Success or Death.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To make a neat ranged weapon and reward members for participating in the Sith Empire's skirmish of Kashyyyk.
- Image Source: Dishonoured 2: Collapsible crossbow. Found here: [link]
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: If necessary.
- Primary Source: (Please link and cite the sources which you are modifying for your use in your submission.)
Bowcaster.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
- Manufacturer: The Sith Empire, Sith-Imperial Corps of Engineers.
- Model: IBc Mk:1 - Imperial Bowcaster.
- Affiliation: Closed-Market; The Sith Empire.
- Modularity: Special quills can be made but will require their own ammunition submission.
- Production: Limited
- Material: Durasteel, worshyr wood, bowcaster components, alchemical components.
- Classification: Bowcaster, hand crossbow.
- Size: Small.
- Weight: Average.
- Ammunition Type: Metal quills (takes on a plasma coat).
- Ammunition Capacity: Six (6).
- Reload Speed: Very Low.
- Effective Range: Average.
- Rate of Fire: Very Low.
- Stopping Power: Very High.
- Recoil: None.*1
- Powerful Limbs: Extra firepower compared to size. This will deliver a really solid punch.
- One Handed: Smaller than the usual bowcaster, allows one-handed use, but requires two hands to cock and reload.
- Draw Assist: An integrated servo helps cock the bowcaster, eliminating the wookie-strength requirement of the traditional wookiee bowcaster.
- Modular Firing Rate: The quills may be shot one at a time or three at a time.
- Stopping power: The limbs of the traditional bowcaster is significant, and through new technology, the Sith Empire has been able to make the limbs smaller while retaining the firepower. This, coupled with the traditional plasma coating is what gives the weapon it's significant stopping power.
- Draw Assist: Normally, this would require a wookie's strength to draw back. However, thanks to the draw-assist, the average adult should be able to draw it repeatedly without practice.
- *1No Recoil: Functioning like a crossbow, bowcasters do not have recoil. However, they can jerk a bit in the hands of an unprepared wielder.
- Adjustable Bolt Output: Choose to fire up to three bolts in one action, trading precision for power.
- Low Ammo capacity: Because of its reduced design, the bowcaster only takes six bolts. This is a very low amount compared to modern weaponry.
- Low firing rate: Due to the draw weight of the powerful limbs, the firing rate is considerably lower than normal.
- Long Reload time: Once your six quills are spent, it will take you a solid moment to reload. In the heat of the moment, it can put you at a disadvantage.
- Accuracy: Increasing your output of bolts per shot decreases your ability to aim each bolt.
The Bowcaster is a legendary weapon, most famous for its usage among the wookies of Kashyyyk. However, it is known to have made its way out of their furry hands. Given the chance, who would not take the chance to discover its design and technology? When The Sith Empire attacked the Silver Jedi Order's home base on Kashyyyk, they left they brought back with them samples of Wookie weaponry for future study.
The Imperial Corps of Engineers. Together, they came up with a new design that would make the weapon feasible to wield in humanoid hands, even one handed, and retain its impressive stopping power. In testing, the Imperial Bowcaster retains incredible stopping power and adequate range compared to its size and lack of recoil. However, the compact design allowing its one handed usage forced it to sacrifice ammunition capacity and increase the reload time.
While possible to fire one handed, the Imperial Bowcaster is only semi-automatic as the draw-assist needs to reset, hence its slow firing rate. However, this is what allows the optional three-quill firing setting; it is engaged by holding holding the cocking mechanism back past the initial draw. One click signals the first quill. Two clicks should follow shortly after to signal the second and third quill. This mode of firing makes the weapon more effective against Force Users as three quills are more difficult to deflect than one. While each quill is more accurate if fired individually, you have a greater chance of one of them hitting something.
In the end, the Imperial Mk1 Bowcaster is a neat experiment in Sith Imperial weaponry and philosophy of war.
