Re: [DL] Blunderbusses

["Daniel Gwyn" <dgwyn@colba.net>]

Hi,
   Blunderbusses were essentially 18th century shotguns adapted for close
defence.  They were generally short single barrel-muzzle loading weapons.
Their distinguishing feature was, of course, their bell shaped mouth which
was wrongly thought to make the shot spread out farther, and therefore
increase the damage.  (Now that I think about it, I wonder if the shape of
the barrel wasn't actually to assist rapid reloading of loose shot by making
the barrel something of a funnel.)  Being 18th century firearms they were
flintlock weapons (i.e. very unrealiable, especially in inclement weather).
Some were fitted with spring loaded folding bayonets.
    As far as game terms is concerned, I would treat them as muzzle loading,
single barrelled scatterguns, (i.e. 1 shot, standard shotgun damage, range
5) with a good conditions reliability of 18.  (Under bad conditions, the
Marshall is allowed to cackle should the weapon's trigger be pulled.)  It
would be relatively easy to convert one to percussion caps, raising the
realiability to 19.
    The "appeal" of blunderbuss to the modern mind is simply that it is such
an incredibly awkward looking weapon, that the temptation to arm an old coot
with one is simply overwhelming.
          Daniel
"Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all."
     Hamlet, Act III, scene i.

-----Message d'origine-----
De : Nick Zachariasen <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu>
À : deadlands@gamerz.net <deadlands@gamerz.net>
Date : May 15, 2002 1:02 PM
Objet : Re: [DL] Blunderbusses


>>  I don't recall ever seeing reference to a blunderbuss in Deadlands
>(although
>
>I think they're made reference to in one of the two main HoE books. Check
>those. I think it was in The Wasted West, though it may have been the main
>rulebook.
>
>Nick Zachariasen
>Editor Emeritus
>Trojan Times
>
>
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