Miscellaneous War Machines (POCT)

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The following weapons do not fit into any of the previous categories, yet they could very easily be found on the battlefield.
==Battering Ram==
In its simplest form, a battering ram consists of a sturdy beam that one or more creatures can pick up and swing against a portal or wall to batter it down. More complex rams have beams with reinforced heads and a frame to support the beam. Any long, heavy object (such as a log or bench) between five and 30 feet long can be used as a simple ram, provided there is at least five feet of free space behind the ram (to allow the crew to swing it). A minimum of one Man-sized creature is required of each 5 feet of ram, and a maximum of two Man-sized creatures is allowed per five feet of ram. A ram can affect only portals, structures, or large, stationary objects (see the Escalades section, below).
Creatures carrying or wielding a simple ram move and defend as though heavily encumbered, regardless of the ram's actual weight.
A ram suspended from a frame can be from 10 to 60 feet long. A suspended ram allows the crew to employ its strength more efficiently, inflicting more damage.
A ram crew can swing the ram once a round, during the very slow phase.
==Bore==
A bore, also known as a sow, is similar to a suspended battering ram, but has a head similar to a pointed screw. The screw head is very effective against stonework. Otherwise, it functions as a suspended ram.
==Cauldron==
The most common form of this weapon is a huge kettle placed in a frame that allows it to tip and spill its contents on unfortunate opponents below. The same effect can be obtained by suspending a barrel, bucket, or bladder from a beam and tipping or splitting the container so that its contents spill out.
Unless otherwise noted, the contents of a cauldron pour down in a stream one square wide. When it hits the ground, it forms a puddle three squares wide and three squares long, centered on the point of impact. If there is a wall or similar barrier that keeps the pool from spreading out, the pool is five squares long and two squares wide, with the long side lying along the barrier.
The amount of damage a cauldron inflicts varies with the type of material in it:
* Flaming oil burns for two rounds, inflicting 2d6 points of damage on the first round and 1d6 points of damage on the second round;
* Boiling oil must be heated for at least one hour before use or it is treated exactly like flaming oil (once heated its temperature can be maintained as long as fuel is available). Boiling oil burns for two rounds, inflicting 4d6 points of damage the first round and 1d6 points of damage on the second round;
* Boiling water is much cheaper than boiling oil. It must be heated for 30 minutes before use. Boiling water inflicts 2d4 points of damage when it strikes a creature and 1d4 points of damage the round thereafter as it soaks into fur or clothing and continues to scald. Creatures entering the area of effect on the second round take no damage;
* Molten lead must be heated at least four hours before use, and the volume of hot liquid is generally small. Molten lead forms a puddle two squares wide and two squares long, with one square directly under the cauldron and spreading away from the cauldron to the left or right as the attacker chooses. Molten lead sears its targets for three rounds, inflicting 4d6 points of damage the first round, 3d6 points of damage the second round, and 2d6 points of damage the third round.
==Gallery Shed==
A gallery shed is a low structure built to protect a ram, bore, or team of sappers (see the Escalades section below). It has a peaked roof of heavy planks, it is supported by thick wooden walls, and it is usually wheeled and covered with wet hides to make it flame resistant. Gallery sheds are usually 15 to 60 feet long and five to 20 feet wide. The shed protects as many map squares as it covers. For example, a 10- by 50-foot shed protects 20 squares. Creatures within are completely hidden from view and protected from missile and melee attacks lunched from outside the shed. Creatures within the shed, however, cannot attack except to operate their ram or bore to make sapping attacks.
If the shed has no wheels, it takes one Man-sized creature to carry it for each map square it covers. The 10- by 50-foot shed from the previous example would require 20 Man-sized creatures to carry it. Creatures carrying the shed move as though severely encumbered regardless of its weight. If the shed is wheeled, it can be pushed along as though the crew were heavily encumbered, but it cannot negotiate rough terrain or even moderate slopes.
==Greek Fire Projector==
Greek fire is an alchemical mixture that readily bursts into flame and burns furiously. A Greek fire projector is a metal tube about six inches wide and five feet long. When uncapped, it acts like a flame thrower, spraying a line of flame one square wide and four squares long. The line begins at the projector's mouth and extends directly away. Creatures within the area immediately suffer 3d10 points of damage unless they roll a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon for half of that. Targets suffer an additional 1d10 points of damage during the next two rounds, regardless of the initial saving throw's result.
==Mantlet/Abatis==
A mantlet is something like an oversized shield. It is typically made of heavy planks and is six feet high and 10 feet wide. A single figure armed with a bow or crossbow can fire through an opening in the mantlet and claim 90% cover. Additional figures firing from behind the mantlet can claim 50% cover.
A mantlet weighs 100 pounds and requires at least two Man-sized creatures to carry it. Creatures carrying a mantlet move as though heavily encumbered (due to the mantlet's bulk) even if they can handle the weight. Mantlets usually are fitted with props so the troops carrying it can set it down and use it without being encumbered.
An abatis is similar to a mantlet, but lower and thicker. It is used to plug breeches in walls and to provide a semi-mobile barrier against foes. An abatis provides 50% cover to creatures behind it. Large-sized and smaller creatures cannot cross an abatis until it is destroyed. Giants and other Huge, bipedal creatures can cross an abatis at a cost of two movement points.
==Ram Catcher==
This is a large hook or fork on a long pole. Typically, it can catch and hold a ram or bore working directly below. The ram remains held, unable to attack, until the attackers break the ram catcher or kill the crew. The ram catcher is too small to be attacked by bombardment engines, but it is susceptible to attacks from slashing weapons. It has an Armor Class of 2 and 30 hit points.
==Rocks==
One of the most simple and effective ways to defend a wall or fortification is to hurl chunks of rock or masonry down on the attackers. The character hurling the rock makes a normal attack roll. The damage inflicted varies with the size of the rock and the distance it falls:
 	Size 	Size 	Size
 	Small	Medium	Large
Knockdown Die 	1d6 	1d8 	1d12
Distance Fallen	 	 	
Short 	1d4 	2d4 	3d4
Medium 	1d8 	2d8 	2d8
Long 	1d10 	2d10 	3d10
Small rocks weigh less than four pounds. Medium rocks weigh more than four but less than eight pounds. Large rocks weigh eight pounds or more.
A short fall is 10 to 30 feet. A medium fall is 31 to 60 feet; the standard –2 modifier for missiles at medium range applies. A long fall is 61 feet or more; the standard –5 modifier for missiles at long range applies. Dexterity bonuses apply to the attack roll, but Strength bonuses do not (nor do Strength bonuses apply to the damage roll). Rocks are dropped on the attacker's base initiative phase.
===Critical Hits and Knockdown Dice===
A dropped rock inflicts Small, Medium, or Large blunt critical hits, depending on its size. All rocks add +1 to the knockdown die at medium distances and +2 to the knockdown die at long distances.
===Multiple Targets===
If a rock is dropped on a group all scaling the wall by the same route, ladder, or rope, the attacker makes a normal attack roll against the lead climber. Every creature below the leader must roll a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon to avoid being hit as well. The other climbers receive a +3 bonus to the save if the initial attack misses.
==Siege Tower==
This construction is also called a belfry. It consists of a framework mounted on wheels and covered with thick planks and a layer of hides soaked in water (to make the structure flame resistant). The whole tower is about 40 feet high. Inside, a siege tower has three stories: The ground floor is about 15 feet square. Creatures on this floor are protected as if they were in a gallery shed (see above). The second story is 30 feet from the ground. This story is equipped either with three arrow slits where troops armed with bows or crossbows can fire out with 90% cover, or a 10- to 15-foot drawbridge that can be lowered to provide quick access to the top of a wall. While the drawbridge is up, troops on the second story have 100% cover.
The third story is a partially enclosed deck about 10 feet square. Creatures on the deck have the same benefits as creatures behind a mantlet.
Six Man-sized creatures working within the bottom story can push a siege tower as though they were severely encumbered. Six more Man-sized creatures can push from behind the tower and the team of 12 can move as though heavily encumbered. Like a wheeled gallery shed, a siege tower cannot cross rough terrain or moderate slopes.
==Miscellaneous War Machine Costs and Weights==
Machine 	Cost 	Weight
Bore 	500 	100–600
Cauldron 	50 	150
Gallery Shed 	250–500	400–4,900
Greek Fire Projector	500 	75
Mantlet 	15 	100
Ram Catcher 	25 	25
Ram, Simple 	50 	50–300
Ram, Suspended 	400 	100–600
Siege Tower 	800 	2,000
==War Engine Attack and Defense Values==
 War Engine Attack and Defense Values
Weapon 	RangeM/S/M/L	THAC0	AttackValue	ROF 	Crew	DefenseValue
Bombardment Engines 	 	 	 	 	 	
Ballista, Light 	—/11/22/33 	12 	— 	1/8 	1 	4
Ballista, Medium 	1/11/22/33 	14 	1d3 	1/12 	2 	8
Ballista, Heavy 	2/12/24/36 	17 	1d4+2 	1/16 	4 	12
Bombard 	18/—/—/40* 	17 	1d6 	1/15 	3 	20
Bombard, Great 	36/—/—/80* 	19 	3d12 	1/18 	5 	30
Cannon, Light 	—/15/45/90 	12 	1d6 	1/15 	3 	20
Cannon, Medium 	—/20/60/120 	14 	2d12 	1/18 	4 	25
Cannon, Heavy 	—/30/90/180 	17 	3d12 	1/30 	6 	30
Catapult, Light 	15/—/—/32* 	14 	1d2 	1/8 	1 	10
Catapult, Medium 	15/—/—/32* 	15 	1d3+1 	1/12 	3 	12
Catapult, Heavy 	18/—/—/36* 	16 	2d4 	1/16 	5 	15
Trebuchet 	24/—/—/48* 	17 	4d4 	1/16 	8 	20
Vehicles 	 	 	 	 	 	
Chariot, Light 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	8
Chariot, Medium 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	10
Chariot, Heavy 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	12
Howdah 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	8-12
Wagon 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	8-24
Wagon, War 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	10-30
Misc. War Machines 	 	 	 	 	 	
Bore 	—/0/—/— 	— 	1d41 	1 	‡ 	12
Cauldron 	—/0/—/— 	— 	† 	1/202	2 	12
Gallery Shed 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	20
Greek Fire Projector	—/0/—/— 	— 	†† 	1/16 	2 	8
Mantlet/Abatis 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	12
Ram Catcher 	—/0/—/— 	— 	1d23 	— 	2 	—
Ram, Simple 	—/0/—/— 	— 	1d21 	1 	‡ 	6
Ram, Suspended 	—/0/—/— 	— 	1d41 	1 	‡ 	12
Siege Tower 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	24
Other 	 	 	 	 	 	
Door, Common 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	8
Door, Reinforced 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	16
Gate/Portcullis 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	32-64
Ladder 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	4
Wall, Brick 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	25
Wall, Thick Wood 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	15
Wall, Light Wood 	—/—/—/— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	10
Rock, Small 	—/0/—/— 	— 	0/0/1 	1 	1 	—
Rock, Medium 	—/0/—/— 	— 	0/1/1d2 	1 	1 	—
Rock, Large 	—/0/—/— 	— 	1/1d2/1d4 	1 	1 	—
: * Indicates that the usual –5 modifier for long range shots does not apply.
: † The material loaded into a caldron determines damage. Boiling water inflicts no damage on structures. Boiling and flaming oil inflicts 1d4 points of damage to wooden structures on each of the two rounds it burns; if the structure catches fire during the first round, the extra damage is added during the second round. Molten lead inflicts 1d4+1 points of damage to wooden structures each round it sears.
: †† Greek fire inflicts 2d4 points of damage to wooden structures each round it burns. If the structure catches fire during the first round, the extra damage is added during the second round.
: ‡ Simple rams require a crew of at least one Man-sized creature per 5' of length; the maximum crew is two Man-sized creatures per 5' of length. Suspended rams and bores require a crew of at least two Man-sized creatures per 10' of length; the maximum crew is four Man-sized creatures per 10' of length.
: 1 Per two Man-sized crew members. Bores add +1 to each die of damage if the target is stone. A simple ram crewed by a single Man-sized creature inflicts 1 point of damage.
: 2 This is the time required to reposition and reload the cauldron. Time required to heat the contents is not included.
: 3 Per two Man-sized crew members. There must be at least two crew operating the ram catcher for every 10' of ram or no damage is inflicted. If the ram is protected by a gallery shed, there must be at least four crew members per 10' of ram.
: 4 Indirect fire engines usually cannot target portals, as the missiles tend to strike the wall containing the portal instead.