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 djhohmann |
Cannons and Terrain |
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Posts: 3222 (03/18/08 06:41:26) |
I haven't faced many cannons recently and so my game with Ed made me wonder:
How does terrain affect cannons?
I know what RAW would be (they're rather limited in a definitive answer) but what would you do if a cannon "bounce" hit a character or unit on the far side of a wood, building or hill? Would you allow the "lucky" bounce?
For me the simple answer would be that you cannot hit anything you cannot draw LOS to. |
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mauleed |
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Posts: 6558 (03/18/08 07:12:50) |
The only thing that stops a cannon is an impassible cliff face if I recall correctly.
You can definitely hit things you can't see. Cannons have their own specific 'what get's hit' rules that don't give a hoot about LOS. Only the initial target has to be in LOS.
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djhohmann |
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Posts: 3224 (03/18/08 07:34:46) |
The pre-game terrain discussion probably covers the cannon better than RAW in the BRB.
The rules state impassable terrain "like a cliff face" will stop a cannon shot while a lake will not. It doesn't say what other terrain will do definitively - although the rules do say that most things won't stop a cannon ball. I agree. But if the cannon ball bounce is IN a lake, I'd stop the cannon shot. No skipping on water. If the cannon ball hits the side of a stone wall, such as a castle, it damages the wall, but doesn't go through to hit something 12" behind the wall. The wall collapsing might cause problems for troops near or on top of the wall. I'd play a hill will also stop a cannon ball from hitting objects on the other side. Cannons are straight shot weapons with a bounce, not mortars. Realistically, they don't bounce over hills well. If you're on the opposite side of a woods and the bounce carries the ball through the woods, it's a miss (or roll the scatter die, or something.) One or two trees may not alter the course of a cannon ball, but having it go unmolested through a whole wood seems unrealistic. |
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mauleed |
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Posts: 6560 (03/18/08 08:07:03) |
Personally, I won't even consider any standard terrain stopping it that isn't impassible, as I think that's all the rules allow. Cannonballs travel
in arcs, so I can definitely see them hitting something behind a hill, and I can certainly see them blowing through trees.
But for weird non-standard terrain, I'm probably open to negotiation.
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Larro |
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Posts: 2111 (03/18/08 08:29:12) |
I mostly agree with this, but you do need LOS to your original target, so you cannot choose to shoot something behind a hill if you cannot see it and
there's nothing else, say, in front of it on the hill, right?
- Larry
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
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VectorAWX3 |
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Posts: 21466 (03/18/08 08:35:59) Moderator |
Right... and the million dollar question is where the line gets drawn as far as overguessing and underguessing is concerned. If the model I can see is 4 inches
in front of me, and the model I want to hit is 40 inches away, and behind a hill, can I guess 32 inches? (and that's a rhetorical question... don't
anyone try to answer it)
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I'm the Mega Battle Champion, and Rob and Kevin are not. :P |
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Mannahnin |
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Posts: 412 (03/18/08 08:54:26) |
I'm pretty sure the 6th ed article on it was very clear that they go through forests with no problem. I would definitely think that they can't bounce over walls/buildings. Fire over them in the first place, sure, as they can fire in an arc, but the bounce wouldn't be that high/steep. FYI, cannonballs frequently bounced on water back in the days when they were in regular usage. http://www.btinternet.com/~rob.martin1/fort/tech.htm
"At the center of the Universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and
that wants the best for every person. Anything that we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. Those of us who have this particular vision must continue against all odds. Life is for service. - Fred Rogers (a.k.a., "Mister Rogers") 1928-2003 The Yuku text/post editor is a piece of shit. Let me say that again: The Yuku text/post editor is a piece of shit.
Last Edited By: Mannahnin
03/18/08 08:57:10.
Edited 1 times.
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mauleed |
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Posts: 6561 (03/18/08 09:12:54) |
Cannons aren't fun unless you abuse the over/underguessing at least once a game.
And it's all about fun.
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subversive dicedogs |
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Posts: 1821 (03/18/08 10:03:28) |
It specifically says "other than this [referring to impassable terrain], nothing can stop a cannonball!" So buildings, hills, trees, mud flats,
swamps, cacti, etc. do not stop cannonballs.
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djhohmann |
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Posts: 3226 (03/18/08 11:30:46) |
Yes, a tree, or even two or three won't stop a cannon ball. But rules for woods are 2" stops LOS. How much further into the woods stops a cannon ball?
The rules don't say. Are they setting up a discussion of the terrain or are there other rules? Because I know what the RAW says and it's not enough.
I agree that it's quite fascinating what happens to cannon balls as they bounce across the battle field or are shot from forts placed at water level (cannon balls do indeed skip across the water.) But any one bounce on a battlefield can either send a ball high overhead or stick it dead in the ground. |
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mauleed |
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Posts: 6562 (03/18/08 11:42:52) |
Dave, flying cannonballs don't care about LOS. And the rules certainly do say how far into the woods the ball goes.
And as Tom points out, it specifically says that cannonballs aren't stopped by anything but certain impassible terrain.
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Ed Maule, Warmonger Club Champion two times
running. 
