War Machines
Any piece of potentially useful battlefield equipment, offensive or defensive, can be considered a war machine if it is too large for a single character to use. A tree trunk used as a battering ram, a catapult loaded with greek fire, and a howdah strapped to an elephant's back all can be considered war machines.
Bombardment Engines
Any large device intended to hurl missiles qualifies as a bombardment engine. The most common types and their basic statistics are listed on the table below.
Bombardment engines are difficult to aim at individuals. Generally, a bombardment engine can target only units of creatures, buildings, other war machines, vehicles, ships, and single creatures of Gargantuan size; see the individual bombardment engine descriptions for exceptions.
It takes time and effort to set up a bombardment engine and prepare it to fire for the first time. The minimum preparation time is 10 minutes or the time required to change facing, whichever is greater. The number increases by 50% if a trained artillerist is not on hand to direct the operation.
When used with the Player's Option combat system, a bombardment engine has a field of fire of 45 degrees left or right of its current facing. This is generous for most weapons included here, but it is assumed that a bombardment engine's slow rate of fire accounts for a considerable amount of manhandling between shots.
Range: Ranges are divided into minimum, short, medium, and long categories. A weapon cannot be aimed at targets closer than its minimum range.
THAC0: The chance to hit a target with a bombardment engine is a function of the engine, not the crew.
Damage: The number before the slash is the amount of damage inflicted on Man-sized or smaller creatures; the number after the slash is the damage inflicted on larger creatures. If there is only one value given, the damage is the same for all sizes of creatures. Some creatures are entitled to a saving throw to reduce or avoid damage. Damage to structures is covered in the Escalades and Siege and Fortifications sections.
Note that creatures immune to normal missiles are not immune to missiles from bombardment engines. Creatures immune to blunt weapons are immune to catapult and trebuchet missiles and to round shot fired from ballistae. Creatures immune to piercing weapons are immune to bolts from ballistae. Creatures immune to nonmagical weapons are immune to attacks from ballistae, catapults, and trebuchets (unless the missiles employed are enchanted). Cannon and bombard projectiles are blunt weapons, but they are propelled with enough force to harm creatures that are otherwise immune to blunt weapons. Cannons and bombards also can harm creatures that are immune to nonmagical weapons. Light cannons are treated as +1 weapons for determining which creatures they can harm.
Medium cannons and great bombards are treated as +2 weapons, and heavy cannons are treated as +3 weapons.
Knockdown: The size of the die the weapon rolls for knockdowns.
ROF: (Rate Of Fire) This is how often the weapon can be fired if fully crewed; 1/8 means the weapon can fire once every eight rounds.
Change Facing: This is the number of rounds required to change the weapon's facing 45 degrees. Any weapon listed as "0" can change facing during the End-of-Round step of a round in which the weapon was fired.
Crew: The number of Man-sized creatures required to operate the weapon. If fewer crew are available, the weapon's rate of fire decreases by one for every missing crew member, and the weapon cannot be operated at all if the available crew is less than half the required number. Extra crew can be allocated to the weapon to maintain its rate of fire in the face of casualties among the crew. At the DM's option, two Small or four Tiny creatures can replace one Man-sized creature; one Large creature can replace two Man-sized creatures, one Huge creature can replace three Man-sized creatures, and so on. If at least one trained artillerist is not on hand to supervise the crew, the rate of fire decreases by one. Creatures must have manipulative appendages and a racial intelligence of at least low to serve on a crew.
Target Size: The smallest creature the engine can target individually; see the engine's description for details.
Weight: The engine's approximate weight in pounds.
Spaces: The number of map spaces the engine occupies on the map.
*Indicates that the usual –5 modifier for long range shots does not apply.
Bombardment Engines
Ballista
This engine looks something like a giant crossbow mounted on a swivel. It usually fires spear-like bolts, but some versions fire round shot of stone or metal; both types use the same basic statistics. Ballista projectiles have a relatively flat trajectory, and they are fairly accurate.
A light ballista can be aimed at any target in sight, provided the weapon is fully crewed. A light ballista with a partial crew can fire at single creatures of Large or greater size. A medium or heavy ballista can fire at a single Huge creature, or at a Gargantuan creature if partially crewed. Any ballista's field of fire is limited to 45 degrees left or right of the weapon's facing at the beginning of the round. A ballista's facing can be changed up to 45 degrees during the last phase of any round when it fires.
Bombard
The term "bombard" encompasses a broad category of nonstandardized, primitive gunpowder weapons that fire large stone or iron balls in a high arch. A typical bombard has a short, thick barrel cast from bronze and set in a rigid wooden base. More advanced siege mortars from the cannon era also use the bombard statistics.
A single shot from a normal bombard requires 10 charges of smoke powder or gunpowder; a great bombard requires 20 charges, and both types of bombards are subject to misfiring (see Chapter Seven for details). The heat and debris left in the barrel after firing accounts for the weapon's relatively slow rate of fire, as the weapon must be cooled and cleaned before it can fire again.
A bombard's facing is fixed at the beginning of a battle; a full crew working nonstop for 30 minutes can change a bombard's facing 45 degrees. For a partial crew, add 10 minutes to the time requirement for each missing crew member; a crew at half strength cannot move a bombard.
The bombard's thunderous roar can confuse or panic creatures unaccustomed to loud noises or normally fearful of thunder. This includes most creatures with a basic morale score of 10 or less and any creature generally unfamiliar with explosives or magic. Such creatures must check morale if they are within 40 yards of a bombard when it fires. Creatures usually lose their fear of a bombard's noise if they win an encounter against an enemy armed with one or if they spend a month or so getting accustomed to the sound.
Cannon
These weapons are more refined versions of bombards. They have long, slim barrels made from high-quality bronze and they fire wrought-iron shot in a low, flat trajectory. They are fairly accurate.
Cannons are subject to misfires just as bombards are. A shot from a light cannon requires 10 charges of smoke powder or gunpowder. A medium cannon requires 15 charges, and a heavy cannon requires 20 charges.
A light or medium cannon can change facing 45 degrees during the End-of-Round step of any round when it fires. A full crew working nonstop can change a heavy cannon's facing in 15 minutes.
The sound of cannon fire can panic some creatures just as a bombard's can.
Catapult
This engine usually consists of some sort of lever mounted on a sturdy frame. The lever acts as a throwing arm and is fitted with a cup or sling to hold the projectile. When fired, a catapult lobs the projectile high into the air. Tension provides the catapult's power. In primitive catapults, the lever was made from some flexible material (usually green wood) and provided its own power when it was bent back and released. More sophisticated catapults were equipped with a rigid arm powered by a mass of twisted skeins (usually horsehair). Ancient catapults often resembled ballistae aimed upward to fire indirectly; all types of catapults use the same basic statistics.
Catapults usually fire large stones, but they can be loaded with almost anything: small stones, chains, dead animals, or anything else small enough to fit in the sling or cup and not so heavy that it overloads the lever. Large objects inflict the damage listed on the table. Masses of small objects can inflict an extra die of damage against most creatures but are useless against structures and any creature with a natural Armor Class of 0 or better (including characters with an Armor Class of 0 before shield or Dexterity modifiers).
A light catapult with a full crew can target Huge creatures.
A light or medium catapult can change facing 45 degrees during the End-of-Round step of any round when it fires. Heavy catapults generally are left in place once they are sited for a battle. A full crew can change a heavy catapult's facing after 20 minutes of work.
Trebuchet
These massive engines are similar to catapults, but they derive their power from gravity. A trebuchet's throwing arm is a rigid beam with a heavy weight at one end and a sling or cup for projectiles at the other. When the beam is released, the force of the falling weight hurls the projectile in a high arch. Like catapults, trebuchets fire large stones or masses of smaller objects.
Trebuchets generally are left in place once they are sited for a battle. A full crew can change a trebuchet's facing after 30 minutes of work.
Bombardment Engine Procedures
A bombardment engine fires in the very slow phase of the round when its loading is completed. If loaded and aimed during a previous round, a bombardment engine can fire in the very fast phase.
Indirect Fire Engines
Bombards, catapults, and trebuchets fire their projectiles in a high arch; they are inaccurate and cannot really be aimed at anything; the crew simply points the engine in the target's general direction and hopes the missile will land somewhere nearby.
All targets are considered Armor Class 0, but there is no range modifier. The attack roll is modified as follows:
+3 for stationary targets;
–3 for targets moving at a rate greater than 3 but less than 12;
–6 for targets moving at a rate of 12 or greater;
+4 for the second and subsequent shots at a stationary target;
+2 for targets whose largest dimension is greater than 30';
+4 for targets whose largest dimension is greater than 90';
+6 for targets whose largest dimension is greater than 270'.
Cover generally is not a factor when resolving indirect fire, but concealment can be. Indirect fire generally can arch over obstacles between it and the target, provided that the obstacle is no higher than 150% of the distance between the obstacle and the engine, or the obstacle and the target, whichever is less. For example, a wall 90' feet high would not block indirect fire unless it was within 60' of either the engine or the target. Note that in many cases it is easier for an engine to fire at a feature or structure where opponents are hiding than it is to fire at the opponents themselves.
If a creature is too small to be targeted individually, an indirect fire engine still can fire at the 15' square area containing the creature. The base modifier is 0 (because the target is not larger than 30' long). Modifiers for the small target's movement apply (it's hard to hit the right area when the creatures within it are moving). The attacker must select an intended impact square for the missile; any of the nine squares in the area can be selected.
Hits: An engine's missile tends to bounce or shatter on impact and affects an area, as shown on the accompanying diagrams. Creatures within the area of effect suffer damage listed for the weapon. Creatures with 5+1 or more Hit Dice can roll a successful saving throw vs. petrification to avoid the damage; modifiers for Dexterity and magical protections apply. A creature that has suffered a direct hit (by being in the impact square or by being large enough to qualify as a target and getting hit) is allowed no saving throw even if normally eligible for one. Creatures with hard cover between them and the impact square get a saving throw even if not normally entitled to one. Creatures under cover get bonuses to their saving throws; see Chapter One.
If the engine is firing at an area containing creatures too small to target individually, the shot never lands exactly where intended. Follow the procedure outlined below for misses, but roll 1d4 for distance.
Misses: To determine where the shot actually falls, roll 1d8 on the indirect fire scatter diagram to determine the direction of the miss; then roll 2d6 to determine the distance in squares from the intended impact square and the actual impact square. It is possible for the shot to fall inside the engine's minimum range or outside its maximum range. Creatures in the area where the shot falls suffer the effects of a hit.
Hits and Misses Against Large Creatures: If the missile scores a direct hit on a creature large enough to qualify as a target, there is no effect on creatures in the adjacent squares. The creature's body prevents the missile from bouncing or shattering. If a direct attack on a large creature misses, the attacker rolls for scatter. The intended impact square is always the square the creature occupies. If the creature occupies more than one square, the intended impact square is always the square closest to the engine.
Critical Hits and Knockdowns: Only direct hits can be critical hits or cause knockdowns. If the rules from Chapter Six are in play, indirect fire engines inflict Large bludgeoning criticals.
Flaming Projectiles: Catapults and trebuchets can be loaded with missiles soaked in pitch or a similar flammable substance. The missile's range is reduced by 1/3. When it strikes, the missile scatters flaming debris over its normal area of effect. The debris burns for two rounds, inflicting 2d6 points of damage the first round and 1d6 points of damage the second round. The effect on wooden structures is the same as flaming oil. A catapult also can hurl canisters of Greek fire. A Greek fire cannister also reduces the catapult's range by 1/3. The cannister breaks on impact and scatters Greek fire over the catapult's normal area of effect.
BOMBARDMENT MACHINES AREA OF EFFECT
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:33, Wed 05 Oct 2011.