Special Ranged Weapons

Certain ranged weapons are “special cases,” and require additional notes.

Bolas

The bolas is a thrown entangling weapon. The target can dodge or block, but if he tries to parry, the bolas hits his parrying arm, with effects as described below.

(Exception: A successful parry with a cutting weapon cuts the cords, ruining the bolas!)

You may aim a bolas at any body part. If it hits, it does its damage and wraps around its target. To escape, the victim requires a free hand, and must make three successful DX rolls. Each attempt counts as a Ready maneuver, during which time the victim may take no other actions. Animals roll to escape at -3 for paws or at -6 for hooves.

If you hit a weapon, or an arm or hand that is holding something, roll a Quick Contest: your Bolas skill vs. the target’s ST. If you win, the target drops what he’s carrying (this does not affect a shield strapped to the arm). If you hit a leg or foot, you entangle two legs; a running target must make a DX roll or fall, taking 1d-2 damage. If you hit the neck, the bolas cuts off the target’s breathing (see Suffocation) until he escapes.

Crossbows

When you buy a crossbow, you must specify its ST. It takes two seconds to cock any crossbow of your ST or less.

A stronger bow does more damage but takes longer to cock. A crossbow with ST 1 or 2 greater than your own takes six seconds to cock. A crossbow with ST 3 or 4 greater than yours requires a “goat’s foot” device to cock (takes 20 seconds). You cannot cock a stronger crossbow, except using slow mechanical devices. You can still fire it!

Remember that in addition to cocking time, it takes one turn to ready a bolt – unless you have Fast-Draw (Arrow) – and one turn to load the bolt into the crossbow.

Flaming Arrows

A flaming arrow is made by wrapping oil or fat soaked cloth, grass, etc. around the shaft just behind the arrowhead; it takes 10 seconds to prepare, and must be used within three seconds of preparation. It is clumsy in flight, giving -2 to hit. 

If it hits, treat it as an arrow that does one point of burning damage as a linked effect (see Linked Effects). The chance of the flame spreading depends on what the arrow strikes.

Linked Effects

Some attacks have a linked effect.

This is a second type of damage or other effect that occurs simultaneously with the primary effect. Make one roll to hit, but resolve all damage and resistance rolls separately for the primary effect and the linked effect. An example of a linked effect is a grenade that inflicts both a crushing explosion and a blinding flash of light on detonation. A person in armor might be blinded but unhurt, while an unarmored person with eye protection might be wounded but not blinded.

Hand Grenades

It takes a Ready maneuver to grab a hand grenade from your belt, web gear, etc. To use it, you must arm it (“pull the pin”); this requires a second Ready maneuver. After that, you can throw it normally. Most grenades have a fixed delay (typically under 5 seconds), but some detonate on impact. If the grenade has a delay, you can take one or two seconds to Aim (and hope no one shoots you!) before you throw it. Otherwise, it is just barely possible for the enemy to pick up a grenade that lands next to him and throw it back! It takes him one second to kneel down, one to ready the grenade, one to throw . . . 

Harpoons

Most harpoons are barbed. Use the rules under Picks, except that the tether lets you attempt the ST roll to free the weapon at a distance. A harpooned victim can move, but no farther than the tether’s length; to go further, he must win a Quick Contest of ST to pull the tether out of your hands. He might have to beat ST 50 (or even higher!) to escape if the tether is made of thick rope and tied securely to something solid (e.g., a ship). 

Lariats

Like a harpoon, treat a lariat as a thrown weapon, despite the fact that you hold onto one end. You may aim a lariat at any body part. Your target may dodge or parry – and if he successfully parries with a cutting weapon, he damages the lariat as if he had tried to cut it (see below). But if he tries to parry and fails, you automatically ensnare his parrying arm! 

If you hit the target’s arm or torso, you ensnare it. On subsequent turns, you must take a Ready maneuver to keep the victim snared. Roll a Quick Contest of ST on your turn. If you win, you immobilize your opponent; if you lose, he pulls the lariat from your grasp.

If you lasso the neck, use the same rules, but your victim is at -5 in the Contest. If you win, the lariat cuts off the victim’s breathing – see Suffocation.

If you rope the foot, the target must make a DX roll to remain standing (this is instead of the Contest above). He rolls at -4 if he was running. If he falls, he takes 1d-4 damage – or 1d-2 if he was running. 

On sub-sequent turns, use the rules above to keep him entangled.

You must keep the lariat taut at all times to immobilize or suffocate your victim. This requires a Ready maneuver each turn. If your horse is trained to do this for you, substitute its ST for yours in the Quick Contest.

To escape from a taut lariat, cut the rope (DR 1, 2 HP). To escape from a limp lariat (including one pulled from the attacker’s grasp), use the rules given under Bolas.

A lariat takes 1 turn per 5 yards to ready after a miss. A typical lariat is 10 yards long.

Molotov Cocktails and Oil Flasks

A “Molotov cocktail” (TL6) is a bottle filled with gasoline and fitted with a burning “fuse” – often just a rag. 

Once you have it in hand, it takes a Ready maneuver to light its fuse (if you have a torch or lighter) and an Attack maneuver to throw.

In theory, the bottle bursts upon hitting a hard surface (anything with DR 3+), spilling the gasoline, which immediately catches fire. In reality, Molotov cocktails are notoriously unreliable. They have a Malf. of 12, regardless of tech level (see Malfunctions: on any attack roll of 12+, the fuse separates from the bottle in flight, the bottle fails to break, or the fuel doesn’t ignite. 

If your target is a person, he may dodge or block, but not parry. If he dodges, the bottle shatters on the ground at his feet. The same thing happens if he fails to defend but does not have DR 3+ (the bottle bounces off without breaking). If he blocks, it breaks on his shield. If your target is the ground, or if you targeted a person but hit the ground instead, the Molotov cocktail sets fire to a one-yard radius; see Area-Effect Attacks (p. 413). On a battle map, the target hex is filled with flame.

If the Molotov cocktail bursts on the target, it inflicts 3d burning damage, and then 1d burning damage per second. Most DR protects at only 1/5 value; sealed armor protects completely. If you hit the target’s shield, it takes this damage instead, and the wielder may continue to use his shield until it is destroyed (the fire is on the outside). Use the Damage to Shields rule, or just assume that he must discard his shield after the battle. If you hit the ground, the flame does 1d-1 burning damage per second in a one-yard radius. In all cases, the flame burns for 10d seconds. “Greek fire” (TL3) consists of naphtha – a light petroleum product distilled from crude oil, roughly similar to gasoline – mixed with fat or tar and saltpeter to make it sticky and burn hotter. It should be very expensive! Treat earthenware flasks filled with Greek fire as Molotov cocktails. This is the classic fantasy “oil flask.” Below TL3, flammable, hot-burning liquids are unavailable in realistic game worlds. 

Note that these weapons are fragile. Roll 1d for each bottle if you fall; it breaks on a roll of 1-4. A foe may strike at a bottle on your belt (-5 to hit); it breaks automatically if hit. Either result soaks you in flammable liquid: any burning damage will set you on fire!

Nets

A net is a thrown entangling weapon. The target may dodge or parry it. If he successfully parries with a cutting weapon, he damages the net; treat a net of any size as a diffuse object with DR 1 and normal HP for its weight. If the target fails to defend, he is entangled, and cannot move or attack until freed.

To escape, the victim requires at least one free hand, and must make three successful DX-4 rolls. Each attempt counts as a Ready maneuver, during which time the victim may take no other actions. Animals roll at an extra -2, as do humans with only one hand available; rolls to escape from a small net are at +3. If the victim fails three consecutive rolls, he becomes so entangled that he must be cut free.

It is also possible to escape a net by damaging it. The victim can only use attacks with reach “C,” but they hit automatically. Use the Breaking a Weapon rules – but treat a net as diffuse (see Injury to Unliving, Homogenous, and Diffuse Targets).

You may also use a small net as a melee weapon. It has a reach of 1 or 2 yards. Handle the attack as per Lariats (above) and the victim’s attempt to break free as per Bolas.