Nicely written. I do like all the fantasy-esk details added to a technical weapon.
I think you have worked the balancing of fantasy and science nicely. I have a "musketeer" setting which is fantasy (magic is suppressed and what most D20 players would consider cantrip, with a fairytale rather than Tolkien fantasy style). It takes jsut a bit of work to make sure that neither side is without its limits.
Since Urban Fantasy and the Iron Kingdom settings shows us that you can easily have technology and fantasy combined, not in a techno-magic sense but in a both are present sense, we should have more of these kinds of submissions.
I have added the Black Powder free-text to this one. Go to Comment
This is good. It reminds me, actually, of a great many Elephant hunting guns from the Elizabethan era. Veracity in such an item is good.
As for technical feedback - (Sorry, I have to. It's in the blood.)
As a curiousity... Is there a particular reason that the pin has to penetrate the primer? A typical primer is an unstable concussion explosive that provides heat to ignite the major propellant, and you just have to bang on it to make it go. Good steel will last tens, if not hundreds of thousands of rounds, while bad steel will still last a few thousand rounds. Brass, on the other hand, that might be a problem.
Good breech loading seals are not -that- advanced, they just require a complete knowledge of metallurgy, and an appropriate sealing ring. This is probably the hard part for the Locastus setting. Poor rubber will break down quickly, leading to the 'powder tattoos'. Now, breeches being where they are, personal experience dictates that zee goggles, zey will be an important part of life, as zey will do summfink. Powder tattoos are going to grace their cheeks and temples, too, especially if it's a top breaking action. Blow back SUCKS. Go to Comment
I liked the various types of special ammunition. Nice touch that. All in all i thinks it's a nice write up for a fantasy setting firearm. Go to Comment
I like it. As a random thought about the power sigils being visible at night, wouldn't it be fairly simple to just wrap the stock with a cloth? It wouldn't work for the pin or the barrel, but the stock shouldn't be a problem... Go to Comment
I like it, and here are some nit-picky questions/observations:
I'm thinking the engineering to get a good seal on the breach might be a bit advanced - I thought it took a metal cartrige to ensure the gases did not get out and make life difficult for the firer.
Similarly, that firing pin better be very tough since it will be exposed to the burning powder each time it is used. I'll bet spare pins will be need to be carried by the soldiers. Go to Comment
Val, here´s the link to the gun I drew my inspiration from, a firing pin-mechanism that used paper cartridges: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needle_gun Check it out! But now I got this great idea about Breech-Loader users having "powder tattoos" on hands and forearms because hot soot from the breech has burned itself into their skin....The spare firing pins is a good idea, too...gotta add that, Thanks!
Siren - When I was doing a bit of research I came across something called a needle gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needle_gun) that i´ve used as a template for the breech-loader. In the cartridge of a needle-gun, the primer is located not at the base of the cartridge, but directly beneath the slug itself, so the firing pin must penetrate the entire propellant charge to reach the primer. I think it has something to do with slow-burning gunpowder - if you ignite it from behind, most of it will shoot out of the barrel, adding no gas expansion to the bullet´s velocity. If its set alight front to back, it stays in the weapon. I thought that was a neat idea..:-) /David Go to Comment
Missed this somehow before. I like it. If anyone is still crazy enough to wear heavy armor into close combat, it sounds like this might go into reverse-blade as a hammer quite well. Go to Comment
I like these weird little creatures. I doubt anything like this could be found in Kuramen, but enough of the world is still nebulous that there might be some echo; we'll see as it develops, no?
I particularly like the note about the hazards of injuring one; toxic alchemical mixtures, quasimystical vapors, and outright detonations. Could make for an interesting battle if a fight broke out near one for some reason; neither side wants to hurt the giant worm, for fear of what might result. Go to Comment
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