DariusSolluman/EnginesOfDestruction
Engines of Destruction
In general, armies can only hit one another at relatively close range. This proved unsatisifying to many generals, and so ways were found to hurl vast amounts of rock towards one's opponent. Thus was born the catapult, and the idea of artillery.
Artillery is being directly drawn from Savage Seas, which I strongly encourage everyone to get. The concepts I'm using in particular are Distance (page 90 - 91) and the weapon statistics on page 122 and 127.
Distance: Precise distance doesn't usally matter- when two armies clash, they are both clearly able to hit one another. However, when a turn-by-turn distance does matter, an Army is able to move it's twenty times it's Communication + 5 in yards per Clash, and an Exalt alone can travel twenty times their normal walking speed (12+Dex if uninjured).
Armies within 50 yards of one another are considered to be within Melee range of one another. They can freely attack or perform other manuvers.
Armies between 50 and 200 yards of one another are at Short range. They can't directly attack one another at Short Range or beyond.
Armies between 200 and 500 yards of one another are at Long Range.
Armies between 500 and 1500 yards of one another are at Very Long Range.
These additional ranges only matter for artillery, which can't be effectively used at Melee range. Otherwise, they are treated like the slings and arrows of normal scale fighting- just a bit bigger is all. Attacks made with Artillery are made with Perception + Tactics, and are defended as per normal. The rate of fire works just like a normal ranged attack- it's the maximum number of attacks that can be made with that weapon in a Clash.
NOTE: While I'm drawing heavy inspiration from Savage Seas, these stats are slightly different- especially in Range and Rate.</i>
| Accuracy | Damage | Range | Rate | Minimum Command | Resources | Resources per Shot | Light Ballista | -0 | 7L* | Short | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Heavy Ballista | -1 | 11L* | Long | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Lt Catapult | -2 | 10L | Long | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Hvy Catapult | -3 | 15L | Long | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | Fire Projector | -3 | 20L | Short | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | Heavy Fire Projector | -4 | 25L | Short | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | Cannon | -1 | 30L | V. Long | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
- Ballista also halve the soak of their targets.
The Minimum Command is the minimum Army size needed to operate a piece of artillery. The damage a unit has taken is immaterial for these purposes.
The Resources is the Resources cost to aquire the weapon. The Resources per Shot is the approximate cost of each shot from the weapon- ammunition, and in the case of the Fire Projectors, firedust. The Resources per Shot of Fire Projectors, Heavy Fire Projectors, and Cannons is increased by one outside the South.
A unit does not add it's Training to Artillery rolls- more hands are more of a hinderance than anything else.
Additionally, there are Artifact Engines of Destruction, and have much the same relationships that these weapons have as a Powerbow to a common stick of yew. They require only a single person to fire, and therefore use Perception + Archery, instead of Tactics.
| Accuracy | Damage | Range | Rate | Artifact | Light Implosion Bow | -- | - | -- | - | - | (5 motes) | +3 | 5L | Long | 3 | 2 | (10 motes) | +3 | 12L | Long | 3 | 2 | Lightning Ballista | -- | -- | -- | - | - | (Common, 10 motes) | +2 | 20L | V.Long | 3 | 3 | (Elemental, 3 motes) | +2 | 20L | V.Long | 3 | 4 | (Hearthstone) | +2 | 25L | V.Long | 2 | 4 |
Implosion bows require essence to fire, and do damage per shot based on the ammount of Essence spent. Lightning ballista are as well, and also ttake 10 motes a shot if personally powered. Altneratively, they may draw power from a bound elemental, reducing the cost to just 3 motes per shot, or have a Hearthstone rated at 2 or higher, which totally mitigates the cost. In any case, these weapons only function in the hands of an Essence weilder. Although fired using the Archery Ability, Archery Charms may not be used to enhance their fire.
