Crossbow house rules?

[Achtung Panzer]

I'm a little surprised that BitF didn't include a crossbow which would seem a good 'hunting' weapon.

So I wondered:

• Range = 2
• Hit on 4+
• Then Out of Ammo on separate roll of 1 or 2
• Can benefit from Ammo card and tokens
  

Thoughts?

[sgiove]

Looks good.

I too was expecting a Crossbow to be included in BitF. I was actually hoping they'd include an optional "noise" rule for ranged weapons. I imagined that a Crossbow, and other similar ranged weapons (Flare Gun, Bow and Arrows, Thrown Weapons, like Hand Axe or Knife) would be considered "silent" and wouldn't emit the noise that a firearm would cause.

My thought on a noise rule would be that when a ranged weapon was fired it would cause a chance for nearby zombies to each advance one space toward the hero firing the weapon. There could also be an item "Silencer" that could be used to make normal ranged weapons "silent" (with a chance of breaking after each use of course).

"Silent" weapons would not have this disadvantage. Having never played Zombicide, I don't exactly know how that game handles its noise rule. I would also imagine that explosives (dynamite and exploding gas tanks) would have a chance to attract zombies to the space they explode in, rather than toward the hero - giving an item like Dynamite an added benefit of diverting zombies away from the hero.

Just my two cents. I guess I could always house rule something like this but I thought there was a good chance BitF would introduce this, as well as one or two "silent" weapons.

[Cinatus]

I like your bow have yoou thought of any way to retrieve bolts?

[Achtung Panzer]

(01-30-2014 06:08 PM)Cinatus Wrote:  I like your bow have you thought of any way to retrieve bolts?

Ammo is the biggest issue. Crossbow bolts are not as plentiful as bullets and unless you move to the zombie corpse and retrieve you've literally "shot your bolt". So unless you gain an Ammo card and its tokens I think it right that you loose the crossbow once it's out of ammo like any other ranged weapon.

And also perhaps treat as Gun for the Gun Shop 'pick-up'? Is that where you'd normally be able to buy a crossbow in the USA?

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(01-30-2014 06:06 PM)sgiove Wrote:  My thought on a noise rule would be that when a ranged weapon was fired it would cause a chance for nearby zombies to each advance one space toward the hero firing the weapon. There could also be an item "Silencer" that could be used to make normal ranged weapons "silent" (with a chance of breaking after each use of course).

"Silent" weapons would not have this disadvantage. Having never played Zombicide, I don't exactly know how that game handles its noise rule. I would also imagine that explosives (dynamite and exploding gas tanks) would have a chance to attract zombies to the space they explode in, rather than toward the hero - giving an item like Dynamite an added benefit of diverting zombies away from the hero.

I want to keep LNoE and Zombicide as separate games and I think the BitF move towards having different types of zombie is enough. So though I like the idea of noise attracting zombies, and there has been a very good post on here with suggested rules, I don't want to import the idea. It's fundamental to Zombicide but an extra layer of complexity for LNoE.

I understand FFP reacting to the market success of Zombicide but don't want a hybrid in one game.

[ForestRunner]

(01-30-2014 05:29 PM)Achtung Panzer Wrote:  I'm a little surprised that BitF didn't include a crossbow which would seem a good 'hunting' weapon.

So I wondered:

• Range = 2
• Hit on 4+
• Then Out of Ammo on separate roll of 1 or 2
• Can benefit from Ammo card and tokens
  

Thoughts?

I like the idea very much!!

The more I think about it though, I'd prefer to have seperate "ammunition" cards for it. Rationale is pretty much summed up in what you said later about bolts not being as readily available as bullets, and the bolt is a very different type of ammunition to a bullet or shotgun cartridge. But sure... use the ammo tokens to represent potential refills.

I'm also cool with not having noise rules for firearms. I think we've become too "Walking Dead stereotyped/obsessed." I can rationaise the idea zombie is (un)dead and its auditory functionality has actually ceased... they know nothing but hunger for flesh and brains. This was the way I identified with them growing up, and ran with them in D&D/AD&D back in the day.

[ATOEtalGeek]

We have a couple of homemade "Gunshot Attraction" cards in the Zombie deck. They are remains in play so it is the exception, not the rule. When a Hero uses a "gun" weapon (creating noise) all Zombies within range of the weapon get to move one space toward the noise, ignoring Zombie Hunger. This adds a flavor but doesn't make it the default for the game.

I like the idea of a crossbow (and other ranged weapons that are silent). Has anyone come up with a custom card?

[sgiove]

I totally understand the want to not add more complex rules. I honestly don't know that I'll ever incorporate a noise rule into my game either.

I was just hoping that there could be more differences in firearms than just a to hit#, an ammo check, and range. At some point there is no way (outside of making an item useless in some capacity) that additional firearms introduced in future editions of this game would just mirror a previous version of a firearm.

So, I was just hoping that there could be another level to them, like some being "silent", or a rule that some small melee weapons could also be thrown (hand axe, etc.)

Also, although I know it keeps the game simple, I'm not a fan that the "ammo" card is universal in that it can refill a pistol, revolver, shotgun, or rifle.

[ForestRunner]

(02-01-2014 04:38 PM)sgiove Wrote:  Also, although I know it keeps the game simple, I'm not a fan that the "ammo" card is universal in that it can refill a pistol, revolver, shotgun, or rifle.

Good call. Though maybe it's mean to be just a generic box/container/crate of various firearm ammo?? That said, the simplicity works and is beneficial for new players.

[Jeffx2]

Perhaps you could have the crossbow come with a set number of tokens representing ammo. The tokens could be dropped on the space the zombie was killed in and picked up later by moving through the space.

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[Achtung Panzer]

(02-02-2014 04:41 PM)Jeffx2 Wrote:  Perhaps you could have the crossbow come with a set number of tokens representing ammo. The tokens could be dropped on the space the zombie was killed in and picked up later by moving through the space.

I like that - could easily work.