This skill governs the use of all crossbow type weapons. The BCS is modified by the range to the target, type of bolt being fired, and the situation. The WDM is, like bows, dependent on the type of bolt being fired. Unlike bows, the range and damage done is based on the weapon rather than the character using it. Crossbows have a recoil effect, which may affect the user’s chance of hitting his/her target. The percentage chance of a bolt hit achieving a Missile Special Effect is equal to the Damage Potential. Crossbows are rated by their Pound Pull, as are bows. The Pound Pull/2, nearest is used for crossbows as the user’s Strength is used with bows, to determine ranges and the effective Strength Group for Effect Die determination. Thus, a crossbow with a Pound Pull of 120 would have a Strength of 60 and a Strength Group of 7 with an Effect Die of 2D10+2. This strength Group would be used to make the range calculations and would receive the modifications due to range for determining the Effect Die to be rolled.

    The Range Factor, Durability and Encumbrance values for a crossbow are calculated in a fashion similar to that done for bows.

Range Factor = Pound Pull/10, rounded nearest tenth
Durability = Range Factor/3, nearest
Encumbrance = Range Factor/5, nearest tenth

    Thus, a crossbow with a 120-Pound Pull has a Range Factor of 12, Durability of 4, and an ENC of 2.4.

    The recoil effect of a crossbow will give the user a negative modification to his BCS. If the recoil effect calculation yields a negative number there will be no effect to the user’s BCS. It does not give a positive modification. For determination of effects to BCS and for the WDM to use, bolts function in always as do arrows.

Recoil Effect = (RF/2, nearest)- Strength Group

    A crossbow’s Point Blank range is 10 meters, not 5 as with bows. Unlike a bow, a crossbow must be cocked. Once cocked, it may be carried loaded and ready to fire. A crossbow requires a number of Strength points equal to it’s Pound Pull in order to be cocked. For each Action spent cocking the crossbow, a character may apply his/her Strength in Strength Points toward cocking the crossbow. If the crossbow’s Pound Pull is greater than or equal to 4 times the user’s Strength the user will be unable to cock the crossbow with out aid of a mechanical device. If the mechanical aid is incorporated into the crossbow, it will take one additional Action before the weapon is reloaded. If the aid is separate, two additional actions will be required. If the multiplier for a separate mechanical aid does not put the character’s Strength into the range where he would be allowed to cock the weapon if that were his/her natural Strength that crossbow may not be cocked and a more powerful aid or a stronger character is required.

Mechanical Aids: STR Mod.

    Crossbows have an inherent BCS Modification of +3. As with all inherent BCS modifications, once the character’s BCS in the governing skill exceeds the sum of his Combative Talent and the Inherent Modifications the modification is no longer used. A character in stance with a crossbow may sight in.