Re: Crossbows

To tell you the truth I really didnt mix in the ammount of pressure it
would take to cock the crossbow! I just spewed out the idea, I figured
it would be used as a deversion til the marines get on deck incase your
ship ever gets boarded

----Original Message Follows----
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 16:14:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: John McCloud <jmccloud@?????.????.edu>
To: spelljammer@????.com
cc: spelljammer@????.com
Subject: Re: [SPELLJAMMER] - Crossbows
Reply-To: spelljammer@????.com

	The chu-no-ku is pictured on the cover of the Adventures in
Wildspace boxed set (the woman on the left).
	As I recall, the  windlass version of the crossbow is not the heavy
crossbow.  This weapon is represented by the "light ballista" that
appeared in
a few modules, including Vault of the Drow.  I think a quad version was
in
Temple of Elemental Evil.  I don't think TSR has ever described the
crossbow types, but someone who has Arms and Equipment Guide can check
this out.
	A pump could work, but only very strong characters would be able to
pull it back.  Or several pumps may be necessary to load it.  I'd give
it
the same stats as the chu-no-ku.
	Another interesting idea.  Most accounts I have read of the
Hellenistic gastraphetes state that it was loaded by pulling the string
back by hand while bracing the stock against the abdomen.  However, I
have a book that claims the slide extended forward of the bow arms and
was used to load the bow.  This was done by bracing the slide on the
ground and then leaning into the stock of the weapon.  Thus, the user's
weight would assist in cocking the crossbow.

John McCloud

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