Examples of 4e Combat

[captaincomic]

I'm new to GURPS and was reading your combat examples. Thanks for creating them, they are very helpful!

But I'm a little confused on how scopes work. (B412)

In your FAQ you write

A variable-power scope set to "+3" would function identically to a fixed-power scope of +3;

This sounds like there is no difference at all between variable-power or fixed-power scopes.
Or does it mean you "set" the variable-power scope to a value at some point and then it behaves exactly like a fixed-power scope of that value? Say you have a variable scope of +5, but you set it at +3, so it behaves like a fixed-power scope of +3? I cannot see why it would work like this.

From B412 I read it differently. The fixed-power scope works like your example:

Turn 1: Aim - get +6 for weapon Accuracy (total +6, no bonus from scope yet)
Turn 2: Aim - further +1 for Aiming (total +7)
Turn 3: Aim - further +1 for Aiming, +3 for scope (total +11)
Turn 4: Aim - no further bonuses, total bonus is +11

But if you had a variable-power scope of +3, I think it would work like this:
Turn 1: Aim - get +6 for weapon Accuracy, +1 from scope (total +7)
Turn 2: Aim - further +1 for Aiming, +1 for scope (total +9)
Turn 3: Aim - further +1 for Aiming, +1 for scope (total +11)
Turn 4: Aim - no further bonuses, total bonus is +11

So the result after 3 or more turns of aiming would be the same, but it you only aim for 1 or 2 turns the variable-power scope is better. And you don't need to set the variable-power scope in advance, just aim for as many turns as you like at get the bonus.