HarnMaster 2nd Edition Corrections
With
notes by James S. Watson
Add to
Combat
|
Weapon |
Skill |
OML |
WT |
WQ |
A/D |
HM |
B |
E |
P |
Price |
|
Main-Gauche |
Dagger |
SB3 |
3 |
13 |
1/3 |
|
2 |
2 |
4 |
72d |
|
Rapier |
Sword |
SB3 |
4 |
13 |
3/3 |
-10 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
180d |
|
Saber |
Sword |
SB3 |
3 |
12 |
3/2 |
-10 |
3 |
7 |
* |
150d |
|
Scimitar |
Sword |
SB3 |
3 |
13 |
3/1 |
-10 |
2 |
8 |
* |
180d |
Notes:
Main-Gauche
& Rapier:
These weapons originated in Karejia where
they are widely used by young urban nobles, mercantylers, ship owners, and
pilots. From Karejia they spread along
trade routes through out the areas touched by the Venarian Sea and Gulf of
Ederwyn. In recent years some
mercantylers from Cherafir, Aleath, and Thay have acquired and learned how to
use them. In Conanan and they are
mainly weapons used in the Pamesani games.
They are similar to the Keltan and Estoc except they have basket guard
hilts and edge as well as point aspects.
The basket guards add to both the defense and blunt aspects of the
weapon as well as giving the wielder protection equal to plate. They are usually made and used in pairs with
the Main-Gauche being used in the off hand as a parrying weapon. The better quality ones has one or more
rings on each side of the blade at the guard providing a slot into which an
opponent's blade can slip. These rings
are faced on the blade side with brass and can serve to either entangle or even
break the opponent's blade when the catching weapon is twisted.
Saber:
A weapon of the steppe and desert horseman of central Lythia. It has a long thin curved single edged blade
with a basket guard hilt and is primarily a slashing weapon.
Scimitar:
A weapon widely used by the horsemen of Beshakan and
Hepekeria. It has a short curved single
edged blade with a simple cross guard and is primarily a slashing weapon.
Battlesword:
[The two handed or battlesword was historically an infantry weapon
mostly used by certain heavily armored infantry from the 14th century and
later. It was never a primary chivalric
weapon because it could not be used mounted.]
For game purposes it should be a very rare weapon on Harn, a rare weapon
in western Lythia, and probably not a chivalric weapon in either area.
Mounted
Combat:
A horse's behavior in combat will depend on the animal's
temperament and training. Chelni,
Horiri, Desert, and Steppe horses for example will, if not trained as war
horses try to avoid combat, and, in the case of Desert and Steppe horses, even
if they are trained will be most useful in the mobile style of warfare favored
by mounted archers although they can be used in melee when fighting is done
with the sword. [Note: The swords
favored in this style of warfare are the saber and scimitar.] They are less useful with the lance. The Forest Horse on the other hand is a less
temperamental animal and even if not trained to war can be gotten to charge
horses of the small breeds. Mature
stallions will always charge and will try to knock a smaller horse off of its'
feet. [Note: The fences used in
tournaments were really intended to keep the Stallions, favored by the nobility
of western Europe as warhorses, from fighting each other in what was supposed
to be a human contest of skill.]
In game terms I would suggest that horses which have not been
trained as war horses have a base 90% chance of panic in a combat situation
with a riding check required to maintain control; i.e. with any roll of 11 or
more on a d100 the horse panics. This
roll is corrected +/- from the table:
Breed of horse verses other horses, below. The check for horse panic is rolled and if the roll is over the
corrected figure then the horse has failed its panic check. A marginal failure means that the horse
flees the area at maximum movement rate unless the rider makes a successful
riding check and a critical failure means the rider must make a riding check or
fall off the horse with the horse fleeing at its' maximum movement rate. Flight is always in a random direction away
from the danger. A marginal success on
the riding check allows the rider to add his mastery level to the corrected
chance of panic of the horse and if result is under the dice roll the rider has
retained control and can get the horse to do what he wants on the next
round. A critical success on the riding
check allows the rider to retain control and act at the end of the same round. If the riders mastery level plus the
horses' corrected chance of panic is less then the dice roll then the horse
still panics.
In this event the horse, presuming the rider made his riding
check, will fight with its' rider for one round during which the rider can take
no other action. At the beginning of
the next round a successful riding check as outlined above allows the rider to
gain control otherwise the horse still fights with its rider and the rider can
take no other action for that round.
This action will continue for round after round until the rider makes a
successful riding check. A failure on
any riding check results in the rider falling off.
Trained War Horses are only 10% likely to panic; i.e. with any
roll of 91 or more on a d100 the horse panics.
This roll is corrected +/- from the table: Breed of horse verses other horses, below. Any roll which falls under the chance of
panic means the horse does not panic.
If the rider does not have ridding skill the chance of panic is 20%;
i.e. with any roll of 81 or more on a d100 the horse panics. In either case a riding check as noted above
required to maintain control if the horse does panic.
Breed of horse verses other horse:
|
Horse Being Tested |
Pony |
Steppe Horse |
Desert Horse |
Mare |
Gelding[1]
(Palfrey) |
Forest Horse Mare |
Forest Horse Stallion |
|
Pony |
* |
-10 |
-20 |
-30 |
-40 |
-45 |
-65 |
|
Steppe Horse |
+10 |
* |
-10 |
-20 |
-30 |
-40 |
-60 |
|
Desert Horse |
+20 |
+10 |
* |
-10 |
-20 |
-35 |
-55 |
|
Mare |
+30 |
+20 |
+10 |
* |
-10 |
-30 |
-45 |
|
Gelding |
+40 |
+30 |
+20 |
+10 |
* |
-20 |
-30 |
|
Forest Horse Mare |
+45 |
+40 |
+35 |
+30 |
+25 |
* |
-15 |
|
Forest Horse Stallion |
+65 |
+60 |
+55 |
+45 |
+20 |
+15 |
* |
Notes:
1. Geldings are Riding Palfrey Neutered Stallions.
2. Subtract 25 if the horse is wounded or facing fire and 50 if it
is burned. Even trained warhorses will
refuse to charge a obstacle such as a wall, high hedge, fence of spikes, or a
spear and shield wall on a panic check roll or 11 or more corrected only for
wounds and burns. [Note: Ancient
conventional wisdom in effect as long as horse cavalry was used in war: Poor
cavalry can break poor infantry, good cavalry can break good infantry,
excellent cavalry can never break excellent infantry. Thus trained infantry can almost always fend off a cavalry
attack. Most peasant levies must be
considered as poor/untrained infantry while the Ivinians or Thardic Legions,
who usually fight on foot, would be good infantry and would be subject to being
broken by only by Man-At-Arms cavalry [qv.].
Only the Azeryan legions equipped with pikes could be considered
excellent infantry.
Corrections to text in Second
Edition Campaign:
Mule:
Omit "... but almost impossible to train as a
draft animal." [Note: Mules were common draft and plow
animals in the 19th and early 20th century and I personally saw them used in
this way while living on a tobacco plantation during the summer of 1942. I also know from both my studies in history,
including military history, that they were used on the Oregon Trail in the
1840's and by the U. S. Army to draw escort wagons as long as the army used
this form of transport. As a child I
also saw horses and mules that were used by the U. S. Army in the period just
before World War II.]
Add:
Donkeys, Horses, and Mules as Draft Animals:
All of these equines
can be used as draft animals but only for small carts, light wagons, chariots,
and sleighs. [Note: The only method of hitching equines
to a vehicle during the Middle Ages involved a strap or bar across the breast
which presses against the base of the animal's windpipe choking it. When an equine starts to choke it quits
pulling. The Solution would be to
invent the horse collar but maybe we should let the players figure that out.]
Oxen:
Replace: "... because of the sensitive,
unshoeable hooves, ....", with: " ... because they lack
sweat glands and overheat easily, ...."
[Note: Oxen can be shod but a special frame is need to support the
animal's weight so it's feet can be lifted off the ground. Oxen will not try to stand on three
legs. The shoes are made in two parts,
one for the right side of the hoof the other for the left. As a former museum curator I know where a
number of ox shoes can be found in the collections of the State Historical
Society of Wisconsin.]
Add: Most
oxen are used in agriculture and these animals are seldom shod. Oxen used to haul wagons in mercantyler
caravans are usually shod. Oxen are
always trained in pairs called Yokes and it almost impossible to get an ox to
work with any ox other then the one it trained with as a calf. Two or more yokes of oxen working together
are referred to as a span of oxen. Ox
carts are pulled by a single yoke while wagons always use at least two yokes.
[Note: Ox yokes are designed to be used by two oxen working
together and I have never seen or heard of a single ox yoke. I have seen a cow being worked with a horse
but the cow was hitch up with a horse collar.]
Oxen are driven by a teamster who walks alongside the lead yoke,
to the left on Harn and on the right in Lythia. When meeting oncoming traffic the teamster will turn his oxen so
as to keep between them and the other traffic.
[Note: The modern holdover from this practice is that we drive on the
right in this country while the English drive on the left.
Corrections to text in Campaign 9:
Cart:
Change to read: "Carts are generally pulled by
a single yoke of Oxen and the load and speed given assumes this." Omit: "If a pair of
oxen are used, increase load by 50% but decrease speed by 10%."
[Note: See above for reason for change.]
Change
to read: "Horses, mules, or donkeys may be used instead of Oxen; but only
one animal will be used. For a horse or
mule decrease load by 75%, but increase speed by 50%. For a donkey decrease load by 85% and increase speed by 25%. .... For carts drawn by a horse, mule, or
donkey the chance of mechanical breakdown is 10% per watch moved. .....
Chariots are pulled
by teams of two to four horses and their chance of mechanical breakdown is 15%
per watch moved. These teams are always
hitched side by side.
[Note: carts drawn by equines are always more lightly built then
those drawn by Oxen and are thus more apt to break down.]
Wagon:
Change to read: "Wagons can only be used on
roads trails, if wide enough, or firm open ground: they are almost useless for
off-road travel in hilly or heavily wood terrain. Wagons are generally drawn by two to five yoke of oxen depending
on their size and load. The load/speed
given assumes that two yoke of oxen are being used, for each addition yoke
increase load by 75% and reduce speed by 10%.
No more then three
horses or mules can be used on a single wagon.
They will be hitched in a single line with a postern riding the leading
animal. Decrease load by 60% from a
single yoke of oxen and increase speed by 25% for two horses. For three horses decrease load by 40% with
speed remaining at an increase of 25%. .... For wagons drawn by horses or mules
the chance of mechanical breakdown is 10% per watch moved."
[Note: See also above for
carts.]
Changes to Bestiary 2 & 3:
Horse/Pony (Chelni, Horiri):
Str:
18, Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 37 Sta: 14 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 14 Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 10 Mov: 14 Agl: 09 Dge: 45,
Height:
12 hands (one hand equals 4 inches) = 48 inches at withers (4').
Weight:
900 pounds.
Load
Limit: 180 pounds (load equals 20% of weight).
Attacks:
Hooves: 40/4bBite 35/1pKick: 30/6b
Horse, Steppe
Str:
18 Eye: 12 Int: --Ini: 40 Sta: 19 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 16 Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 12 Mov: 16 Agl: 12 Dge: 60
Height:
14 hands = 56 inches at withers (4'
8").
Weight:
1,200 pounds. Load Limit: 240 pounds
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/5b Bite 40/2p Kick: 35/8b
Horse, Desert:
Str:
18 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 45 Sta: 16 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 16 Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 14 Mov: 18 Agl: 13 Dge: 65.
Height
16 hands = 64 inches at withers (5' 4").
Weight:
1,600 pounds. Load Limit: 320 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/6b Bite 40/3p Kick: 35/10b
Horse,
Forest, Mare:
Str:
21 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 40 Sta: 19 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 18, Dex: --,
Sm/t: 19 Will: 14 Mov: 15, Agl: 10 Dge: 50.
Height
19 hands = 76 inches at withers (6' 4").
Weight:
3,500 pounds. Load Limit: 700 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/8b Bite 40/4p Kick: 35/10b.
Horse, Forest, Stallion:
Str:
22 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 45 Sta: 20 Hrg: 19Aur: 01 End: 19, Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 16 Mov: 15, Agl: 10 Dge: 50.
Height
20 hands = 84 inches at withers (7').
Weight:
4,000 pounds. Load Limit: 800 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 50/10b Bite 45/5p Kick: 40/10b.
Horse, ridding (Palfrey, Mare):
Str:
19 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 40, Sta: 16 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 16, Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 12 Mov: 16, Agl: 11 Dge: 55.
Height
16 hands = 64 inches at withers (5' 4").
Weight:
2,000 pounds. Load Limit: 400 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/6b Bite 40/3p Kick: 35/8b.
Horse,
ridding (Palfrey/War Horse, Stallion/Gelding):
Str:
20 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 40, Sta: 17 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 17, Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 14 Mov: 17, Agl: 11 Dge: 55.
Height
17 hands = 68 inches at withers (5' 8").
Weight:
2,500 pounds. Load Limit: 500 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/6b Bite 40/3p Kick: 35/8b.
Mule:
Str:
18 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 40, Sta: 18, Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 17, Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 14 Mov: 15, Agl: 11 Dge: 55.
Height
16 hands = 64 inches at withers (5' 4").
Weight:
2,000 pounds. Load Limit rider+saddle
or pack: 400 pounds.
Attacks:
Hooves: 45/6b Bite 40/3p Kick: 35/8b.
Donkey:
Str:
16 Eye: 12 Int: -- Ini: 40, Sta: 16 Hrg: 19 Aur: 01 End: 15, Dex: --
Sm/t: 19 Will: 14 Mov: 14, Agl: 09 Dge: 45.
Height
10 hands = 40 inches at withers (3' 4").
Weight:
600 pounds. Load Limit: 120 pounds
(load equals 20% of weight).
Attacks:
Hooves: 40/4b Bite 35/1p Kick: 30/6b.
Notes:
Ponies are a hardy breed with great endurance, especially for cold
damp conditions, and can make do with poor fodder. They are often used to pull sleds or as pack animals and can be
ridden.
Steppe horses are mainly found in central Lythia where they are
used by the nomads of that area as war and herding horses. They do best if feed on grass. They are noted for their endurance,
especially of intense dry cold, and their smooth running gait.
Desert horses are found in the desert areas of central
Lythia. They are noted as being the
fastest horses in Lythia and can endure dry heat but do not do well in the
colder damper areas of western Lythia.
They have a smooth gaited trot and gallop.
Forest Horses, also known as shire horses, are native to western
Lythia and are the least likely to panic of any horse breed. The stallions are especially prized by the
nobles of western Lythia and Harn as warhorses (see also combat). They are not comfortable horses to ride
having a very heavy rough gait and broad backs. In most areas of western Lythia and Harn only gentle folk are
allowed to own or ride these horses.
The only simple folk who may have these horses in their care are bonded
Ostlers in the service of a noble, their journeymen and apprentices. [Note: this breed of horse was used in the
third crusade although they didn't do very well in the middle east.]
Riding horses, also called Palfreys, are a mix of desert and
forest breeds, which have become popular in western Lythia and Harn. These horses combine some of the best
features of both the forest and desert breeds and with proper care do
well. They are smooth gaited animals and
very popular with both the nobility and well to simple folk as riding
horses. They are also used as mounts by
most mounted men-at-arms [qv]. Most
horses, which are ridden, are either geldings or mares. The stallions are mostly kept for breeding.]
Mules are a cross breed between a Donkey stallion and a horse
mare. Mostly Palfrey mares are used for
this kind of breeding.
Donkeys are an equine relative of the horse. The breed originally came from central
Lythia.
The
height of any given breed can vary by one hand up or down from the standard
noted above and the weight will vary up or down by as much as 20% from that
noted. Other attributes such as
strength, stamina, and will can also very.
Note that a horse with a high will be high spirited and hard to handle,
especially if the rider has little or no riding skill. In such a case the GM can have fun
role-playing horse vs. rider.
Movement is the rate at which a horse walks, if a horse is
trotting movement is twice that given; if a horse is cantering movement is
three times that given; if a horse is running movement is four times that
given; and if a horse is galloping movement is five times that given. The amount of time in rounds a
horse/pony/mule/donkey can move at a rate faster then a walk equals: Endurance
times four for the trot; Endurance times two for the canter; Endurance divided
by two for the run; and Endurance divided by four for the gallop. Following a move at any rate faster then a
walk the animal must rest for a number of rounds equal the figure used to
divide endurance for the run or gallop or half the figure used for the trot or
canter. If the animal is walking slowly
then it will recover fully in twice the time needed for resting.
The distance covered depends on topography and weather (See
Campaign 7). In any event if a
horse/pony/mule/donkey is moving further then the distance allow by topography
for two watches or not being given a chance to rest after rapid movement then
the Forced March Rules come into play.
See http://www.mailbag.com/users/jswatson/HorseArmor.htm
and
Etiquette:
(new communication skill) Int, Wil, Com/3, Sko +2, Lad +1;
Knight/Herald/Priest/Priestess of Larani OML/4, Harper/Thespian OML/3,
Mercantyler/Weaponscrafter/Military OML/2, all others OML/1.
Man-At-Arms/Armiger:
Initiative/6, Lance/4, Broadsword/4, Kite Shield/4, Mace/5,
Dagger/4, Riding/4, Animalcraft Horse/3, Foraging/3, Survival/3, Physician/2,
Etiquette/2, Heraldry/1.
Men-At-Arms would be part of the commonly of most fighting orders
and make up the middle guard of most ranking nobles, as well as filling the
slot in HarnPlayer for the squire of a knight holding a manor. They might also be found in mercenary bands
led by a knight or as city guards.
Unlike other simple folk fighters Men-At-Arms are trained as mounted
warriors, serving as medium or heavy cavalry depending on how they are armed. Their horse, armor, and all weapons except
for their sword and dagger are usually furnished by the noble who they are
serving, however, most unemployed Men-At-Arms will own at least a ring mail
Byrnie and possible (50% chance) a horse.