Re: (TFT) Interesting re: Thrown Pole Weapons

["" <pvk@oz.net>]

>"Besides, how many of you actually use the "three hexes in a straight
line to get double damage" rule?"

- I don't think I've ever owned a version of the rules that said that. So, never, though I think we may be using something like it in the Thail campaign, yes?

Looking at four likely viewpoints, I consider as follows:

Intention of the rules: I don't think for an instant that anyone intended the wording to be interpreted that pole weapons can be thrown for double damage "on a charge".

Making sense or matching physics: I don't see any reasonable justification for doubling thrown spears and javelins when moving 3-5 hexes forward during the throw. Even if it were accepted that 1 meter/second extra speed or some wind-up throwing maneuver only possible by moving 3+ hexes forward could double damage, then it should apply to pretty much all thrown weapons.

Game balance: 2d thrown spears is a big boost to spears and javelins, which leaves other thrown weapons behind for no particularly good reason I can see. I don't think it seems enormously powerful, though a boomerang user might be miffed, and the amazing mounted atalatl with fine spears for 2d+6 makes this seem even more like an abuse of a slim ambiguity in the rules.

Historical/real lethality of spears: 1d is pretty lame damage, since it has no possibility of taking down a healthy man without rolling a double or triple damage hit. If realism were the goal, I might switch all weapons to 3d (or add 2d-7) to increase the potential for lethal single blows. So 1d becomes 3d-7, still average 3.5 but possible to do 11.
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