Burning Wheel Firearms, as presented in BW:G annoy me. They are literally dangerous to use (1/12 chance to blow up in some fashion each shot, roughly 3% chance to severely wound or kill the wielder each shot.) They’re historically… Questionable, in which ones appear, especially given the implied setting of Burning Wheel They’re also really really bad, their only potential saving grace being their VA, which is matched by the Heavy Crossbow at all but too close to shoot range.
They annoyed me, so I wrote my own. Now presented here, for your own perusal and use, with rules for purchase and use, with included historical context.
Actualy for the early medieval period they are highly accurate. Chances were you would easier blow yourself up than your target. During the battles (war of the roses period) early cannons and arcbuses were mainly used to inspire terror than as a weapon.
Well, no. Early Cannons were used as siege weapons, having the fantastic advantage of taking days, rather than weeks, to set up.
Amd yes, the very early firearms used in the Wars of the Roses were terrible. In Burning Powder, they’re the ‘Hand Guns’, as terrible and dangerous as they deserve to be.
However, the Firearms in base BW aren’t ‘Hand Guns’. They’re presented as ‘Arquebus’ and ‘Pistol’. Arquebus was a term used for Matchlock firearms, (far more reliable than thr manual touchole firearms of the HYW.) As for pistols, they didn’t exist until the invention of the Wheellock mechanism around 1500. Presenting those as the dangerous, unreliable ‘Hand Guns’ of the Hundred Years War is just wrong.
Only since the 15th century, before that they were mainly used by the defenders, Accourding to literature. BW flavors an 13-14th century setting.so it is normal the handguns are the standard.
I personaly prefer a fantasy setting without guns. I suppose it has something to do with being european and having less a facination with guns.
That said, you present great inspiration for a gun based era. If I play a Alexander Dumas’ setting I will definatly use some of this as inspiration. For completeness I would like to see dates and eras with the various generations of fire arms and the ‘bands’. It would make it more clear what setting type various fire arms would be used in. I’d love to see what literature you use as inspiration.
Mechanic wise, it feels like you are trying to make a simulation. I think that is making it over complicated for BW. I would burn firearms up as I would Magic. Make it a bit more abstract. How reliable are fire arms? How efficient should they be? Are they easly available or only in sertain classes\Proffessions? Those kind of questions. It will feel more like a BW mechanic than just fancy handguns that are easier to use with less risk.
My mistake on very early cannons. They weren’t exactly my focus after all.
As for no firearms, that’s your prerogative. I can’t exactly go round to your house with a ‘Wheellocks are cool!’ Sign.
Dates are a good idea.
And yes, I did present a simulationist approach, because I felt they fit well together for this. The ‘Bands’ I presented are intended to give historically accurate ‘power levels’ for firearms jn BW. I must admit, I don’t know nearly enough to say if that was how they had to develop.
A more ‘gamefied’ Burning is definitely a good idea. Though I would advocate for not using the Firearms Die outside of the historically crap firearms (and poor quality firearms, now I think of it) because that thing really is unfairly punishing, IMO.