| From: | Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Shotgun Damage |
| Date: | Thu, 10 Oct 1996 14:19:00 -0400 |
> Here's a question of my own; How do you guys figure the damage on
> shotguns??? Does the damage code stated in the book (9S, etc)
> incorporate the flechette?? We (sometimes) play that it doesn't, which puts
> the damage from a shot round at an automatic deadly.
Note: this is a *House Rule* only, not official rules. The
following rules came about after a lengthy discussion between a group of
people who are familiar with said weapons. Rule is as follows:
The base damage for a shotgun is for both slug and scatter shot.
Thus, a shotgun firing at 9S will do 9S damage with a slug, as well as 9S
damage with shot. The difference is that the power-level of shot
decreases as the shot-pattern spreads. Thus, a garden variety shotgun
firing a slug would do 9S at all ranges, where the damage for shot rounds
would *start out* at 9S and decrease as the range to target increased.
Also: Slugs use ballistic armor, but Shot uses double Impact
armor, as per the flechette rules. Finally, when calculating knockdown,
the power level of shotgun rounds are *not* halved as normal.
The reasons for this are mainly that whether firing a slug or
shot, roughly the same mass of lead is coming at you. The fact that shot
has the potential to hit more (possibly unarmored) areas is taken into
account in the lower target number that comes with scatter (thus leading
to a higher number of successes, which in turn leads to more staging up
of the damage). Also, a slug is more like a typical round, and thus uses
ballistic armor, while shot is spread over a wider area, and thus should
use the double-impact value. Finally, shotguns are notoriously good at
knocking people down, which is reflected in the increased knockdown
target number.
It should be noted as well that in my campaign, I include a
shotgun ammunition type called "Scattering flechette," which fires a
cluster of flechettes at the target rather than a single one (as
normal). This follows the same general rules as normal shot as far as
spreading and power-level reduction at range, but is one damage category
higher (fired from the above shotgun, scatter-flechette would start out
at 9D and be reduced as per normal scatter rules).
These rules have been played with for about three years now, and
model shotguns pretty well. In close-range, multiple-opponent
situations, or where thin cover is a visibility problem, shotguns are the
weapon of choice. They are suitably dangerous, but not heinously
overpowered.
Anyway, give these a try and see if they work well for your group.
Marc
