Why Sniper Rifles are so crappy in HT?

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Because, as was pointed out up-thread, 1/2D Range for most guns is a WAG at best. I think implementing the time-of-flight penalty (-(1d-1) per second to target) would better fill this need. Also, IIRC small light rounds tend to slow down more quickly than large heavy ones, meaning that even if muzzle velocity is the same, velocity at 1, 2, or 3 seconds may be different. Such stats would to be determined for each round, or possibly each gun. Not sure if Douglas Cole could implement such a thing on his Ballistics Spreadsheet though.

time of flight to various ranges is already in the sheet, in the lower section, which is mostly unused.

The best result would be that you'd end up with each gun having a 1/2D and Max Range (or maybe a -1 per die, -2 per die, and Max Range, for a little more granularity) and also a 0 second Range, 1 second, 2 second, etc. These might line up with the damage increments, but I suspect they wouldn't for many rounds.

I think the way to go here would be some sort of app, where each weapon/bullet combo would be selectable, and then you'd enter the target's range, and it would give you the Time of Flight and damage at that range. I'm not qualified to write it, but that's how you could get that info in a game-useable way.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

I think the way to go here would be some sort of app, where each weapon/bullet combo would be selectable, and then you'd enter the target's range, and it would give you the Time of Flight and damage at that range. I'm not qualified to write it, but that's how you could get that info in a game-useable way.

Yeah, that does sounds like the best option. I'd be curious if someone on here has the know-how to pull it off. (Not that I could actually use it, since my phone is an ancient PoS.)

Urg... and now that I'm well-rested, I realize that I botched the math in my last post. The modifier for each extra second of flight time is +1d-5, or +1 to -4. I listed it as -1d-1, or -0 to -5. So that 1.5-mile sniper shot would have up to 14 effective skill on an average roll, or 82% chance of hitting with both shots; even assuming that both those time-of-flight rolls were worse than average, he could still have better than 50%, which is not too shabby. Serves me right for not consulting the book, I suppose.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Yeah, that does sounds like the best option.

Urg... and now that I'm well-rested, I realize that I botched the math in my last post. The modifier for each extra second of flight time is +1d-5, or +1 to -4. I listed it as -1d-1, or -0 to -5. So that 1.5-mile sniper shot would have up to 14 effective skill on an average roll, or 82% chance of hitting with both shots; even assuming that both those time-of-flight rolls were worse than average, he could still have better than 50%, which is not too shabby. Serves me right for not consulting the book, I suppose.

Given that not only did he make the one shot, he made the next, he either got very lucky, or had real confidence he could make both shots.

[Vynticator]

Trying to make a sniper rifle for TL5, can I run some maths past people and see if I'm getting the rules right? Not super-familiar with guns rules in GURPS.

Sharps 1874 rifle base acc 4
Very fine, +2 acc +1 malf
Weapon bond +1 skill
Handmade match grade ammo +2 acc

Final accuracy is 9

Is that legit?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Vynticator

Trying to make a sniper rifle for TL5, can I run some maths past people and see if I'm getting the rules right? Not super-familiar with guns rules in GURPS.

Sharps 1874 rifle base acc 4
Very fine, +2 acc +1 malf
Weapon bond +1 skill
Handmade match grade ammo +2 acc

Final accuracy is 9

Is that legit?

It's (almost) in accordance with the rules, but I can't comment on how realistic it is to have the Sharps attain this level of precision at what amounts to fairly modest cost. No less so than for hundreds of other guns, so I wouldn't worry about it unless you're truly obsessive when it comes to detail.*

The only thing in your post that's not quite right by the RAW is that final Acc is properly 8, not 9. The Weapon Bond Perk grants a bonus to skill, not Acc, which is important in situations where you don't have time to Aim. In that case, you'd still get the skill bonus, but the Acc would be irrelevant.

*Even then, it's certainly not that unrealistic for the Sharps to perform as well as modern sniper rifles at most combat ranges (though at such ranges, the difference in precision between accurised target rifles and mass-produced service ones usually aren't relevant anyway, contrary to GURPS rules). What might be unrealistic is using it to snipe at truly extreme range, given the somewhat pronounced parabolic trajectory and the much longer travel time compared to a speedier, more flat-shooting round. But worrying about specific rounds and gun models for situational modifiers is beyond even the level of detail found in GURPS Tactical Shooting.