The art of guns

[Mickeroo]

I was just wondering why munitions is considered an artisan skill, as opposed to a craftsman one. While I know that some gunsmiths may consider thier work an art form, but I would think the same could go for someone making swords or armor.

Also, how long would it take to make a gun? I mean, recommended time was in weeks, but does anyone have anything more specific? Like based on obstacle or something?

[luke]

I was just wondering why munitions is considered an artisan skill, as opposed to a craftsman one. While I know that some gunsmiths may consider thier work an art form, but I would think the same could go for someone making swords or armor.

Also, how long would it take to make a gun? I mean, recommended time was in weeks, but does anyone have anything more specific? Like based on obstacle or something?

BW is not a historical reenactment game. What exactly do you need for your game? What's the issue?

Munitions is considered an Artisan skill because I was losing my mind there at the end. Should be a CRAFTSMAN type skill (along with any other skill listed as Artisan).

-L

[Mickeroo]

A character in my game wants to open shop making guns. I said that he could make one pistol/arquebus a week and 20 shots for it, assuming a decent amount of work each week. But this number is completely arbitrary, I mean, I guess it works, but I don't want to be economically screwing him, ie. making him work half as fast as he should be.

[Thor Olavsrud]

A character in my game wants to open shop making guns. I said that he could make one pistol/arquebus a week and 20 shots for it, assuming a decent amount of work each week. But this number is completely arbitrary, I mean, I guess it works, but I don't want to be economically screwing him, ie. making him work half as fast as he should be.

So are you not playing with the Resources mechanics then?

[luke]

one a week is pretty ambitious, but since you set the time, go with it. Set an obstacle. Use this obstacle as the Get a Job obstacle for the character to recover his resources when they are taxed.

If the player is just making guns to arm the party, then don't use it as the Get a Job obstacle. Instead, set a Resources obstacle for each gun -- prolly 3 or 4 because he's making them himself.

Have him test his Resources for each gun he builds with the intent to give away. And then, after he's done, have him make an Ob 5 test to maintain his gunsmithy.

It's expensive being a gunsmith, and time consuming.


But I have to ask, is this player just going to be sitting around making guns and stuff while the rest of the party trie to advance the plot/story?
-L

[Mickeroo]

That's another good point. I am. But I have been toying with the cash die mechanic as well. So if he sells a certain amount of guns, he gets a 1D bonus to one of his resource rolls. However, I'm not sure though if it should matter how much I award based on how high his resources already are. I mean, to someone with a B1, selling 1 gun might grant a 1D bonus, but to the character in my game, who has a b4, I'm thinking that it might take more. Is my reasoning right here?

I figure that granting cash dice is a good representation of what's going on. When he starts out, he's not making too much wealth, but after a while, when he starts spending all of the money he makes, he gets connections, et cetera as his resources go up.

That was to Thor, as for abzu's reply:

He was just sitting around last time, but he's new to the game. He now realizes that crafting is time consuming and is only going to do it in down time. I gave everyone three months to do things while someone was healing from a wound.

And he plans to make the guns strictly to sell. Also, he has a relationship with a wholesaler, so I'm letting the player get the supplies on loan and then pay him pack later. I thought this would reduce the number of rolls that were needed and make the game flow more smoothly. Is it a good idea or completely illegal?

[Kublai]

Why would he roll his Resources to make a gun by himself? That's like having an Enchanter roll his Resources to make a magic staff. I can see such being done for Get a Job, if it indeed was his job, but for personal party use, that seems an inappropriate use of Resources.

Here's my suggestion for making guns and accessories:
Ob 1 - shot
Ob 2 - cannonball
Ob 3 - cigar-lit Arquebus, bomb w/fuse
Ob 4 - Musket, Cannon
Ob 5 - Rifle, clockwork bomb

I think one gun per week sounds reasonable. But as for shots for it, those can be produced quite rapidly. I'd say 50/day with an apprentice's help.

I am sure a quick test of your Google-fu powers will reveal a reasonable schedule.

[luke]

or, if you were interested in such things, you could check out page 165 of the character burner, pete.

:oops:

[Mickeroo]

So are those obstacles for the actual munitions skill? Because those are listed in the book.

Well, I said I would let him make 1 gun and 20 shots for it per week, maybe I'll just up it to 50? Although he has no apprentice yet.

*Goes to google*

[Kublai]

Mommy? :oops:

There's a book for this game?

[luke]

So are those obstacles for the actual munitions skill? Because those are listed in the book.

Well, I said I would let him make 1 gun and 20 shots for it per week, maybe I'll just up it to 50? Although he has no apprentice yet.

*Goes to google*

a little research never hurts, but why do you need crazy detail on this? He's never going to fire 20 shots in his character's life. It's just not going to happen.

anyway, gunsmiths didn't usually make shot in their workshops. Shot had to actually be made by a specialist using a Shot Tower.

Mm, molten lead.
-L

[Kublai]

My uncle made bullets in his basement.

[Mickeroo]

So he can't make shot? Or should I let him anyway? I mean, no one's going to buy his guns if he can't sell ammo too.

Should I make him buy a shot tower? If so, what ob resource test woudl that be? Ob 8?

[luke]

My uncle made bullets in his basement.

your uncle had all of the resources of the modern world at his disposal. And bullets aren't shot. Are you talking about musket shot?

anyway, Mike, you can make shot in your basement. Arquebus aren't accurate enough for the bullet shape to really matter.

DO NOT make him buy a shot tower. Eesh.
-L

[Mickeroo]

Now, eventually, he wants to impove gun design. He's not going to get to modern weaponry, but maybe more advanced things, with better accuracy, maybe a small magazine/cylinder (More than one shot) If he were to get to this level, would he need shot tower? or should I just not let him get this far?

[Yagathai]

Yep. On average, a character is going to get off anywhere from 12-24 shots in his lifetime. Then he's got no hands left.

[luke]

Now, eventually, he wants to impove gun design. He's not going to get to modern weaponry, but maybe more advanced things, with better accuracy, maybe a small magazine/cylinder (More than one shot) If he were to get to this level, would he need shot tower? or should I just not let him get this far?

he could upgrade the firing mechanicism to reduce the misfire rate -- reroll a 1 on the misfire die -- or even develop a flintlock mechanism to reduce load time by a few actions. He could also develop egg-shaped bullets that would improve the range of the weapons they were discharged from.

-L

[Mickeroo]

Oh that's right, because of the gunpowder die, right? Is there anyway to get past that. I was thinking, if a gun was crafted patiently, could the gunpowder die have 1's rerolled and then a 2nd 1 would be needed, kind of like armor? I know patiently is pretty much a descriptive tool, but could you use it in this sense? Or maybe just raise the original obstacle?

[luke]

Oh that's right, because of the gunpowder die, right? Is there anyway to get past that. I was thinking, if a gun was crafted patiently, could the gunpowder die have 1's rerolled and then a 2nd 1 would be needed, kind of like armor? I know patiently is pretty much a descriptive tool, but could you use it in this sense? Or maybe just raise the original obstacle?

such a weapon would be Superior Quality. Increase Obstacles by +2 to get the SQ gun. That'd be a healthy Ob 7 test. He'll make one or two of those in his life.

-L