Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [High-Tech] [Ultra-Tech] Ultra-Tech style write-ups of TL5-8 ammo

Michael Thayne · 02-15-2020, 03:19 PM

The point of this thread is similar to the point of my previous thread on TL 5-8 firearms in Ultra-Tech calibers. High-Tech's approach to various ammo types is not very standardized and in some cases requires hauling out a calculator, so I thought it would be nice to write up an alternative system.

In this post, I'm going to focus on the main options for pistol and rifle rounds. I'll do grenades and missile warheads in a later post.

Extra-Powerful (+P) Ammunition

Divide dice of damage by 3, round to the nearest whole number, and apply the result as a damage bonus. Effects on things other than damage are unchanged.

Match-Grade Ammunition

Unchanged.

Subsonic Ammunition

Existing rules are okay I guess but if you want a simpler rule using -1 to damage regardless of gun type would make sense. Not sure if that should be worth a -1 or -2 penalty to hearing rolls. Other aspects would be unchanged.

Silent Ammunition

Unchanged.

Solid

If you're using "UT style" write-ups for all firearm types, solid ammo will be standard even for shotguns, so this option can be ignored.

Hollow-Point (HP)

Largely unchanged. If you care about consistency with Ultra-Tech you might ignore the "targets with DR 0 get DR 1 instead" rule, or declare that that rule applies to TL9 hollow-points too. Or you could decide that's a perk of using ultra-tech ammo. Unchanged, as Rupert points out below.

Armor-Piercing

Change effect on damage to -1 per die. Otherwise unchanged.

Armor-Piercing Hardcore (APHC)

Unchanged. Interestingly the rules for TL6 APHC ammo are basically identical to those for TL9 APHC ammo. I guess Ultra-Tech didn't want to put lower TL numbers anywhere even where they would have made sense.

Armor-Piercing Discarding-Sabot (APDS)

Use the rules in Ultra-Tech.

Baton, Beanbag, SAPFSDS, UD

Unchanged.

Depleted Uranium

APEP is supposed to be Ultra-Tech's equivalent of depleted uranium rounds but High-Tech gives a more more finely differentiated set of options. I need to think about how to handle this, and would appreciate thoughts in comments.

02-15-2020, 03:19 PM	#1
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	[High-Tech] [Ultra-Tech] Ultra-Tech style write-ups of TL5-8 ammo The point of this thread is similar to the point of my previous thread on TL 5-8 firearms in Ultra-Tech calibers. *High-Tech's approach to various ammo types is not very standardized and in some cases requires hauling out a calculator, so I thought it would be nice to write up an alternative system. In this post, I'm going to focus on the main options for pistol and rifle rounds. I'll do grenades and missile warheads in a later post. Extra-Powerful (+P) Ammunition* Divide dice of damage by 3, round to the nearest whole number, and apply the result as a damage bonus. Effects on things other than damage are unchanged. Match-Grade Ammunition Unchanged. Subsonic Ammunition Existing rules are okay I guess but if you want a simpler rule using -1 to damage regardless of gun type would make sense. Not sure if that should be worth a -1 or -2 penalty to hearing rolls. Other aspects would be unchanged. Silent Ammunition Unchanged. Solid If you're using "UT style" write-ups for all firearm types, solid ammo will be standard even for shotguns, so this option can be ignored. Hollow-Point (HP) Largely unchanged. If you care about consistency with *Ultra-Tech* you might ignore the "targets with DR 0 get DR 1 instead" rule, or declare that that rule applies to TL9 hollow-points too. Or you could decide that's a perk of using ultra-tech ammo. Unchanged, as Rupert points out below. Armor-Piercing Change effect on damage to -1 per die. Otherwise unchanged. Armor-Piercing Hardcore (APHC) Unchanged. Interestingly the rules for TL6 APHC ammo are basically identical to those for TL9 APHC ammo. I guess *Ultra-Tech* didn't want to put lower TL numbers anywhere even where they would have made sense. Armor-Piercing Discarding-Sabot (APDS) Use the rules in *Ultra-Tech. Baton, Beanbag, SAPFSDS, UD* Unchanged. Depleted Uranium APEP is supposed to be *Ultra-Tech's equivalent of depleted uranium rounds but High-Tech* gives a more more finely differentiated set of options. I need to think about how to handle this, and would appreciate thoughts in comments. Last edited by Michael Thayne; 02-15-2020 at 06:22 PM.