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Author's Section => Rules Queries and Clarifications => Topic started by: Jerry Haworth on January 09, 2019, 05:49:43 PM

Title: Range of Roman darts equivalent to that of cavalry bow?
Post by: Jerry Haworth on January 09, 2019, 05:49:43 PM
During my last game My cavalry found itself  under fire from Roman infantry darts....having the same range of three inches..the same as my cavalry bow..why is this ?.....surly the ability to throw a dart is not as great as an arrow fired from a bow.
Would it be more realistic to have the dart ranged two inches rather than three inches.?
Title: Re: Range of Roman darts equivalent to that of cavalry bow?
Post by: lionheartrjc on January 09, 2019, 05:54:04 PM
You need to be thinking in terms of effective ranges not maximum ranges.
Darts at > 2BW are downgraded a dice colour.
Title: Re: Range of Roman darts equivalent to that of cavalry bow?
Post by: AntiokosIII on January 10, 2019, 02:04:40 AM
Quote from: lionheartrjc on January 09, 2019, 05:54:04 PM
You need to be thinking in terms of effective ranges not maximum ranges.
Darts at > 2BW are downgraded a dice colour.

Even with this caveat, we are saying that the maximum effective range of the late Roman dart is as great as maximum effective range of bow from horseback. I will take Simon's word for this, but at first blush it does seem a stretch. I also point out that no other weapon gets a 'long range' at reduced effectiveness like the dart.
Title: Re: Range of Roman darts equivalent to that of cavalry bow?
Post by: Simon Meg-Meister on January 10, 2019, 10:14:58 AM
Its about practical relativities. 

We need dart longer than Jav.
But can't stetch mtd to 4 as then "evades" too easy.
So works in practice as it is pretty well. 
Any other added ranges not worth the extra complexity KISS.

So think of it that the Cv are in range and half the darts make it.

Also note that most mounted archery was actually at short range approaching and retiring.  It wasn't common for mounted to make use of the full range of their bows.

Si