GURPS Simplified

[Theros]

I borrow this thread...

I have couple of questions. Some of my players complain from simulationist combat...well... Here are some good help, but to confirm simpligied combat:

1. How to handle weapons that have rof more than one more easier?

2. Some players say that professional soldier will hit (as average) from 20-40 meters, when they proceed or not, with burst ( or even with autofire) more than one or two hits.

3. Damage after armor penetration is also more complex than it should be...so any help to that?

[Theros]

I use 4th edition rules and I want to help other players to like game too by using simplier rules.

[MrFix]

Originally Posted by Theros

I borrow this thread...

I have couple of questions. Some of my players complain from simulationist combat...well... Here are some good help, but to confirm simpligied combat:

1. How to handle weapons that have rof more than one more easier?

2. Some players say that professional soldier will hit (as average) from 20-40 meters, when they proceed or not, with burst ( or even with autofire) more than one or two hits.

3. Damage after armor penetration is also more complex than it should be...so any help to that?

1) It's super easy already. Roll dice, note the margin of success. Divide margin of success by ROF, add 1, round down. This can be done in roll20 and such automatically with a formula
(ROF)/(rcl)+1=Number of hits, drop fractions.

2) I've no idea what you mean but I'll try to decypher.

An 'average' soldier with skill level 12, assault rifle with Acc 4, rof 10, rcl 2.
Target of human size 30 yards away (-7 to hit)
If aiming for 1 second and firing 5-shot burst, his effective skill level is 10 (50% chance to hit with 1 bullet out of 5).

If aiming for 3 seconds and using all-out attack (ranged) to fire 5-shot burst, his effective skill level is 13 (84% chance to hit with at least 1 bullet).

To improve these results, consider allowing players to use optics, or start with skill level of 13, 14 or even 15. Encourage them to buy rifles with higher acc stat, like 5.

3) Hit locations are technically an optional rule, so you can ignore them. The rest can be resolved with a quick formula in any calculator or even roll20 chat

(Incoming damage - target's DR)*Wounding modifier, if any = number of HP lost.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Theros

I use 4th edition rules and I want to help other players to like game too by using simpler rules.

We can almost certainly help, since GURPS is very flexible, but we'll do a better job with more information.

You seem to be running a military game? What period is it set in, and what weapons are the characters using?

What's the style of the campaign? Realistic, Hollywood realistic, Hong Kong cinema, or really over-the-top? Are you sure that the players think the same way as you about this?

The simple way to cure "not hitting very often" is to allow the characters higher skill, and teach the players about Aiming. Players used to other games often think they're wasting time if they don't attack every turn, but that isn't true for gunfights in GURPS. Higher skill and aiming make the characters better than their opponents, without interfering with the way the system works.

Doing away with range penalties, or reducing them drastically, tends to make all shooters too effective. The players will discover the bad side of that when they run into opposition who are competent with guns, since they're likely to get shot up severely.

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by Theros

I borrow this thread...

I have couple of questions. Some of my players complain from simulationist combat...well... Here are some good help, but to confirm simpligied combat:

1. How to handle weapons that have rof more than one more easier?

2. Some players say that professional soldier will hit (as average) from 20-40 meters, when they proceed or not, with burst ( or even with autofire) more than one or two hits.

3. Damage after armor penetration is also more complex than it should be...so any help to that?

Not a veteran, but I understand that SOP for modern soldiers is to use semiautomatic fire (one trigger pull per shot.) There's an interesting essay here comparing Western & Taliban marksmanship. There's a claim that professional soldiers should be able to reliably hit an enemy at 150 yards. In GURPS that's about -11, but in context that would include bonuses for Acc and aiming.

[Theros]

Originally Posted by johndallman

We can almost certainly help, since GURPS is very flexible, but we'll do a better job with more information.

You seem to be running a military game? What period is it set in, and what weapons are the characters using?

What's the style of the campaign? Realistic, Hollywood realistic, Hong Kong cinema, or really over-the-top? Are you sure that the players think the same way as you about this?

The simple way to cure "not hitting very often" is to allow the characters higher skill, and teach the players about Aiming. Players used to other games often think they're wasting time if they don't attack every turn, but that isn't true for gunfights in GURPS. Higher skill and aiming make the characters better than their opponents, without interfering with the way the system works.

Doing away with range penalties, or reducing them drastically, tends to make all shooters too effective. The players will discover the bad side of that when they run into opposition who are competent with guns, since they're likely to get shot up severely.

It is set in modern (+infinite worlds). We played a short campaign (around 10 sessions) before moving to Infinite Worlds.

Players that complain from ranged weapon rules play ex-military.

[Theros]

Originally Posted by Theros

It is set in modern (+infinite worlds). We played a short campaign (around 10 sessions) before moving to Infinite Worlds.

Players that complain from ranged weapon rules play ex-military.

Most likely they want simplified rules to range and all postive / negative modifiers. Now there are many

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by Theros

Most likely they want simplified rules to range and all postive / negative modifiers. Now there are many

GURPS Action has range bands, (Close, Short, etc.) which could be used to simplify range. There are similar suggestions earlier in the thread.

You could also drop some of the other optional details. Just find out which ones are annoying the players & drop them.