Re: Plasma weapons
 

It's been awhile since I played the games, and the spread is a bit different in each one, but keep in mind that Rcl 1 is reserved in GURPS for weapons that essentially lack any sort of spread. If memory serves, the plasma rifle tended to have a bit less spread than the assault rifle in Halo 1, and probably about the same spread as the pistol in Halo 2 (Halo 1's pistol was a zero-spread-sniper-pistol-of-DOOM). It seems to fit quite comfortably at around Rcl 2.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

By Halo 3 and Reach (and possibly Halo 4), the plasma weapons are almost spread-less by comparison to the UNSC weapons. Rcl 1 can also simulate super-light to nearly-nonexistent recoil effects, which I think simulates the later Halo games' plasma weapons nicely. I don't recall what they were like in Halo and Halo 2...been too long, but regardless, I'd go with what's in the most recent games, and in those, the plasma pistol and plasma rifle are effectively recoilless.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

I didn't play much of 3 (and never bothered with the plasma rifles), and haven't played the others. In the first two, the plasma rifle had a decent amount of spread, while the plasma pistol typically had none at all. Whichever games you'd prefer to go with are, of course, the best, although personally I would run plasma rifles as having Rcl 2. If they have virtually no spread, Rcl 1 is indeed the way to go.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

That might be a fair ruling, given that UT is specific about plasma guns being the only energy weapons to have actual Rcl. That makes them considerably worse weapons, though. I might up RoF to 13 in that case so they can get the +3 RoF bonus.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

ROF 4 would mean you had to succeed by 4 just to hold the whole stream on target when "aiming" one at short range really doesn't seem to be any harder than "aiming" a pressure washer. I mean, how many soldiers put 200 hours of range time in on flamethrowers before using one?

That's the thing about the rapid fire rules. They have substantial and sometimes nigh unavoidable missing built into them and this is done so as to reflect the lack of Skill and negative modifiers of common users and situations rather than the physical properties of the weapon in question. Frequently it results in missed shots when doing such would be nigh impossible.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

Intensive learning hours count double, so you'd only need 100 hours of range time. Nobody really uses flamethrowers anymore in the real world though, so the question really should be how many hours were soldiers trained for flamethrowers when they were in use. Back when Marine 0351s used them, I imagine they got as much training as they do on the SMAW or whatever today.

The other thing that reflects "as easy to aim as a pressure washer" is that it ignores range penalties and can probably Telegraphic Attack.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

The weapon might have a bonus to Dodge similar to Telegraphic Attack but the user isn't choosing to use that option.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

Why not? "Treat it as a melee weapon with a very long reach rather
than as a ranged weapon."

Telegraphic Attack is an option for Melee attacks.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

Because I don't think the bonuis to Di9dge results from the user's actions. It's part of the weapon';s characteristics. There's no way for the user to not give the bonus to Dodge.

Re: Plasma weapons
 

Then they should get the +4 to hit as well. It's still easy to aim the things as you've already pointed out.