Crossbow (weapon)

Crossbows, distinctly the light crossbow and the heavy crossbow, are missile weapons used in combat, consisting of a stock, trigger mechanism, flight groove, flexible horizontal "limbs" similar to the ends of a bow, and a bowstring. Light crossbows include a cocking stirrup for loading, while heavy crossbows have a crank built into the stock. The weapon fires wooden bolts that are untipped, stabilised by small wooden flanges. Crossbows are made by a bowyer just as bows are. The maker of bolts is a "fletcher."

Crossbows are widely used across many cultures and military forces in the world of 1650, filling a variety of roles in combat, hunting and specialised warfare. Since gunpowder does not exist, crossbows remain a dominant missile weapon alongside longbows and recurve bows. Their usage depends on region, military doctrine and social structure. While longbows are favoured in some regions, crossbows provide a powerful alternative that requires less training to use effectively.

Though they are slower to reload than bows, their power and ease of use make them one of the most widely employed weapons across civilisations. Their effectiveness against armour, versatility in combat, and relative accessibility ensure they remain a defining element of warfare and personal defense.

Use

In standing armies, crossbow soldiers are organised into dedicated units, often supported by shield bearers or pikemen. They are deployed in defensive positions to repel cavalry and infantry charges and in field battles, they are used in disciplined volleys. The ability to hold a drawn bowstring allows soldiers to aim and fire with greater precision during a coordinated advance. In sieges, crossbows are instrumental in both attack and defense, providing ranged support from walls and battlements or picking off defenders from protected positions.

Among mercenaries, bounty hunters and assassins, crossbows are preferred due to their ease of use and deadly force. A crossbow can be fired with precision from a concealed position, making it an excellent weapon for ambushes and assassinations. Though small hand crossbows do not exist in this world, modified crossbows with silent draw mechanisms or specially designed bolts are sometimes used by professional killers.

Hunting communities and common folk also rely on crossbows, particularly in regions where game is plentiful or large beasts must be hunted for food and trade. Unlike longbows, which require extensive training and strength, crossbows allow even those with limited skill to effectively take down prey. Bolts designed for hunting include broadheads for cutting flesh and barbed bolts to prevent wounded animals from escaping. In remote villages and towns, crossbows are a common tool for self-defense, with watchmen and guardsmen keeping them loaded while on patrol.

In naval warfare, crossbows are a preferred ranged weapon aboard ships and riverboats. They can be fired from the deck with stability, unlike bows that require a full draw to shoot effectively. Marine forces use them for boarding actions, repelling attacks and harassing enemy crews from a distance. Coastal fortifications maintain stockpiles of heavy crossbows for defending against raiders and naval incursions.

Culturally, some regions place a strong emphasis on crossbow use. In the Iberian Peninsula, crossbows are a hereditary weapon among nobles and soldiers, with specialised training passed down through generations. In Genoa, where mercenary companies are highly respected, the crossbow is a favoured weapon of professional warriors. In North Africa, crossbows are used alongside composite bows in both military and tribal conflicts, adapted for use on foot and from camelback.

Make

Crossbows consist of a shortened bow mounted on an elongated frame, with a built-in trigger lock that holds the drawn bowstring until the trigger on the underside of the stock is pulled. This mechanism allows the crossbow to be kept "loaded" for short periods, so that combatants can easily hold it pointed toward an enemy about to emerge. The time before the string must be released or eased, which consists of gently loosening the string without firing, is 10 combat rounds. Since an archer usually has to spend a round loading before firing, because the tension on the string cannot be physically maintained, the crossbow offers a large advantage. However, the time needed to load a crossbow is a definite disadvantage.

In design, crossbows are more mechanically complex than standard bows, requiring precise craftsmanship. The stock is typically made from hardwoods such as yew, ash or elm, reinforced with horn or metal plates for added durability. The prod, or bow portion, is commonly constructed from steel in more advanced designs, though composite wood-laminate versions exist. The trigger mechanism consists of a rolling nut made of hardened wood, bone or metal, ensuring a secure lock and smooth release.

Bolts

For game purposes, light and heavy crossbows fire the same bolts. Fired bolts may be recovered if the intended target is missed and a saving throw for thick wood against "crushing blow" is successful (10). It may be deduced in the outdoors or in some subterranean settings that some "broken" bolts have landed somewhere they cannot be found.

Unlike arrows, bolts are typically shorter and heavier, with greater kinetic energy upon impact. They are stored in a quiver or bolt case and often bundled in groups of 20 for easy access. Specialist bolts exist, including broadhead bolts for increased cutting damage, barbed bolts to prevent easy removal and bodkin bolts designed to pierce armour. It is this piercing that accounts for the greater damage that bolts cause over arrows.

Bowstrings

The bowstring is made predominantly of animal sinew, though linen, hemp, silk and rawhide are twisted into the string for durability. After several minutes submerged in water, or if it has been allowed to stretch too long, sinew is of little use. It's good to have a number of bowstrings on hand, as they can easily break. The tension of a crossbow string is significantly higher than that of a longbow, requiring proper maintenance to avoid excessive wear. Waxing the string regularly helps prolong its lifespan, and strings should be stored in a dry environment to prevent fraying.

Weapon Breaks

If a roll to hit produces a fumble, the first break roll is applied to the bowstring — strings will break on a roll of 1 in 4. If the string breaks, the character must roll a d12; on a 1, the crossbow itself breaks as well. Crossbows are more susceptible to mechanical failure than traditional bows due to their moving parts. If exposed to extreme cold, metal components can become brittle, increasing the chance of misfire. Poorly maintained crossbows may jam, requiring 1d4 rounds to clear before they can be used again.

Combat

Missile Range in Combat Hexes

Bow	Point Blank	Short	Medium	Long
Heavy crossbow	2	3-14	15-28	29-40
Light crossbow	2	3-10	11-20	21-30

Damage from the light crossbow is 3-9 (2d4+1); from the heavy crossbow, 3-13 (2d6+1). The weapon's range is good, as shown on the table. Hitting with a crossbow can be improved by a high dexterity. While bows rely on speed and precision, crossbows deliver brute force with less reliance on skill, making them popular among mercenaries and conscripted soldiers.

Loading

To load a light crossbow and aim requires 2 full rounds, plus 2 action points (AP) to fire in the third round. The heavy crossbow differs in that it requires 3 full rounds. With the light crossbow, the combatant must put his or her foot into the cocking stirrup and wrench upwards on the bowstring with both hands to fit it into the trigger lock. The heavy crossbow permits the latter action to be performed by a crank with two handles. In either case, the combatant must be standing and must maintain pressure with both hands until the loading is completed — or else it must be started again from scratch.

The operation can be performed by anyone, regardless of their possession of a weapon proficiency in crossbow. Therefore, a soldier may have one or two servants available for loading one or more crossbows, locking the trigger before handing each over to be fired. Specialised loading mechanisms, such as goat's-foot levers or windlass cranks, can reduce loading time but add weight to the weapon. The heaviest crossbows, used for siege defense, require a spanning device and cannot be practically reloaded in active combat.

Firing from a Mount

Crossbows can be fired from horseback by combatants possessing a horse archer or camel archer skill. However, crossbows cannot be loaded while mounted on a horse. The howdah of an elephant or an oliphant does offer enough room to load a crossbow while standing on the animal's back.

While impractical for fast cavalry, crossbows are widely used by mounted infantry and war wagons. Crossbow soldiers often dismount before battle, forming defensive ranks against charging opponents.

Other Actions

Unloading a crossbow from a brace on the character's back and getting it ready for combat — including loosing the cap on the quiver holding the bolts — requires 6 AP, which may be spread over multiple rounds.

Restoring a crossbow to the brace on a character's back requires aid from a second person. The time needed is 4 AP.

Stringing a crossbow requires 3 AP, assuming both string and bow are already in hand.

Additional Footnotes

The crossbow is a hereditary weapon for characters raised in Castile, Leon, Genoa and the lands of Morocco. It is a favoured weapon of artillerists, bounty hunters, marshals and tavern keepers. This grants a +1 bonus to hit for these peoples.

The sage study of puissance enables authority-status characters to load a light crossbow with 8 AP, spread over multiple rounds. A heavy crossbow can be loaded with 12 AP. This permits characters with many action points to potentially fire a light crossbow every other round, or a heavy crossbow every third round.

Characters with the Assassin's sage ability target assassination are able to use a crossbow to commit assassinations.

Handheld crossbows small enough to be fired like a pistol don't exist in the game world.

See also,
Soldier-at-Arms (profession)
The Adventure
Weapons List