This one should be easy.
Ready
Set
GO
I'm glad everyone agrees on the combat styles in general. I think they'll be a big improvement. What about the weapon specifications? Current light weapon length is 30 inches. Is that too long, not long enough, or just right? What about medium weapon length of 45 inches? Do we want to set a maximum length for large weapons?
Something else to consider is how we represent projectiles. We've been using packets with streamers all season, and I'll be honest, I'm not a fan. The main problem is that there's no way for the target to tell if it could be blocked or not; that streamer isn't easily visible. Granted, this will be a moot point for most scouts, who will call Pierce frequently, but anyone else will have problems. The park absolutely forbids us from using real projectiles, so is there any other way to do this?
I agree with the weapon lengths. They are already good and about accurate with the actual thing. A gladius was about 28" long from hilt to tip. I also feel weapon length max should be considered, however, it should also be based on realism. A medieval pole arm averaged 65" with some getting as long as 10' for the pikemen. Now I admit that 10' is way to big so maybe 72". Here is food for thought as well. Instead of polearms doing twohander damage, maybe they will do one handed damage instead. This is much like staves do now, and also makes sence. Polearms were used for thier reach and not for their power. If you wanted to cleave off arms and legs with powerful swings you used a twohanded sword or axe.
As far as missle weapons go, it is confusing trying to figure out if you could block that packet or not. I agree that missle weapons should use something other then packets. I am not sure how you feel about this, but maybe Airsoft bows could be used. I know its not very period, but it would clear up the packet thing. What you all think? I know both NERF and Airsoft make bows and xbows, plus if you want to bring firearms in they also make those as well. Only thing I would suggest is a mandtory painting of weapon since most are hideously colored.
Minor point of clarification, Tom: Weapon damage will be based entirely off of skill, not weapon size. If you have Melee Weapon 1, you can use any melee weapon and call one damage with it. Large weapons will require two hands to use due to their size and reach, but still call one damage without additional skill. If you have the Two-Hander skill, you bump your damage up by one point whenever you're wielding a weapon in two hands, whether or not it needs to be. So it sounds like we're more or less on the same page.
I'm in agreement about weapon sizes. They're more or less fine as is, with the potential need to define a maximum length. I may talk to Brennan separately, since he'll be the main one affected by such a ruling.
For projectile weapons, I wish the park were more lenient. Even when I spelled out that we wanted to use toy crossbows that shot foam projectiles, they still said no. I'm inclined to say they'll say the same to any sort of launcher if they're that strict, so we're pretty much stuck with things that can be hurled.
As the infamous "taker of Naki's sword straight to the boobs", I have to agree with talking to Brennan. He has a combat advantage purely because of his weapon size. Can any of you see David (Ohren) toting the same sized sweapon around? I agree with everything else. One point or question Thad.
The length requirements for our two-handers do not match what is available in latex weaponry. Mark brought this up as he's been looking to purchase a latex rep for his two-handed axe. The majority of the specs on latex weapons are smaller than the specs we have as the minimum for a two-hander.
Unarmed - 12" max. I feel that the current size of unarmed isn't a good phys rep of real unarmed combat. 12" should be the max.
Light - 24" max. When I think light weapons, I think anything from daggers to kryss's
Medium - 45" max.
Heavy - 72" max for melee weapons, 80" max for staffs.
OK here we go Thad. I've looked around (especially at Strongblade, since we know they are safe and approved) and it seems to me that unless we add a Bastard weapon length, the MAX for one Handed Medium Weapons needs to stop at 40 to 40.5. Most of the Two-Hander classified swrods on their site are between 42-45. They have ONE sword that is qualified as a two hander by our specs, and it's 47 inches. Historically, typical blade length for a longsword was 32 inches. Add 8 inches for a usable hilt/grip/pommel, that's 40 inches dead on. Now then. There is no way in hell I can run around with a 47 inch long sword to make it qualify as a two hander in our system, lol. If we scale everything back to fit that, I think we'll have better results.
Weapons will be much the same as they are now. I'm satisfied with the current standards of safety, so there's no need to change construction. We may want to address length, though. Rogues will care deeply about the length of light weapons, since they'll need them for their attacks. We may also want to look at maximum size. I love Naki, but that polearm is on the ridiculous side of things.
Characters will need the appropriate combat style skill to use a weapon. I plan on renaming the skill names to better describe what is being used and what it's calling. Here's a preview for reference here.
Something to note here for you, Tom, is that the Two-Hander skill adds a straight point of damage when using a weapon in two hands. Weapons otherwise call whatever your skill indicates. Thus, if you have Melee Weapon 1, you call one with any melee weapon. If you have Two-Hander, you call two when you wield a weapon in two hands, whether or not it needs to be. I remember this is something you'd requested awhile back, and I wanted to include it.