GURPS Tactical Shooting

[SCAR]

I don't really need details of lots more guns (High Tech, Gun Fun, Loadouts:Monster Hunters, etc pretty much provides as many options as I think I mght need) - other equipment might be useful.

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

Yes . . . The Matrix' "Elevator Lobby Scene" shows this. The "bad guys" are SWAT-type guys; the "good guys" are, well . . . my name is Neo.

Granted, "it's a movie," but the contrast would be pretty fun. Especially since the trained TS guys would be more predictable, in that the "best" ways of clearing a room of "good guys" would be well known, and the application of Gun Fu would explode the expectations and response times pretty well.

I do tend to like to read high detail, I just don't necessarily want to run or play highly realistic detail - but I could see getting that sort of scene 'right' in a game being really cool.

Originally Posted by kenclary

Generally, Gun Fu will "win" over TS, through cinematic power.

(Also, really, running mooks with all the extra care and detail of TS seems to defeat the purpose of having quick-to-play mooks.)

Yes, and I'd agree.

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

Both of these things are true. But my impression is that if you want to amp up the challenge beyond mooks, you can do so by using the rules in TS . . . while still allowing the heroes to use their Gun Fu to kick butt. In fact, with proper "realistic" opposition, Gun Fu will be the ONLY way to defeat said amped-up "mooks."

I'm just looking for ways the two can combine usefully. The genre switches are so profound that they don't mix well, but that doesn't mean they can't mix at all.

I can see the details in TS being useful when running Bad Guys (those above Mook level), so they can behave 'better' and offer more of a challenge, without necessarily needing to actually use all the detailed rules.

I'm tempted at least.

[Trachmyr]

Is Tactical Shooting useful for TL0 through TL2 games... and if so how useful? This is one book I've been putting off buying because it doesn't seem that useful to me (well, this one and Plant Spells). But since e23 will be the one-stop shopping place for *my* christmas wishlist, I'm wondering if Tactical Shooting should earn a place.

Bear in mind that DF has been one of the highest TL settings I've run for some time, and most of my games have been in the TL0 to TL1 range.
I have ran a few SF TL10 games, but the emphasis hasn't been on combat, especially firefights. I'm sure eventually I'll pick up this product when I get that urge to run an Old West game... but that might be a while.

[Langy]

Originally Posted by Trachmyr

Is Tactical Shooting useful for TL0 through TL2 games... and if so how useful? This is one book I've been putting off buying because it doesn't seem that useful to me (well, this one and Plant Spells). But since e23 will be the one-stop shopping place for *my* christmas wishlist, I'm wondering if Tactical Shooting should earn a place.

Bear in mind that DF has been one of the highest TL settings I've run for some time, and most of my games have been in the TL0 to TL1 range.
I have ran a few SF TL10 games, but the emphasis hasn't been on combat, especially firefights. I'm sure eventually I'll pick up this product when I get that urge to run an Old West game... but that might be a while.

Some small parts of it might be useful (in particular rules for situational awareness), but I can't see how most of it would be applicable to low-tech games. It really does depend a lot on the 'shooting' aspect, which doesn't seem to have much relevance for your games.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Langy

Some small parts of it might be useful (in particular rules for situational awareness), but I can't see how most of it would be applicable to low-tech games.

Most of the rules in Combat Mind would also be appropriate for realistic combat at any TL.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Most of the rules in Combat Mind would also be appropriate for realistic combat at any TL.

Also Light Adaptation and Night Combat, though they're couched in HT terms should be applicable at any TL.

Still, it's probably no more than two pages of the book that are relevant to a pre-firearm regime.

[PK]

For pre-TL4 games, it's hard to say Tactical Shooting is a must-buy. It focuses very heavily on guns and shooting, obviously, but there's also quite a bit of general advice on tactics, clearing a room, being under fire on a battlefield (which could reasonably apply to being targeted by a mass of archers), etc. If you never plan on running anything TL4 or higher, you'll probably find around 20% of it useful and the remaining 80% interesting to read for the history, advice, and description of modern firearms and shooting tactics.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

being under fire on a battlefield (which could reasonably apply to being targeted by a mass of archers), etc.

Many of those rules apply even when being attacked in melee.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Many of those rules apply even when being attacked in melee.

And they were deliberately written that way, and rewritten when even a hint of "seeing someone get shot is scarier than seeing them disemboweled with an axe" popped up in phrasing.

[safisher]

If you do "gritty" Low-tech, I'd say get it for the various sections on combat psychology alone. The Harsh Realism section has some stuff that would apply equally if using crossbows and other missile weapons. Also, the section in Horror on insanity and mental illness will dovetail nicely with TS.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by safisher

If you do "gritty" Low-tech, I'd say get it for the various sections on combat psychology alone. The Harsh Realism section has some stuff that would apply equally if using crossbows and other missile weapons. Also, the section in Horror on insanity and mental illness will dovetail nicely with TS.

That reminds me, I'd meant to mention Bullet Travel. You'd have to tweak it for the speeds of low-tech missiles, but if you do the Arrow Travel rule will seriously mess up any would-be bow sniper. Arrows just aren't all that fast.

You also might be able to use the long-arm shooting stances with crossbows, though I don't know whether that'd be entirely suitable or how crossbow sighting is done.