Thinking Outside the Box- Alternative RoF (Again) 1/4/14

     For this post I ask the reader to remember that (where I am) it's very, very early in the morning, and I'm not digging a pile of books out while sitting in the dark. This post may (eventually) become a full rewrite...or it may become a complete throw-away. For now, I'll concentrate on the subject, and consider the consequences at a later time.

     RoF- oh, how we've all gone 'round and 'round this subject. For now, take everything you know about RoF and throw it our the window. Let it sulk in the snow, or the sand if you happen to be in warmer climes than I.

     This proposed change to RoF will change said weapon statistic from its current notation of X/X/X to a single number, though when doing so I will use its current notation as a starting point when determining a weapon's "new" RoF. By way of Example, a Stub Revolver currently has a RoF of S/-/-, but instead would be changed to 1, maybe 2.

     Once all weapon RoF has been altered to reflect this proposed change, each weapon will be given a Recoil value between 1 and 5. Recoil (X) will serve two purposes, the first representing the minimum Strength required to fire the weapon without its Recoil significantly affecting the user's WS Test (-10 to BS Tests), and the second representing a cumulative negative modifier based on the number of shots fired.
     At first, this proposal may seem to make burst shooting less appealing, but that is not my intention. One benefit of firing more shots will be +2 additional Damage for each shot after the first that hits. Some "special" ammunition types may increase this additional Damage...we'll see. On the flip-side, single shots (aka Standard Attacks) receive a +10 bonus to hit, representing the firer taking a brief moment (an eye blink, really) to calmly place their shot. Also when making Standard Attacks, the PC may exchange his/her DoS for the result of one Damage die.
     Anytime more than one shot is fired the BS Tests is +/-0. Pulling the trigger, whether a Standard Attack or a succession of shots, is always a Half Action.
     For all weapons with a RoF more than 1, each DoS on a BS Test after the first results in one additional hit, up to the weapon's maximum RoF.

     Lets start by taking a look at an example laspistol:

Las-pistol

Type/Category- Pistol/Las

Range/Reach- 20m

RoF- 3

Damage- d10+2[E]

Penetration- Zero

Clip- 30

Caliber- L

Reload- Half

Weapon Special Qualities- Recoil (1), Reliable, Variable Setting

     For reference, to-hit modifiers based on Range:

• Point Blank +30 (1-2m)
• Short +10 (3-10m)
• Medium +/-0 (11-40m)
• Long -10 (41-60m)
• Extreme -30 (61-80m)

     Let's consider an Adept, BS 32, trapped within a cul-de-sac of towering shelves that are heavily laden with tomes filled with ancient lore, sheltering behind a reading podium of thick yet age-dried wood, peppering shots into the darkness of the info-tombs at a dusting servitor-gone-berserk.

     The adept's first (panicked) inclination is to put the servitor out of operation ASAP, so she squeezes off a rapid succession of las blasts, 3 shots (Half Action, +/-0 to BS)- 3x Recoil (1) = -3 to BS.  Her target is at Medium Range (17m)- +10 to BS. Her target is of Average Size- +/-0 to BS. Her target is moving about in deep shadows- -20 to BS. She Aims (Half Action, +10 to BS) and shoots. Her total modified BS score is 29.

     Had the Adept chosen to make a Standard Attack instead of taking a succession of shots, her modified BS would be 42.

     Obviously, each scenario has unique situations/variables. Play around with the various permutations that are possible and tell me whether I'm on the right track, or whether this is a fool's idea.

     Happy gaming!  

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