Topic: Magic Missile Wea in Close CBT

[markc]

 Another topic deals with missile weapons in close combat and how long distance missile weapons should not do a lot of damage at close range do to the missile flexing and other factors. IYO would magic ammo prevent this problem? IYO what about modern bow and x-bow ammo (Aluminum, etc) and close combat?


Thanks
MDC

[VladD]

As far as I know the flexing problem is only present in hand bows. The long arrows need to be flexible to be able to be fired straight. Rigid arrows tend to veer off target. Thus a magical rigid arrow would do the same. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archer%27s_paradox
X-bows fire short stubby shafts and can probably be pressed up to a target and then jacked in to the victim because the strength needed to fire the quarrel a long distance.
There seems to be a discrepancy in the poundage for hand bows and crossbows. a 120 lbs bow somehow fires the same distance with the same penetration as a 800 Lbs crossbow. It has to do with the length of the prongs and the inefficiency of firing a rigid bolt as opposed to the more fluid acceleration from long bow-ends over a longer distance, firing a long flexible arrow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery#Physics
As far as I see it; that's where the line is drawn between light and heavy crossbows; when the poundage needed is going way up, requiring even a pulley system to draw the string.
So I would answer your questions as follows:
1) no.
2) aluminum arrows are flexible and have the correct spine to be fired straight. Crossbows don't conform to the same physics and thus can be fired at point blank range.

Game On!

[markc]

Yes but would magic allow the arrow to be effective at close ranges in essence bypassing or negating normal physics?
MDC

[providence13]

Sure. Magic can explain away anything.
Just call them point blank arrows..

[markc]

Sure. Magic can explain away anything.
Just call them point blank arrows..

Nice another specialty arrow enchantment.
MDC

[kevinmccollum]

Try this, get a bow and arrow, pull it WAY back then put the tip up against a tree/board/mattress and let go of the nocked arrow. see how far it goes.

The arrow gets it's forward movement from the string as the flexible arms of the bow moving back to their original position. If you impede this forward movement, the arrow never gets to accelerate and is useless. That is one primary reason I don't allow missiles to be used in melee. You MAY make a maneuver roll (tumble, leap, etc) to get enough range from your opponent to get in a shot. failing this, you have a stick in your hands and are most likely dead meat.

[VladD]

I usually allow one parry at 50% missile OB... THEN they are dead meat 

[kevinmccollum]

I don't allow any parry with missile OB. Missile OB isn't about parrying and riposting, it is about accurately determining the range, compensating for wind, etc.   They want to parry? carry a melee weapon and develop skill in it.

[GrumpyOldFart]

I'll allow a melee parry for a guy with a bow, no problem.

What's your skill in left handed club? 

[markc]

I'll allow a melee parry for a guy with a bow, no problem.

What's your skill in left handed club? 

Nice!
MDC

[Old Man]

I'll allow a melee parry for a guy with a bow, no problem.

What's your skill in left handed club? 

LOL. I'd allow Shield or even Brawling ...

[GrumpyOldFart]

I just felt like "left handed club" was too obvious to pass up.

[kevinmccollum]

I'd allow Shield or even Brawling

As would I as that isn't their missile OB. The shield can be used with half their melee OB even if they don't have their melee weapon in hand.   But once again, missile OB can't be used to parry. At least in any game I run. Most likely play in either.

[GrumpyOldFart]

But once again, missile OB can't be used to parry.

Yeah, that. Bows and such are like firearms, they are specifically engineered to be 100% offense, 0% defense. While that does not make it impossible to block an incoming blow with, say, a crossbow stock, it does mean that all of your skill in how to "properly" use that crossbow is going to be irrelevant. That's all skill in offense, making something dangerous go that way, none of it is skill in how you keep dangerous stuff from coming this way.

Just as I responded to bow parry as "left handed club parry", I would respond to rifle parry as "staff parry" for pretty much the same reasons. Rifle skill isn't defensive, just as bow isn't.

[Old Man]

I'd allow Shield or even Brawling

As would I as that isn't their missile OB. The shield can be used with half their melee OB even if they don't have their melee weapon in hand.   But once again, missile OB can't be used to parry. At least in any game I run. Most likely play in either.

If you want to be creative - say the PC has 100 OB in Bow and 50 OB in Brawling. They declare a 50/50 Attack/Parry split. They get 50 OB (Bow) and 25 DB (Brawling).

[markc]

 I give 1/2 OB with Longbow, short-bow etc and 1/4 OB with crossbow type weapons to parry. The bigger question is if they parry will their weapon still be able to be used for anything besides fire wood?
MDC