So my gm allowed me to customize my 'medium wagon' in our new game. My char is a 4th lvl driver rogue with craft carpentry. I got the greenlight to essentially do what I want (within reason) because I spent 5x standard price (475 v 75 gp).
As of now I have the following:
1) lots of nifty storage, such as inside the seating and in the floor.
2) a lever in the front that releases caltrops in the back
3) a conversion method to switch open-top wagon to covered wagon that uses canvas and a hidden frame.
What other nifty things that are no magical wold you do?
Mount one or more ballistae on board. Or even just double heavy crossbows. Or, if you use firearms, there's a whole host of nasty canon-type weapons you could bolt on there.
Caltrops is great - especially against enemy horsemen. Caltrops *should* have a special rule about laming horses.
How about smokepots and other alchemical solutions? How about tower shields or acual mantlets to give major cover?
Quick release of the horses, just in case.
Have the sides flip so that you can keep it open, sides go up, instant concealment and/or fortification. Add arrow slits at your pleasure.
Paint it red and write Radio Flyer on the sides.
Lol nice ideas. I was thinking about mounted repeating crossbow or something but I'm not proficient with them.
There will be a feature up front similar to a music stand.....a telescoping stand that fans out to cover your head from sun or rain.
Obviously you want a trap door. Escape route, another way to throw things at pursuers (be it pouring alchemist fire or dropping delayed fireballs and maybe, just maybe you get to eject a bad guy mid ride.
Use up some of your hidden locations to store banners, colored ribbons and various items. One day you are a lavish carriage but the next day such a wagon is wanted for whatever reason and with some easy changes you are now Mr. Flentons Fantastical Travelling Knick-Knack-ery or simple travelers with a filthy wagon with (false) broken parts sticking out and mud allover (your wizard friend can swear later when you convince him to prestidigitate it off)
And never ever forget the most important alteration
Spinners
Hidden springs under the seats. Only you know which button jettisons which seat.
Maybe you could get some large folded signs that you could unfurl and hang from the sides of the wagon, for use as a quick disguise for the wagon entire wagon. Quickly go from the fugitive on the run to "Mirabob's Miraculus Medicaments" at the turn of a corner! :D
Whatever you do, also be sure to enchant it into a safecamp wagon. That way you don't necessarily have to leave it behind should you encounter some difficult terrain or hazard.
Not spinners. "Ben Hur" hubs.
Oh! Oh!
If you're going to have Ben Hur hubs, then the wagon should be built in such a way that in can "release" the rear two-thirds of the wagon, leaving just a chariot with two wheels. For those really dicey chase scenes.