Do guns fit in a medieval kind of setting?

[EtphTheElephant]

*badum tiss*

 

[Silent Darkness]

Depends. If it's flintlocks, powder rifles, stuff like that, yes. Modern weapons? Nope.

 

[kerbonklin]

Don't forget crossbow-ish guns.

 

[EtphTheElephant]

^lulz wut

 

[gvduck10]

Long answer: Medieval usually refers to the High Middle and Late Middle Ages, besides the Chinese (who used it for fireworks), gunpowder did not come into use until the Renassiance. This began the interesting period of flintlocks, muskets, cannons and eventually rifles - see Feudal Japan and the end of the Samurai. Naval combat was affected the most obviously by this advancement, but privateers (pirates) still carried swords and boarded ships to engage in melee combat as well. Afterall, cannons and their ammunition would have been very heavy and not cheap. Firearms were widespread for both military and hunting use by the American Revolution, but did not become really standardized until the early industrial period - see WWI.

Short answer: Guns are not really appropriate in a historical medieval setting, however, many RPGs break from reality on this, often in the reverse direction as well (advanced civilizations where characters still wield swords). So do whatever you'd like, just be consistent.

I think Kerbonklin is refering to a repeating crossbow of sorts - like the Chu Ko Nu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeating_crossbow

 

[Sharm]

I did some quick cursory research, it looks like countries like China and the Ottoman Empire had guns and used them in the late middle ages, but they weren't picked up by European countries until after the middle ages ended.  Keep in mind that these weapons were highly inaccurate, took a lot of effort to reload and jammed constantly.  They were primarily used by armies who had a target rich environment and the people who carried them always carried a backup weapon.

EDIT: Got sniped by Gvduck.  His answer is better.

 

[kerbonklin]

I think Kerbonklin is refering to a repeating crossbow of sorts - like the Chu Ko Nu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeating_crossbow

Yeah those. The gun-type name Repeater is the short version for it. (Borderlands had these as a type of gun, pretty sure many other games do too)

 

[gvduck10]

EDIT: Got sniped by Gvduck.  His answer is better.

I thought your answer was great!! The Ottoman Empire had Janissaries (who were often Christian slaves) who served in the military and indeed did carry primitive firearms. This was definitely within the Middle Ages, so yes, guns were a reality (although a scarce one) in the Middle Ages. And indeed "were highly inaccurate, took a lot of effort to reload and jammed constantly"

EDIT: Janissaries were always trained in other forms of combat too, including archery (the true medieval firearm)

 

[EtphTheElephant]

Interesting...

 

[amerk]

It really depends. If you're looking for historical accuracy, you might be able to form an archaic version of the gun by implementing science into the mix. However, as others have stated, if you're looking more for a game that takes place in a medieval setting, but not part of our own world, you are free to do what you'd like.

Personally, I tend to shy away from playing medieval games that try to follow a realistic version of our history, taking place on our earth, complete with an accurate time table. I play rpg's to get away from reality, and I prefer a new world I can engage in and learn from, with their own mechanics and history.

 

[EtphTheElephant]

On that I agree.

 

[cabfe]

If you have played Arcanum (a very good RPG, just to say) then you know that you can have Traditional weapons, Magic and Firearms all in the same world.

 

[EtphTheElephant]

Never heard of it xD

I think I'll use a sort of old pistol (the ones that could only carry one bullet) with a few twists. Thank you all! You can have some of my cookies

 

[deilin]

China had cannons in really early BBC , during the 15 states era (pre Qin).

As far as european history, flint-locks were late medival, and more renaissance.

In the end, story can better determine it.

 

[AlysIsLost]

Yuppers, the Medieval era had Culverins, Muskets, Bombards and Cannons

 

[headdie]

Ultimately you fiction is your own.  as mentioned already simple firearms existed in the medieval period, but if your story calls for six shot revolvers and leaver action rifles then do it, while sometimes its nice to have "fact" on your side, unless you are working on something which needs to be historically precise then the only rules to bend or break are the one's you make yourself.  There are whole genres such as steam punk based around doing things which were not possible in the era of the setting let alone actually happening.

Recent popular example would be Dishonoured which blends settings to make a really well worked out whole, ultimately if your game play is sound and you have a little story fluff to tie it together, then who cares if you give a laser to a caveman?

 

[Ruby]

Look at Clive from Suikoden. That setting is FAR from modern, however, in it's setting, it works. Clive wields a rifle of sorts. I think, that you should put whatever you want into your game. Most games people create are not set on earth. Therefore, why should we be limited by earths' history?

 

[gvduck10]

Look at Clive from Suikoden. That setting is FAR from modern, however, in it's setting, it works. Clive wields a rifle of sorts. I think, that you should put whatever you want into your game. Most games people create are not set on earth. Therefore, why should we be limited by earths' history?

A great example because there IS background information to support him having a gun when no one else does. He is a member of the Howling Voice Guild - like Cathari in Suikoden V - that is based in Harmonium, which is a land hinted at in all the games to be far more advanced than the rest of the world

 

[Deep Thought]

As much as I hate to say "It depends" (a non-answer if there ever was one), it really does depend on the circumstances. But no matter what you do, do not explain it with just "magic". "Magic" is better used to explain away enormous plot holes or otherwise inexplicable pheomena; minutiae, especially ones like availability of gunpowder, can be analyzed more rationally and shouldn't require magic intervention, unless everything else in the setting is done with magic (viz. Eberron).

Not to mention early firearms weren't that great. If you really can't find a rational explanation for firearms in your medieval setting, just use crossbows instead. Besides, crossbows don't explode on a regular basis.

 

[Omnimental]

Yeah, this is pretty much a "Do what makes sense".  If it makes sense in-setting for there to be guns, then feel free to add guns.  Maybe your cultures developed gunpowder sooner then we did.  Maybe their guns fire with magic instead of gunpowder.  Maybe there's time travelers.

Realistically, mobile guns appeared at the tail end of the period, so it wouldn't be unrealistic for early guns to be around, it just wouldn't be typical, or very useful in individual fights.