Multiple Projectiles: Extremely Close Range

[MrFix]

B409

When firing a shotgun at 10% of 1/2D or less, you don't resolve the attack with the ROF modifier for multiple projectiles, but just multiply damage and enemy DR by 4.

Question, do you also discard the ROF to-hit bonus that comes naturally with shotgun's 9 projectiles? Or do you still retain it?

I found it weird that if the bad guy is 5 yards away, I get +2 to hit him from ROF, but if he comes up to 4 yards for 40 1/2D weapon, I get only +0, but that's how some at my table have read it.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by MrFix

B409

When firing a shotgun at 10% of 1/2D or less, you don't resolve the attack with the ROF modifier for multiple projectiles, but just multiply damage and enemy DR by 4.

Question, do you also discard the ROF to-hit bonus that comes naturally with shotgun's 9 projectiles? Or do you still retain it?

I found it weird that if the bad guy is 5 yards away, I get +2 to hit him from ROF, but if he comes up to 4 yards for 40 1/2D weapon, I get only +0, but that's how some at my table have read it.

You don't apply the RoF multiplier to RoF, and therefore a single shot of nine pellets would indeed do x4 damage with no bonus to hit. Yes, that does meant that there's an odd break-point between 4-yards (net -2 to hit) and 5-yards (net +0 to hit). However, to hit with four pellets at 5-yards does require a 3-point margin of success, and allowing for the +2 from RoF that's still harder than getting a hit at 4-yards with the 'single' blast.

[MrFix]

Cheers. If anyone else knows a book-source elaborating on this issue, or seen a Krommpost etc, please post it. Until then I suppose I'll use Rupert's solution.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by MrFix

B409

When firing a shotgun at 10% of 1/2D or less, you don't resolve the attack with the ROF modifier for multiple projectiles, but just multiply damage and enemy DR by 4.

Question, do you also discard the ROF to-hit bonus that comes naturally with shotgun's 9 projectiles? Or do you still retain it?

I found it weird that if the bad guy is 5 yards away, I get +2 to hit him from ROF, but if he comes up to 4 yards for 40 1/2D weapon, I get only +0, but that's how some at my table have read it.

I'm not sure why it's unintuitive. The bonus to hit comes because the multiple projectiles have dispersed over an area, and there is an increased chance that the target is within that area and will get hit by one or more projectiles. But if you're at close range, the projectiles haven't dispersed (much) and the area is relatively small.

[MrFix]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I'm not sure why it's unintuitive. The bonus to hit comes because the multiple projectiles have dispersed over an area, and there is an increased chance that the target is within that area and will get hit by one or more projectiles. But if you're at close range, the projectiles haven't dispersed (much) and the area is relatively small.

Mainly because ROF otherwise applies at any range. Firing 5 shots from M4A1 increases chance to hit because of volume of fire, giving +1 to hit. This +1 to hit is given even at 1 yard away, where reasonably these 5 shots would not spread/disperse at all, be it due to recoil or failures of marksmanship, unless you're literally swinging it mad like wild swing.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by MrFix

Mainly because ROF otherwise applies at any range. Firing 5 shots from M4A1 increases chance to hit because of volume of fire, giving +1 to hit. This +1 to hit is given even at 1 yard away, where reasonably these 5 shots would not spread/disperse at all, be it due to recoil or failures of marksmanship, unless you're literally swinging it mad like wild swing.

The pellets of a shotgun shell are within a sphere a few inches in diameter at 5 yards. With an M4, the first shot is 80 yards downrange before the second shot leaves the weapon. The "boomstick" range of a shotgun is where the pellets are so clustered together that they function like a big spongy slug than individual pellets.