Topic: Firearms in HARP

[Luxferre]

Does anyone have houserules regarding firearms in a medieval setting? Which crit table do you use? Whats the cost and how do you get or alchemically create gunpowder?

Ideas? Rules? Anyone? Please help, I'm in need for this stuff until July 19th.

Thanks for your help 

[Thom @ ICE]

Using HARP Fantasy I would use Puncture criticals using size based upon ammo and power of shot, another key aspect to consider is reload time which is highly dependent upon the specific weapons.  Cost for gunpowder, weapon and ammo would be highly setting dependent. 

If using HARP SF, there are plenty of rules that could be tweaked for your use.

[pyrotech]

Having both Harp Sci-Fi and Fantasy I would use the Ballistic crit tables.  Using only Harp Fantasy it would depend on the medieval firearm. 

Old Hand Cannons were notoriously low powered and inaccurate.  Old testimonials indicate they had trouble punching through light armor, and hitting the target was almost an accident.  For these I would use small crushing crits.  I would suggest a 1-5 fumble range for quality ones (and from the stories that is pretty generous for the safety of these weapons).  Range increments should probably 5m or 15'.  I would have to guess on a PB bonus of about +20.

Matchlocks are much better.  I would suggest Medium Ballistic crits at the smallest and big or high quality examples could probably rate Large crits.  Using fantasy crits I would agree with Thom and say medium or large puncture.  The crit on these would probably still be 1-5 but that would be for normal quality weapons.  Range increments and PB bonus would probably match that of crossbow.

Reload times for both would be long - probably similar to a large crossbow.

Without putting a lot more research into the question, this is probably what I would use for my game.