RE: (TFT) Crossbows - Penetrating weapons suggestion

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

Hi Everyone, Mark
	The problem about X dice - Y, when X and Y are
both large is that theoretically X could do maximum
damage, but in reality it will do close to average
damage.  For example, with your suggestion of 4d-8,
most of the time the total will be within 4 of the
average of 14.5.  So the damage done by this weapon
will range from 0 to 11 almost always.

	I agree with your point, but the maximum 
damage comes up so rarely that it may as well be
discounted.

	If we use larger number of dice, the problem
gets worse.


	Rick


-----Original Message-----
From: tft-owner@brainiac.com [mailto:tft-owner@brainiac.com]On Behalf Of
Mark Tapley
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 2:14 PM
To: tft@brainiac.com
Subject: Re: (TFT) Crossbows - Penetrating weapons suggestion


All,
	A possibly unrelated observation on penetrating weapons. My
understanding is that a "penetrating" weapon is one that digs a narrow,
deep hole - only the first few mm of which has to go through armor - vs. a
normal  ("bashing") weapon which digs a broad shallow hole, most of the
depth of which is going through armor. The actual ability of a penetrating
weapon to hurt the target depends heavily (more so than for a "bashing"
weapon) on what's at the bottom of the narrow, deep hole. Fatty tissue =>
useless hit in a non-vital area;  aorta => death blow.

	Here's the suggestion: If a weapon is regarded as "penetrating",
give it a damage roll like 4d6-8 rather than a roll like 1d6+3, and treat
negative results as 0. Average damage is around 7 hits either way - but the
"penetrating" (4d6-8) weapon *could* do 16 points - whereas the "bashing"
(1d6+3) will never do more than 9. On the other hand, the "bashing" weapon
will do at least 4, while the penetrating weapon might do nothing (means it
went through the armor but missed the person inside).

	I think that captures at least some of what a "penetrating" weapon
would do, without requiring any adjustments to the rules at all.

							- Mark
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