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Req: Civil War Firearms stats


gilby

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Anyone have any writeups for weapons of the American Civil War era? Mostly your handguns, muskets and rifles, but also possibly artillery and melee weapons.

 

I'd check my 4th edition Western Hero for ideas, but I can't find it.

 

Most melee weapons can be derived from the hand-to-hand weapon in either 5th Edition or Fantasy Hero.

 

I also offer this:

http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptionsvehicles/ussmonitor.html

 

The stats for the guns might help for artillery.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Coincidentally I just started to do some research on this. However, so far I am only starting to compile a list of weapons before I start seeking the information I need to model them. If I come up with something I will post it here. But I am pretty bad about having my interests wander so I won't promise anything. By this time next week I could involved in something else.

 

I went to the state library during my morning break and found a pretty good book for Union pistols: Civil War Pistols by John D. McAulay, Published by Andrew Mowbray Inc. 1992. ISBN : 0-917218-55-8. It doesn't have much on the Confederate weapons though.

 

I also got another book: Guns of the Old West, by Charles Edward Chapel, published by Coward-McCann, Inc. 1961. It looks like it might be pretty good and covers all sorts of guns, including the LeMat pistols. But I can't say much yet since I haven't gotten into it yet.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Here's a link to someone's Western Hero firearms charts:

 

http://www.geocities.com/blademaster01757/westernarms.html

 

Doesn't have muskets though, I don't think.

 

Confederate weapons are generally pretty easy to find stats for, since the vast majority of them are the same ones used by the Union. In fact the Confederacy, with little arms production capability of its own, relied heavily on captured or stolen Union weapons.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Here's a link to someone's Western Hero firearms charts:

 

http://www.geocities.com/blademaster01757/westernarms.html

 

Doesn't have muskets though, I don't think.

 

Confederate weapons are generally pretty easy to find stats for, since the vast majority of them are the same ones used by the Union. In fact the Confederacy, with little arms production capability of its own, relied heavily on captured or stolen Union weapons.

True and , apart from the Le Mat which was imported from France, and the rare Coffer which was a sort of "semi-cartridge" revolver (the ball went in the front of the cylinder and a cartridge containing powder and primer went in the rear. the cartridge had a small opening in the front) most of the Conferderate weapons were copies of existing weapons (often with brass frames). Most commonly the 1851 Colt Navy but the Whitney and the old Colt Dragoon were also copied.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Hunting through my "militaria" section I have managed to uncover a thin (57 pages) chapbook entitled "Confederate Guns and their Current Prices" by Martin Rywell. (Pioneer Press, Union City Tennessee) it has a number of picture and some useful information, including some notes written by Josiah Gorgas, Cheif Of Ordinance for the Confederacy. It seems to date from about 1974. You might be able to contact the publisher as they seem to have published a number of books on antique firearms.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Don't forget the Remington pistol' date=' and the Savage that you rotated the cylinder with a second trigger.[/quote'] The Remington (second most popular pistol of the Civil War, after the Colt) and the Savage were both Union weapons. The Confederates used any that they could capture but seem not to have made copies of either of them themselves.
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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

heres an interesting book on Old West guns for gaming

 

Knuckleduster Publications has done some neat old west stuff, it was written for FUDGE originally, but should be convertible easy enough, I could ask Forrest Harris for permission to do some conversions or post some excerpts, if it would be useful...

 

http://knuckleduster.com/

 

I hadnt been to the site in a while, now I have to get a couple of the scottish gunfighter figs

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

it really depends on the musket in question

 

heres a couple of examples from the book

 

these come from the 1849-1855 section:

Flintlock smoothbore musket: 15 seconds

Kentucky Squirrel Rifle: 30 seconds

US Model 1855 Rifle Musket: 25 seconds

 

And from the 1861-1865 section:

Springfield US Rifled Musket Model 1861: 20 seconds

 

reloading for muskets got a little faster but not much as you can see, it was always a slow process

 

book being the Knuckeduster Firearms Shop

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

it really depends on the musket in question

 

heres a couple of examples from the book

 

these come from the 1849-1855 section:

Flintlock smoothbore musket: 15 seconds

Kentucky Squirrel Rifle: 30 seconds

US Model 1855 Rifle Musket: 25 seconds

 

And from the 1861-1865 section:

Springfield US Rifled Musket Model 1861: 20 seconds

 

reloading for muskets got a little faster but not much as you can see, it was always a slow process

 

book being the Knuckeduster Firearms Shop

That would translate into what ? Two or three action phases in "Hero" terms. If a player has speed 4 and it takes 20 seconds to reload a rifled musket ( I think that the people who did this are assuming highly trained people. I certainly couldn't do it that fast !) he would start loading the musket on his first "action phase" and complete it (gun ready to fire) on his second ?

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

That would translate into what ? Two or three action phases in "Hero" terms. If a player has speed 4 and it takes 20 seconds to reload a rifled musket ( I think that the people who did this are assuming highly trained people. I certainly couldn't do it that fast !) he would start loading the musket on his first "action phase" and complete it (gun ready to fire) on his second ?

 

No -- because two phases would cover only... 6 seconds. It takes 20 Segments to reload a rifled musket, so it would take a SPD 4 character.... 5 Phases.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Most melee weapons can be derived from the hand-to-hand weapon in either 5th Edition or Fantasy Hero.

 

I also offer this:

http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptionsvehicles/ussmonitor.html

 

The stats for the guns might help for artillery.

 

Yeah, a bayonette or calvary sabre is pretty easy...couldn't really think of anything special there.

 

But the list of firearms for an 1860 campaign and the Monitor guns should be of help. We're not too worried about being that historically correct, but we do have one character making guns his schtick, and I was looking for something to work from.

 

Any guesses on the damage and range mods for muskets? I'd assume a bit more potent than the era's rifles, but less accurate at range.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

here we go folks

 

from reading lots of books Like firepower by Hughs and talking to lots of people who have shot muskets

 

flint locks

 

2 rounds a minute avg for a train person

3 for above avage

 

 

The musket from 1830 on where built with precussion caps which elimates the need to prime the pan (fliping it open, priming it, closing it) you open the hammer and place cap on the nipple and set the hammer.

 

flint locks that have been converted to cap have higher muzzle vel.

failure rate 25% -just pull the hammer back and try again.

 

range level at shoulder 190 yds, 45 degrees 400yds

rifle musket precussion cap

 

2 rounds a minute trained

3 rounds a minute for vet (who have been motivated to learn to learn to load faster)

out of a ten avarge men group one will never load fast but with hard work can get to a 2 rd a minute, and one will get it immeditaly and will be able to train to load 5 rds a minute. the rest in between.

 

failure rate 1%

range levle at shoulder 250 yds (not shure need to check)

 

 

From Nofi's Waterloo campian book- Grounding his piece, the Musketeer held it steady with one hand while taking one of the 50 or so heavy paperwrapped cartridges from his pouch. He then bit the ball end of the cartridge off retaining the ball in his teeth. The musketeer then raised the musket and half cocked the hammer. the man then primed the musket by pouring some of the powder into the pan (which was left open due to the action) and close it (it open automaticaly (after 1690?) when fired) he would then pour the power down the barrel, tapping the musket against the ground with it's but. Then he spit the ball down the barrel followed by the paper cartridge. He then pulled his ramrod and inserted in the barrel and tapped it all down. replace the ramrod. now the piece is loaded.

(at this time you could release the hald **** hammer and carry the weapon around a while ready to use)

you then pulled the hammer back all the way aimed and fired.

this was done in some armies with the bayonet fixed.

There is an old thread in the archive (black powder).

 

the rifle up to the invention of the minnie ball , 1840's had a rate of fire of one round a minute (you had to hammer the ball in ). the minnie ball allowed the rilfe to be loaded as fast as a musket.

the percussion cap invented in 1800 used widley 1820's,

See the movie glory (civil war), the last of the mohicans (spell?) Daniel Day Lewis,

flipping channels came across the last seen of a burt lancaster movie and burt and buddy was across a stream from the villian, who shot burt friend - burt in a great long shot charges accross the stream as the bad guy is reloading (50 yds) and nails him (with a right) as he finishes up loading.

 

 

Lord Ghee

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

In Hero terms

 

:bmk:

 

you as a musketeer have just fired in line of battle.

 

your action phases.

 

one: you release musket trigger (musket drops to waist level) and Grab a Cartridge from your ammo pouch (which is open)

 

two: you bite the cartridge keeping the ball in your mouth

 

Three: you grab the hammer and with casual strenght bring it to half ****.

 

Four: You Prime the pan (Dex roll) and grab the pan and close it.

 

Five : you allow butt to drop to ground as you pour powder and spit ball into barrel (attack).

 

Six : you cram paper cartidge into barrel.

 

seven: you grab ramrod.

 

eight: you pull ramrod and insert into barrel and ram load to bottom (att action)

 

Nine: you pull ramrod and inset into grove under barrel (attack action)

 

ten : lift musket butt to shoulder grab hammer and pull to full ****.

 

you are loaded.

 

speed two 5 turns or one minute

 

speed three three turns and one action segment 38 secounds to ready

 

(average soldier operated at speed 3 ...)

 

speed four 2 turns and a half 30 secounds

 

speed five 2 turns 24 secounds

 

and a mean Gm could make you make dex rolls or siill rolls on every phase

 

remember the musket is grab by one hand this whole time.

 

Lord Ghee.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Meh, I like abstracting it. I might make a rule of thumb: 5 Turns for SPD 2, 3 Turns for SPD 3, 2 Turns for SPD 4. Or I'd use the Ten Phases list Lord Ghee provides and allow for a "Speed Loading" Skill to reduce it by a few.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Hero rifle musket actions

 

You as a rifled-musket armed civil war soldier have just fired in line of battle.

 

Your action phases.

 

One: you release the rifled-musket trigger and drop the rifle-musket butt to ground level and Grab a Cartridge from your ammo pouch (which is open)

 

two: you bite the cartridge keeping the ball in your mouth

 

Three: you pour powder and spit ball into barrel (attack).

 

Four: you cram the paper cartridge into barrel.

 

Five: you grab the ramrod.

 

Six: you pull ramrod and insert into barrel and ram load to bottom (attack action)

 

seven: you pull ramrod and inset into grove under barrel (attack action)

 

Eight: as you lift Rifle-musket butt to your waist you grab the hammer and with casual strength bring it to halfcocked.

 

Nine: you grab a Percussion cap out of the cap box on your belt.

 

Ten: insert cap on Nipple lift to shoulder and grab hammer and pull to fullcock.

 

You are loaded.

 

Speed two 5 turns or one minute

 

speed three, three turns and one action segment 38 seconds to ready

 

(average soldier operated at speed 3 ...)

 

speed four 2 turns and a half 30 seconds

 

speed five 2 turns 24 seconds

 

and a mean Gm could make you make dex rolls or skill rolls on every phase

 

remember the rifle-musket is grab by one hand this whole time.

 

Lord Ghee.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Or, alternatively :

 

Phase 1

__Drop the musket from 1 hand (dropping an object = 0 phase)

__Gravity pivots the end of the musket dropped to the ground (0 phase)

__Draw a Cartridge from the ready ammo pouch (1/2 phase*)

__Bite off the end of the cartridge (1/2 phase)

Phase 2

__Pour powder down the barrle (1/2 Phase)

__Spit the ball down the barrle (1/2 Phase)

Phase 3

__Insert wad into barrel (1/2 Phase)

__Draw Ramrod (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 4

__Ram the barrel (1/2 Phase)

__Sheathe the Ramrod (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 5

__Set the lock to half (1/2 Phase)

__Draw a percussion cap (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 6

__Place Percussion cap on nipple (1/2 Phase)

__Set the lock to full (1/2 Phase)

 

You are now ready to fire.

 

 

6 Phases, or 4 Phases with fastdraw (Actions marked with * are 0 Phase with successful fastdraw rolls)

 

 

Speed 2 : 3.00 Turns (36 Seconds) or 2.00 Turns (24 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

Speed 3 : 2.00 Turns (24 Seconds) or 1.33 Turns (16 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

Speed 4 : 1.50 Turns (18 Seconds) or 1.00 Turns (12 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

 

Note : 4 fastdraw rolls are required to get the 'fastdraw time', so this is not a reliable speed, but a maximum. The standard time, however, does not require any special rolls, and is sustainable.

 

Counting the phase taken to actually fire :

Speed 2 : 3.50 Turns (42 Seconds) or 2.50 Turns (30 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

Speed 3 : 2.33 Turns (28 Seconds) or 1.66 Turns (20 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

Speed 4 : 1.75 Turns (21 Seconds) or 1.25 Turns (15 Seconds) w. Fastdraw

 

 

This gives a rate per minute of ~1.5 for poorly trained troops, 2 per minute for regular trained troops, ~3 per minute for veteran troops, and possibly 4 per minute for super elite ones, which all jibe (close enough) with the rates from your post 16.

 

 

Edit : Rephrased the act of setting the hammer. I had used the word "****" but the filter didnt like it.

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Re: Req: Civil War Firearms stats

 

Phase 1

__Drop the musket from 1 hand (dropping an object = 0 phase)

__Gravity pivots the end of the musket dropped to the ground (0 phase)

__Draw a Cartridge from the ready ammo pouch (1/2 phase*)

__Bite off the end of the cartridge (1/2 phase)

Phase 2

__Pour powder down the barrle (1/2 Phase)

__Spit the ball down the barrle (1/2 Phase)

Phase 3

__Insert wad into barrel (1/2 Phase)

__Draw Ramrod (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 4

__Ram the barrel (1/2 Phase)

__Sheathe the Ramrod (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 5

__Set the lock to half (1/2 Phase)

__Draw a percussion cap (1/2 Phase*)

Phase 6

__Place Percussion cap on nipple (1/2 Phase)

__Set the lock to full (1/2 Phase)

 

Phase 7

Shoot!

 

Phase 8

Throw weapon

 

Phase 9

Flee

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