Breechloaders

Ferguson wrote that he and three of his Sharp Shooters were scouting the American lines near Chadd's Ford, along Brandywine Creek (hence the name of the ensuing battle). He and his men heard the approach of two horsemen. The first was a brilliantly clad Hussar and the second rider, a few paces behind, was wearing the traditional blue and buff uniform of an American Senior Officer, mounted on a bay horse and wearing "a remarkably large cocked hat". He also noted that the Officer was of "exceptional distinction". It is obvious that if Ferguson had indeed recognized General Washington he would have said so, and not take the time to describe him as he did. It is important to note that in the 18th century, there were few likenesses published, so Ferguson would have had to have met or at least seen Washington to have recognized him.

Ferguson continued: His first thought was to cut the two riders down where they sat, so he ordered his men "to steal near to them and fire at them". He then changed his mind and signaled his men to hold their fire. He thought his first impulse was "disgusting". He then stepped from his place of concealment and ordered the Hussar, the closest of the two, to step down from his mount. The hussar shouted an alarm. Washington whirled his horse, Nelson, around and galloped off. Ferguson wrote "As I was with the distance, at which in the quickest firing, I could have lodged a half dozen balls in or about him before he was out of my reach, I had only to determine, but it was not pleasant to fire at the back of an unoffending individual who was acquitting himself coolly of his duty, and so I let him alone."

Source: AmericanRevolution.org

Breech-loading firearms like the visionary Ferguson rifle changed the battlefield forever, allowing a small force of soldiers to punch far above its weight. For this reason they were first adopted by light infantry, or advance scouts and skirmishers that are a perfect fit for a typical adventuring party.

Because breechloaders can be reloaded once per turn as a bonus action, they typically deal less damage than single-shot flintlock firearms but provide a more consistent damage output. At higher tiers of play, they pair well with a variety of sidearms for a character with Extra Attack. Simple proficiency breechloaders act as a great primary weapon for classes like Rogues and Artificers.

Historical note: the range values here deviate from the numbers we have historically, in some cases pretty dramatically. This is primarily a game balance, but we've included Match Grade Ammunition as an option that will bring the effective ranges up to numbers that approximately match those on the eve of the civil war. Going further into the 1860s risks a model where our flintlock stats (naturally) become pretty much obsolete. Match Grade Ammunition should be pretty rare, or used in campaigns that have a specific emphasis on long-range encounters and marksmanship.

GMBinder Link: Breechloaders