Every human culture on the planet, save for a few Polynesian peoples have used bows, and they are a staple in most sorts of role-playing games. While the GURPS rules for bows are adequate for most purposes, they are by no means complete, and this article attempts to fill in the gaps.
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A History of the Bow The Relevant Skills Equipment Miscellaneous Appendix | (Lon Ficke, Dec 2001): While I've retained the body of Thomas' original, I've taken the liberty of removing inconsistencies (like the dodge modifier) by combining the comments into one. I've also reorganized the document per the 'Table of Contents' to the left so that it flows better (in my opinion). I wasn't sure what the base bow was to which Thomas applies all the modifiers. So I took the "Shortbow" from the GURPS books as the base and created the Ancient/Medieval Ranged Weapon Table (rev) in the Appendix. |
A HISTORY OF THE BOW |
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There is pictorial evidence that bows were used at least 20,000 years ago (the Neolithic Era - Late TL 0) and archeological evidence of bows has been found from as far back as 10,000 years ago. Some cultures learned to produce bows of horn and sinew at T L1, bow-making was essentially unchanged until TL 7 when modern composite materials become available. Bow skill remains unchanged at all Tech Levels. Crossbows were introduced at TL3, but they are very similar to bows in most respects.
THE RELEVANT SKILLS |
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IQ-5, | Survival-5, Woodworking-5, Engineering (Composite Materials)/TL7+ -3, Engineer (Mechanical)-5, Other Armory-5 |
This skill covers the production of bows, crossbows, arrows and bowstrings. Though it is nominally a specialization of the Armory skill, it does not change with Tech Level, though stronger materials are introduced at higher tech levels. Horn and other laminated materials can be used in bows at TL1, fiberglass and synthetic composite materials are introduced at TL 7.
Since most bows through history have been wood bows, and wood-working techniques are essential to any sort of bowmaking, Boywer skill allows a default from Woodworking skill. Since bowmaking is a part of advanced survival courses and most "primative" people grew up around bows and bowyers, it also defaults to Survival skill. Finally, because the physics involved in bowmaking are relatively straight-forward, some sorts of Engineers could puzzle out how to make a bow without having any formal bowyer training.
It takes approximately 4-6 hours to produce a shootable wooden bow from a prepared piece of lumber using hand tools. If only minimal tools (like a pocket knife or an axe) are available, add two hours to the time needed. If modern power tools are available, subtract two hours. In some circumstances the time needed to produce a bow can be greatly reduced. A master bowyer with power tools and all his tools and materials at hand can produce shootable (if unfinished) bows in as little as 10 to 20 minutes!
Due to the need to let the glues dry, composite bows (bows made of two or more types of material glued together) or laminated bows (bows made from thin strips of material glued together) take far longer to produce - a minimum of 3-4 days and more typically a week.
A bowyer is far fussier about what sort of wood he uses than any other type of woodworker, because of the stresses a wooden bow must endure. If a boywer has to prepare his own lumber, then he will generally cut down a tree of the appropriate type, since cut boards generally don't make good bows. It takes a Naturalist roll to find and identify the correct species of tree to make a bow (historically bowmakers have preferred yew, osage orange, and hickory, though any wood can be made into a bow). A roll vs . Bowyer skill is required to choose a suitable tree of the correct species and to cut it down and split the wood in a way that will allow the lumber to be usable. Once the tree is cut and the billet of wood is split out, the wood must age for at least 2 weeks before it can be used. Some bowyers age their wood for years, though this isn't necessary in most cases.
If all a bowyer has at hand are cut boards, a roll vs. Bowyer skill is required to find a board which will produce an adequate bow, but in any event subsequent skill rolls to produce a bow from a board are at -2. It's easier to make a bow from a log than it is from a board.
The production of a bow depends on cutting the stave of wood to the correct length and shape and then tillering the bow. Tillering is the process of carefully bending the bow so that it will bend evenly without breaking. Though, theoretically, a bowyer can make a bow of any poundage (ST in GURPS terms) practically, limits of length and elasticity and strength of his materials make it difficult for a bowyer to produce a wooden or horn bow with more than 150 lbs. of draw or so. It is also easy for a novice bowyer to weaken a bow, reducing its poundage.
A roll vs. Bowyer skill is required to produce a shootable bow. If the bowyer is working with unfamiliar materials (like a bowyer who is only used to working with wood attempting to produce a fiberglass bow) this roll is at -4. If the bowyer is working with poor quality wood, then the roll is at an additional -2. A successful roll vs. Bowyer skill produces a reliable, shootable bow of the desired poundage. A failed roll produces a weapon with some sort of flaw, and the bowyer can make a second skill roll to attempt to correct the problem, though he must subtract 1d-3 points of ST from the bow's desired weight (minimum 1 point). If the second roll is failed, the bow has a problem that can't be corrected and is automatically Cheap no matter what materials are used. On a Critical Success, the bow is automatically Fine quality unless the bowyer used inferior materials to start with. On a critical failure, the bow is ruined.
High-tech compound bows generally can't be made by hand. Fiberglass and composite materials require factory facilities. A bowyer can assemble the parts of a high-tech compound bow into a bow in about 20 minutes to an hour if he has the proper tools. A ro ll vs. Bowyer skill is required to assemble the parts properly, but only a critical failure will keep the Bowyer from assembling a shootable bow.
Arrow-making is far simpler. A bowyer can produce an arrow from prepared parts using modern equipment in less than 5 minutes. If the bowyer has to actually prepare his arrow-making materials and is using "low tech" techniques, the net time to produce an arrow goes up to 20-30 minutes. A roll vs. Bowyer skill is required to select and assemble the materials properly, though modern tools and materials give +6 to this roll. A failed roll results in a Cheap arrow. A critical success produces a Fine arrow (as suming the arrow components were of good quality to begin with). Only on a critical failure will the bowyer fail to produce a shootable arrow. Modern arrow components will always produce an arrow of Average quality on any failed roll except a critical fai lure. A bowyer can prepare all the components needed to make an arrow, except for stone or metal arrow heads. A roll vs. Armoury (Flint Knapping) or Blacksmithing is needed to produce an arrowhead.
String-making is very simple. Bowstrings can be made from any flexible, non-stretchable material, traditionally hide, hair, sinew, linen, silk, or hemp fibers were preferred, though modern bowyers use Dacron thread. If the bowyer has all his materials prepared, he can produce a bowstring in about 30 minutes, 5 minutes if he has specialized, modern tools. Though a roll vs. Bowyer skill is required, any roll except a critical failure will produce a useable string. However, a failed skill roll means the bowyer produces a string with some sort of defect. Either it will be too heavy for the bow (giving -1 to effective ST) or it will fail unexpectedly, possibly damaging the bow.
The production of crossbows is a further specialization of Bowyer skill and bowyers who are not familiar with crossbow production techniques must roll at -4 to their skill when they attempt to build a crossbow. This penalty can be "bought off" like any other unfamiliarity penalty.
A roll vs. Blacksmith or Professional Skill (Machinist) is needed to make the trigger mechanism for a crossbow. If the bow is to be made of metal a roll vs. Metallurgy is required to choose metal which will be sufficiently flexible, and a roll vs. Blacksmith or Machinist is required to actually make the bow. Assembling the crossbow requires a roll vs. the Bowyer skill, at -4 if the Bowyer isn't familiar with crossbow production.
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aka 'Archery'
DX-5, | Crossbow-3 |
Bow skill is essentially unchanged from the Basic Set, except that in archery, like any other physical skill, training can substitute for raw physical strength. For every 3 points of Bow skill you have above your default level, your effective strength wh en using a bow goes up by 1.
For example, an archer with ST 10, DX 10 and skill 15 has 10 levels of Bow skill above his default level. This gives him +3 to his effective ST when he shoots, so he could use a ST 13 bow.
A successful roll vs. Bow skill will also allow an archer to determine the quality of a bow or an arrow just by examining it.
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Bow-5
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This is the skill of quickly drawing and nocking arrows and firing a bow quickly. Roll vs. Fast-Draw (Arrow), each 3 points the roll is made by reduces the time to load and fire by 1 second (to a minimum of 1 second).
A failed roll means that you have to ready the arrow, nock it, and fire the bow at the normal rate. A critical failure means that you drop the arrow, or the bow, or both.
This skill allows a skilled archer to shoot arrows very quickly - one arrow per second in some cases.
Modifiers: quivers
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Bow-SS
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(Lon:) Rather than permiting a minimum skill to ignore the Snap-Shot penalty, I always impose a Snap-Shot penalty. But you can buy it off with this maneuver. The snap-shot penalty varies by weapon (instead of a flat -4 for all weapons). If you use the weapon tables from pB207, then the revised SS penalty is 10 - SS from the table (see the table to the right). If you use these detailed archery rules, then the SS is listed in the Appendix at the bottom of the page. |
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Equipment: Bows |
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Bows by themselves are harmless, it is the arrow that does the killing. But, the arrow gets its speed from the energy transferred to it by the bow. The energy that a bow can store depends on the type of material used to make the bow and the size and shape of the bow. Bows are rated by the number of pounds of force it takes to draw them at a given length of draw. This number is typically called "poundage". The poundage determines the total amount of force that can be transferred to the arrow, and higher poundage bows will shoot an arrow in a flatter trajectory at a higher speed. The speed at which an arrow is shot from a bow is usually measured in feet per second (fps) and is called "cast".
Typically, a grown man will have a 26 to 30 inch draw and most wooden hunting bows have a poundage of 45-55 lbs. at 28 inches of draw. A wooden hunting bow will shoot an arrow at approximately 150-180 fps. (Move 50 to 60). Modern compound bows will have a poundage of 60-120 lbs. and will shoot arrows at up to 270 fps (Move 83).
Bows are constrained by two factors - the need to make the bow material thin enough that it will flex without cracking and the need to make the bow thick enough that it will store enough energy to power an arrow shot. Longer and wider bows allow weaker m aterials to be used or allow good materials to be stressed at a higher level, since any given section of bow is under less stress in a longer bow. Shortening a bow increases the stress on the materials, but the increased stress translates into higher poun dage and indirectly into high cast. Other factors, such as the shape of the bow, mass of the limbs, weight of the string, and quality of the materials also affect cast.
In GURPS, bows do damage based on their ST rating or the ST of the bowman, whichever is less. For example, if an ST 20 Ogre uses an ST 10 bow he would do ST 10 damage, since the bow can't hold any more energy. However, if a ST 10 elf attempted to use an ST 16 bow designed for an ogre, then the elf would only do damage with that bow at ST 10, since he couldn't fully draw the bow. However, high levels of bow skill can up the user's effective ST rating when using a bow, allowing them to use a more powerful bow than an untrained person could.
If the bow is stronger than its user, the bowman suffers a -1 penalty to hit for every point of ST difference. When using a bow too strong for him, an archer must make a ST roll at the same penalty for every shot. On a failure he cannot draw the bow at all, while on a critical failure, he has pulled a muscle: one of the archer's arms (usually that drawing the bowstring) is crippled (p. B 127) for 20-HT hours. At the end of that time a HT roll must be made; on a success the arm is usable again, while a failure indicates that the arm is actually injured and must heal as though the arm had taken 1/2 HT points of damage. The archer does not actually suffer this damage -- except for shock effect (p. B 126) -- but the arm will not function until healed for that many points.
As a very rough guideline ST translates to poundage as follows, though ST actually represents a number, especially speed of cast. Fine or Very Fine quality weapons add to the effective ST of a bow, without increasing the actual ST needed to use it. Cheap weapons reduce effective ST of a bow without reducing the actual ST needed to use it.
| ST Rating | Poundage | Minimum Length | Damage | SS mod | ACC mod | Archery mod | Stealth mod | Move | Dodge mod * |
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| 6 | 15 lbs. | 36" | 1d-5 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 30 | +3 | |
| 7 | 20 lbs. | 36" | 1d-4 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 35 | +3 | |
| 8 | 25 lbs. | 48" | 1d-3 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 40 | +3 | |
| 9 | 30 lbs. | 48" | 1d-2 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 45 | +2 | |
| 10 | 35-40 lbs. | 48" | 1d-2 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 50 | +2 | |
| 11 | 45-55 lbs. | 48" | 1d-1 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 55 | +1 | |
| 12 | 60-70 lbs. | 48" | 1d-1 | +2 | ~ | -1 | 60 | +1 | |
| 13 | 70-85 lbs. | 60" | 1d | 65 | 0 | ||||
| 14 | 90-110 lbs. | 80" | 1d | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 70 | 0 |
| 15 | 115-140 lbs. | 80" | 1d+1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 75 | 0 |
| 16 | 145-165 lbs. | 80" | 1d+1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 80 | 0 |
| 17 | 170-195 lbs. | n/a | 1d+2 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 85 | 0 |
| 18 | 200-225 lbs. | n/a | 1d+2 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 90 | 0 |
| 19 | 230-250 lbs. | n/a | 2d-1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 95 | 0 |
| 20 | 250-275 lbs. | n/a | 2d-1 | -1 | +1 | +1 | -1 | 100 | 0 |
The quality of a bow affects not only its accuracy, but its Strength. Even the finest wooden or horn bows are limited to ST 16. Modern materials can increase this to ST 20. At TL 7, fiberglass and other composite materials allow Fine bows to be had for the price of Average bows, and Average bows to be had for the price of Cheap bows. Compound bows made of modern materials add +2 to +5 to the effective ST of the bow, allowing effective ST of the bow to be increased.
Bows and Crossbows come in Cheap, Average, Fine, and Very Fine quality. Bows, unlike guns, can't have fancy engraving. However, Fine and Very Fine bows might have embellishments such as inlays or laminations of different colored wood or painted designs.
Cheap bows are more likely to break and give -1 to Bow skill. They give -1 to effective ST of a bow. A Cheap bow cannot have a ST above 12 and will break on any critical failure. They cost 60% of normal cost.
Average bows are limited to ST 14, or ST 18 if they are made from modern materials.
Fine bows are more resistant to breakage and are stronger than normal bows, they also shoot their arrow at a slightly higher speed, which means that they shoot farther and hit harder. A fine bow will have +1 effective ST over an equivalent bow of Average quality. This means that a Fine ST 10 bow would have the same range and damage as an Average ST 11 bow. A very fine bow will have +2 effective ST. Both fine and very fine bows will be more resistant to breakage. If a critical hit result results in a "Weapon Breaks" result, roll again. Only on a second "Weapon Breaks" roll will the bow actually crack. A Fine or Very Fine bow is limited to ST 16, or ST 20 if made from space age materials. They cost 150% of normal cost.
Wooden and horn bows can't be made any better than Fine without the aid of magic or super science. Modern bows made of composite materials can't be any worse than Average quality, and are typically of Fine quality.
Bows can be made from a number of different materials. Horn bows are made from layers of horn and sinew. Wooden bows can either be "self" bows made of a single piece of wood or they can be backed with rawhide, sinew, or some other material. "Backing" a bow with an elastic material like sinew makes a bow slightly less likely to break and also increases cast.
Recurved bows (like the sort Cupid is shown as carrying) come in two varieties - static and retroflexed. Retroflexing just curves the limbs of the bow, allowing a longer limb length without increasing the overall length of the bow. Static recurving actually changes the angle of the string when the bow is at full draw, allowing it to store more energy, which increases cast speed. Recurved bows are commonly used by horse-archers such as the Sioux Indians, the Mongols, and the Turks since their smaller size makes them easier to use on horseback.
Straight-bows are commonly called "longbows", irregardless of their actual length. An actual English yew longbow has a poundage of 110-150 lbs. and a length of 80" or more. They are also notable for their "D" shaped cross-section. Most so-called longbows are actually "flatbows" with a rectangular-shaped cross section. For a number of reasons, longbows shoot more accurately and have a faster cast than shorter bows, so up to a point, a longer bow is a better bow. However, it is difficult to get suitable wood for longbows in some parts of the world, and longbows tend to get tangled in thick brush. A longbow can also be recurved.
A "take-down" bow is a bow which is made in two pieces which fit together by means of a socket at the grip of the bow. The first known take-down bows come from Feudal Japan and were used by Ninja. However, they became common among sport archers in the 19th century. Because of the extra work involved in making them, take-down bows cost 50% more than a normal bow, and they are usually of at least average quality. A take-down bow can be stored or hidden in half the area that a normal bow would take up. A take-down bow in a case would have a Holdout modifier of -4.
Any active recurve bow gives +1 to effective ST (so a Very Fine active recurve would give +3 to effective ST!). A passive recurve bow gives no effect except to shorten the total length of the bow by up to 25%. All recurves take at least a day more to make and cost 50% more than a straight bow.
Any bow under 50" inches of length - before recurving (this includes most "short bows" or "horsebows") gives +2 to SS, but gives -1 to Bow skill. A bow over 65" gives +1 to Bow skill and ACC, but gives -1 to Stealth rolls and -1 to SS.
People with shorter arms won't be able to fully draw a bow designed for a longer-armed person, which effectively reduces the poundage of their shots. Long-armed people who draw a bow designed for a person with short arms are likely to over-draw the bow, either damaging it or breaking it. A roll vs. Bow or Bowyer skill is required to determine the proper length of draw for an unknown bow. If you are attempting to use a bow designed for a larger person, you are at -1 to effective ST for every 6" between yo ur height and the height of the taller person. (This is a rough approximation of the fact that shorter people have shorter arms than tall people, the GM can ignore this for short races with long arms.)
If you are drawing a bow with a shorter draw length than you are used to. You must make a roll vs. Bow skill every minute you use the bow, or you will damage the bow, permanently reducing its effective ST by 1. On a critical failure, the bow breaks.
Bows are designed to be used in certain conditions of temperature and humidity. Every culture on earth has developed a bow design which works best in their enviornment. However, bows which designed for the high heat and humidity of the jungle quickly fai l in the desert, and vice-versa. Wooden or horn bows which are exposed to extreme conditions for which they were not designed will eventually deteriorate. Composite bows made with pre-modern glues are especially prone to breakage in high humidity or wet c onditions. Also, storing a bow incorrectly (by standing it on its end or not unstringing it) can permanently weaken the bow.
In very dry conditions (like a desert or a centrally-heated room in a modern house during winter), wooden bows are slightly more prone to breakage. Extremely wet conditions will eventually cause a strung bow to bend, reducing its power. Bows which are ba cked with horn, rawhide or sinew can be ruined if they get wet. Wet bowstrings will stretch and/or become weaker. (Medieval English bowmen put their bowstrings under their hats when it started to rain!). Wet conditions can also bend the fletches on the ar rows or cause them to come unglued. Extremely wet conditions can also cause wooden arrows to warp.
For every week that a wooden or horn bow is exposed to extremely high or low humidity or extremely high or low temperature (or every hour that a bow is used in wet conditions), roll vs. Bow skill to avoid weakening the bow. On a failed roll the bow's effective ST is reduced by 1. On a critical failure, the bow is ruined if it is a composite bow, or its ST is reduced by 2 if it is a "self" bow. If a bow is incorrectly stored, it might also have its ST reduced. However, anyone with even a single point in Bow or Bowyer skill knows how to store a bow properly.
Bows and crossbows are delicate things and are not meant to be used as clubs. If an archer is desperate, he can use his bow as a Cheap quality baton, however, after each strike he must roll to see if he breaks his bow, as if it had been used to parry a heavier weapon. Crossbows use the same rules, except that a crossbow is heavier than a bow, so it is treated as a Cheap quality Mace. An arrow used as a melee weapon would be treated as a Cheap quality knife which can only be used to thrust.
An arrow or other missile doesn't reach its target instantaneously. Projectiles from missile weapons (slings, bows, crossbows, spear throwers, sling shots) have a Move equal to ST (of the weapon or the user) x 5. Thrown weapons (spears, shuriken, rocks, axes, etc.) have a Move equal to ST x 2.5. Each point by which the attacker succeeds with his attack adds 2 to the missile's Move. If the missile is smooth and areodynamically shaped (like a baseball or a spear) add +5 to effective skill, for purposes of calculating Move.
A person who can see a missile coming gets +2 to Dodge or Block for each turn that the missile is in flight beyond the first turn. This bonus also applies to the Arrow Cutting and Missile Catching skills. If the effective Move of a missile is less than 50, the defender gets +1 to Block or Dodge on the first turn the missile is in flight. If the Move is 40 or less, the defender gets +2 to Block or Dodge.
Equipment: Arrows |
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The damage an arrow does is based on its speed, its weight, and the sort of head it has. The faster and heavier an arrow is, the better it will penatrate. Once the arrow hits, the size of the head determines the size of the wound. Bigger, sharper heads do more damage, but don't penetrate armor or thick hide as well. Arrows with sharp heads do Impaling damage. Arrows with blunt heads do Crushing damage.
There is no limit to the amount of damage an impaling hit from an arrow can do, however, the basic damage inflicted by an arrow is limited by Blow Through (no more points of damage than the target's HT). (Yes, this is a change from the Basic Set. The old rule fails the reality check.)
Choosing Arrows: Arrows or bolts must be of the correct weight and length for the bow that will be firing them. Very light or short arrows fired from a very heavy bow will be at -1 to hit for every 3 points of difference of the ST of the arrow and the ST of the bow. Unless a character is using scavenged arrows this should not be a problem.
Heavy arrows reduce Max and 1/2D ranges by 25% and give the target +1 to Dodge, but give +1 to basic damage.
Light arrows increase Max and 1/2D ranges by 10% but increase the effective DR of any armor with at least DR 1 by 1 point, but give -1 to basic damage. Most target arrows are Light.
Mixing Different Types of Arrows: If two or more types of arrows are mixed in the same quiver, it takes 3 turns to ready a bow, since it takes a turn to choose the right sort of arrow. Fast Draw skill can't be used if arrows are randomly mixed in a quive r unless the shooter is willing to draw arrows randomly.
In combat, arrows may be gleamed from the battlefield or retrieved from the dead. Roll 1d6. Arrows which missed can be found and are fit to be re-used on 1-4. Arrows retrieved from the dead are fit to be re-used on 1-3. The GM may modify these numbers ba sed on conditions. For example, it is very unlikely that arrows fired at a small target which died instantly will be damaged and it is very unlikely that an archer firing while on the move will retrieve any arrows at all.
Arrows and crossbow bolts come in many different styles. The usual "war" and big game arrow is the broadhead. Bodkin points are used to pierce armor. Field points are used to kill small game. Blunts are used for practice and for killing birds.
Modern broadheads have three or even four barbs, and are made of high quality metal. Since the barbs are areodynamically shaped, they are more accurate than traditional broadheads. They add +3 to basic damage and don't penalize skill. In other respects t hey are like traditional broadheads.
An arrow which carried an ounce of explosive would do 1d6 points of damage (assuming dynamite as the filler) but would have -2 to hit and would have 1/2D range of ST x 15 and MAX of ST x 20. Explosive damage would be doubled if the arrow exploded on con tact.
A roll vs. Bowyer skill is be needed to make the arrow and a roll vs. Demolitions is be required to make the fuse and pack the explosive. A roll vs. Demolitions +4 is required for the arrow to explode properly. Explosive arrows do damage as blunt tips. -2 to basic damage and all damage is crushing.
Explosive arrows can also be used to set fires. They have a 50% chance of setting class A flammables on fire, a 25% chance of setting Class B flammables on fire, and a 10% chance of setting Class C flammables on fire.
It is virtually useless except as a sport arrow, but clever characters might use it for signalling or for carrying messages. Shafts are light and long and the heads are very small, so this arrow gives -2 to basic damage, but maximum damage is 1d6-3 points. ½D range STx20 and MAX range is STx35 or more.
It takes 1 second to light the fuse, 1 second to nock the arrow, and one second to fire it. A DX roll is required to do this quickly. Failure means you waste 1d6 seconds after you light the dynamite. Critical failure means that you drop the lit arrow at your feet.
If you successfully fire the arrow, you must then roll vs. Demolitions skill to see if the explosive goes off as planned.
Improvised explosive arrows are at -6 to hit, ½D range is STx5, MAX range is STx10. Damage for an improvised arrow would be as the head type, but with 1d6 to 3d6 explosive damage. If the explosion is triggered by contact then explosion damage is doubled.
Improvised explosive arrows can be made in 1 minute if the materials are at hand (dynamite, duct tape, fuses, and a cigarette lighter) and a successful Demolitions roll is made.
Pyrotechnic arrows can set things on fire like Incendiary arrows.
A pyrotechnic arrow can be made out of a normal arrow in about an hour if a successful Demolitions or Fireworks-2 skill is made. After the first arrow is made, if materials are at hand, subsequent arrows can be modified in about 30 minutes.
It is assumed that a bowman or crossbowman is using the heaviest bow or crossbow of a type to get his normal range and damage, and that slingers are throwing the heaviest missile they can. However, some trade-off of range for damage can be made.
Slings, as well as bows and crossbows can sacrifice some range in the hands of a strong man to fire a heavier missile. For each -1 ST to range calculations, a missile man can add +1 to damage up +2 extra points of damage. After ½D range this damage bonus is lost.
Missiles designed to do increased damage at the expense of range must be prepared in advance and can't be altered to give different damages or maximum ranges.
Pulling your punches: A bowman may "pull his punches" by not drawing the bow completely - using less than the full strength of the bow. If a bowman does this, reduce the range and damage accordingly. Crossbows and other missile weapons can't do this.
Like guns, maximum range for arrows and crossbow bolts is considerably greater than their effective combat range. If it matters, the true maximum range for an arrow or bolt fired purely for maximum range is twice normal MAX range. A successful roll vs. Bow or Crossbow skill will add 1 to the effective ST for every point by which the roll was made. Special arrows designed for long-range flight give +3 to effective skill. This means an experienced, strong bowman with proper equipment could drive an arrow 6 00 yards or more!
At this range all but the largest targets will be impossible to hit, so this use of archery is mostly limited to signalling or sport.
Equipment: Quivers |
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Fast-Drawing an Arrow is a specialization of the Fast-Draw skill. Different sorts of quivers give penalties or bonuses to this skill.
All quivers weigh 2 pounds or less. Fancy models will be decorated.
| Type of Quiver | Modifier | Capacity | Notes |
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| Arrows held in bow hand | +2 | 3 |
Holding arrows in the bow hand is a common technique and is traditional in Japanese archery. |
| Arrows stuck in belt | 0 | 6 | Roll vs. DX to avoid losing arrows when running.
Drawing an arrow from the belt was the common technique of English medieval archers. It is moderately fast, but a limited number of arrows may be carried this way (up to 6) and the arrows are likely to be lost if the archer has to move quickly. (Roll vs. DX to avoid losing the arrows.) |
| Arrows stuck into ground | 0 | ~ |
Sticking arrows into the ground and then pulling them up as needed was another common trick used by medieval archers. This is relatively fast, but obviously, the archer can't carry his arrows. |
| Back Quiver | +1 | 24 | Roll vs. Archery skill to keep arrows dry in rain, or to keep
from losing arrows in heavy brush. -1 to Stealth skill.
Back Quivers are traditional in many cultures, and is a staple of fantasy campaigns though medieval Europeans and the horse-archers of Central Asia didn't use it. Back quivers are fast, but the arrows tend to rattle around, the fletches of the arrows get wet or get tangled in heavy brush, and the over-the-shoulder motion of drawing the arrow will occasionally spook game. This means that back quivers give -1 to Stealth rolls. In wet weather the archer must roll vs. Archery skill every hour to keep his arrows dry. In extremely dense terrain, he must roll vs. Archery skill every 4 hours or lose an arrow (the missing arrow was pulled out of the quiver by the surrounding brush). |
| Bow Quiver | +1 | 3 | Roll vs. Archery skill to keep arrows dry in rain.
Bow Quivers are a modern invention. They consist of one or more small plastic clips for arrows which are mounted on the side of the bow. They allow up to three arrows to be carried on the bow itself, eliminating the need for a quiver. They are fast, silent, and don't get tangled in the underbrush, but they offer no protection from the elements. |
| Belt Quiver | -1 | 24 | Roll vs. Archery skill to keep arrows dry in rain. -1 to Stealth
skill, -3 to Running skill.
Belt Quivers were carried by most Old World archers including the English longbowmen and the horse-archers of Central Asia. Central Asian models were designed so that they could hold a strung composite bow in addition to the arrows. Belt quivers have most of the disadvantages of a back quiver (noise, wet arrows) and are slow to draw from. They also interfere with quick movement (-3 to effective Running skill). However, belt quivers don't lose arrows in heavy brush, and they can hold a lot of arrows (2 dozen maximum). |
| Indian Quiver | +1 | 12 |
Indian Quivers were used by the various Indian tribes of North America. They are carried under the bow arm with the fletches of the arrows pointing forward. They are very fast to draw from, they don't get hung up in dense forests, they are silent and don't spook game. They also have a soft "holster flap" to keep arrows from getting wet. |
| St. Charles Quiver | -2 | 6 |
St. Charles Quivers were invented by the early 20th century bowhunter Glen St. Charles. They are not traditional for any culture, but they do have the advantage of being easy to use in heavy brush. They look like a belt quiver with a cut-out near the base of the quiver and a solid top. Arrows are drawn from the bottom through the cut-out. Arrows in a St. Charles quiver do not rattle, get tangled by brush, or get wet but they aren't very fast and they can hold a limited number of arrows (6 maximum). |
Miscellaneous |
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A bow is normally kept unstrung, so that it does not bend permanently in its strung shape and thus lose its strength. If the bowman and his bow are of the same ST, stringing the bow takes 2 seconds. If the bowman has a greater ST than the bow, it only takes 1 second. Archers weaker than their bows take 2 seconds, plus 1 second for every point of ST difference, but must make a ST roll at a penalty equal to that difference in order to succeed.
If it matters, a successful roll vs. Archery skill will allow a bowman to reduce the time it takes to string a bow by 1 second. It takes the same amount of time to unstring a bow as to string it.
Bows: Use the "Ready" option to reload a bow. It takes 4 seconds to fire a bow under normal circumstances. It takes at least one second to draw an arrow, one second to nock it, and one second to draw and fire the bow. Fast-Draw (Arrow) also covers the skill of quickly firing a bow.
Crossbows: A crossbow always does damage according to its ST and its ST can't be reduced by the firer. Anyone can eventually cock a crossbow with the proper equipment. If you use a crossbow with a ST equal or less than yours you can cock it by hand in 2 seconds. A crossbow with a ST 1 or 2 points higher than yours you takes 6 seconds to cock by hand.
A crossbow with ST 3 or 4 greater than yours requires a "goat's foot" to recock each time. This device weighs 1 lb., costs $25 and cocks the bow in 6 seconds. It hangs from the bowman's belt. To use it, the bowman takes his crossbow from his shoulder (1 second), fits the string of the crossbow into the goat's foot (1 second), fits his foot into a "ring" at the base of the crossbow (1 second) and uses the strength of his back and leg to span the bow (2 seconds). He then removes his foot from the bow and removes the bow from the goat's foot (1 second) for a total time of 6 seconds.
A crossbow with a ST 5 or greater than yours requires a hand crank fitted to the base of the the crossbow to recock each time - this device weighs 2 lbs., costs $50. It takes 5 seconds to fit the device to the bow and the string of the bow and 2 seconds of cranking for every point of difference between your ST and the ST of the bow. Then, once the bow is spanned, it takes 5 seconds to remove the crank.
Remember that in addtion to cocking time, it takes one turn to ready an arrow - unless you have Fast-Draw for arrows - and one turn to place the arrows in the bow.)
There is no way to reduce the damage done by a crossbow bolt.
Keeping a Bow Drawn: Keeping a bow at full draw for long periods of time is fatiguing. For every 10 seconds which an archer keeps his bow at full draw (including aiming or attempting to line up a shot) he must roll vs. Archery skill. On a failed roll, his arm gets tired. He loses all accumulated Aim bonuses and he is Fatigued, as below.
Fatigue and Injury: If an archer shoots for long periods of time, he will start to become fatigued, which hurts accuracy. If the GM rules that the archer is fatigued, he can assess a penalty of -2 to skill until the archer rests. Any injury to the shooter's arms will greatly affect accuracy. Each point of damage to the archer's arm or hand gives -2 to archery skill per point of damage. Even minor damage to the shooter's bow arm and release hand (such as a cut finger) can affect accuracy (-1 to skill for all such minor injuries). Permanent injury to the fingers gives -2 to Bow skill irregardless of the number of fingers lost, as long as the bowman has at least two functional fingers on his release hand. The One Hand or One Arm disadvantages make it impossible to use a bow.
Other Modifiers: Bowmen suffer the same penalties for range, visibility, odd position, and psychological factors as firearms shooters. Penalties for Fatigue, Buck Fever, and Flinch are especially appropriate. Many bows will "slap" the shooter's arm with the string and high-poundage bows can pinch the archer's fingers as he pulls back on the bow. Many archers overcome these problems by wearing a bracer on their forearm and by using a glove, "tab" or archer's ring on their release hand. An archer who is used to using such equipment will suffer a -1 "Flinch" penalty when shooting a bow without it. Archers with High Pain Threshold are immune. Bowmen with Low Pain Threshold double the penalty.
Since there is some variation in the types of release and equipment used, an archer who changes releases or shooting equipment suffers a -1 skill penalty until he spends two days familiarizing himself with the new technique. A modern shooter might be familiar with a number of different styles of archery, but traditional archers generally knew only one type of release and used a specific type of equipment.
Improving Accuracy: A bowman who has had time to carefully test his equipment (at least 2 hours per 6 arrows using a familiar bow) can get +1 to skill up to a maximum skill level of 15.
At TL 6 and 7 there is a resurgence in interest in the bow as a sport and hunting weapon, which spurred many improvements. The following modifications can be used for bows and crossbows at TL 6+. In some fantastic cultures these improvements might occur earlier.
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