Alternatively Armed Armies

[jester]

Yes, the English archers of old trained for a LIFE TIME! Ask the French Knights at Agincourt. And it did take a lifetime as well as a national culture of bowmanship <is that a word?> They have done excavations and you could even tell who was an archer by the skeletal developement which was much more pronounced with the ridges that were the attatchement points for muscle on the side that drew the bow.

As for other weapons, I could see something akin to a speargun also being used a ranged weapon of short range but none the less a ranged weapon, and easily made. I have seen folks on the dive boats with their own homemade weapons.

Another idea could be the making of primative muzzleloading weapons. A pipe or length of barrel, with a primative trigger, or even just a hammer on a spring that is pulled and released by the thumb hitting a precussion cap which fires the weapon. I am imagining a barrel on a half wooden stock and wrapped with thin cable or wire to add to the strength of the barrel, with a wicked looking broad blade on the end, so when the weapon is fired using buckshot it is then used as a pike or polearm and club.

Another form of weapon could be a zip gun. A gun that fires a cartridge, but otherwise similiar to the weapon above. A spring fired nail that hits the cartridges primer and a primative shoulder stock. A section of pip and on the read of the pipe a endcap. I would think a pistol cartridge of shotgunshell would be the best since they are straight walled cartridges. Thus, the cannon fodder has the benefit of a psuedo firearm, they have 1 shot, then they use their weapon as a club or pike with a fixed blade or similiar mounted.

And also, lets not forget about primtive handgrenades. A simple stick greande made from an old tin can with an inner charge of blackpoweder and a primative blasting cap, then some shrapnel material, bits of metal, chain or wire and glass, then the shell of the can, a simple stick drilled out with a length of fuse and a primative igniter at the bottom of the stick handle protected by an end cap. Maybe a piece of dowel rod with metal on the end, you slap it, the dowel hits a precussion cap igniting the fuse and you throw it. Or a bit of chemicals that when mixed combust after a few seconds.

And of course slings and sling shots. Not the most accurate for a novice. But, when used en mass it will be enough to keep the baddies heads down until your people with the single shot weapons can get close enough without being mowed down and do some damage and then of course when they fire their shots they charge to get in close and use their melee weapons.

[Matt W]

Don't forget to use all options: poisoned arrows sound nasty

http://select.nytimes.com/2006/11/14...stof.html?_r=1

Or some WW1 style weapons

http://preview.tinyurl.com/n5gxzy

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by jester

As for other weapons, I could see something akin to a speargun also being used a ranged weapon of short range but none the less a ranged weapon, and easily made. I have seen folks on the dive boats with their own homemade weapons.

You make me think of a kind of rifle that could be easily made and that use to fire anything (nails, metal peaces, small stones...). The name is "Tromblon" in French (also mean an uggly looking girl). As I don't know it in english, I put an image of one.

[ChalkLine]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

You make me think of a kind of rifle that could be easily made and that use to fire anything (nails, metal peaces, small stones...). The name is "Tromblon" in French (also mean an uggly looking girl). As I don't know it in english, I put an image of one.

We called it a 'Blunderbuss' from the German 'Donderbusch', or 'Thunder Gun'.

[jester]

Yes, that is what we call a "Blunderbuss."

And that is pretty much what I was thinking when I posted the singleshot primative weapon issued to your masses.

Now, make it a large bore like the above, but not funneled. Add hammer that fires on a primer like the caplock rifles/muskets. These with todays knowledge are pretty easy, heck, they are common in childrens cap pistols so no big deal, and then mount a spike for thrusting and an axe for causing even more chaos when it comes to close quarters. Talk about the ultimate primative close quarters weapon

[Kellhound]

In Spain is a "trabuco", and the bell shape make them fairly easy to load.
It's fairly popular with muzzleloading communities and some folk festivities in several zones, so there are quite a few around, and in a post-nuke situation you could find some small towns armed with them.

Besides, it's very traditional here. Where have you seen a Sierra Morena bandolero without one?

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Kellhound

Besides, it's very traditional here. Where have you seen a Sierra Morena bandolero without one?

I think we have similar traditions around here (called "Bravadeurs"). My area has about 20 equipped with Blunderbuss and 40-50 musketeers.

My wife's native town (St Tropez) as a full company with about 200 muketeers.

Thinking about that. Several cities will have artilery pieces from the Napoleonic era that shouldn't be that hard to put back in working order.

HQ I said I was mistaken. I also said that the local man would be able to make simple bows only, at first. Whatever, I still go with the blunt weapons, axes..., and forget about frontal approach.

[Slappy]

To get back to the original question, I think arming raw civilians with either bows or crossbows would be of marginal effectiveness at best given the state of the world in most T2K campaigns.

I'm assuming that the players still have automatic weapons as do many of their adversaries. I find it doubtful that an untrained group with homemade crossbows will bring much to the party. The likelihood of doing much damage is low as is the likelihood that they will be able to stand and fight effectively. Remember, low morale and unit cohesion usually come with low training. They might actually be better off standing off with higher quality weapons. They'll probably stay in the fight longer.

Two other thoughts though. I'm not saying that a highly trained professional couldn't make useful tactical use of these weapons. An elite soldier with a crossbow is probably a better bet than a novice with an AK in close quarters. Also, these weapons should become more and more effective as technology recedes. Bowmen couldn't stand up to even primitive firearms and I don't expect they'd do very well against M249s either, but when these weapons wear out they will once again have a lot to offer. It's just that most T2K campaigns still have a higher tech level than the one at which this would be an effective strategy.