Missile ranges and cover

Cover makes missile fire less effective: an attacker shooting at a target with 25% cover takes -1, with 50% cover -2, with 75% cover -4 and with 90% cover -8.

Missile weapons have just two range bands. Inside effective range there is no penalty. Beyond it, at long range, the shooter takes the standard non-proficiency penalty, halving the attack roll and modifiers; firing at an evading target costs the same penalty, and a far-off target that is also evading imposes it twice. Characters with Archery I or Archery II skill ignore the long range penalty.

Hand-thrown weapons reach up to 5 ft. times the thrower's Strength at effective range and up to 10 ft. times Strength at long range. A sling reaches 80 ft. effective and 80-200 ft. long, a two-handed sling staff 100 ft. and 100-250 ft., a short bow or light crossbow 150 ft. and 150-500 ft. (400 ft. for the crossbow), and a long bow or heavy crossbow 200 ft. and 200-750 ft. (500 ft. for the crossbow). Every +1 of enchantment extends a magical missile weapon's range by 10%.

The book notes that long bows are often underrated: a good one could fire flat out to about 180 ft., pierce plate mail at close range and chain mail at 600 ft., though only a very strong, tall archer could draw its standard 100 lb. pull.