From:	Hahns Shin Hahns_Shin@*******.com
Subject:	Technique and Damage (was Re: CC Martial Arts)
Date:	Tue, 6 Jun 2000 04:30:55 -0500

Umm, I thought that extra successes in a Melee combat test is supposed
simulate this "Technique causes more damage" phenomena. For example, a guy
with Unarmed 3 can only stage up 3 successes without Combat/Karma Pool,
which stages up to S Stun... he can't even knockout a guy with a glass jaw
(Body 2)! However, someone with Unarmed 6 (supposedly black belt level)
will most likely knockout a guy with no or minimal training... can probably
break a few bricks and boards, too. The reason I'm being so obvious here is
to emphasize what has been the rule all along: That regardless of your
Strength, someone with Unarmed training is probably going to wipe the floor
against someone without/minimal Unarmed training. That's how it is in
Shadowrun, and that's how it is in real life. Oh, and training in this case
does not necessarily mean Martial Arts... it could be living on the streets
or learning from the knee-to-groin/bite-and-kick school of combat. Of
course, if the target was a hardass (Body 6), it might take a while for the
guy to succumb to the beatdown...

I don't know. I've been happy with abstracting it, mostly because there are
no realistic options that suit me at this time. That, and gun beats knife
every time in SR's rock/paper/scissors. Unless it's a throwing knife... umm,
err... I'll have to work on that metaphor.

Hahns