SF Catapult / Trebuchet
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The SF Catapult and Trebuchet are the first siege weapons created compatible with the SF Combat meter;
Catapults and Trebuchets were used in medieval warfare to do a number of tasks. The most popular was to break through walls and gates of castles and towns. However, they were also used in open warfare as well: These weapons, although not very accurate, could unleash deadly wide area damage, wiping out front lines of approaching warriors with one flaming hay bale, or injur multiple targets with a shattering rock.
Their range was key, firing ammunition over the heads of allies into approaching hoards, while being placed far to the rear of the battle, making it difficult to attack them directly.
Catapults and Trebuchets were also used to throw rotting corpses of animals into besieged castles and towns to spread illness. Heads of fallen enemies were also thrown, not to cause direct physical damage (although getting a face full of Bob's decapitated head wouldn’t do you any favours) but to decrease the moral of the enemy.
The Catapult was deadly over shorter distances and could be positioned fairly easily, most of them had wheels and where tied in place by ropes or chocks. While the Trebuchet took longer to build and was always a stationary weapon. Positioned on tops of castle walls or built at the rear lines of siege armies. They could not move and their aim was limited but the range was astronomical; launching heavy rocks over castle walls and deep into the town beyond.
I have tried to replicate as many functions as possible with my SF catapult and trebuchets.
-The Catapult can be moved slightly and both weapons can be rotated to at least fire in a certain direction.
-Neither of these weapons are as accurate as a bow, they merely fire in the direction pointed.
-Each weapon has multiple type of ammunition; from flaming balls of hay to decapitated heads. Each type of ammunition doing different types of damage and having different effects.
-The amount of ammunition type is limited to just 20 shots per type, so wise and careful choices are required.
-Each weapon can be damaged, the catapult is more easily damaged than the trebuchet.
-The weapons are repairable and sabotageable.
-They also take damage from SF weapons, such as bows, swords and some spells.
-They also deteriorate or decay. Leave a siege weapon built and unattended for too long, eventually it will decay and collapse.
-The Catapult and Trebuchet have to be built from their respective carts and there is often a chance the build will be unsuccessful leaving you with a pile of useless wood and rope.
-Once the collapses, it vanishes after usually 60 seconds.
-A number of effects have been built in to both the weapon itself and the ammunition.
All in all, I have tried to create realistic, dangerous siege and warfare weapons that were actually used within the middle ages. The hope is to provide Spell Fire users with more diversity, a new range of weapons and therefore a new range of tactics.
These two weapons are the first in, hopefully, a new line of siege equipment I will be Pioneering.
Have fun, enjoy your war and fight with Honour!
Karicus Kralomoc.
