Re: The CWT Draft

["dbarrass_2000" <david.barrass@ed.ac.uk>]

Excellent work, I think I will adopt it for my campaign.

Just some points about the weapons
1)	The machete seems to be essentially a falchion, do we need it,
could we have falchion/machete (or a note to that effect)?
2)	I think the sizes for the longer swords are too short.  The
Claymores in the Scottish museums are at least 4 feet long, rising to
6 feet, this should be classed as a 2 handed sword, so lets say 4-5ft
for a claymore.  I would say, again from evidence of examples I've
seen, that a 2 handed sword is anything from 5-7ft.  From what I have
read the style of fighting was to whorl it around your head in a
continuous sweep, swapping over your hands to keep it going.  This
would (in by campaign) allow a person welding a two handed sword to
repulse as a pole arm ? I wouldn't go near it that's for sure.  (The
great Axe may also have been used in this way)
3)	How about different stats for 1 and 2 handed use (in mush the same
way that longsword has A and B stats). We could have 2 handed use +1
damage, but -5% strike chance and requiring an extra 2 PS for example.
4)	I thought a sarissa was the Macedonian pike, and therefore was
essentially the same as a pike
5)	I don't think the shaft of a pike was that thick, if it where it
would be very heavy.  The ones I've seen start of about 2.5 inches in
diameter at the butt and taper to about 1.5 inches at the head.  This
shape conforms to the way wood grows and the extra thickness at the
butt helps counter-balance the head. The head end may be re-enforced
by metal strips.
6)	I would only allow the pole weapons to be used as a quarterstaff is
the user also has quarterstaff skill
7)	A bill hook developed out of a bill hook ? this is a tool on a pole
that is used to lop off thin branches well above the ground.  Smaller
single handed ones are still used (eg by my father-in-law) to layer hedges
8)	The English longbow was actually a self bow, although it used the
natural composite nature of the sap and heart wood of the yew tree to
increase power ? so I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with your
description
9)	Doesn't a blowgun have to do at least 1 point effective damage
([20.3]) in order to introduce the poison into the victim?  This is
something I've never understood in the "official" DQ rules
10)	A general point.  Someone, I forget who, devised a system for use
of weapons you're not skilled in, so (for example) if you can use one
B class sword you have a reasonable idea of how to use other B class
swords.   This has become even more necessary now the sub-division of
the weapons has become tighter

These are really very minor points, mainly dealing with descriptions
rather then the mechanics.  I haven't looked at the oriental weapons
as I don't really know that much about them, classical and medieval
(particularly Scottish) is my thing

Thanks for the work

David