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Author Topic: Why not crossbows?  (Read 24481 times)

Jetman123

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2008, 05:56:57 am »

I actually want to see those in the game as a really advanced, possibly mounted crossbow. The regular crossbow should have atrocious reload times.
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pushy

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2008, 06:53:58 am »

The ability to adjust reload times for ranged weapons in the raws would be very handy. That way you could have shortbows which are quicker to reload than longbows, which are quicker still than crossbows...and for moddy people they'd have the option to create 'rapid-fire' crossbows, guns and so on.
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sneakey pete

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2008, 07:35:18 am »

Sure, the iron arrows/bolts from the inexperienced goblins bounce off/get deflected by my legendary shield/Armour used champions in steel plate, but that's a pretty ideal circumstance.

On the unideal: a bolt fly's 400 meters, hits a legendary unarmored dwarf and he dies. Instantly.

They need a fix, dammit!
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dresdor

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2008, 03:10:00 pm »

I use a mixture because it feels more real to me and less like cheating.

That and my dwarves are tough enough that they can charge a unit of marskgoblins and survive.  The worst trained "civilian" in my forts can take four bolts to the chest before dying outright, and I've had a couple that have survived with pierced lungs (never heals though :( )

That is also why ever dwarf I have goes through wrestling, weapon, shield, and armor training even if they're destined to be potash makers for the rest of their lives.

(name here)

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2008, 03:20:26 pm »

marksgoblins can be brutal on non-legendaries. my first elite marksdwarf was lost in an archery duel.
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Tormy

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2008, 05:50:31 pm »

The ability to adjust reload times for ranged weapons in the raws would be very handy. That way you could have shortbows which are quicker to reload than longbows, which are quicker still than crossbows...and for moddy people they'd have the option to create 'rapid-fire' crossbows, guns and so on.

Yep, I absolutely agree. [This has been suggested many times already btw..]
I am pretty sure that Toady will make RoF modifiable in the future.
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Koji

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2008, 06:04:17 pm »

Actually, medieval (european or otherwise) crossbows were extremely inaccurate, and couldn't go very far. Their main advantage was that they hit so damn hard that it didn't matter, and you didn't need much training to use one.

They were most effective at mid to close range, where infantry with no armor could cut down scores of heavily armored opponents without breaking a sweat.

They were also extremely popular among criminals, because when you're committing highway robbery, it's pretty easy to get close to your target.
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BurnedToast

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2008, 09:37:35 pm »

The reason you use melee troops instead of crossbows is that melee troops with legendary+ shield use and wrestling are damn near invulnerable (even to goblins/elf archers), kill just as fast (faster, once they get up to the enemy) don't require special rooms set up so they can stand on a stockpile of bolts (otherwise they charge in after the first load is gone) and don't waste eleventy billion bolts on a single enemy when all it takes is 2 or 3 usually.

I don't bother with marksdwarves anymore, too much effort when you get the same (better, really) effect from 2 or 3 axemen.
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shadow_archmagi

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #23 on: October 21, 2008, 05:55:30 am »

Don't forget the insane speed and lack of injuries produced from training wrestlers; I produced like twelve champions before my pop broke 50; and only THEN did I tell them to start using weapons.
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Tormy

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2008, 03:45:25 pm »

The reason you use melee troops instead of crossbows is that melee troops with legendary+ shield use and wrestling are damn near invulnerable (even to goblins/elf archers), kill just as fast (faster, once they get up to the enemy) don't require special rooms set up so they can stand on a stockpile of bolts (otherwise they charge in after the first load is gone) and don't waste eleventy billion bolts on a single enemy when all it takes is 2 or 3 usually.

I don't bother with marksdwarves anymore, too much effort when you get the same (better, really) effect from 2 or 3 axemen.

Yeah champions are very imbalanced, but only in the vanilla game. One of the reasons, why I am using a modded version. [Goblins/Elves/Humans/semi megas/megabeasts are all stronger in my games, and it's much more fun to play like this to be honest..  :)]
However uberskilled marksdwarves are also very imbalanced, mainly because of the insane RoF.
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Quiller

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #25 on: October 21, 2008, 04:07:34 pm »

Actually, medieval (european or otherwise) crossbows were extremely inaccurate, and couldn't go very far. Their main advantage was that they hit so damn hard that it didn't matter, and you didn't need much training to use one.

They were most effective at mid to close range, where infantry with no armor could cut down scores of heavily armored opponents without breaking a sweat.
Where are you getting this information from?  Sure, crossbows in general are less accurate at longer distances than bows since you lose sight of your target when you have to point the crossbow up at an angle to get arc, but they are easier to be accurate with than bows against targets that can be aimed at clearly.  I seriously doubt that medieval crossbows were extremely inaccurate considering that most reproductions I've seen have been very accurate, and back then life or death could depend on hitting your target. 

If you think about the typical dwarven crossbow user as firing from behind fortification from above the enemy as they approach the fortress, the crossbow is pretty much the best possible weapon in that situation.
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Tormy

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #26 on: October 21, 2008, 04:11:18 pm »

Actually, medieval (european or otherwise) crossbows were extremely inaccurate, and couldn't go very far. Their main advantage was that they hit so damn hard that it didn't matter, and you didn't need much training to use one.

They were most effective at mid to close range, where infantry with no armor could cut down scores of heavily armored opponents without breaking a sweat.
Where are you getting this information from?  Sure, crossbows in general are less accurate at longer distances than bows since you lose sight of your target when you have to point the crossbow up at an angle to get arc, but they are easier to be accurate with than bows against targets that can be aimed at clearly.  I seriously doubt that medieval crossbows were extremely inaccurate considering that most reproductions I've seen have been very accurate, and back then life or death could depend on hitting your target. 

That is a good question. Where is that information from? I thought that X-Bows are more accurate than normal bows at medium range at least.
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Marlowe

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #27 on: October 21, 2008, 08:25:04 pm »

In any given discussion about medieval warfare and weapons there will be somebody willing to demonstrate how little he knows. At the top of his voice.
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Time Kitten

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #28 on: October 21, 2008, 10:07:20 pm »

In any given discussion about medieval warfare and weapons there will be somebody willing to demonstrate how little he knows. At the top of his voice.
Nah, too late for that.  You get the body into the garbage bags, and I'll go get some shovels.
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Foa

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Re: Why not crossbows?
« Reply #29 on: October 21, 2008, 10:26:09 pm »

I actually want to see those in the game as a really advanced, possibly mounted crossbow. The regular crossbow should have atrocious reload times.
Cough Ballistae Cough.

And how about that fancy Repeating Crossbow thing, it has speed, a slight spread, and sucky pierce damage, it only killed because of the use of use of poison.

Then the Heavy Crossbows, only the big guys can launch volleys of this thing ( you need to be prone... nerfa-nerf ) .
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