[Basic/HT] Shotgun pellets and hit location

[safisher]

The reason I say one hit (as a house rule) is simply as a GMs call to reduce rolls. And as UV points out, if you roll for all of them, it becomes a matter of calculating odds of "free damage" rather than rolling to hit specific locations. For a shotgun blast with, say, 13 to 15 buckshot per pull of the trigger, that's a lot of rolls -- especially if RoF is 2 or 3. This is on an entirely different scale than rolling with each arrow hit.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by safisher

The reason I say one hit (as a house rule) is simply as a GMs call to reduce rolls. And as UV points out, if you roll for all of them, it becomes a matter of calculating odds of "free damage" rather than rolling to hit specific locations. For a shotgun blast with, say, 13 to 15 buckshot per pull of the trigger, that's a lot of rolls -- especially if RoF is 2 or 3. This is on an entirely different scale than rolling with each arrow hit.

Combat loads in GURPS are usually 1×9, of which less than five typically actually hit. If you are shooting with effective skill of 12 for example, odds are you will need only need to worry about two pellets. On the other hand I haven't actually seen a lot of shotguns in use. This may change if I run this six-guns and sorcery game, though.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I haven't actually seen a lot of shotguns in use. This may change if I run this six-guns and sorcery game, though.

You'd probably see double-barreled 10 gages there. I think that would be 2x13 instead of 2 or 3 x9.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

You'd probably see double-barreled 10 gages there. I think that would be 2x13 instead of 2 or 3 x9.

Yeah, although the way Rapid Fire bonuses work, that may not mean that many more hits. I will probably keep rolling for sublocations unless it ends up being ridiculous.

[safisher]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Combat loads in GURPS are usually 1×9, of which less than five typically actually hit. If you are shooting with effective skill of 12 for example, odds are you will need only need to worry about two pellets. On the other hand I haven't actually seen a lot of shotguns in use. This may change if I run this six-guns and sorcery game, though.

Modern shotgun shells, including 3" and 3.5" 12 gauge, can have 15-18 buckshot. That's a +3 to +4 to hit, rather than a +2. It can become headache to roll for every single pellet. If you automate the rolls and the sub-location rolls, sure, go for it.