Ok a newbie-ish question this time.

Lances (not jousting lances, I'm talking about the real thing here) break when a knight rolls an odd damage result on a charge. What about when using a lance outside of a charge, with the Spear skill? Will it also break on an odd damage result?

Ok a newbie-ish question this time.

Lances (not jousting lances, I'm talking about the real thing here) break when a knight rolls an odd damage result on a charge. What about when using a lance outside of a charge, with the Spear skill? Will it also break on an odd damage result?



No.
It may be broken by an enemy sword, though.

Ok a newbie-ish question this time.

Lances (not jousting lances, I'm talking about the real thing here) break when a knight rolls an odd damage result on a charge. What about when using a lance outside of a charge, with the Spear skill? Will it also break on an odd damage result?



No.
It may be broken by an enemy sword, though.


Or on a Fumble, right.

On a similar note, in the pre-lance eras (like the Uther period), are spears not considered lances when considering whether to grant the +5 skill bonus to a lance charge?

I always assumed a spear and a lance are exactly the same thing, that is, a knight out of lances could just borrow the weapon of a passing spearman and make a charge with it.

I always assumed a spear and a lance are exactly the same thing, that is, a knight out of lances could just borrow the weapon of a passing spearman and make a charge with it.


Well, from what I read, you're both right and wrong. The format and lenght of lances/spears varied greatly even during the same time period. The type of lances with a hand-guard were just used for charging (they make an appearance during the 15th century) and were useless to use any other way, but knights also used more conventional lances/spears the same way for charging during the same time period. According to John France it's almost impossible to differentiate between cavalry spears and infantry spears, which obviously means that it's even more impossible to differentiate between only cavalry spears themselves. They varied wildly, reflected local experiments/preferences and didn't vary much by time period; some were good both for thrusting and cutting, others were better for thrusting and some (the ones sometimes called "long lances" and with a hand-guard) were only good for charging and nothing else.

So the real discussion is WHAT Greg was intending for PENDRAGON. Should there be a diference between "charging lances" and "normal" lances/spears or not?

So the real discussion is WHAT Greg was intending for PENDRAGON. Should there be a diference between "charging lances" and "normal" lances/spears or not?

Or, more specifically in game terms, is there a mechanical difference between the Pendragon "lance" and the spears that preceded their inclusion on the knight's equipment list in earlier periods? :)

That, yes. :D

I always assumed a spear and a lance are exactly the same thing, that is, a knight out of lances could just borrow the weapon of a passing spearman and make a charge with it.

So the real discussion is WHAT Greg was intending for PENDRAGON. Should there be a diference between "charging lances" and "normal" lances/spears or not?

Aw, you don't have to ask me. Look on page 91 of the rules:
"Special: The spear can also be used from horseback as a lance; etc."

No.
It may be broken by an enemy sword, though.


Or on a Fumble, right.


Yes. Page 91: "A Fumble indicates that the spear has broken."
AND
when opposed by a swordsman, and there is a tie, the sword breaks any other weapon.

Aw, you don't have to ask me. Look on page 91 of the rules:
"Special: The spear can also be used from horseback as a lance; etc."

So, for clarification, the spear and lance are interchangeable when it comes to the mechanical effects of using a lance in combat (i.e., the lance charge bonus).

Aw, you don't have to ask me. Look on page 91 of the rules:
"Special: The spear can also be used from horseback as a lance; etc."

So, for clarification, the spear and lance are interchangeable when it comes to the mechanical effects of using a lance in combat (i.e., the lance charge bonus).


Yes.

Cool. Thats what I do like about 5th edition. It is easier to find answers than 4th was. :)

So very true.