Nástroje a výstroj: Trikové šípy

Trikové šípy, trikové šípky pre kuše, malé šípky a ďalšie projektily používané na kontinente Aporue, vrátane tých používaných v Melze, tak ochrancami zákona a poriadku ako aj kriminálnymi používateľmi.

 

 

Various ordinary and specialised projectiles available in this fantasy setting, including for player characters.

Completing these visual overview took a fair bit longer than I originally anticipated. Particularly the second sheet, where I felt it took "forever" to conceptualise the whole thing.

I took a vow not to post these overviews in this article until I was confident enough that I've finished them and they'd be worth releasing. That day has finally come. Without further ado, I'm providing fairly detailed notes on the individual projectile types in the following paragraphs.

Trikové šípy, šípky a rôzne projektily

 

 
Typy projektilov (1) - hroty a hlavice šípov a šípiek

Listovitý (široký) hrot - za bežných okolností používaný najmä ako lovecký hrot. Je dobrý proti mäkkým tkanivám a preto aj proti neobrneným alebo ľahko obrneným protivníkom.

Bodcový hrot - hrot, ktorý je vídať najmä vo vojenskom využití lukostreľby. Pomerne účinný v prerazení cez hustejšie a odolnejšie typy brnení, vrátane krúžkového brnenia, ale nedokáže preraziť plátové brnenie.

Plochá/Tupá hlavica - lacná hlavica, ktorá nie je schopná zapichnúť sa do terča. Dá sa však použiť na zasiahnutie spínačov a pák, omráčenie nepriateľov zásahom, na zhodenie predmetov (vrátane malých zdrojov svetla, ako sú sviece a svietniky) alebo na doručenie útržkov papiera so správami (uschovanými vo vnútornej dutine hlavice).

Rámusová hlavica - mechanická hlavica s ručne navíjaným strojčekom, určená na odvedenie pozornosti. Aktivovaná pri náraze/dopade pomocou tlačidla na jej prednom konci. Tlačidlo odistí spúšť, ktorá spustí navíjacie mechanické hrkálky, zvonky a píšťalky zabudované vnútri hlavice (tu a tu sú dve zvukové ukážky).

Omračujúca hlavica - mechanická omračujúca hlavica (ako napovedá jej názov). Potom, čo tlačidlo na jej prednom konci spustí vnútornú spúšť, je z valcovitej nádržky na plyn vnútri hlavice vytlačený drobnými piestami cez malé vonkajšie otvory omračujúci plyn, alebo uspávací plyn, atď.

Zhášacia hlavica - zhášanie, teda "zahasenie otvoreného, nekrytého ohňa". Sklené hlavice odlišných veľkostí, naplnené buď vodou alebo špeciálnou zhášacou tekutinou. Majú viaceré možné využitia (hlavné je zväčšovať plochu tieňov počas nočného zakrádania).

Vznetová hlavica - mechanická alebo alchymická hlavica s výbušným a/alebo vznetovým účinkom. Mechanický variant má nárazom hrotu aktivovanú kresaciu spúšť, ktorá iskrami vznieti pušný prach v dutine hlavice. Alchymický variant má jednoduchšiu spúšť, založenú na zámernej destabilizácii alchymickej zmesi uloženej v hlavici, tiež po náraze hlavice o prekážku.

Typy projektilov (2) - ďalšie typy šípiek a projektilov

Záchytná šípka - available in crossbow-launched and speargun-launched variants, the special arrowhead is pushed backwards on impact and activates a mechanism that unreels the climbing rope from the spool; the grappling bolt can stick itself or bore itself only into softer materials, such as wood or packed earth, and is ineffective against very hard surfaces such as stone, tiles, bricks, or metal

Záchytný hák - available in crossbow-launched, speargun-launched and hand-thrown variants; once the anchorhead gets anchored into place (against a static obstacle) in a firm and stable way, it unreels a spool of rope (simpler and cheaper versions only have the rope loosely attached even while shooting, as not all spools come equipped with this sort of mechanism)

Harpúnky - rare and only usable with the equally rare speargun, a special spring-loaded rifle; originally a naval weapon, they are basically short metal javelins (in several typical variations) that can do damage every bit as nasty as a well-shot arrow or bolt, if not moreso (let's just say getting a spearbolt in your gut can ruin your day rather quickly)

Špicatá šípka - darthead that fulfills the exact same role as the broadhead and bodkin arrowheads fulfill on bow-shot arrows and crossbow-shot bolts; it is particularly similar to a miniature bodkin arrow, with the only difference being it is shot from a dartgun (a rare spring-loaded handgun), or one of the very small and very rare types of teeny-tiny crossbows, or from an air rifle not loaded with any other ammunition

Plochá šípka - cheapo darthead that's incapable of sticking into targets; can be used to hit switches, daze enemies on impact, drop objects (including small light sources like candles) or deliver scraps of paper with messages (concealed in a hollow darthead)

Hluková šípka - sound-based decoy darthead, but with far simpler inner workings than the ruckus arrows or bolts; it's a very small metallic version of the "whistling arrow" concept, creating a whistling and slightly rattling sound during flight (scooping up air while flying, the air swiftly flowing through its hollow darthead, rattling tiny metal pinheads and causing a whistling sound to occur via the slits on the sides)

Omračujúca šípka - omračujúca malá šípka (ako napovedá názov); after the button sets off the trigger, knockout gas, or sleeping gas, etc., is pushed out of the internal gas cylinder through small openings

Zhášacia šípka - dousing as in "putting out an open fire"; Malá šípka so skleným hrotom, sklenou hlavicou, naplnenou vodou alebo special extinguishing liquid, with multiple possible uses (the main one being enhancing shadows at night)

Guľky - I use this as a collective name, as they're bullets usable not only in firearms, as pistol balls or musket balls, but also in early airguns (again, as musket balls or rifle bullets) and even as projectiles for slings and for pelletbows (bullet-shooting crossbows); lead bullets and stone bullets can be used as musket balls and as projectiles for pelletbows or slings, but clay bullets can only be used for pelletbows or slings (as they are too fragile for any guns) and hunting rifles should use lead bullets only (for safety and maintenance reasons)

There is also a very small number of experimental or prototype firearms in the world that utilise the new-fangled idea of cartridges, instead of just mere bullets. Both the firearms and their cartridges are incredibly rare compared to other ranged weaponry, and thus not included here. Of the primitive cartridge guns that do exist, they utilise paper casings (t.j. papierové náboje ("papieráky")) or very early brass casings (think of the early and expensive brass cartridges for the Henry and Winchester rifles).

Poznámka "zo zákulisia"

I'll note that this is all heavily inspired by the Thief series and other prominent uses of the "trick arrow" concept. (Fiction seems to be littered with them.) That said, I wanted to make these arrowheads as plausible as I could, deemphasizing the need for magic to make them work. Therefore, they weigh heavily on the tech side in terms of design (while in Thief, one of the inspirations, it was always more 50:50). As the characters who use these arrows, bolts and projectiles wouldn't have a steady access to magic, I thought it made more sense if all of these were mostly grounded in reality. Built only with technologies available in an early modern-esque society with emerging industrial era technology.

Speaking of similar works, Thief's spiritual cousin Dishonored includes the use of specialised darts for a small, pistol-sized crossbow, and though that wasn't really my inspiration in this case, some people might be reminded of that when looking at the darts. I actually planned to have the knockout dart be more like a modern tranquiliser dart, with 19th century metal syringe stylings, but the existing mechanism used for the arrowheads won out. Who knows, I might still tweak it in the future.

That's where you come in, readers of this blog. Should I go with the more syringe-like design for the knockout dart, or should I keep the current, arguably somewhat overcomplicated and overspecialised version of that dart ? You can help decide !

 

- | - | - | - | -

Ďalšie prehľady výtvarných návrhov nástrojov a zbraní v Príležitosť robí zlodeja (Thick as Thieves)
- Nástroje a výstroj: Trikové bomby a trikové míny
- Nástroje a výstroj: Odomykacie nástroje a výstroj
- Insígnie strážcov zákona v Melze (Mestská stráž)
- Insígnie strážcov zákona v Melze (Pohraničiarsky zbor)
- Rúčky mečov u strážcov zákona v Melze


Pozri tiež
- Hranie: Zakrádanie a zakrádacie zručnosti
- Hranie: Odomykanie zámiek
- Nástroje a výstroj: Prieskumné, cestovné a pracovné nástroje a výstroj
- Nástroje a výstroj: Zbrane pre boj na diaľku
- Nástroje a výstroj: Zbrane pre boj zblízka
- Nástroje a výstroj: Odev a obuv
- Nástroje a výstroj: Brnenia a ochranné odevy

 
----

Copyright

(C) 2015, 2019 - 2024 P. Molnár
(C) 2015, 2019 - 2024 Knight-Errant Studios