Issue reading the equipement list.

[Petrocorus]

I came into a issue when my players wanted to buy a transport. What is the difference between a carriage, a cart, a chariot and a wagon?
This words seems to be all synonymous to me but they all have very different price and weight, and nothing is specified in the PHB about their different size, places, carrying space, number of wheel, etc.

Thank you

[War_lord]

I came into a issue when my players wanted to buy a transport. What is the difference between a carriage, a cart, a chariot and a wagon? This words seems to be all synonymous to me

I'm rather confused about how these could be "synonymous".

This is a carriage, they're for transporting people:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Hovsorgvagn_berlinare,_h%C3%B6ger_sida_-_Livrustkammaren_-_31021.tif/lossy-page1-300px-Hovsorgvagn_berlinare,_h%C3%B6ger_sida_-_Livrustkammaren_-_31021.tif.jpg

This is a cart, can be used to transport both goods and people, usually for rural or industrial purposes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprung_cart#/media/File:Spring_cart.jpg

This is a chariot, they were used for warfare (one driver and between one and three fighters depending on the type) and transport (one driver) in antiquity, almost exclusively by the wealthy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot#/media/File:Biga._Festa_do_esquecemento._Xinzo_de_Limia,_ Ourense,_Galicia.jpg

This is a Wagon, it's a heavy four wheeled vehicle for transporting goods and people, usually more then and over longer distances then the cart. It's basically a heavy cart.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagon#/media/File:Senator_John_Heinz_History_Center_-_IMG_7649.JPG


but they all have very different price and weight, and nothing is specified in the PHB about their different size, places, carrying space, number of wheel, etc.

Thank you

I believe that's deliberately kept vague to account for the different configurations of these vehicles the players might wish to buy. Size and number of wheels are defined by the vehicle type. Carrying capacity is limited by what the pulling animals can carry and by the bounds of common sense. "Places" isn't needed, as players riding in back are just factored into encumbrance, after all a Gnome in a robe doesn't weigh the same as a Half-Orc in Full Plate.

[Foxhound438]

I couldn't tell you differences by game stats, but here's how I see each one

Carriage: basically a taxi cab, in that it's used to transport a group of people and their luggage; in d&d usually horse drawn, but other animals might pull it based on setting (IE, oxen in an asian inspired world, chocobo in final fantasy land)

cart: something you would put your tent, food and water supplies, and maybe your backpack in; usually used on long journeys and drawn by a mule or the like

chariot: a wheeled platform that a knight or captain might ride into a battle on; only room for one person generally, and drawn by a warhorse or setting equivalent.

wagon: as far as I know it's intended to be a larger version of a cart, or an open carriage; probably most used for farming (pile on crops and ride it to the barn at the end of the day) or otherwise permanent migration (kind of like a U-haul truck in use here.)


None of them have carrying capacities, which is kind of odd, but nonetheless this should give you an idea of what context to use which vehicle.

[JackPhoenix]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/aa/3d/ee/aa3deead408b1b1778f12752517b1e48.jpg
Details may vary, but for passenger transporation

http://www.friedmanarchives.com/Carribean/images/Horse%20Cart%201%20300%20dpi%20PICT4174.jpg
Single axle, 1 beast of burden, for transporting light loads

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/dark-heresy-rp/images/f/fb/Chariot.gif-403963.gif/revision/latest?cb=20140623223903
Ancient IFV. There also apparently were light, chariot drawn ballistas. Military/racing use

https://www.hansenwheel.com/uploads/74/hansens_express_wagon_2__full-image.jpg
Big, two axles, 1 or more beasts of burden, heavy load. Different versions exist for various types of cargo. May be covered

[War_lord]

chariot: a wheeled platform that a knight or captain might ride into a battle on; only room for one person generally, and drawn by a warhorse or setting equivalent.

Rather inaccurate on two counts. Chariots could have more then one passenger. The Gauls had two man chariots, a driver and a warrior (who owned the chariot and employed the driver), the chariot would speed towards its opposite on the enemy side, the warrior would dismount, trade insults and then fight, if he needed to move elsewhere (if he dispatched his foe, or the fight was going badly) the chariot would swoop back in, he'd hop on, and away they'd go. The Hittites had three man chariots, with a Driver, a Warrior and a Shield bearer.

A Warhorse drawn chariot would be an anachronism. Chariots existed because horses of the time weren't suitable for riding. The Warhouse was ridden into battle, in the era of the mounted Knight.

[JackPhoenix]

Rather inaccurate on two counts. Chariots could have more then one passenger. The Gauls had two man chariots, a driver and a warrior (who owned the chariot and employed the driver), the chariot would speed towards its opposite on the enemy side, the warrior would dismount, trade insults and then fight, if he needed to move elsewhere (if he dispatched his foe, or the fight was going badly) the chariot would swoop back in, he'd hop on, and away they'd go. The Hittites had three man chariots, with a Driver, a Warrior and a Shield bearer.

A Warhorse drawn chariot would be an anachronism. Chariots existed because horses of the time weren't suitable for riding. The Warhouse was ridden into battle, in the era of the mounted Knight.

Not just horses, but also the lack of stirrups or other means to stay on the horse while swinging a weapon around. Ancient egyptians used chariots with driver and archer... I believe two (and more)-man chariots may have been more common in warfare, while single-manned ones were more for transportation and races... it would be hard to both keep the horse under control and fight effectively, though bladed chariots were a thing too.

[War_lord]

Not just horses, but also the lack of stirrups or other means to stay on the horse while swinging a weapon around.

That theory has been disproved, mounted cavalry predates stirrups.

[JackPhoenix]

That theory has been disproved, mounted cavalry predates stirrups.

That's why I mentioned "other means". I know there's at least one saddle design that helps with that, though I can't remember how it's named off-hand. Though the rider would need free hand to pull himself back up to the straight position after attack, limiting the selections of weapons and preventing the use of a shield.

[Petrocorus]

Thank you all. I understand now that the issue stemmed in my lack of understanding of the vocabulary. Guess my English still needs improvements.

[Sigreid]

Thank you all. I understand now that the issue stemmed in my lack of understanding of the vocabulary. Guess my English still needs improvements.
Understandable, English is a strange beast.