Further to my article on archery and other missile weapons, I thought that I would extend the new rule system to include the wide variety of specialized dwarven missile weapons. I have been forced to change some of the information in official sources because it is ridiculous, such as the effective (maximum?) range of a pistol being 10 metres.
I have attempted to include the dwarven serial numbers alongside a more descriptive name of my own. It should be noted that dwarves count in Octal Because of some mystic relationship with the operations of the world machine. (base 8) and I have kept the numbers in this base for authenticity.
The crossbow is originally a weapon of dwarven design and still human versions are pale imitations of the dwarven original. Unfortunately dwarven weapons are typically trapped to explode if they are incorrectly used and the dwarves tend to keep their secrets to themselves. The following section details just some of the specialized crossbows and bolts that the dwarves have been known to use. Humans who have experimented with these infernal devices have frequently been maimed and killed.
The standard issue to dwarves leaving the safety of their tunnels, is similar to the repeating crossbows used by some human communities except that the quarrels are flighted and thus it has the range adjustment of a normal light crossbow.
Uniquely the dwarves also manufacture medium and heavy repeating crossbows. These devices use far more complicated mechanisms than the light crossbows and are impossible for humans to imitate. Dwarves use flighted bolts with these weapons which means that the range adjustments are unaltered. Both these devices may fire more than once per round; the medium crossbow has a five shot magazine and the heavy crossbow has a three shot magazine. Once the magazine has been exhausted these devices require one round to reload each bolt. Any non-dwarf using these devices has a 25% chance per shot of causing them to explode. The result of this is that the user is hit by d3 pieces of shrapnel which cause the same damage as a bolt from the crossbow.
In addition to specialized crossbows the dwarves also use exotic crossbow bolts. Some of these are detailed below, but the list is not complete as dwarves continuously reveal different versions.
Normally constructed crossbow bolt which is distinguishable from those produced by humans, only by the spring loaded pop-out flights and the uniformity of design and production.
These bolts are made entirely out of iron and have barbed heads. Any impaled bolts are virtually impossible for elves and trolls to remove (because of the iron shaft and sharp flights) and yet they cause d3 damage for every round they are left in the wound. Even if they are removed the barbs cause an additional d6 damage (doubled!).
These metal heavy crossbow bolts have a gunpowder rocket motor which is ignited by friction when fired. The bolts travel much further than usual (increase maximum range by 50%) and cause 50% more damage (2d6+2+d6). Additionally on an impale or critical, the remaining gunpowder in the rocket will explode causing the target and all those within one metre d6 extra damage, Any non-dwarf handling these bolts (let alone firing them) has a 10% chance per round of them exploding in their hands (for 3d6).
This hollow bronze bolt has very strong spring-loaded barbs in the head and trails a strong-thin 50 metre long wire from within its interior as it flies. This bolt is not very aerodynamic and has a range multiplier of 1 The wire will support a SIZ of 20 but due to its thinness, special dwarven gloves and tools must be used when climbing or pulling on it.
A special winch is used to pull the wire tight after firing (STR 20, ENC 2) and this can be mounted under the crossbow. Dwarves have been known to use this device to harpoon enemies and drag them off walls etc. The barbs require a STR of 40 to remove when imbedded into stone, 30 when in wood or 20 when in flesh; when torn out of flesh they inflict normal crossbow damage (again).
These bolts are made of metal and contain an explosive charge which is ignited by friction when they are fired and explodes 2 seconds later. If a target is impaled, or criticalled by one of these bolts it will explode within the wound for an extra d6 damage if a light crossbow bolt, 2d4 if medium or 2d6 if heavy. If however the location was completely destroyed by the initial damage (reduced to minus its positive H.P.), then the bolt passes completely through and explodes harmlessly some distance beyond.
Dwarves use black powder to manufacture a number of explosive devices. Typically these devices are thrown or placed by hand, but some are propelled by other means (for example the exploding crossbow bolt).
These demolition charges come in various sizes. They are composed of black powder contained in a metal, stone or occasionally wooden container to keep the powder dry. They are detonated by an Ignite spell after they have been placed against the target. Dwarves have been known to sell these to outsiders for large sums, but rarely tell the purchaser of the explosive power and the minimum safe distance. When dwarven tunnels are invaded they have been known to roll disorder kegs down sloping tunnels at their foes. Dwarves have also been known to train nilmergs to walk up to objects and people carrying these devices. When they are in place the dwarves can ignite the keg blowing up both the nilmerg and the intruders.
Typically disorder kegs have a damage rating expressed in terms of a number of d6; this falls off at a rate of d6 per metre from the centre of the explosion. Disorder kegs do general H.P. damage with average armour protecting. The strength of the explosion may also cause knock back. The model number relates to the explosive power in the sense that two disorder kegs with the same model number will have the same explosive power, unfortunately only dwarves can relate the model number directly to the explosive power as there is no simple relationship.
A development of the disorder keg, these large balls (3 ENC) can be bowled down tunnels in the defence of dwarven caverns. They use a complex fuse which can be set to explode after a given time. Bowling balls travel 40 metres per round and cause 6d6 damage when they explode. If a bowling ball takes more than two points of damage it will explode immediately.
An evolution of the disorder keg, these small (1 ENC) metal spheres are designed to be thrown at a foe and then ignited. They are deliberately designed to fragment when they explode with knobs on the surface or deep grooving. Each fragment causes 2d6 damage. Characters will be hit by a number of fragments abstracted as d4 + (SIZ/3) their distance from the grenade in metres. Each fragment that hits a character attacks at 100% giving it a 20% chance of impaling and a 5% chance of a critical; if the fragment roll is over 95% the the fragment causes no damage to the character (have spent its force, hits their backpack or for whatever reason).
As the normal hand grenade but made out of iron, thus causing double damage to Trolls and Aldryami; also useful against creatures which are only affected by magic weapons.
Hand held signal flares produce a bright coloured flame and coloured smoke. Dwarves use these device for long range communication.
Grenades that produce dense clouds of coloured smoke. Each grenade will produce a 10 metre diameter cloud of smoke that will drift with any wind. The smoke will disperse in 50 rounds subtract the strength of the wing from the duration the smoke lasts.
Most dwarven cities know how to produce black powder rockets, but only a very few will sell them to humans. None will sell rocket propelled charges as these are thought to be too dangerous to have in the hands of humans. A few humans have experimented with tying disorder kegs to rockets, but they have been unsuccessful and have usually come to a very messy end.
Black powder rockets are very inaccurate (multiplying the range by 2 for the reduction in hitting chances). However, they have a very long maximum range of 500 metres. A direct hit by a black powder rocket does d6 + 3d6 damage due to its speed of flight. Black powder rockets are quite bulky weighing 7 ENC for the head and a further 3 ENC for the stabilizing stick. They are fired from an inclined ramp which weighs 15 ENC.
By mounting a disorder keg instead of the top quarter of a black powder rocket, the dwarves have modified these into very unpleasant siege weapons. The maximum range of the rocket is reduced to 300 metres, but the explosive charge detonates for 6d6 damage two seconds after launch.
This siege device consists of a flexible cable ladder which is coiled upon a reel. The other end of the ladder is attached to a black powder rocket. When the rocket is fired it carries the end of the cable ladder high over and beyond the target. The ladder is then held in place where it falls onto the target this is usually done using glue spells.
The maximum range of these devices is about a 100 metres (although larger ones could be built to order). The armoured front end near the rocket has 30 AP and the cables themselves have 20 AP. Protective spells are often cast on the ladders themselves to stop defenders cutting them free. Dwarves have been known to sell these to kings and emperors for vast sums.
Only the Nidan dwarves know the secrets of making pistols, muskets and rifles. They might however sell pistols and muskets to other dwarves, although they have no intention of telling them the secrets to their manufacture. Rifles are a closely kept secret and are destined to remain so as they look just like muskets until closely inspected.
All dwarves regard the secret of firearms as their racial property and would do their utmost to recapture any firearms possessed by non-dwarves.
A simple flint lock pistol with a maximum range of 100 metres. The range is multiplied by 2 to find the reduction in chance to hit. Pistol bullets do 2d6+2 damage and may impale. Pistols take 2 rounds to reload and have an ENC of 3
A simple flint lock smooth bore musket with a maximum range of 200 metres. The range is multiplied by one to find the reduction in chance to hit. Musket bullets do 2d10 damage. Muskets take 3 rounds to reload and have an ENC of 6
Flint lock rifles look almost exactly like muskets and only a close inspection of the barrel will reveal the rifling. These weapons have a maximum range of 200 metres like muskets. However, they are more accurate and the range is multiplied by one third to find the reduction in chance to hit. Rifle bullets are the same size as musket bullets and do 2d10 damage. Rifles take 4 rounds to reload (reduced by the reload skill of the loader.
Only the Quicksilver Mostali of Dragon Pass knows the secrets of making cannons. He has been known to hire the cannon cult out as exotic mercenaries. His cannons have a maximum range of 1000 metres and each ball does 10d6 damage. The reload time is 10 rounds and the range is multiplied by one third to find the reduction in hitting chance.
If an enemy closes up on the cannon cult, they have been known to fill the cannon with sling stones, pebbles, bits of scrap metal, chains and other assorted items instead of the usual ball and discharge it at their attackers. Each attacker in a 45 degree cone extending from the muzzle of the cannon out to 100 metres is in danger of being hit by one or more of these pellets. The number of pellets is abstracted as d4 + the targets SIZ/3 1 per 10 metres from the cannon. Each pellet does 2d10 damage and attacks at 100% (with a 20% chance of impaling, 5% chance of criticalling and doing no damage on a roll of 96 or more).
Since the dwarves are continuously updating and improving their products there is every chance that characters will meet dwarves with better weapons than those listed here. Included below are some of these new inventions:
Magazine loaded repeating crossbows which reduce the the reload time.
Breach loading rifles which can be fired once per round.
Pistol shields which incorporate a flintlock pistol into a normal shield.
Explosive reactive plate armour which explodes outwards when hit damaging the attacking weapon and possibly its wielder.
Explosive shields which explode outwards when hit, damaging the attackers weapon and its wielder.
Multishot repeating muskets and rifles based on the principal of many rotating barrels.
Rocket propelled signal flares designed to detonate at high altitude for greater visibility.
Incendary grenades and rockets which cause fire damage rather than blast damage.
Elder Secrets in the Elder Races Book (p.14).
Griffin Mountain and Games Workshop edition of Griffin Island. The description of Rock-Heart Vienseeker and the dwarf patrol.
Pavis, Threshold to Danger Dwarf assault ladders are used in the Cradle Scenario.