Thursday 15 March 2012

Weapons - The Beaumont Adams

``Beaumont-Adams` Revolver,`` Wikipedia, last modified on 24 January 2012, retrieved 12 March 2012, available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaumont-Adams_Revolver.

``Enfield Revolver,`` Wikipedia, last modified on 24 January 2012, retrieved 12 March 2012, available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_revolver.

The Beaumont revolver fits the time best for the 1870s, while the Enfield revolver takes over in the 1880s.  From all that I have read, any revolver is poorly suited to the Constables, who should be entering and reporting back, but due to the number of recent home invasions and recent Constable murders, issuance of revolvers to go and investigate a mansion of such obviously terrible smell is reasonable.  Long rifles would be prohibited, and strict instructions would be given not to flash the guns around.  Be cautious as both of these are military weapons, making their use conspicuous and troublesome at best.

Beaumont Adams
Weight 2.4lb (1.1kg), unloaded
Length 11.25in. (286mm) 
Cartridge Cap & Ball Calibre .479 (38-bore), .442 (54-bore), & .338(120-bore)
Action Double Action revolver
Rate of fire 12 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity 620ft/s (190m/s)
Effective range 35yds Maximum range 100yds
Feed system 5-round cylinder
Sights fixed front post and rear notch

This leads directly to game stats.  The Beaumont Adams fires two shots a round to a capacity of 5.  If a PC were to fire off all five rounds they need to reload, obviously.  Given that this is a revolver, it is a probable bet that it doesn’t have a speed reloader.  PCs normally take a full round action to reload, and the Quick Reload feat speeds that up to move action.

Range increments won’t mean much indoors, but for the record, aiming at anything 35 yds away will impart a -2 to the attack roll.  The bullet drops off 100 yds away.

The probability of finding replacement ammo in the mansion is nill.  PCs should live by the principal of “one shot, one kill” and only when it is “kill or be killed,” which, speaking frankly, won’t be much of problem.

The given weight of 2.4 lbs should stand as given, though a fully loaded gun will have the weight of the bullets added.

Given this weight of 13g (Wikipedia, citing Barnes & Amber 1972), 5 of them would weight 69 grams, or 0.15 pounds.  The weight is negligible, but some DMs may want the ounces counted.  Not sure I would do that.  1 lb per 30 bullets seems best here.

All of these numbers don’t hint at the damage in-game the gun should do, but 90% of the revolvers given on page D20 Modern Core rulebook do 2d6 points of damage anyway.  This seems a reasonable guess at the weapon strength, and further remains quite balanced.

The PCs will have infinite use of their truncheons, which are about as long as footman’s maces and are made of lacquered oak.  They do 1d6 points of damage per strike and they get additional attacks normally.  When faced with serious threats, they can draw their revolvers as move actions (no quick draw harnesses, as they have to stealthy about having them).  The revolvers do 2d6 points of damage, but when the ammo is gone, they are useless.  To cap it all off, having too many bullet boxes would also be suspicious, so they may have an upper limit of around 30 bullets to maintain the illusion of being unarmed.

All else they have are their long trench coats and constabulary helmets.  One should have a bulls-eye lantern, at least, while each should also have the wooded rattle to call for assistance.  Whistles do not come in to use until 1885!  That is all that the PCs can defensibly bring with them, and it is more than enough if they were only going to knock and then leave.  

It  seems woefully inadequate for fighting Baskerville hounds, doesn’t it?


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