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Message no. 1
From: Forgotten Horror <phinar@**.CENCOM.NET>
Subject: [Fwd: Re: Vipers and head shots]
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 00:52:32 EDT
Forgotten Horror wrote:
>
> > On the other hand I _have_ had problems with the Ares Viper Slivergun and
> > recurring head-shots with said weapon.
>
> Why? Why does this always pop up, especially after the delights of
> Smartlink II are introduced? If you read the rules, it clearly states
> that a called shot can target a specific area only on a target vehicle
> sized or larger. What are these characters shooting at, the Sta-Puft
> Marshmallow Man?
>

Uh?? SRII, p92: "By calling a shot, the character is aiming at a
vulnerable
portion of a target, such as the head of a person, the tires or
windows of
a vehicle, and so on."

Later on: "A specific sub-target of something vehicle-sized or larger
can
be hit, such as the windows or tires on a vehicle. Normal damage rules
apply (as opposed to the damage code increase), but are used against
the
specific part of the vehicle". (The stuff in the brackets is mine).

So yeah, you can do a called shot to the head. Does it instakill?
No... it
only increases the damage code by one level, and gives you a +4 to the
TN.
It also doesn't, say, decrease the armour protection.

As a house rule, I also require that the character spends a turn
aiming
just to get the call shot (this doesn't decrease the TN by 1). About
the
only time I see called shots these days is when the PCs are snipering.

> (I had this problem once. It ended in a rather disappointed shuffling
> of papers and examination of the rules.)
>
> If you *can* make a called head shot, can you imagine what an SMG
> would do to a person? That's a serious one shot, one kill campaign.
> And I can't imagine you've got too many characters live past their
> teen years. When my players were pulling that drek, they almost lost
> it on a couple occassions, specifically for that reason. (OK, you take
> a 3-round burst to the head. He's got 6 successes, lemme know if you
> live for the next burst.)

> It makes the game unplayable in a hurry.

My method of dealing with rule abusers is that I abuse the rules back
at
them, as a method of telling them to stop. Assuming they don't heed my
first warning, of course. Eventually they either change their ways or
get
so sick of it they leave. Or I kick them out.

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***

********My Addendum and Wholehearted Agreement*********

Precisely. And why the examination of the rules was made so critical
at announcement juncture. It faded away to join the ranks of such
dastardly devices as short-range grenade lobbing (wait'll ya see the
salsa factor on THIS one, chummers) and free availability for starting
characters (though I must admit this one was a tough one to flip on
ol' Bob).


<G>
(phinar@******.net)

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