Re: (TFT) Mongol Compound Bow?

[ErolB1@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/24/2005 5:17:34 AM Central Standard Time, 
rsmith@lightspeed.ca writes:

>   Steve Jackson once wrote that yes he knew that
>a rapier could sometimes do more damage than a
>broadsword (deep penitration, etc.) but he was
>going to leave it at 1 die of damage for 
>simplicity.
>

Since I run a cinematic game where realism is decidedly second-fiddle, I've 
taken this a bit further and changed rapiers to 2d-3 for consistency as well as 
simplicity.

Part of my reason for this is that I treat the variation in weapon forms as 
"special effects" even more than the list on AM p 12. For example, in my game, 
a St 10 sword doing 2d-2 damage might be a typical saber, cutlass or scimitar, 
a heavier-than-normal rapier, a lighter-than-normal shortsword or longsword, 
or even an unusually lightweight broadsword. 

>   My feeling is the same.  The compound bow is 
>just better than other bows.  For a given amount
>of Strength it went further and did more damage.
>
>   However, rather than unballance the game, I
>say that compound and composite bows require a
>huge amount of strength to use.  I know it is 
>unrealistic, but I want to put them into the 
>game, but I don't want to make old bow technology
>useless.  This is why they have such a high ST
>on my list.

I've heard enough arguments about the "awesomeness" of longbows vs composite 
bows vs crossbows (and of weapon X vs weapon Y, in general) to take such 
things with a grain of salt. So I have no problem with having "unrealistic" stats 
for purposes of game balance. 

Although something I have tried to do in my modifications is to give each 
weapon-type a niche: E.g. Ax/Mace weapons are the best 2-hand melee weapons 
(slightly better than 2-h swords), and swords are the best 1-h melee weapons. 

As for bows and crossbows, I've actually had to tone down the longbow in my 
game (from 1d+2 to 1d+1) because I've changed around the way high Dx gives 
extra attacks. What makes the light crossbow so powerful in standard TFT is the 1 
shot/turn with adjDx 14 rule. Alter or eliminate that, and crossbows are much 
less dangerous. 

Anyway, my own suggestion for "ethnic" uber-bows (English/Welsh longbow, 
Mongol Compound bow etc.) would be to extend the "fine" weapon rules to allow them 
damage bonuses, despite their not being edged weapons. Thus a "Mongol" horse 
bow would get +1 or +2 damage over an ordinary horse bow for 10x or 20x the 
normal cost. 

Erol K. Bayburt
Evil Genius for a Better Tomorrow
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