tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170237526012357403.post4651894440447718817..comments2024-03-26T15:35:56.004-04:00Comments on Delta's D&D Hotspot: Cannons in ChainmailDeltahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170237526012357403.post-84622252812058583002017-04-15T13:07:37.450-04:002017-04-15T13:07:37.450-04:00Wow, what an interesting observation! It's ser...Wow, what an interesting observation! It's serendipitous, because I was just finally reading Gygax & Arneson's rules for <i>Don't Give Up the Ship!</i>, and I was surprised to see that variation in mortar shots there (p. 27) used <i>two</i> rulers, one for parallel variation and for perpendicular (and quite elegant; put the "7"'s on the target, roll 2d6 per direction, that's where the shell lands). <br /><br />So it's strange that here they reduced it to one direction -- with the catapult variation being only parallel, the cannons only perpendicular (if your reading is right). I agree that the "so the shot goes straight" in the example is highly suggestive, although it's to see how one would be tricked extrapolating from the prior catapult example (which very straightforwardly parallel variation only). <br /><br />Thanks for pointing that out!Deltahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2170237526012357403.post-58417796844034097022017-03-19T07:29:54.546-04:002017-03-19T07:29:54.546-04:00I think you have misinterpreted the variation dowe...I think you have misinterpreted the variation dowel -- although not explicitly stated, it should be placed *perpendicular* to the firing dowel. One clue to this is in the firing example: The number rolled is 4, so the shot goes *straight*. <br />This was apparently pretty common in Napoleonic wargaming. I am including a link to a PDF of Strategy & Tactics Magazine Vol. II no. 2 (#12 overall) from 1968, which has an article by Ray Johnson on page 6 that makes this clear.<br />I leave it to your estimable judgment how this will affect your thoughts on lightning bolts, etc. Keep up the great work!<br />http://www.mediafire.com/file/xlgw3fbdwbwbyca/S%26T_012_%28from_Book_II_reprint%29.pdf<br />Retromancerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03001000119685884211noreply@blogger.com