Fully Metallic Ballistae & Catapults

Well, I had a good think about it - tell me what yas think.


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            Second only to dwarves as masters of metal, easily seen in
their wholly metallic ships, the scro have devised fully metallic
ballistae and catapults, including shot.  Metallic light & medium
weapons have a +1 to hit and damage, while heavy weapons have a +2.  The
drawback, however, is that unless the crew of the weapons are over 6
foot tall, AND unless they have a 15 or higher strength, they take one
round longer to cock and load the weapons.  In addition, the ammo is
five times the standard cost, and takes up twice the cargo room.

 

            Another drawback of these weapons is their incredible weight
precludes them from being mounted in turrets, so they only have the
standard arc of fire, and they MUST be fixed to a metallic decking or
railing, but any ship with these attached to its railing must have at
least a heavy frame, but of course a weapon mounted to railing can fire
below the standard arc (+25% vertical), so this more than makes up for
it.

 

            These weapons make saves as metal, and cannot be repaired
without specialized parts, including grease for the heavy gears.  They
take up no more tonnage on a ship than normal, as spatial tonnage is
related to displaced air, not weight.  They take twice as long as a
normal weapon of the same size, and only come as Ballistae & Catapults.
The metals involved are standard, however they do require specific
moulds and forges, including forging processes, although the latter is
typically known by at least several of the crew.  Long range ships take
the basic supplies to setup a weapons engineering base, allowing them to
begin producing the weapons in 2d3 days, at a cost of 5 tons of cargo.





Tilaurin
tilaurin@?????????????????.com
http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/atreus/index.html
"Dying Swans/Twisted Wings,
Bring This Savage Back Home"
- Brave New World, Iron Maiden