Tracer round damage?

[Tessen]

Do tracer rounds do the same damage / penetration as their equivalent non tracer rounds?

i.e will a 50 cal tracer do the same damage as a normal 50 cal round.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Tessen

Do tracer rounds do the same damage / penetration as their equivalent non tracer rounds?

i.e will a 50 cal tracer do the same damage as a normal 50 cal round.

Generally yes. While they tend to be lighter than normal bullets, it's usually a small enough difference that it's not significant.

Also, some tracers burn hit enough to also be considered 'incendiary', in which case they'll also do a point of burning damage, linked.

High-Tech has a paragraph on tracer rounds (HT175), and lists many standard issue tracers in the descriptions of the wqeapons they were used in.

[Tessen]

Okay , well if that's the case why not just use tracer rounds instead , what's the down side?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Tessen

Okay , well if that's the case why not just use tracer rounds instead, what's the down side?

They give away your position. In TL6+ firearms combat, concealment is vital, all the time.

[Anaraxes]

Tracer's also more expensive. While PCs often don't care about ammo price or their operating cost, entire armies do.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Tessen

Okay , well if that's the case why not just use tracer rounds instead , what's the down side?

They're more expensive and they aren't actually very useful unless you're firing full automatic. Machine guns commonly do come with tracer rounds every N shots.

[Ulzgoroth]

Note that you can reduce the 'giving away your position' issue with dark-ignition tracers. They may not be available in the years Tessen is focused on though.

Originally Posted by Anthony

They're more expensive and they aren't actually very useful unless you're firing full automatic. Machine guns commonly do come with tracer rounds every N shots.

And might sometimes issue loads that have higher tracer density, either as an semi-improvised incendiary or for situations where you really want to maximize visibility.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Tessen

Okay , well if that's the case why not just use tracer rounds instead , what's the down side?

Aside from cost, as mentioned by others, they are less accurate at long ranges. Once the tracer compound has burned out they become less stable and as they slow down they tend to wobble and 'drift'. As they aren't much help when shooting a rifle, and are mainly for machinegun and autocannon use, and these are often used at long range, this would be a problem if all-tracer was used.

[MrFix]

Every bullet bought as tracer gains 'inc' modifier, which is equivalent to a follow-up burning attack that deals exactly 1 damage.

So, for example, a 2d+2 pi inc pistol with tracer rounds deals avg 7 to unprotected person, +1 burning. This can be used to set fuel and other burnables alight, and causing a major wound (and it failing HT roll) to a combustible vehicle sets it aflame for 1d-1 burn per second until extinguished.

Flammable vehicles are weak to such weapons. Causing a major wound with inc weapon gives it -3 penalty to resist catching on fire. -6 if you attacked a vital area like gas tank.