From: jwadsley@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Weapons (Big & Small vs. Medium)
Date: 27 Jul 92 10:06:28 +1000
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

In article <2A721760.1831@ics.uci.edu>, mmadsen@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (Matt Madsen) writes:
> I've noticed that characters in RPGs never carry medium-sized weapons.  Either
> they carry a rifle or a pistol.  They almost never carry a submachine gun.
> In fantasy games they carry a broadsword or, perhaps, a concealable dagger --
> never a short sword.
> 
> It seems that players in a game have no incentive to carry a "convenient"
> weapon.  In the real world, commandos may use SMGs or shortened assault rifles
> because true rifles would be unwieldly, but this never seems to be the case
> in game-land.  Also, not even a swashbuckler will be caught with a smallsword;
> a rapier is bigger and better.

I count rapiers as 'convenient' weapons. I don't think you can complain about
that one. I would argue more against swashbucklers with greatswords - which I
have witnessed and wept over.

> If they're not carrying giganto weapons-of-death, they're carrying concealable
> weapons: pistols, daggers, etc.  But they still don't carry anything medium-
> sized.
> 
> What can be done to change this?

1) Firepower requirements. Many RPGs make medium weapons very survivable.

In Fantasy games, shortswords and smaller are useless against a decently 
armored foe. In addition, you are likely to meet absolutely huge creatures 
such as giants, in which case you want to do vast quantities of damage.

In tech games, player and bad guys are either tough or have body armor of
various sorts which render medium weapons useless. Small weapons are carried to
be concealable and as a last resort.

More realistic settings do not require large weapons. You fight mainly people,
against which medium weapons are fine. In fact, in realistic settings, you
should really try to avoid any fighting. I think that RPG settings make large
weapons nearly essential.

2) Unrealistic rules. Medium weapons are as hard to use as large ones.

In Fantasy games it is rarely harder to use a large weapon than a small one. As
a result, players use the largest weapon that their character can pick up.

This is the area I like to concentrate on to encourage smaller weapon use.
Relative speed of weapons is usually ignored in RPGs. Every weapon gets one
attack per round. Smaller weapons, however, can be used a lot faster
than large ones. In my fantasy campaign I use a time-for-swing system which
takes this into account.

I think smaller weapons such as swords are a lot easier to learn than large
weapons such as polearms. Very few rule systems have any difference. Some rules
systems even give larger weapons an advantage due to their length. Even if
length is an advantage, slower swinging is a penalty. In addition, I think that
there will be a point where then skill of the small weapon user more than
compensates for factors such as length.

3) Culture and economics. Most people use medium weapons.

Normally the standard weapon of a given culture is a medium weapon. This would
include the Roman shortsword and the Renaissance Fencing weapons. I think price
was a large factor here. Medium weapons are also easier to learn to use than
large weapons. In the Renaissance, the lack of armor was also a large factor.

Large weapons are also often considered unacceptable. You would not be allowed
to carry a wicked axe into town, but a shortsword is ok.

Price and availability are two often neglected factors. If you don't like large
weapons then make them unavailable and make teachers unavailable. I think this
is reasonably realistic. 

In fantasy, buying the poleaxe may not be too hard. However, you won't find
much in the way of teachers ( Sword Master maybe but not Axe Master ). You won't
be allowed to take it into town. You won't be able to use it effectively
without 2 metres radius clear around ( Thus not while dungeon crawling ).

In high tech games, buying the heavy machine gun is hard. It is probably very
illegal and will attract lots of unwanted police and criminal attention. It is
also very expensive. It is also very loud. It is also very hard to conceal and
could never be carried around in town without attracting attention very fast.
Even in a Mad-Max post-nuke type campaign I don't think anyone would be allowed
in town with anything bigger than a pistol of a knife. Even those might be
disallowed.

James Wadsley.