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Here I am again in need for your advice. This time it's about a wagon and how to make it even better.
I'll give you some information about it's current setting, and I hope you'll be able to give me more great ideas!
The wagon has been built by our characters, with the help of local carpenter and blacksmith, by fixing up an old "fortune-teller wagon" (medium size).
Inside, it features:
- A cage (taken from a prison wagon and fixed up to our need) taking about 1/3 of the area, currently used to store our most precious possession (treasure chest, some other container with our valuables), but eventually able to hold a medium-sized humanoid.
- A workbench, with some basic tools
- A barrel of water
- A couple of bedrolls
- A collapsable bathtub
- A secret compartment, to eventually store valuables and/or illegal stuff. Currently holding some "disguise items" for the wagon, such as banners, small signs, a camouflage net and outfits for us, in case we need to disguise.
- A Heatstone protects us from the cold winter
Outside, it features:
- A lamp, on the front, next to the "driver" seat
- A stick with a small mirror on it, in case we want to check the sides and/or see if someone is following us, without the need to climb or jump down
- A stair, to get on top of the wagon (flat top, with a small wooden wall that helps keep the stuff in place and could be used as half-cover if seated/crouched
- A chest on the back, with the animal feed
- A couple of small cages, for our chickens (yes, we carry live chickens)
- A spare wheel is tied to the bottom of the cart, in case we break one.
- A bell to use as alarm if at night we get attacked and need to wake everyone fast
- Thinking about some kind of firework or other mean of long-distance signal visible both day and night
The door has been built on the front, so that it stands right behind the driver. Outside can be locked with an average lock, from the inside can be closed with lock and/or with a metal bar or wooden plank.
There is another exit, a hidden trapdoor, on the bottom of the cart. It probably won't ever be used, since it's not a great way to get out, but it's there just in case we need it.
Now, our defence systems:
- On the back of the wagon, just a couple of feet from the ground, there is a wooden log, tied with some ropes. If needed, we can cut the rope from inside the wagon, to let the log fall and block the road.
- On the sides, we can mount a 3-bladed (daggers) cover to each wheel. Of course it's something that has to be placed before we need it, but we made it so that we could remove it if we travel in safe lands. The reason for the blades is merely defensive, to make it harder for someone to get close to our sides without getting hurt, especially if riding a horse..
- On both sides, we have 2 horizontal loopholes, with loaded-crossbows placed right next to them. Loopholes can be closed with a simple plank, so that nobody can look inside if we are not using it.
- On both sides, a small chest filled with caltrops can be opened from the inside. It can be useful if chased by someone, or while standing still to make it harder for anyone to assault the wagon.
- On the front, we added a quick release mechanism to separate the wagon from the beasts (currently horses, might go for a more aggressive animal able to fend for himself)
- We added two small wooden "flaps", that normally rest on the sides, but can be pulled towards to cover the sides of the driver. It grants cover from both sides to the driver, in case we can't stop if attacked, and it's also covered in nails from the outside, meaning it's harder for someone to climb on it to jump aboard.
- Inside, we have a keg filled with oil, which can be opened to pour it on the ground below/behind us. With a decent throw, we can light it on fire with a torch or flaming-arrow. A good way to make it harder to be followed, and way cheaper than alchemical fire.
- We have reinforced the sides with some metal, to avoid arrows piercing in.
- We also hired two guards, to travel with us so that it can be guarded if we have to leave it to get into a dungeon or something.
I believe we did a pretty good job to make it easily defensible from both attackers and thieves.
If there is anything else you would add (useful tools, forniture, more defensive mechanism, decorations..), let us know!
ps. We decided NOT to place a balista on the roof, because its purpose is to be a storage area for large items. We also didn't place any enchantment on it, because we can't afford it. Most of those modifications has been made by spending our few money and building a lot ourselves / taking from broken stuff..
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You want to make sure you paint your wagon.
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The absolute best defense for your wagon is to buy a 6 pack of beer and give it to you GM saying "thanks for not destroying our wagon last week." Repeat.
The wagon will out survive all of the characters, quite possibly becoming a mythic artifact.
Dave Justus wrote: The absolute best defense for your wagon is to buy a 6 pack of beer and give it to you GM saying "thanks for not destroying our wagon last week." Repeat.
The wagon will out survive all of the characters, quite possibly becoming a mythic artifact.
Our GM lets us do a lot of stuff, but also enjoys seeing us lose/break our stuff..
I'm sure there are actual ways to improve the wagon, either in defence or in RP/social situations.. I just can't think about any right now.. that's why I asked here..
Some standard spells, arcane lock, iron wood. An etched in magic circle vs X for emergencies.
Hides than can be soaked in the water barrel and draped over the outside for fire protection.
Perhaps some light barding for the horses, even 2 points leather can make a difference.
A lever on the inside that lowers and engages spinning brushes (like you'd see on a street-sweeper and gear-driven by the wheels themselves) behind the back wheels. This should count as actively concealing the wagon tracks and make tracking it harder.
A couple of large nets is probably good to add as defense as well. With a net, they get entangled and have to break out of it or move half speed until free. You can have 2 or three nets rolled on the back of the roof which means you can also use one to cover cargo as additional protection against loosing gear when travelling quickly over rough ground.
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If you don't want the absolute protection of my previous post, combat trained Riding Tigers are 500 gp a pop, and enough of them tend to deter most problems.
Alternatively, if you think that might present problems for your chickens, and still want fresh eggs, a young axe-beak can be purchased for 1500 gp, although it will require some training. A flock of a dozen or so should keep your wagon safe and provide plenty of omelets.
With all the tricks you've got there may be more than you have actions for. If someone can cast unseen servant that might help a great deal, many of them won't require attack rolls.
No, you're going about this all wrong. Any loving attention you spare on the wagon just makes it more of a target. You have to treat it like a familiar: forget it's there most of the time, only use it when you need it, never put in on the battle mat, etc. The DM can't destroy what he forgets is even there.
Java Man wrote: Some standard spells, arcane lock, iron wood. An etched in magic circle vs X for emergencies.
Hides than can be soaked in the water barrel and draped over the outside for fire protection.
Perhaps some light barding for the horses, even 2 points leather can make a difference.
Spells are still out of the budget, but I love the leather idea! It's a cheap way to fire-proof it when needed!
Pizza Lord wrote: A lever on the inside that lowers and engages spinning brushes (like you'd see on a street-sweeper and gear-driven by the wheels themselves) behind the back wheels. This should count as actively concealing the wagon tracks and make tracking it harder.
A couple of large nets is probably good to add as defense as well. With a net, they get entangled and have to break out of it or move half speed until free. You can have 2 or three nets rolled on the back of the roof which means you can also use one to cover cargo as additional protection against loosing gear when travelling quickly over rough ground.
Love the brushes idea; it will take some convincing, but I guess we can work with what we have to build it! We did buy nets already, bell nets to be exact, to keep safer the stuff we decide to put on top of the wagon. I didn't think about nets for defence; it might work, but how would you deploy it? If it's big, it won't be easy to throw it, and you would have to be on top of the wagon to do so.
Dave Justus wrote: If you don't want the absolute protection of my previous post, combat trained Riding Tigers are 500 gp a pop, and enough of them tend to deter most problems.
Alternatively, if you think that might present problems for your chickens, and still want fresh eggs, a young axe-beak can be purchased for 1500 gp, although it will require some training. A flock of a dozen or so should keep your wagon safe and provide plenty of omelets.
I'll try the "absolute protection" but it might not be enough xD Riding Tigers sounds cool! Too expansive for now, but we will get them for sure when we get enough cash! I'll make sure to keep the chickens away from them >_>
avr wrote: With all the tricks you've got there may be more than you have actions for. If someone can cast unseen servant that might help a great deal, many of them won't require attack rolls. We are a bunch of people, plus some footmen hired to help. Anyway, I don't plan on employing every measure at once, but I like to have them just in case.. probably I will use less than half, but better to be safe than sorry!
roguerouge wrote: No, you're going about this all wrong. Any loving attention you spare on the wagon just makes it more of a target. You have to treat it like a familiar: forget it's there most of the time, only use it when you need it, never put in on the battle mat, etc. The DM can't destroy what he forgets is even there. Might be safer, but where's the fun in that? XD
A pretty floral bonnet just so someone can ride in front and deliver the "I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you."
Someway to shrink it. I mean at some point you will have to go where a wagon can't.
Gnomezrule wrote: A pretty floral bonnet just so someone can ride in front and deliver the "I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you."
Someway to shrink it. I mean at some point you will have to go where a wagon can't.
There is a spell to shrink it to a toy dimension, to take it with you everywhere.. but still out of budget for the moment :(
Sounds fun, and seems like your group is having fun with the moving basecamp idea.
In terms of advice, eventually the mundane threats won't be the issue, so much as the magical ones.
For example, apart from basic blasting spells, something like Warp Wood could really ruin your day if applied to the wagon (I'm particularly thinking if used in a manner to mess up the turning of the wheels). Being able to cast it yourself would help reduce that risk (it's only a 2nd level spell).
The Steel Refrain wrote: Sounds fun, and seems like your group is having fun with the moving basecamp idea.
In terms of advice, eventually the mundane threats won't be the issue, so much as the magical ones.
For example, apart from basic blasting spells, something like Warp Wood could really ruin your day if applied to the wagon (I'm particularly thinking if used in a manner to mess up the turning of the wheels). Being able to cast it yourself would help reduce that risk (it's only a 2nd level spell).
We are having a ton of fun building it, upgrading it, playing with it.. It makes the whole traveling and setting up camp a lot more fun!
We do have a wizard in our group, I should talk to him about it about that spell.
We also added a couple of new modification. Now each side has two new openings:
- A small one, fitting the loopholes, that can be opened from the upper side, making it "fall down" creating a small ramp; can be used as quick escape or opened on the enemies head (if they are close enough, and medium or small size), in case they get too close.
- A bigger one, which takes almost 2/3 of the entire wall. As the other one, can be opened from the upper side, but in order not to break it, it takes more time and a few wooden blocks to used as feet/stabilisers. The wall becomes a floor, making it a platform big enough for all of us to step on.. as of now, we didn't find a real practical use, just some RP when camping xD But not everything has to be practical, as long as it's fun!
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