Crossbow (weapon)

The crossbow, distinctly the light crossbow and the heavy crossbow, is a missile weapon 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 that's built into the stock. The weapon fires wooden bolts that are untipped, stabilized by small wooden flanges. Crossbows are made by a bowyer just as bows are. The maker of bolts is a "fletcher."

Make

Crossbows consist of a shortened bow mounted on an enlongated frame, with a built-in trigger lock that holds the drawn bow string, until the trigger on the underside of the stock is pulled. This mechanism permits the crossbow to be kept "loaded" for short periods, so that combatants can easily hold it pointed towards 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

To load a light crossbow and aim requires 2 full rounds, plus 2 action points 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