11-09-2011, 10:15 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2011
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High recoil, single shots
If a weapon is shot just once each second of combat-time, then does its Recoil affect nothing during that scenario? Then, if said weapon can only have RoF 1, does its Rcl stat affect nothing at all? That'd be a shame.
For example: it came to mind the thought of somebody untrained, with weak arms, shooting an elephant rifle, or anything with a big knockback. There are (sadly) zillions of videos showcasing events as this. Is there anything modeling a chance of "losing control" of a firearm upon using it? Of course it'd probably be mostly anecdotical, and I know Recoil doesn't equate to recoil as we see it IRL. But it'd be nice to discuss houserules either way :D |
11-09-2011, 10:34 AM | #2 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: High recoil, single shots
The effect you're looking for is in the ST stat, not the Rcl stat. Somebody with less ST than his gun's ST stat takes the difference as a penalty to skill, as with any weapon. If this drops his effective skill below 7, he'll critically fail more often and enjoy dropped weapon and misfire results. What you're seeing in silly videos is the average ST 10 guy firing a monster cartridge that calls for ST 12-13, and taking -2 to -3 to skill . . . which is probably his default skill of DX-4, or 6. So he's shooting at skill 3-4 and critically failing on 13-14. On occasion it's a nominally experienced shooter using his default from Guns (Pistol)-10 to operate at Guns (Rifle)-8, so the penalty gives him a 5-6 and he's critically failing on 15-16.
We give Rcl for one-shot weapons mainly because many such weapons can be customized with extra barrels, and also because GURPS is generic enough that somebody will doubtless come up with an obscure way to improve RoF enough that it matters. As you implied, Rcl isn't actually recoil . . . it's more a rating of the degree to which the weapon spreads around multiple shots, which is only partly to do with how much it rocks around. The actual force of recoil plays a larger role in the ST stat.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
11-09-2011, 10:38 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Land of the Beer, Home of the Dirndls
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Re: High recoil, single shots
People overcompensating for recoil is probably handled through the familiarity penalty, right? (Combined with the probability of a generally low skill)
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11-09-2011, 10:45 AM | #4 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: High recoil, single shots
For sure. Tossing as bad as -6 onto skill for the very first shot, ever, that one fires from a given weapon is entirely justified. As the Guns skill notes, going from a handheld 5.56mm self-loader to a 12.7mm bolt gun propped up on a bipod can give -6, entirely from lack of familiarity. Of course, this wouldn't take long to lose, but the people in silly videos are typically ambushed by the friend making the video. The GM could apply similar penalties to stupid shooting practices, like taking a dare to fire a .300WM rifle one-handed like a giant handgun.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
11-09-2011, 11:05 AM | #5 |
"Gimme 18 minutes . . ."
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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Re: High recoil, single shots
There's the youtube video level of "overcompensating for recoil", and then there's just bad shooting habits. Typically you can spot people overcompensating for recoil when they're consitently shooting below their aimpoint. To verify, load a mag for them and sneak a snapcap/dummy round into the mag. It's usually very noticable when they are anticipating the recoil with a dud because the hammer will fall and the muzzle will dip by as much as an inch.
Gamewise, I would just call that "low or default skill levels". |
11-09-2011, 11:40 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The ASS of the world, mainly Valencia, Spain (Europe)
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Re: High recoil, single shots
Quote:
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11-09-2011, 12:20 PM | #7 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: High recoil, single shots
For Multishot on low-tech weapons that lack Rcl, I'd use Rcl 1 for Bulk 0 to -2, Rcl 2 for Bulk -3 or -4, Rcl 3 for Bulk -5 or -6, and so on.
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
11-09-2011, 02:22 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The ASS of the world, mainly Valencia, Spain (Europe)
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Re: High recoil, single shots
Quote:
EDIT: or should I submit it as an errata? |
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11-09-2011, 04:30 PM | #9 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: High recoil, single shots
It isn't a correction for an error – it's just a suggested rule. For now, it's FAQ-worthy but not errata-worthy. We try to keep new additions off errata pages!
__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
11-10-2011, 01:13 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Re: High recoil, single shots
Thanks. Somehow I had forgotten that penalties for unfamiliarity do stack here.
Indeed, Tactical Shooting does cover a lot of silly stances: with no other aid such as a sling, a long arm gets its ST multiplied by 1.5 when on a single hand. An average rifle with ST 10 on an average not-hero's hand, and it's very likely to crit the first time he shoots it (at least!) |
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