Bow+        12		1d		*2/turn @ spd 15+

Hunting Bow+      12		2d-2
Hunting Bow       14		2d-2		*2/turn @ spd 18+


Long Bow+         15		3d-1	
Long Bow+         18		3d-1		*2/turn @ spd 21+



Lt Cbow (Cq)+      4		2d		1/ 12 turns
Lt Cbow (Gf)+      8		2d		1/ 2 turns @spd 10+
Lt Cbow (Hd)+     12		2d		1/turn @ spd 14+


Hvy Cbow (Cq)+     5		3d		1/ 18 turns
Hvy Cbow (Gf)+    10		3d		1/ 3 turns @spd 12+
Hvy Cbow (Hd)+    15		3d		1/ 2 turns @spd 16+




	I have not included the various composite bows on this
list.

	Notice that the hunting bow replaces the old TFT 
Longbow.  The new longbow is based on the historical
English longbow which could punch thru plate.

	Using a cranequin, pretty much anyone could load and 
fire a crossbow.  The problem was it had a huge reload time.

	A goats foot used a lever to multiply the ST of the
user, and it was much faster than a cranequin.  However it
still required for the user to put a foot in the stirrup, 
cock the bow,  lift it to ready position and load bolt. 
Then fire it.

	Loading a crossbow by hand, means that you are strong
enough to simply pull back the string while holding it ready
in your arms.


	I added an idea to this table.  If you are just barely
strong enough to bend the bow, you are unlikely to be able
to fire it rapidly.  Therefore I've added higher minimum ST
to fire bows rapidly.


	If you wish to fire a bow when you are below the 
minimum ST, you may, using these rules.

	1 ST too low:  -1 DX, -1 damage and 1 shot / 2 turns.
	2 ST too low:  -1 DX, -2 damage and 1 shot / 3 turns.
	3 or more ST too low:  Can't be used.


	Bows do not get the damage bonuses given in the 
Advantages of Great ST article.  If you are strong enough and
wish the bow to do extra damage, you must build a stronger 
bow (or crossbow).


	I believe that these rules will be play balanced and 
will solve the wimpy bowman problem.


	One problem I see:  I've generally made the bows do
Xdice of damage - Y points, so that it captures the idea 
that bows might get an important hit, or just miss anything
important.  See Mark Tapley's post a short time ago.  But 
in order to keep the list as close to the old TFT list as 
possible, I had the Horse bow do 1 die damage.  However
people might prefer it do 2d-4 to prevent the problem of
A horse bow minimum damage doing more than the Hunting bow
2 ST higher than it.

	Another quibble: you may wish for the horse bow to
require an 11 ST, and the hunting bow to require a 13 ST.
Then each step in the table is two higher than the last.
Again, I was trying to keep the table as close to regular
TFT as possible because I am desperately afraid of rules
innovations.   ;P



	Please let me know what everyone thinks.

	Rick
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