Equipment Familiarity

[jsbrewster1]

Hi all, I just spent the last half hour or so reading about Equipment Familiarity. I never even realized it was a thing until started creating my latest character, and noticed the box on p.169, and that it wasn't an optional rule.

How many of you use the Familiarity rules as written in the Basic book? Or what have you done to mitigate some of the penalties.

[thrash]

I use those rules all the time, particularly in space (alien tech) or cross-time (alternate tech) campaigns.

The penalties seem to be reasonable or even lenient: in the real world, qualifying in a new military helicopter is 6-8 weeks of classroom instruction and a minimum of 25 flight hours.

[jsbrewster1]

I'm thinking in more basic terms, like using a different .38 caliber revolver, or a different 9mm semi-automatic. In the example in the book, they give Volkswagen Bug, am I really at -2 to drive another manual transmission vehicle until I've been behind the wheel for 8 hours? I can see learning another 'type' of vehicle, but not say, going from a Bug to an MG.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by jsbrewster1

In the example in the book, they give Volkswagen Bug, am I really at -2 to drive another manual transmission vehicle until I've been behind the wheel for 8 hours?

Yes, but consider what that means. It doesn't mean you're going to have difficulty driving down the road to the supermarket. It means that you're going to have trouble making control rolls, dodging attacks, or ramming. A person learning a new model car under routine circumstances can take extra time to mitigate any problems, and the price of failure is very low.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by jsbrewster1

How many of you use the Familiarity rules as written in the Basic book? Or what have you done to mitigate some of the penalties.

I use them. Most of the time, they don't pose any problem for the characters, because they're using gear they've had time to become familiar with. A few characters collect familiarities in downtime, to qualify for the "six things used with the same skill" rule.

[jsbrewster1]

Another related question, if I pick up something I've never used before, say a broadsword when I have no sword skills whatsoever, do I take all the unfamiliarity penalties as well as the lack of skill penalty. So if I don't have an unarmed skill I have an unfamiliarity penalty for not knowing how to make a fist? In case you couldn't tell, I get a little frustrated at times with the complexity of GURPS. And yes, I could ignore all the rules I don't like, but then why bother with a game system at all.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by jsbrewster1

Another related question, if I pick up something I've never used before, say a broadsword when I have no sword skills whatsoever, do I take all the unfamiliarity penalties as well as the lack of skill penalty. So if I don't have an unarmed skill I have an unfamiliarity penalty for not knowing how to make a fist? In case you couldn't tell, I get a little frustrated at times with the complexity of GURPS. And yes, I could ignore all the rules I don't like, but then why bother with a game system at all.

Familiarity rules are for using equipment, so your fist are safe from them :)
Melee weapon are not listed as taking familiarity penalties in the basic book, although martial Arts suggest it as a option (MA 202).

Gurps is very simple as it core, you make it as complex as you want by deciding which level of detail you want.

If you have it, "How to be a Gurps GM" help with deciding which setting to toggle off or on.
In it, Familiarities are classified in the "for full bells and whistles, result in the most detail and complexity at the cost of some speed" category.

[jsbrewster1]

Ah, thanks! Didn't realize it existed, I'll consider getting that. I do like the GURPS system, 3d6 is such a better range of results than a d20, but as I said, sometimes I get frustrated with what I consider to be needless complexities in the game. I'd never penalize a player for using a Colt .38 instead of a S&W .38, as long as the mechanisms are the same. And even if they are slightly different, for example, a striker-fired versus hammer-fired 9mm, that's about 15 minutes of familiarity, not 8 hours.

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by jsbrewster1

I'd never penalize a player for using a Colt .38 instead of a S&W .38, as long as the mechanisms are the same. And even if they are slightly different, for example, a striker-fired versus hammer-fired 9mm, that's about 15 minutes of familiarity, not 8 hours.

Lots of other people wouldn't either. It totally depends on the style of game you're going for. I don't really worry about what GURPS officially marks as optional or not. I think of the whole thing as a menu and I'm trying to plan delicious meals for my players. My 10+ year 3e fantasy campaign never even used hit locations. What I love about it, though, is that the complexity is there if I need or want it.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by jsbrewster1

Hi all, I just spent the last half hour or so reading about Equipment Familiarity. I never even realized it was a thing until started creating my latest character, and noticed the box on p.169, and that it wasn't an optional rule.

How many of you use the Familiarity rules as written in the Basic book? Or what have you done to mitigate some of the penalties.

I use them, with exception made for "rules-light" games.

There are a lot of ways to pick up bonus to skills in Gurps (time spent, appropriate equipment, equipment quality, TDM, routine use, equipment bond, support skill, team and leader, ...
Familiarities help balance those.

I am however, more generous than B199 for guns, with cumulative -1 instead of -2 except for grip.

I also don't usually keep a detailled bookkeeping of familiarities. Common sense and, when in doubt, a 10-based skill roll to decide if you have or not a familiarity.

Likewise, I am generous with the scope of style familiarity and similar perks (cross-trained, ...).

But if you don't have a specific familiarity (always if you don't have at least a full point in the skill !), the penalty is enforced.

Ignoring that rule make defaulting from high attributes even more tempting ...