GURPS Simplified

[Matuku]

In order to speed up combat (particularly ranged) I'm thinking of simplifying the range modifiers and making them something like -1 per 1/10 of the weapons 1/2D. Has anyone tried something like this and if so what was it like?

(PS I know this is horribly unrealistic and bordering on blasphemy but its mainly a cinematic game anyway)

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Matuku

In order to speed up combat (particularly ranged) I'm thinking of simplifying the range modifiers and making them something like -1 per 1/10 of the weapons 1/2D. Has anyone tried something like this and if so what was it like?

I haven't tried it, but it strikes me as slightly slower because now every weapon has it's own range chart, instead of just needing one to look them all up on.

[Mark Skarr]

Something I had done, in 3e, eons ago, to simplify the range chart was that each player had a range chart based on their DX. Higher DX characters were more accurate at longer ranges.
I only used it in over-the-top games, never in anything approaching reality.

[Maz]

I tried to make something similar once. In the end I didn't use my method as it wasn't really any easier than the normal rules. However, in the same thread other posted their ideas. I think the one I like best is:

Originally Posted by Toadkiller_Dog

The alternate I came up with for one game was four broad ranges - Point Blank, Short, Medium, Long.
PB was no penalty.
Short was -2
Medium -5
Long -8.
Everything was Medium range unless I said otherwise.
Short was "He's pretty close."
PB was melee range.
Long was for shooting things that seemed far enough away that shooting them would be a problem.
It was roughly scaled by weapon, so Long for a Pistol and Medium for a rifle were the same - encouraged people to use long guns at range and short guns close in.

[griffin]

Originally Posted by Matuku

In order to speed up combat (particularly ranged) I'm thinking of simplifying the range modifiers and making them something like -1 per 1/10 of the weapons 1/2D. Has anyone tried something like this and if so what was it like?

(PS I know this is horribly unrealistic and bordering on blasphemy but its mainly a cinematic game anyway)

This idea definitely would NOT speed up combat. Too much figuring out the range modifiers for individual weapons, especially for improvised weapons or ones pick up as you go. You can't simply look them up and write them down.

I like something similar to what one poster quotes below from Toadkiller_Dog.
It is like the old classic Traveller Range Bands.

Close 2 yd
Short 5 yd
Medium 50 yd
Long 100 yd
Very Long 500 yd
Extreme 1000 yd

Use the range modifiers off the chart for the range in question. It makes for some big point breaks but also means PCs are rarely moving up just to take advantage of getting a better range modifier. When they do, it really does make a difference though under this scheme. This works best in a cinematic game, and that appears to be where you are going.

I also use pre-calculated damage, where the average damage is calculated for each weapon. Use that damage unless one of the following occurs:
a) Critical (success or failure)
b) A major adversary is in play
c) Armor is impenetrable using average damage, but could be breached using regular rolled damage.

Less dice rolling, more fulfilling. When you've got dozens of unnamed mooks on the map, the last thing you need is to roll damage for every single one.
That's no way to play out a cinematic combat. The battle needs to maintain a fast and furious pacing.

- james (aka griffin)

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by griffin

This idea definitely would NOT speed up combat.

Very true. It's like the old increment counts from 1st edition GURPS. They weren't very fast. The normal 4e ranged combat system is much faster than that was!

Originally Posted by griffin

I like something similar to what one poster quotes below from Toadkiller_Dog.
It is like the old classic Traveller Range Bands.

Close 2 yd
Short 5 yd
Medium 50 yd
Long 100 yd
Very Long 500 yd
Extreme 1000 yd

Use the range modifiers off the chart for the range in question.

I think this is superior to the system of mine quoted above (glad you liked it Maz). Mine was used in a flintlock guns era game mostly, where everyone used one of maybe 4-5 different guns (a pocket pistol, a naval pistol, a musket, a blunderbuss, or a rifle). Then I briefly used it in a post-apoc game if I remember correctly. Worked great there but I'm not sure if it would work as well as griffin's system outside of the genres I used it in.

Originally Posted by griffin

I also use pre-calculated damage, where the average damage is calculated for each weapon. Use that damage unless one of the following occurs:
a) Critical (success or failure)
b) A major adversary is in play
c) Armor is impenetrable using average damage, but could be breached using regular rolled damage.

This is also a really good idea, and one I've suggested for melee combat when you want to speed up play.

[LemmingLord]

Originally Posted by Matuku

In order to speed up combat (particularly ranged) I'm thinking of simplifying the range modifiers and making them something like -1 per 1/10 of the weapons 1/2D. Has anyone tried something like this and if so what was it like?

(PS I know this is horribly unrealistic and bordering on blasphemy but its mainly a cinematic game anyway)

Sounds less simple to me. :)

How about a -0 for "short range"
-5 for "medium range"
and -10 for "long range"

and determine short-medium-and long through the storytelling. :)

[Bruno]

About the only thing to recommend about HoL (Human Occupied Landfill) was the "range table", which was a series of pictures showing you what the ranges looked like. Extreme close range was a shot of the guys eyeball, close was a head-and-shoulders portrait, medium showed he was tied to a stake, extreme long showed he was being dragged behind an aircraft...

[Gollum]

When I want to speed up things, especially combat, I simply use the task difficulty modifiers table. Is the shot average (+0), unfavorable (-2), hard (-4), very hard (-6), nearly impossible (-8) or impossible (-10)?

Indeed, range is only one factor among many others (target's size, movement, visibility...) and looking at the range table is quick enough. Looking at this table and adding all other modifiers is what slow down combat. So, using a single rough modifier really speed up the game.

A character is trying to shoot a man who is running and zigzaging 10 yards away in a foggy forest with his magnum 44? Nearly imposible, -8. Usual rules would have say -4 (range) +2 (Acc with one turn of aiming) -4 (cover: trees) -2 (fog)...

Remember that GURPS is made to be as fast-moving or as detailed as you like. So, if you really need to speed up something, forget all the modifiers given in the rules an just use the task difficulty modifiers table. You will have a game as quick as Call of Cthulhu.

[chewie]

Originally Posted by Gollum

Remember that GURPS is made to be as fast-moving or as detailed as you like. So, if you really need to speed up something, forget all the modifiers given in the rules an just use the task difficulty modifiers table. You will have a game as quick as Call of Cthulhu.

Gollum! This is a great piece of advice! Definitely worth staying up late to read. ;) Now, off to sleep I go!