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The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Thread Started on Apr 15, 2012, 1:58pm »
I've been reading, and rereading.... still can't figure out this making and use of the dowel rod(s) for cannon-fire.
Anybody have a picture of one? From what I can figure out, the illustration on the top of page 14 is just the one end of a rod that has been cut to either 30, 36, or 42 inches. Then there's the "black and white" alternating at various increments... just when I think I have it figured, I read another paragraph and get all beduzzled... ( I made that word up)
Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 233 Location: Gloucestershire, UK Karma: 10
Re: The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Reply #1 on Apr 15, 2012, 2:21pm »
Haven't got a picture of the dowel but I can help you understand the dowel, I hope.
Firstly, the picture at the top of page 14 is not the range dowel, it is the variation measure. This measures 6" long, and is marked off in 1.5" increments, and not in a black and white pattern. It is used to alter the placement of the range dowel.
The range dowel itself is cut and marked in alternating colours of black and white according to the chart.
"If you like the idea of Blackadder II and Kit Marlowe getting drunk and fighting cultists and Spaniards in the London sprawl then check this baby out" - Jeff Rients
Haven't got a picture of the dowel but I can help you understand the dowel, I hope.
Firstly, the picture at the top of page 14 is not the range dowel, it is the variation measure. This measures 6" long, and is marked off in 1.5" increments, and not in a black and white pattern. It is used to alter the placement of the range dowel.
The range dowel itself is cut and marked in alternating colours of black and white according to the chart.
Hope that helps!
Ah! So there IS at least two dowels involved! At times I thought that's how I read it, and then I wasn't so sure...
So the Variation Dowel simply gives a possible variation off target. The range dowel shows effect simply be de-marking where a "short" or "long" fire ... will have to look at that some more now to see how that worked specifically.
The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Reply #3 on Apr 16, 2012, 12:27am via the ProBoards Mobile App »
I had huge problems with this too, until I realised that the variation rod is placed at the end if the range rod at 90 degrees to it. It's not explicitly stated that the variation is left-right, not distance!
I had huge problems with this too, until I realised that the variation rod is placed at the end if the range rod at 90 degrees to it. It's not explicitly stated that the variation is left-right, not distance!
With 3|4 being at the center then? So I'm holding a large "T" horizontally, that'll give me left/right variation. The B&W shows distance with the "stripes" giving the possibility of a bouncing/skipping cannon ball unless terrain stops it? The stripes with any definite range variation still eludes me otherwise.
I had huge problems with this too, until I realised that the variation rod is placed at the end if the range rod at 90 degrees to it. It's not explicitly stated that the variation is left-right, not distance!
With 3|4 being at the center then? So I'm holding a large "T" horizontally, that'll give me left/right variation. The B&W shows distance with the "stripes" giving the possibility of a bouncing/skipping cannon ball unless terrain stops it?
Michael Mornard -------------------------- Played in the original Blackmoor, Greyhawk, and EPT Campaigns "Gronan of Simmerya" aka "Old Geezer" aka "LORD Grumpy"
Finarvyn Administrator Dungeon Master member is offline
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Re: The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Reply #7 on Apr 16, 2012, 2:52pm »
This is sort of like the blast templates you can buy for WARHAMMER and other miniatures games, but instead of a circle of impact you get left-right variance. Brings to mind the old Maxwell Smart comment "missed him by THAT MUCH!"
Marv / Finarvyn DCC playtester (2011) C&C playtester (2003) I'm partly responsible for the S&W WhiteBox Builder of the TrollBridge Master of Mutants; MA since 1976 OD&D Player since 1975
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!" - Dave Arneson
This is sort of like the blast templates you can buy for WARHAMMER and other miniatures games, but instead of a circle of impact you get left-right variance. Brings to mind the old Maxwell Smart comment "missed him by THAT MUCH!"
Re: The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Reply #9 on Apr 19, 2012, 9:37am »
This is a cool system that not only simulates the range and side to side variance of a shot but also the bouncing of the cannonballs along its flight path.
The system requires four seperate dowels for different weapons. The first three are of different diameters and lengths.
1.) 5/8" for the light field guns 30" long
2.) 3/4" for heavy field guns 36" long
3.) 1" for bombard 42" long
4.) The 6" variation dowel
Fun little project in addition to the two catapult hit area discs.
Re: The Firing Dowel (pg14) « Reply #10 on May 2, 2012, 12:27pm »
It is also worth mentioning that the concept of a cannon firing dowel and the deviation dowel are not Gygax/Perrin creations unique to Chainmail.
They are actually quite common in many 60s and 70s era miniature rulesets, especially Napoleonic battles. This should really come as no surprise given the stated background of Gygax, Perrin, and even Dave Arneson.
In issue number 12 of Strategy and Tactics magazine, 1968, there is an an article about Napoleonic artillery fire and it details three methods - one with a blast template and deviation dowel, one with a bounce/range dowel, and another which subsumes all this into factors on a table.
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