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Old 06-16-2020, 04:22 PM   #1
Maz
 
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Default Can you aim a gun you can't see?

So assuming you are in total darkness but your target is not, or alternatively that you and your gun is invisible. Can you then take an Aim maneuver and gain the Acc bonus from your gun?


There doesn't seem to be any rules for this in Basic or Tactical shooting or Gun fu (at least as far as I can tell)



How would you rule it in your game?
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Old 06-16-2020, 04:32 PM   #2
Prince Charon
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

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Originally Posted by Maz View Post
So assuming you are in total darkness but your target is not, or alternatively that you and your gun is invisible. Can you then take an Aim maneuver and gain the Acc bonus from your gun?


There doesn't seem to be any rules for this in Basic or Tactical shooting or Gun fu (at least as far as I can tell)



How would you rule it in your game?
I think the Acc bonus requires being able to see the gunsights, so I suggest that the answer is no. Maybe you can get part of the Acc bonus if it's a gun you know well, because you can see the target and can feel the gun?
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Old 06-16-2020, 05:02 PM   #3
clu2415
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

If your gun is invisible, then no. You have to see the iron sights, crosshairs, red dot, whatever to line it up with the target.

If you are in total darkness, but your target is not, it’s possible; proper aiming calls for shifting your focus from your front sight to the target. If you are already in firing stance, you just have to train your sights on the target. The sights will be silhouetted against the target. A scope’s crosshairs will show up black against a bright target. I haven’t used a holographic sight so I’m not sure about those. A red dot sight or scope with illuminated reticle will have good contrast with a dim target.

It could be hard to line up your sights since you can’t actually see them until the weapon is mostly aligned. It would be fair to require an extra ready action or a Guns roll to rely on your muscle memory of a correct stance.
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Old 06-16-2020, 05:54 PM   #4
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

If you can see your target your gun isn't actually invisible, it's silhoutted against the target. Other than that, while an invisible gun would be unhelpful for aiming, aiming should still probably do something.
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Old 06-16-2020, 06:03 PM   #5
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

I don't think so. Aiming a gun requires aligning the sights with the target, or peering through the optics.

If all of that is invisible, then aiming is impossible.

"Pointing" a gun and "aiming" a gun are two different things.
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Old 06-16-2020, 06:08 PM   #6
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
If you can see your target your gun isn't actually invisible, it's silhoutted against the target. Other than that, while an invisible gun would be unhelpful for aiming, aiming should still probably do something.
I'd say the bonus for aiming 2 or 3 turns (@ +1 and +2 respectively) would still be valid if you have at lest worked off the proficiency penalty for the given weapon.
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Old 06-16-2020, 06:13 PM   #7
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

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Originally Posted by tshiggins View Post
I don't think so. Aiming a gun requires aligning the sights with the target, or peering through the optics.
It's not exactly optimal, but as long as your hands are on the weapon and you can see your hands, you can use them as a virtual sight (the darkness case is simpler -- you just pay attention to what part of the target is obscured by the sights).
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Old 06-16-2020, 07:25 PM   #8
Varyon
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

TS41 states that missing/destroyed sights drop Acc to 0; while I feel that's overly harsh, it is precedent, and I don't think it would be inappropriate for an invisible weapon. I don't have an issue allowing for Aiming, however - you can Aim with a slings and various throwing weapons, after all.
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:17 PM   #9
DaosusLeghki
 
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

This is not game related, but it might be worth pointing out that many guns have night-visible iron sights. This is usually done with three vials (two on the rear, one on the front) of tritium or some other glowy substance.
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:28 PM   #10
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Default Re: Can you aim a gun you can't see?

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Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
TS41 states that missing/destroyed sights drop Acc to 0; while I feel that's overly harsh, it is precedent, and I don't think it would be inappropriate for an invisible weapon. I don't have an issue allowing for Aiming, however - you can Aim with a slings and various throwing weapons, after all.
My first instinct was to say no, but this is convincing. So I'd allow Acc 1.
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