Old West: Shotgun pellets and missed targets

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Yeah, I have problems with it too. However, for the small arms that typically show up in my games, the current rules are suitable. Just so long as I take the results lightly.

I guess it can be attributed to them only ever being playtested (before final publishing) with the Basic Set weapons. Back then nobody thought to check what results they produce when used with birdshot, or a 300-missile rack, or even a very rapid firing LASER turret.

[Jerron]

I've never liked the shotgun rules, basic set or otherwise.

That said, you can figure the misses in 3D. They went into the dirt, or over the guy's head. I've been shot with pellets at long range, and thankfully, they don't hurt. Except for the temperature, they're hot rolling down your collar. If they go past, after a certain distance, they just don't do any damage. (What that distance is, I won't get into, I can't even shoot clay pidgeons at my trap league according to the RaW.)

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

They missed for all possible mechanical purposes. This is the GURPS equivalent of arguing that a successful, damaging attack in D&D doesn't need to actually represent being injured, which never actually worked over there and is even worse in GURPS.

Yeah. I cannot state too strongly how opposed I am to the idea that "hit" or "miss" are abstract terms instead of what people actually mean when they say hit or miss in English.