Mythic Vistas: SpirosBlaak - Property Is Theft!

128
However, if using a one-handed firearm, such as a pistol, of a
size larger than their own, characters must instead use two hands.
Muskets of a size larger than the wielder’s own size are used with a
–3 penalty per size category larger.
Multiple Shots
At higher levels, characters can make more than one aack per
round while making a full-round action. With firearms that have
a set amount of time needed for reloading, such a character could
fire more than one pre-loaded weapon in a round (if he had
multiple loaded pistols in a bandoleer, for instance). See also the
Speed Loader feat.
Aiming Artillery
If a new target at a new location is to be selected, the cannon must
be manhandled to face the proper direction and a new elevation
is likely needed to be set as well. Re-aiming against such targets
requires as much time as normally needed to reload the weapon.
Cleaning or reloading the weapon, or removing a jam from the
barrel while the weapon is being moved in this, or any other,
manner are all virtually impossible actions.
Size
The size modifier to a target’s Armor Class can be used to offset
range penalties. If a specific person or creature is targeted, its size
modifier is applied in the normal manner. If a less discriminate
target is chosen (e.g., if a cannon is fired at an advancing formation
of musketmen, instead of specifically at its commanding officer),
the size modifier for the frontage occupied by that target (the area
of the target in the direction facing the approaching ball), as shown
on Table 11–11: Frontage, is used instead of the modifiers for the
individuals within it.
For example, a Medium creature occupies an area of 12 square
feet, and has no AC modifier. If 100 soldiers are formed up in two
ranks one behind the other, the 50-man frontage of the front rank
occupies an area of 600 square feet (12 square feet x 50 men) and has
an AC modifier of –4 (being closer to Gargantuan size than Huge).
The same rule is applied to aacking fortifications and other
inanimate objects. If the cannonball only has to strike somewhere
on a tower wall, then its entire area (say, 30 feet wide by 60 feet tall,
or 1,800 square feet; Gargantuan, –4 AC) is used, but if the gunner
is aempting to lo a ball through a window in that tower then the
frontage of that more specific target (1 foot x 3 foot, 4 square feet;
Small, +1 AC) is used.
On a successful aack, the actual person hit is determined
randomly. If the targets aren’t standing literally shoulder-toshoulder,
the empty space in the target area is considered an eligible
target as well; e.g., if all the warriors in the area stand one bodywidth
apart from each other, then half of the area is empty, and the
shot has a 50% chance of striking empty ground.
If the targets in the area aimed at have a range of personal
Armor Classes, the lowest AC is used for the aack roll. If that roll
is successful, then the specific target is determined, but is only hit
if the initial roll would have been high enough to beat his own AC.
Note that the Penetration value of the weapon might affect different
targets in different ways.
Firing Artillery
If there is more than one person manning a gun (a loader, a rammer,
a firer, etc.), the average of their ranged aack bonuses (with
Chapter Eleven: Equipment & Black Powder Rules
Table 11–11: Frontage
Individual
AC
Size Area Area Range Modifier
Fine 1/20 sq. . 1/10 sq. . or less +8
Diminutive 1/5 sq. . 1/10– ½ sq. . +4
Tiny ¾ sq. . ½–2 sq. . +2
Small 3 sq. . 2 – 7-1/2 sq. . +1
Medium 12 sq. . 7-1/2–30 sq. . +0
Large 48 sq. . 30–120 sq. . –1
Huge 192 sq. . 120–480 sq. . –2
Gargantuan 768 sq. . 480–1,920 sq. . –4
Colossal 3,072 sq. . 1,920 sq. . or more –8
* If an area falls between two listed numbers, treat as the closest
value
modifiers for range, cover, the target’s stance (e.g., prone), and so
on) is used to load and fire the piece. If any of them do not have
Artillery Proficiency, the increases to the gun’s misfire range and to
the severity of misfire rolls are cumulative.
Double-Loading
Sometimes a musket- or pistol-user accidentally loads two rounds of
ammunition (both ball and powder) into a single barrel, usually as a
result of not noticing a flash in the pan in the noise and confusion of
bale. Less frequently, he may deliberately double-load his weapon
in order to cause maximum damage with a single aack (a tactic
most frequently used either as the first shot of an engagement, or in
desperation later in a bale).
While cannons are as prone to flashes in the pan as muskets are,
gunners are less likely to respond by accidentally double-loading
a cannon. But under certain circumstances an artillery commander
may intentionally double-load, even using two different types of
ammunition; such as loading a round of solid shot and one of canister
in hopes of raking the opposing ship’s deck with small shot to kill
sailors while doing damage to the ship itself with the solid ball.
If a double-loaded weapon is fired, the user makes two separate
aack rolls at the same target with a single action. Each aack
suffers a –2 penalty, the misfire range of the weapon is increased by
+2, and in the event of a mishap any roll on Tables 11–9 or 11–10
is increased by +30%. The time needed to double-load a weapon is
twice that needed for a single load.
Loading a weapon with a double charge of powder but only a
single ball increases its range increment by 50% (i.e., the range isn’t
doubled), but the aack incurs all the same drawbacks as a doublepowder,
double-ball aack.
Loading a weapon with two balls but only a single charge of
powder halves its range increment, but allows two aacks, each at
a –2 penalty, with a +1 misfire range increase and a +15% increase to
results on Tables 11–9 or 11–10.
Triple-charging a black powder weapon doubles all the penalties
of double-charged weapons, such that each aack suffers a –4 penalty,
the misfire range of the weapon is increased by +4, and in the event of
a mishap any roll on Tables 11-9 or 11-10 is increased by +60%. The
time needed to load three shots is triple that needed for a single load.
Pocket pistols cannot be double-loaded; their barrels are too short
to accommodate a second powder charge and ball.
Black Powder Explosions
Anyone caught within the blast radius of an explosion takes full
damage as per a burst, with a successful Reflex save (DC as per
Table 11–12: Explosive Stunning) reducing this to half damage.
Anyone who is somehow rendered helpless is denied this saving