While there were combats like this, it was not how combat in that era looked like. A charge was usually only delivered when the enemy already wavered and often did not even result in a melee. The main way of fighting was done with muskets and there were a lot of different sequences (drills) who fires when to keep up a continuous stream of bullets or to allow manoeuvring without having to stop to fire. Add to that coordinated attacks together with cannons and even rockets.
Firearms
- Thread starter Antulexian
- Start date
While there were combats like this, it was not how combat in that era looked like. A charge was usually only delivered when the enemy already wavered and often did not even result in a melee. The main way of fighting was done with muskets and there were a lot of different sequences (drills) who fires when to keep up a continuous stream of bullets or to allow manoeuvring without having to stop to fire. Add to that coordinated attacks together with cannons and even rockets.
Kobold Avenger
Legend
This is where genre conventions come in over other concerns, what's described here is mass combat and while I'd certainly would like to think about mass combat rules (which I'm not satisfied with any of the iterations from Unearthed Arcana), there's also the D&D (or any RPG) conceit that many character vs character encounters aren't going to be starting from 100's of feet away. If PCs are involved, then things are going to be within melee range relatively soon, and that's not counting the involvement of magic and all sorts of special things PCs can do.
Celebrim
Legend
No, that's just not true.
Psyzhran2357
First Post
So why should we have to create an entirely new, hyperrelaistic hyperspecific hypernloated system for weapon accuracy, damage, and reloading for one specific wepaon type, rather than adapting it into the already existing 5e weapon system? Why do you care so much about a firearm being hyperrealistic when swords and crossbows aren't? Why are people arguing for increased system bloat?
Celebrim
Legend
No one is suggesting you have to do anything.
Psyzhran2357
First Post
Have you even read the last few pages of the thread? Do you even know ehat the current argument is about?
Imaculata
Hero
How I handle firearms in my 3.5 pirate campaign, is to make them clearly better than regular D&D weapons. They do more damage, can fire multiple shots, and do triple damage on a crit. They can also be combined with weapon-specific feats/abilities, such as using the Quickdraw feat to draw multiple preloaded pistols in a round and fire them. You need to give firearms a strong advantage, or players won't bother to use them, and at higher levels you may even need to introduce magical or mastercrafted guns as loot.
However, in order to make melee not totally useless, there need to be drawbacks aswell, such as: reloading costs a full round, players must have gunpowder and ammo, and firearms need to stay dry. In a campaign that includes a lot of water, that last one is a big deal. The moment you go for a swim, that gun is rendered useless. I also use a misfire table that can cause guns to jam, break or explode!
However, in order to make melee not totally useless, there need to be drawbacks aswell, such as: reloading costs a full round, players must have gunpowder and ammo, and firearms need to stay dry. In a campaign that includes a lot of water, that last one is a big deal. The moment you go for a swim, that gun is rendered useless. I also use a misfire table that can cause guns to jam, break or explode!
Yes, that just is true.
I think I'd disagree. A lot of players spend significant time eking out even a minor advantage based weapons and combos. If your firearms are even slightly superior then everyone will use them unless "story reasons". So sure. I think balance is way more important than selling the idea to the players.
Cap'n Kobold
Hero
No, it is not true. If you're running the game and introducing firearms, you get to decide exactly how realistic their implementation is, and which bits of realism you incorporate.
If you want to make revolvers 2d8 damage superweapons because that is "realistic", you are not also required to apply sound-based perception penalties after firing one just because that would also be "realistic".
You do get to cherry pick things that you want in your game.
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