Does it Take 5 Seconds to Reload a Heavy Crossbow?

[Hedonarus]

If a combat round represents 5 seconds (p. 44), and if a typical player character with DEX 13 has 3 combat actions per round (p. 5), and if it takes 3 actions to reload a heavy crossbow (p. 37), does it mean that he can reload a heavy crossbow in 5 seconds?

 

[SteveMND]

Well, not having the book and the description of what MRQ refers to as a 'heavy crossbow,' I can't be sure.

However, historically, there have been heavy-draw crossbows used that were unable to be hand-drawn to reload. Many had to be drawn using both hands and holding the end down with your feet, and with others, crossbowmen carried a small winch with them to pull the string back after firing. So it's entirely possible it could take that long, or even longer.

 

[Vadrus]

5 seconds is very fast to reload a hvy xbow, most medieval accounts rate them as firing 3 or 4 shots a minute maximum.

A light xbow could conceivably fire once every 5 seconds but you'd be taking a risk of misfiring in your haste.


Vadrus

 

[King Amenjar]

Depends what a heavy crossbow actually is. If it's a great big arbalest that needs to be cranked back into position, clearly not, but if it's only powerful enough that you need to put your foot in a stirrup, a nimble character could reload in 5 seconds - that's not unreasonable at all.

 

[Vadrus]

Depends what a heavy crossbow actually is. If it's a great big arbalest that needs to be cranked back into position, clearly not, but if it's only powerful enough that you need to put your foot in a stirrup, a nimble character could reload in 5 seconds - that's not unreasonable at all.

I would split them as:

Light XBow - Can be pulled and loaded by hand.

Heavy Xbow - requires mechanical assistance to load, i.e. a lever or winch.

Arbelest - As Heavy but too large and heavy to be practically carried and used, tends to be emplaced weapon.

Of course there are many arguements over where the line should be drawn but this way seems logical enough for most situations imo.


Vadrus

 

[Michael Hopcroft]

If you were to reality-chedk with a modern person and a reconstructed weapon, no you couldn't re-load a heavy crossbow in five seconds.

But there is no way that person could have been around crossbows since he was a little boy and learned every little thing about them, including the hudnred little tricks that would speed the process when it really mattered.

Nor does it take into account magic.

Are there RQ stats yet for the repeating crossbow the Chinese used on occasion?

 

[Gaheir]

Five seconds to load a crossbow might be possible, but tight. I feel the five second round is far too short for the amount of actions likely to take place in it. Most pc's are going to be in the 3 actions (3-4 reactions) group. Thrust, shield parry, slash, shield parry, cast befuddle (make persistence test), shield parry, shield parry.
Let's make it a 10 or 12 second round (12 seconds would be a nice homage to RQII).

 

[zanshin]

I agree, 5 seconds for a heavy crossbow reload is far too short.

12 second rounds FTW.

The reloading crossbow as per the chinese Dok Yu in Glorantha is the province of the technologically minded Dwarves or Mostali - basically its a light crossbow with a 5 quarrel magazine that self destructs in the hands of a non Mostali. How do you piss off a dwarf? Clean his crossbow...