I have had an idea to reproduce muskets for pirate themed battle games:
There will be an experimental class called a Musketeer. The class can only use daggers, short swords, and pole arms. They have one spell "shoot musket" for which they must carry with them 5 cards with the numbers 1-5 written on them. The spell works in two phases, loading and firing.
To load the Musketeer must be stationary, recite and mime the following incantation:
Bite.... Prime.... Pour.... Tap..... Spit..... Tap.... Loaded
While they do this they must also randomly select a card and put it against the side of the musket so nobody can see it.
To fire the musket they must be within 15 feet of the target, point the musket at the target, and say "Fire #target name# Pick a number between 1 and 5." The target is frozen until they choose a number at which point the musketeer reveals their card. If the two numbers match the target is dead. If the numbers don't match the musketeer missed and the target becomes unfrozen and may continue fighting normally.
If there are more than one musketeer on a team they can elect to "volley fire." The process to load the musket remains the same and must be completed by each musketeer that wishes to participate in the volley fire. A musketeer or designated officer commands the musketeers to "ready" or level their muskets. Then picks a target within 15 feet of all the musketeers, and yells "Volley fire #target name# pick a number between 1 and 5" the target player is frozen and must pick one number. That number is compared to the cards of all the musketeers participating in the volley fire. If at least one matches they die.
* The officer may call fire by ranks where only the front rank, middle rank, or rear rank volley fire their muskets while the other ranks reload.
* If a player stops miming the reload action to defend them selves or move they must start the reload from scratch.
* The Musketeer may move normally once the reload is complete (may have to change to hold the loaded musket strait up to indicate it is loaded)
* The "Shoot Musket" spell must have line of sight of the target when the Fire or Volley Fire verbal is given.
* Musketeers may fight normally with their weapons once the musket or pistol is discharged. At least until the next reload.
* If there are not enough pole arms the musketeer may use a dagger as a pistol, but must go through the same loading and shooting sequence (including the miming) as a full sized musket.
Pending play testing (assuming enough people like this to give it a try) we may have to change the number of cards, range, reload incantation, instant kill vs point off armor, or randomly choosing a card that may have arm/leg/torso written on it.