Not fully understanding High Tech's overheating rules

[BraselC5048]

I've never really figured out how the overheating rules in High Tech work. The safe number of rounds per minute is perfectly understandable, but what "after firing three or more times the safe number of rounds" means is a little unclear. Does that mean, if the safe number is 100 rounds., firing 300 rounds in one minute, or firing over 100 rounds three times in three separate minutes? Also, I assume the modifiers are cumulative if the if you fire over 100 rounds during multiple minutes?

Also, a little farther down, only (I think) applying to machineguns, is "Firing three times the final safe number reduces Acc and Malf. by 2, making even a burst barrel likely!" How does that fit in to the rest of the rules, and does it apply to SMG's too?
Also, I assume a SMG can have a heavy barrel, if the designer goes for it?




Finally, I figure that in a vacuum, halving the number of safe rounds sounds about right, since the gun can only cool by radiation? More? Less? (I'm running a starship naval campaign, and that's the normal conditions they're used in during my games.)

I also already decided that weapons more or less designed for doing that are Malf 16 in a vacuum. What would happen to a weapon that was already Fine (Reliable) outside a vacuum, and had pretty good attention paid to using it there when it was designed? Would in then be simply Malf 17?

[Ulzgoroth]

As long as you're firing above the sustainable rate, you're counting total rounds fired since the gun was properly cooled down. So 300 rounds is 300 rounds regardless of how much time it took.

I don't see any reason that submachineguns or other light automatic weapons would be protected from the rigors of the overheating rules.

I know there's been discussion of automatic overheating in vacuum before. Try a search?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

As long as you're firing above the sustainable rate, you're counting total rounds fired since the gun was properly cooled down. So 300 rounds is 300 rounds regardless of how much time it took.

It's probably most accurate to count rounds in excess of sustainable rate, so if you fire 600 rounds over 5 minutes you're still okay (you're only 100 above the sustainable rate).

[BraselC5048]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

As long as you're firing above the sustainable rate, you're counting total rounds fired since the gun was properly cooled down. So 300 rounds is 300 rounds regardless of how much time it took.

I don't see any reason that submachineguns or other light automatic weapons would be protected from the rigors of the overheating rules.

I know there's been discussion of automatic overheating in vacuum before. Try a search?

I found the thread. Turns out it was a thread I started. Oh. And it turns out that twice as fast, which I came up with, doesn't seem to have any real alternatives purposed. Even with twice as fast, turns out using a heavier barrel for a SMG, or changing barrels on a LMG, which they already can, seems like the best option.